Main Stem of the Delaware River, Wayne County PA 5/30/17

[MarkC]

The weather was a cool 60 degrees, light rain and wind, water was also about 60. The river was slightly off-color due to tribs being muddy from an earlier thunderstorm.

When I got to the river about 5 PM (after work), there was a good ISO hatch in progress with some fish on them, they would eat a dun without much hesitation. It didn’t last long and the fish turned tough after that. There were some big and small Sulfurs, a few March Browns, and a charcoal caddis sized about 14 having a mating flight. The fish would come and go with each fish apparently eating something different.

The fishing slowed at this spot about 7:00 so I left and went to look for drakes in a big pool. No luck. The drakes should be around as the ISOs generally hatch once the drakes have started. The drakes could be hatching in the mornings or afternoons or they could have taken the day off with the rising / cooling water.

The weather looks downright chilly though the weekend so any bug activity should be during daylight hours.

Mark C

 

[krayfish2]

Mark,
You saw ISO's already? Seems a bit early especially with the cool weather we've had over the last couple of weeks. Reports I've read / gotten have very sparse to not much Drake action as of yet. The hatches have been a little strange this spring....one day blanket hatch and then few bugs for days on end. Even when the bugs did show, wind or other forces kept the surface feeding to a minimum. This has also been one of my worst springs for nymphing that system.

 

[MarkC]

Talked to some friends that had drakes below Callicoon last night. They had a good hatch during the afternoon, before the storms hit. The stable cool weather looks good for the weekend.

Mark C

 

[mcwillja]

Those size 14 black caddis are tough to fish. When the fish are on them it's all they want. Try a spent wing pattern on them the next time they are around. I fished this hatch a few years ago during a ISO hatch and the fish preferred the caddis. I couldn't believe it. It took me too long to figure it out because the fish were slashing at the bugs and it seemed like they were on the ISOs because black spent caddis on the water are almost impossible to see. Keep it in mind next time.

 

[MarkC]

Thanks for the tip. I have a problem seeing my fly when I fish the black caddis, especially when the fish are a long cast away feeding in a scum line.

I was thinking about modifying a headlight caddis with a black magic marker but leaving the post wing white. Of course the hatch will be over by the time I get to try it next week!

Mark C