Fly Fishing Report for Upper Delaware and Catskill Rivers

Action Improving Daily!

Over the weekend all of our guides had guests on the water. For the first time this season we can report some improved fishing conditions. All of our guests had ample opportunity and most everyone put one in the net.

Our guides really spread out. We had float trips fish the East and West branches while other guides chose to walk our guests on the Beaverkill, Willowemoc and Upper East Branch. Despite the high water conditions we got it done.

The best action remains with streamers fished slow and deep. Below is Mr. Brown chomping on the Baxter House Version of the Circus Peanut.

This week we should see the streamer bite continue on the East and West. The Trout in our Freestones should also start showing aggression towards streamers in the coming days.

The Bugs are here! The last 2 days were sunny from start to finish and the bugs liked it. Yesterday afternoon I had a guest out on the Beaverkill and we were in the middle of some serious insect activity. There were Stoneflies, Caddisflies, Mayflies and Midges in the air and on the water.

It was similar just about everywhere. It is unfortunate but the water remains just a bit too high for any real sustained surface feeding. Right now it will remain spotty and you have to hunt the protected river sections.

I am expecting my guests to start getting more regular shots with the dry fly in the next few days.

For those of you who have been waiting patiently for the dry fly action, get ready. Over the last few days the activity has been increasing. There are now pretty reliable hatches of Blue Quills around the system. Quill Gordons and Hendricksons have been emerging in some areas but it is not very widespread yet. This can change quickly and every year these hatches have a few sparse days before the mother load hits the water.

Right now anglers planning to get out should come equipped with Streamers, Dry Flies and Nympha. On top CDC and Cripples are your best choices. The early season mayflies have a high mortality rate. A big portion of every hatch remains on the water either dead or crippled. It does not take long for the trout to key in on this.

Generic nymphs that fall into the comfort food category are your best choices. My favorites choices early season are Case Caddis, our Ice Pupas, BH Hares Ear and BH Pheasant Tails and HB Stoneflies.

In the Streamer department it is all about getting down now. Coneheads, Lead Eyes etc. are needed. Your streamer choices should include a selection of flies that act differently when wet. Some should be tied with soft materials that undulate and breathe in the water. Marabou and Rabbit Strips are in this category. You should also have some flies that keel, flash and tumble when stripped. These include traditional hackle wing streamers, EP Style baitfish, Clousers etc.

Another great technique that I use at all times of year is fishing 2 streamers in tandem. The combination of a very heavy fly fished with a buoyant fly a few feet in front is often a deadly combination. This rig was the ticket on my trip yesterday.

We have some openings this week if you want to get in on the action. Just give us a call 607-290-4022. We are also taking bookings for the Main Dry Fly periods of May and June.