Finally made my first trip up to the upper Delaware after reading so much about it here.
Stayed at the West Branch Angler. Checked in around noon Friday, and then drove all over getting the lay of the land and visiting different places we wanted to check out. Stopped at Fish's Eddy on the way back down from Roscoe at about 6:30. East Branch was roughly 1100 CFS, crystal clear, and mid fifties. Saw a few risers half way out the pool. Knocked the rust off, but caught the skunk. saw an iso nymph and shucks, a few small cahills, very light colored, and a yellow sally.
We had booked a guide for Saturday. Floated from Balls Eddy to Shehawken. West Branch was stained, about 1250 CFS, and mid to lower fifties. Started at noon, with not much happening. We tried some cahills with an olive dropper. Did not see a rise. switched to streamers, but with no luck. we stopped just before Caucci's campground. Small olives had started to hatch. Very small. We seined some that were between a size 22 and 20. We also noticed a sporadic small cahill. We watched below us and started to see a good bit of activity. We anchored up on the bottom side of the campground. There were about three solidly feeding fish out in the middle of the pool. I won't bore you with the details, but missed about three takes, had one on for about twenty seconds, and brought one brown to hand. Not very large, but in my book an accomplishment.
I have never fished a current that fast with a dry from so far away. I had problems with my slack line control on my end. Our guide showed me a trick or two that helped out. One of the last casts I made to that pod revealed that there were about four current lanes between me and the fish. After reading about the river and reading posts on here, I feel like I did pretty good. Better than I expected.
There were risers down through the methodist camp. I however got no trout love after the first fish. Given the type or rise, I believe they were taking small olive emergers. We did not try anything smaller than a 16. Saw small(16) almost white cahills, small(20) olives, and two unidentified mayflies. They were between a 12 and 14 light tan color. Saw a dirty pinner at the 191 bridge.
Sunday, we fished at the deposit sewer treatment plant. Water was stained with slime floating. 1250ish at Hale, and 50 were we were. Saw an iso, size 12 fly by. Mainly nymphed until I saw a riser in a slick spot. Skunked again.
On the way out we checked out a few spots below Hancock. Fireman's park, and Bard Parker. Both had risers middle of the pools. There were about six people fishing at Bard Parker. Three spinfishers. One with about 3/4 once jigs casting 3/4 of the width of the river. Saw the usual bugs from the day before, with another yellow sally at the park.
Glad I went! All I can think about now is when I can go back.
To all you guys who share your hard earned info on here,
Thank you! I owe you a beer sometime.
Stayed at the West Branch Angler. Checked in around noon Friday, and then drove all over getting the lay of the land and visiting different places we wanted to check out. Stopped at Fish's Eddy on the way back down from Roscoe at about 6:30. East Branch was roughly 1100 CFS, crystal clear, and mid fifties. Saw a few risers half way out the pool. Knocked the rust off, but caught the skunk. saw an iso nymph and shucks, a few small cahills, very light colored, and a yellow sally.
We had booked a guide for Saturday. Floated from Balls Eddy to Shehawken. West Branch was stained, about 1250 CFS, and mid to lower fifties. Started at noon, with not much happening. We tried some cahills with an olive dropper. Did not see a rise. switched to streamers, but with no luck. we stopped just before Caucci's campground. Small olives had started to hatch. Very small. We seined some that were between a size 22 and 20. We also noticed a sporadic small cahill. We watched below us and started to see a good bit of activity. We anchored up on the bottom side of the campground. There were about three solidly feeding fish out in the middle of the pool. I won't bore you with the details, but missed about three takes, had one on for about twenty seconds, and brought one brown to hand. Not very large, but in my book an accomplishment.
I have never fished a current that fast with a dry from so far away. I had problems with my slack line control on my end. Our guide showed me a trick or two that helped out. One of the last casts I made to that pod revealed that there were about four current lanes between me and the fish. After reading about the river and reading posts on here, I feel like I did pretty good. Better than I expected.
There were risers down through the methodist camp. I however got no trout love after the first fish. Given the type or rise, I believe they were taking small olive emergers. We did not try anything smaller than a 16. Saw small(16) almost white cahills, small(20) olives, and two unidentified mayflies. They were between a 12 and 14 light tan color. Saw a dirty pinner at the 191 bridge.
Sunday, we fished at the deposit sewer treatment plant. Water was stained with slime floating. 1250ish at Hale, and 50 were we were. Saw an iso, size 12 fly by. Mainly nymphed until I saw a riser in a slick spot. Skunked again.
On the way out we checked out a few spots below Hancock. Fireman's park, and Bard Parker. Both had risers middle of the pools. There were about six people fishing at Bard Parker. Three spinfishers. One with about 3/4 once jigs casting 3/4 of the width of the river. Saw the usual bugs from the day before, with another yellow sally at the park.
Glad I went! All I can think about now is when I can go back.
To all you guys who share your hard earned info on here,
Thank you! I owe you a beer sometime.
