Upper Delaware Fly Fishing Report

Over the last week our staff has been very busy. We had our Dry Fly and Nymph casting clinics over the Holiday weekend and also put out several guided float trips each day.

All of our current guide trips have been fishing either the Upper Main Stem or West Branch Delware. The fishing is reliable and we have had steady dry fly action. Below are a few photos from recent trips.

Anglers planning on fishing in the coming days will find a river system with water that has conditions that range from great to terrible.

First I will adress the great fishing opportunity.

Due to the lack of water and hot weather just about everywhere, the releases from Cannonsville Reservoir have been increasing. This is due to the low water in the Lower Delaware (NJ / PA area) and the need to regulate it with releases from cannonsville. This is similar to the old days where the river flows would Yo-Yo based on water needs at the Montague, NJ gauge. The current trend has the release increasing about every day. Today the reease is at 969 cfs. This heavy release will push cold water further down the Main Stem Delaware and every day it continues the fishing will improve in the areas that are cooling. Over the last few days our guests have had real nice action in the Upper Main Stem.

We are now back to offering full day float trips and if you want to get out the action is good. All of our current trips will be on the West Branch or Main Stem.

The insects are a mix of Sulfurs, Olives, Yellow Drakes, Cahills, Isonychia and Midges. There is also some periods where flying ants have been about in big numbers. You can now find Trout rising at any time of day.

There is also good nymph action once you get below the reaches of the West Branch Algae. Currently the water is clearing somewhere around the Bard Parker / Junction Pool. ANy subsurface fishing above that point is futile.

Anglers can also find good but extremely challenging fishing in the Upper East Branch. Same insects on the water and action possible at any time. At the current flow rate the Upper East is the pinnacle of difficulty. Long, light leaders and tiny flies are the standard here.

Now on to the bad fishing

Everywhere not mentioned above has warm and very and low flows. No catch and release Trout fishing should occur at this time. Anglers need to be patient and wait for either a weather change or a few heavy rainfalls before the freestone return to favorable conditions. Please Fish the tailwaters until the river conditions improve.