Mid-July, the “dog days” of summer. Thanks to frequent rain showers, area streams are at or just below the average flow. The Beaverkill at Cooks Falls was flowing at 175 cubic feet per second midday on Sunday, which is just above the Median average flow of 160 based on 112 years of record-keeping. The Willowemoc was flowing at 34.5 cfs, which is below the 40-year average flow of 43 cfs on this date. The Willowemoc and Beaverkill have registered water temperatures in the mid to upper 70s all week. Anglers are reminded that the Beaverkill at Horton is closed to all angling during the months of July and August to provide a thermal refuge for the trout.                                           

Hatches have been Blue-Winged Olives in tiny sizes #18 - #22, smaller Sulphurs, especially in size #18, Light Cahills, and some Isonychias. Over on the West Branch, in addition to Sulphurs, Cahills and Isonychies, some Yellow/Golden Drakes (potomanthus) in sizes #10 and #12 were seen. With temperatures predicted in the 90s this week, those who wish to fish for trout will need to check out the Tailwater fisheries - the Rondout, Neversink, East and West Branches of the Delaware River all provide good trout fishing thanks to the cooler water found below the NYC reservoirs, from which bottom releases provide a coldwater respite for the trout and fun fishing in the heat of summer. Tailwater anglers would do well to carry along the lighter-colored Sulphurs and Light Cahills as well as some tan Caddis and Isonychias. 

A number of female fishing friends had great success this week on the West Branch of the Delaware. On Thursday, the women fished a stretch of water above Deposit near Stilesville. Water temperatures were about 58 degrees F. There was hardly a fly on the water or even in the air that afternoon, and only a very sporadic rise from time to time. But at about 5:00 pm, after removing her fishing vest to “call it a day”, Christina Muller, of Hancock, was encouraged to fish a bit more, as a rise was seen very far across the river. She waded in (without her vest), with a rig of two wet flies that were on her rod from a recent trip to Maine.  She proceeded to false-cast, utilizing the flies as dry flies, making a very long cast across the river at the rising fish - and it took one of her wet flies off the surface! The gals were excited for Christina, who broke the dry spell, as she reeled in and released a nice, pink-striped rainbow trout. 

And on Friday, the “Gillfriends” floated the West Branch above Hale Eddy and had great success. Unlike the day before, there were a number of flies about - tiny size #18 Sulphurs and Blue Winged Olives on the water and in the air, in addition to a few Isonychia and Yellow/Golden Drakes (potamanthus) in sizes #10 - #12.  Jan Castelli, of Carmel and Roscoe, and Nancy Montgomery, of Cold Spring, had a lot of action while casting dry flies (only to rising fish, as suggested by boat operator Justin Siegel.) Nancy caught the first fish of the day on a tiny size #18 Sulphur, a fine, fat brown trout that measured 18”. Jan also netted a beautifully spotted 18-inch wild brown after casting to the rising fish with a tiny size #18 Sulphur. A bit after Jan released her fish, Nancy was again successful, landing another healthy brown, for a total of two hefty fish, each measuring 18 inches. Barbie Griffin, of Hopewell, NJ, floating in a drift boat operated by John Francis in the run above Hale Eddy, noticed Golden Drakes, Sulphurs and Olives on the water. They were in the fast water, and Barbie was using a rig consisting of a size #20 Pheasant Tail nymph tied on to a size #12 Isonychia dry fly when she saw her Isonychia go under (the dry fly actually acted as a bobber) and immediately set the hook! And despite the swift current, 91-years-young Barbie, an accomplished fly-fisher, managed to reel in and land the largest fish of the day, a brightly colored, healthy brown trout that measured a full 20 inches in length.