WB Delaware - Wayne County PA 9/6/19

[wbranch]

I went up to my cabin to close the deal on the sale of my Poke Boat. Just terrible water conditions. Just 575 cfs at Hale Eddy. Virtually no flow at my cabin. Stilesville is just 390 cfs. My buddy and I sat on my bench by the river for almost 4 hours chatting and I only saw 4 rises in all that time. No insects seen at all. I was up the first two weekends in August with basically the same conditions.

I'm not sure what's going on at the WB because up until 2006 we always found rising fish after our Montana trip which usually ended by July 10. We always found rising fish, albeit smaller than the May and June fish but still enough bugs and rises to keep us occupied most of the day. Another year or two of this and I'll be putting a For Sale sign on the property.

It was so slow that it was pointless to stay over. I spent more time driving than I spent there today.

 

[dryflyguy]

Just curious about the "terrible water conditions"

That flow rate makes for good wading IMO. And I've even fished it when it was down around 100-200 CFS. And did quite well.

Was there weeds or sediment in the water?

 

[wbranch]

Just curious about the "terrible water conditions"

I guess the conditions, and opinions of them, are subjective. I prefer flows of 700 cfs - 900 cfs. I can still wade and I can still float the Hyde. At 390 cfs at Stilesville and 575 cfs at Hale Eddy there is very little flow in the flat water. The fly kind of just sits there and the trout can examine it very closely.

Besides I have seen virtually no mayflies, or caddis, on the lower WB, Balls Eddy to Shehawken, for the entire month of August and none yesterday. I saw four rises in four hours.

There were no weeds floating in the water column at my property but the river had some stain. Maybe two feet of visibility.

 

[dryflyguy]

You got your wish
It's up over 1,000 CFS now.
Have at it

 

[wbranch]

dryflyguy wrote;

Have at it

I did and had two days of good streamer action. Four 14" - 16", one 17" & one 19".