A report from Jin for mikescatchreport.com
I arrived around noon from New York and was on the water by 2pm with my guide Josh. Not much hatching but it was a clear day. Occasional fish would rise, but nothing steady. I saw some caddis, march browns but nothing much for the fish to key in on.
We started nymphing just above the junction on the East Branch. The water was running very low so fish were packed in. I had a couple of takes, and one fish ripped off my fly on the swing. You can't nymph the Delaware.
I got one 14 inch rainbow on a caddis. I think the fish was suicidal. I worked him for good half hour before he ate the fly and it took all of my skills as a fisherman to make the 120 feet reach cast into a 20 mph gust with a perfect drift right over the fish. It also helped that the guide noticed the strike and pointed out that I might want to set the hook. The fish fought, or struggled, against the current for what seemed like hours (about 45 seconds). The guide, did a great job netting him.
PMDs started coming off around 8:30pm just as it was getting dark. We could see and hear fish rising all around us. I got my fly tangled on the first cast and it took us a couple of minutes to get the fly back on. By the time we re-rigged, the hatch was over. Didn't see any spinners. Welcome to the Delaware. We got off the river around 9pm.
This river will inspire and humble the best fishermen.
DIRECTIONS: The East Branch of the Delaware River is divided into two sections by the Pepacton Reservoir. Below the Pepacton Reservoir, the East Branch is a tailwater fishery that supports wild populations of brown, rainbow, and occasional brook trout; plus seasonal anadromous runs of American shad with reports of occasional striped bass. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation stocks close to 3,000 brown trout annually in this stretch of river. Above the reservoir, over 5,000 brown trout are stocked annually in this section. Wild brown trout production exists. Public Fishing Access is granted via a permit immediately upstream of the reservoir to the village of Margaretville.