East Branch Upper Delaware, Delaware County 4/18/16

[DrNymph]

First time fishing the East--floated from junction with Beaverkill down to Fishs Eddy.

Time of day: 10am-dangerously dark
Weather: Beautifully clear
Air Temp: 60's-70's
Water Temp: mid 50's
Fishs Eddy Flow: around 1000
Water clarity: crystal f%#$@^ clear.
Bugs: sporadic quills, petering out Hendricksons, chimerra caddis all day and an apocalyptic EXPLOSION of apple caddis around 5pm, apparently the first day of the apple caddis hatch.

Got on the water about 10am right at the beaverkill junction. Deep pool right at the junction, immediately hooked a solid 16" fat rainbow on a dry dropper rig, Hendrickson emerged and a greased PT about 8 inches below, she took the PT.

Floated on down to the firehouse and a thin fast riffle hooked up with 2 Browns, one very good sized but both proved to be too experienced for me. Both ran straight for a log jam and snapped me off.

No real consistent risers for most of the afternoon so most activity was subsurface with most takes on a sz 16 PT just below the surface.

Around 3pm, posted up around the campground and waiting for the Hendricksons to bring the fish to the top. Only a few duns up top and no rises from about 3-4pm, which was surprising. Same thing happened on the West branch the previous day, the fish seem to be tired of the hendricksons.

However, around 4:30-5pm chimerra caddis gave way to flocks of apple caddis, and from then on, more consistent risers showed themselves mainly in the slow, flat water. Some big fish were poking their noses out. A few 50-60 ft hero casts and I was able to land a few Browns in the 16-18" range.

As dark was approaching, the air was thick with caddis and each cast I made knocked clusters out of the sky, it was impressive. No real bugs on the water, though. But fish were still rising, big Browns with big shoulders. We tried every possible fly and got a refusal on a spinner and that was about it. Pulled out around 8:30pm.

Best part of the day? We were the only ones on it, not another soul in sight. Everyone was combat fishing on the west.

 

[wbranch]

Drnymph wrote;

floated from junction with Beaverkill down to Fishs Eddy.

I'm curious did you float in pontoon boats? If so when you say "Fishs Eddy" did you take out below the iron bridge that crossed the EB just around the bend where there is a NYS "Fishermen Park" area?

BTW, typically the Delaware system trout just do not favor the adult Apple caddis. That is not to say they won't snap up one or two off the surface every now and then. But primarily they eat the pupa. I tie is on a heavy wire TMC #18 nymph hook. Bright green abdomen, ribbed with 1/32" Mylar, tan Swiss Straw stub, emergent, wings and a brown fur head. I tie it on a piece of 5X about 6" long behind an AC adult.

 

[krayfish2]

Nice report. I was there Saturday and it was every bit as crowded as the WB. The apple caddis blizzard was already rolling along at that point. Prior to the egg laying caddis, we saw very few rises and even less 'other bugs'. The water is VERY clear and the fish are already pretty spooky. You put in at 10 and out at 8:30? Wow, you must have camped out in some sections.

Matt,
Yes, he's talking the access below the metal bridge. Sent ya some texts.

 

[wbranch]

Kray,

For about forty years parking was permitted all along that old RR bed that was converted into a road. All the way from the town of East Branch down to Fishs Eddy. It was awesome to be able to park anywhere there was a pullout and never have a problem. Then about 10 years ago there was an incident between a guide and the landowner that got very heated and guess what?? The landowner got really pissed off and posted all the land and now no one can walk in and wade fish all that beautiful water. I have permission to park at a number of spots along the upper and lower EB but it is not the same as having total access to all that water from EB to FE.

 

[krayfish2]

I know the exact section / incident you are talking about. That was my main fishing section for years before the signs went up. Art Lee introduced me to the river. When those signs went up, it hurt. What's even worse, it's public fishing rights on that stretch....just can't get to it on foot now. The landowner conflicts are worse below FE and can get ugly at times to include verbal abuse, physical threats, stuff thrown at you, being video taped while guy yells 'leave, you are trespassing', troopers being called and possibly shots fired overhead. Had an issue on more than one occasion. Showed the landowner a laminated DEC map of public fishing rights on his land. He offered to "shove the map up my azz and pound my head flat". I have trouble knowing when to keep my mouth shut but he was 6'5" and 300 pounds of logger. DaveS asked me what the guy said and I replied "He said we have to leave and I agreed". LOL

 

[camdogrs]

How do CCW laws work when floating border waters? The dotted line is the center of the river correct?

 

[krayfish2]

As a general rule, the border waters are fine to wade inside the high water mark. Anchors away! There was an ongoing issue on the main with a guy on the NY side. The park service was trying to secure the property. Not sure what happened with that situation. 20 yrs ago, the guy would fire a shotgun over boats or waders. He passed and the son followed suit. He could produce Kings land grant and by NY law, you were trespassing if you got to his side of the river. Drama.