Delaware river system (Delaware Co / Sullivan Co NY) 5/24-5/28

[wbranch]

Hi Andy,

To sum it up....probably the most awful conditions and fishing I've had up there in YEARS if not ever.

I've owned my cabin since July of 1996 and this is my worst year of fishing the system since at least the year we bought the cabin. I've made four trips for a total of fourteen days and I have only landed four fish over 16" and only one was 19".

I brought most of my stuff home last Saturday and told my wife I won't be going back up until after my return from Montana on July 15. I've not used my Hyde all season. Yes, there were a few times when the main stem was 1100 cfs but to tell you the truth 1100 is not much fun. If I float with one of my friends we can just barely get through the bottom of Second Heaven and if I don't pick the right slot will bottom out at the top of Knight's.

 

[krayfish2]

I hear ya Matt. This is a bad year to be a trout in that system. The lakes are still 93%-96% capacity but they still refuse to let out more water.

I will accept partial blame for the conditions.....because I bought a boat. Sorry. You know next year will be 3000 cfs from May through July. Just hope the fishery isn't hurt too badly by this year's lack of water.

 

[wbranch]

Andy,

Just hope the fishery isn't hurt too badly by this year's lack of water.

I was up in Deposit last week on Thursday and Friday and usually by June 04 you can bet by 1:00 in the afternoon there will be a great Sulfur hatch starting and soon thousands of duns will be riding that cold water. I only saw a handful over both days. Remember over the winter, for months, the Stilesville gage was running between 75 & 150 cfs with water temperatures from 32 degrees to 41 degrees.. With such a low and cold flow it is entirely possible the nymph population was hit hard for many insect families.

 

[krayfish2]

When I was up, the hatches i saw on the wb were weak. The hatches on main and eb were as expected. Based on your PM, I have to believe the release is experimental / prep for when the power generator is on line. As I posted months ago in that thread, "fish it in 2015 because they are about to destroy the fishery". Looks like they may vet an early jump on it.

 

[krayfish2]

Just released on 6-1-15..........



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15-43 June 1, 2015

Contact: deppressoffice@dep.nyc.gov, (845) 334-7868

Statement of Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner Paul Rush on Extension of Flexible Flow Management Program

read story here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/15-043pr.shtml#.VXsaW2fbKrq


Looks like the current flow plan has been renewed until 5-31-16. During that period, additional studies, assessments and data will be reviewed and brought to the table for the 2016-2017 negotiations on the flow plan.

 

[timmyt]

I dont know much about this flow plan or its history, read the link, long story short is this good news or bad news for people who care about the fish? I'm assuming a deviation from the plan they have now would be helpful based on what i have learned this year, but no change until next year doesnt help much this year

 

[krayfish2]

Its kind of "ok" news in my eyes. The plan continues the small releases that they are running this year. In all honesty, they could say 'here's your 50cfs, sorry if all your fish die'. A release of 500 - 700 cfs should be possible but remember that the primary purpose is flood control and drinking water for NYC. So.....some guaranteed cold water is better than none. Last year it was pumping high water into July. It all depends on what mother nature squeezes out of the clouds. There have been several fronts that have gone through in the last couple of weeks and most of that rain has missed the rivers that desperately need it. Next year could be high water or no water. We'll have to wait and see. As long as it keeps getting hit with lines of storms and the temps stay 85-ish or lower, the fish should be fine. Some might be lost to extended periods of thermal stress but nature is cruel. I'd like to see them keep the EB release around 250-350. That would provide another 20 miles of sanctuary.

 

[wbranch]

A release of 500 - 700 cfs should be possible but remember that the primary purpose is flood control and drinking water for NYC.

Hi Andy,

Jim Serio the Hancock real estate and long time guide on the system put together a ton of data and one of my friends went to a meeting Mr. Serio held at his real estate office a few weeks ago.

While a release of 500 - 700 cfs might make all the fly fishers and guides happy it would drain the entire thermal pool in just ten days. At least that is what Mr. Serio had figured out by going over all sorts of data. Remember the thermal pool is supposed to be used to augment the main stem flow whenever the Montague flow falls below the target number (I don't know what that number is) When the thermal pool water is expended NYC can say "well you used up all the water we allocated to you for thermal issues."

A flow of 500fs for one hour burns up 1,800,000 cubic feet multiply that be 24 hours and you have gone through 42,200,000 cubic feet of water. I don't know the total volume of water in the thermal pool reserve but in just twelve days you would of run half a trillion cubic feet of water down the West Branch.

I didn't do very well in math in school so if my numbers don't hold water (Ouch! no pun intended) please feel free to set me straight and correct my extrapolations.