| Sometime during the dead of winter or maybe really | | | | In our search for colder water and the fish that call it |
| early in the spring, we start getting restless for the | | | | home, the best strategy is to get closer to the source. |
| beginning of the season. I say "the season" because | | | | Moving up river until we find water in the low sixties |
| as trout anglers we all know exactly what we mean. | | | | and colder should do the trick. During severe heat |
| There is no other season. Early stoneflies, blue quills, | | | | waves and minimal reservoir releases, this is from |
| Hendicksons, March browns, green drakes, brown | | | | approximately the New York State Line and higher on |
| drakes, cornutas, sulphers, shad flies, apple caddis... you | | | | the West Branch, and often in the shadow of the dam |
| get the picture. Sweet! | | | | on the East Branch. |
| The explosion of life that takes place right in front of | | | | Time of day is another important consideration. During |
| our eyes during those first six weeks of each season | | | | no or little water release periods, the mornings and |
| is really impressive. Fishermen also seem to be | | | | evenings are cooler, and the low light conditions make |
| hatching everywhere! Then late June arrives. Fewer | | | | the trout feel a little more secure from predators. |
| anglers; the Glory Hatches are over... or are they? | | | | When the reservoir is releasing water, 500 CFS or |
| When we enter the summer months the names of the | | | | more, everything changes. Insect activity increases and |
| bugs change, but the place remains the same. Now | | | | the higher flows and abundant food supply bring out |
| we need to change our tactics in order to be | | | | the fish throughout the day. |
| successful. Wild fish know enough to move into better | | | | Tackle selection and fly pattern style differ little from |
| habitat, call it their summer homes. They adjust their | | | | earlier in the season. A nine foot, four, five, or six |
| feeding activity to avoid predators and at the same | | | | weight still work fine. You may want to lean more |
| time capitalize on the available food supply. | | | | towards the fours and fives and maybe a little softer |
| As a tailwater, the Delaware is supplied with cold clean | | | | tip to protect the lighter tippets. Spools of 5X, 6X, |
| water throughout the months when most other | | | | & 7X and an assortment of dry flies and nymphs |
| eastern trout fisheries are put on hold until the cooling | | | | take care of the terminal end. |
| days of autumn. True, sometimes we don't receive the | | | | A dry fly box stuffed with olives, sulfurs, caddis, Cahills, |
| amount of water we'd like or sometimes even too | | | | flying ants, beetles, tricos, isonychias, and spinners of |
| much, if there is such a thing, but in any event, the | | | | the same will take care of the surface action. For |
| fishing remains worthwhile if you match your efforts to | | | | subsurface, nymphs and wet flies you'll want to have |
| the conditions. | | | | an assortment of bead head pheasant tails, regular |
| Too often the lower reaches of the river become | | | | pheasant tails, partridge and yellows, partridge and |
| warm and unfishable. This includes much of the East | | | | greens, isonychia nymphs, zug bugs, princes, and |
| Branch, Main Stem and the lower portions of the West | | | | caddis pupa. |
| Branch. Now it becomes time to do what the trout do; | | | | The best part about summertime fishing on the |
| seek out colder water. This time of year your most | | | | Delaware is that autumn fishing has yet to come. See |
| important piece of equipment is a stream | | | | you on the river. |
| thermometer. | | | | |