WB Delaware - Wayne County - May 09 - 12

[wbranch]

Fishing was terrible for me. Although my friend caught a nice 17" rainbow on the EB of the Delaware and an 18" and 19 1/2" brown on the WB of the Delaware. This would be the exception to the rule. He is an outstanding caster, line control expert, and can generally kick my butt.

The flow on the WB when I left yesterday was just 229 cfs and the flow on the main stem was 781 cfs. I have never, in over forty years, seen or heard of the main stem being that low. West Branch Angler, Delaware River Club, and at least two independent guide services have suspended taking clients out on the river whether it was a drift boat float or wading until further notice. The water temperature in Lordville was 74, the lower EB was 72. The daytime temperatures were at least 85 degrees Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Fish rose well from daybreak until 9:30 then there was never another rise before 6:00 p.m. and it continued, with varying intensity each night, until dark. I won't be going back to the cabin until the flow on the WB is at least 400 cfs and 1100 cfs on the main stem. Water temperatures need to be no more than 55 degrees at the Hale Eddy gage and 62 at the Hancock gage.

I caught one 16" brown in four days and I think a total of seven other trout 10" - 13" during those four days. I should mention I didn't try to fish the main stem at all. I might of been able to coax a couple out of there if I had fished it.

BTW I just reviewed the gages for the water temperatures for May 09 - 12. The high temperatures ranged from 68 - 74 degrees. The EB highs ranged from 70 - 74 degrees, and the WB highs ranged from 64 - 68 degrees. I did 85% of my fishing on the WB except for one morning on the lower EB.

Note: All fish were caught before 10:30 a.m. in 62 - 64 degree water.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Wow! I guess the releases and levels are not managed for trout. Those fish must be able to find cold water sanctuaries somewhere. I wonder at what point the dam operators can be held liable for a fish kill?

 

[JohnPowers]

failure to adhere to flow required by the court might incur some penalty but you'll never hold NYC accountable for trout deaths.

 

[wbranch]

NYC will never be held responsible for whatever size fish kill were to occur. All five of the NYC reservoirs, Pepacton, Cannonsville, Ashokan, Neversink. and Croton were built for one purpose, and one purpose only, and that is to provide drinking water, and other potable water, to the residents of the five boroughs of New York City.

There was a court decision many years ago that whenever a specific flow regime is not met at the Montague, NJ gage then additional water must be released into the upper Delaware River. However that mandate doesn't say that the water must come from any of the five NYC reservoirs.

Often the operators of Lake Wallenpaupack release excess water from the lake through the portal that exits into the Lackawaxen River which in turn flows into the Delaware River. In essence as long as there is adequate water in Lake Wallenpaupack NYC might literally be allowed to let the upper Delaware system go bone dry.

I just looked at the Hale Eddy gage (1:55 p.m.) and the West Branch is even slightly lower than it was on Tuesday when I left. It is now 215 cfs. To put that into perspective for those of you who have never seen the river the Little Juniata is currently running at 225 cfs and is no more than 1/2 the width and depth of the West Branch of the Delaware.

 

[wbranch]

foxtrapper wrote;

Wow! I guess the releases and levels are not managed for trout. Those fish must be able to find cold water sanctuaries somewhere. I wonder at what point the dam

No, the releases and levels have absolutely nothing to do with the trout nor the economy of the towns that benefit from the hundreds of thousands of dollars the fly fishermen bring to the towns of Deposit, Hancock, Downsville, East Branch, and others up and down the Upper Delaware corridor.

Fortunately there are quite a few feeder streams and springs where I'm sure the trout will gather if the water temperatures become unhealthy. However there are thousands and thousands of wild trout in the system and while I have no direct knowledge I find it unlikely that there are enough little cold water creeks and springs to sustain all those wild fish for very long.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Hopefully they get some rain.

How ironic that a world class trout fishery developed because of the water needs of a huge city.