Fly Fishing Report for the Upper Delaware and Catskill Rivers

Fall is well under way in the Catskills, leaves are changing, days are getting shorter and the fish are on the feed. Currently with the exception of the west branch wading options are unlimited on the water the still open to fishing. Anglers should keep in mind that the upper east branch (above shinhopple), the New York section of the west branch and the non catch and release areas of the willow and beaverkill are now closed for the year. This still leaves the majority of the water we fish open, and with winter on its way the fish are hungry!

Right now anglers will find that we are in a transitional period with the fishing, its a normal progression that happens every year as the water temps get lower and the days shorten. The fishing is switching from being the best in the evening to being the best during the middle of the day. The trout are also beginning to drop out of the really fast pocket water, look to find fish in the flatter runs and in the deeper pools. The fall olives have began to make their appearance, as the nights get cooler expect a consistent daily hatch of them. You wont find fish eating them everywhere, look in the slower stuff and focus on areas where surface feeding is really efficient. Look in similar areas that you would expect to find fish feeding on dries early in the season.

Availability is good right now, we open dates and the option to fish streamers, dries and nymphs. Its a great time to squeeze in an extra trip before its too cold, you know in January you wish you would have.

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