Posted on July 12 2024
Worked in the yard this morning and got just as wet as I did yesterday. The twin fawns that show up most days in the yard without a mom, were back again today. Yesterday mom was with them, which I was glad to see as I was beginning to think they had been orphaned. The mesh cage that Jean and I assembled all by our selves in less than two hours using the Chinese directions, has kept the birds away from the blue berries, but six holes have appeared in the ground inside the netting. I've yet to see who has invaded or from whence they entered, but I'm reasonably sure the blue berries will soon begin to disappear.
After yesterdays high temperature, strong wind, severe storm warnings, and tornado watches, today's cloudy, overcast, 77 degree day with a light breeze from the NW, was sorta ho-hum. I thought so, and the sulfurs must have thought so , 'cause most of them slept in, and didn't even show up for the mid-day hatch. The evening sulfur hatch, at least where I was, (below barking dog and above Hale Eddy), wasn't much better, but by then the fish were hungry and were feeding on what was put on the table.
The fishing - This afternoon I arrived at 12:30 and went up route 8 so I could drive back along the river from Cold Springs Brook to check the progress of the Dorothea's and see how many guides and anglers were fishing above Deposit. Anglers were well spaced above the red barn but were lined up no more than a short cast from each other in the pay to play area. The boats? Next to none. People, if you read the reports and went to the red barn, it's on you. I've documented the slow but steady progress of the Dorothea's and they are probably still a few days from there. If it was great there today, please let us know, so the rest of the readers can get in on the fun.
Went below the Men's Club and spent two hours waiting for it to happen. It never did. Judging by the number of anglers in the river when I left, it never did anywhere else either. Was in the car before 2:15 and made the drive back to Lordville, where I ate a late lunch, took a nap, and read a book.
At 6:00 I was driving up towards Deposit. Saw bugs at Hale Eddy and stopped at the first parking place that I found upriver. There were sulfurs, (a few to some), but surprisingly, fish were up feeding. I caught two 18 inch bank sippers and lost another good fish when the tippet was cut on something subsurface. Not a half hour later I made a cast at a rising fish, the fly floated untouched for ten feet past the intended target and was engulfed by a second fish, who had both of my flies in his mouth along with five inches of tippet.
Hopefully both the sulfurs and the fish will be back up to speed tomorrow.
Love the reports and read them everyday. They are indeed the best!
I have nothing to add other than I am nowhere near the upper Delaware right now, miss it dearly, and am counting the days to next spring when I will be back.
Thank you for each of your posts.
Angler119-hooking the same fish twice in one night is pretty cool. Hope to up next week. Always tracking the hatch progress via your blog. It’s the best. Thanks Ed
Great report as always. My days seem a little bleaker when you don’t have a new blog.
The fish that ate two of your flies is going to have a sore mouth if other fishers can match your fly tying prowress.
A119 those were great fish!! I’ve never hooked a fish with a fly in his mouth that’s neat. I’ll be down this weekend. Hopefully to catch some fish