Delaware River: West Branch, Mainstem Spring 2009

Date / Time: 4/25/09

Location: Delaware River Mainstem & West Branch Delaware River

The Characters: Kory Kapaloski

Weather: Sunny, breezy, warm 80s

Water Temp: Mainstem low 50s, West Branch mid 40s

Water Level / Tide: Mainstem fairly low around 1200 cfs. West Branch extremely low about 200 cfs with a release of only 110 cfs or so.

Water Clarity/Quality: Crystal clear

Moon Phase: New Moon

Fishing: Arrived late because of rental car logistics around 2:30. Got on the water around 3 went to the mainstem fished lenore. Tons of apple caddis on the water along with sporadic hendricksons. Found a few sippers keyed on the hendricksons ignoring the caddis (probably eating the pupa, but i wanted them on the surface). Got a nice 19 incher on my sparkle dun hendrickson r.f. then fish were too sporadic so went to the west branch. Fished in front of the cabins and fish were up eating the hendricksons that were around. Tons of blue quills on the water but the fish were selecting the less abundant hendricksons out of the mix and taking those. Missed one on a pmd cripple. Hooked and landed another about 19 inch good fish that ripped on a sparkle dun r.f. Fish would get going and rise fairly well but would go down very easily in the super low water conditions. As dusk approached they were up quite well and the blue quill spinners increased so I figured they were on them. Tried a few spinners but they wouldn’t eat them. Saw hendricksons still coming off (not spinners, picked up several and they were duns with shucks still attached) and it was 8 p.m. watched the fish closely and sure enough still singling out the hendricksons. 100 blue quills float over…nothing, one hendrickson floats over a foot away fish moves and engulfs it. Switched back to the hendrickson and picked off two more 16-17 inchers that ripped and were healthy and fat. Good day considering the late arrival.