Lightning bugs are more fun to watch than lightning.

Today, like yesterday, promised to be a hot one. As soon as the grass was dry, I mowed the lawn and then practiced with the stick and string. There is no doubt I'm better for the archery lesson I got last year but I still have my bad days and this was one of them. It was 80 on the porch when I quit and I was in no hurry to head out to fish. The weather forecast was for severe thunderstorms once again. Left camp with the knowledge that I probably wouldn't fish but that I might get a chance to see if the Beaverkill Angler had any G3 Guide waders or my DT4 line.  Arrived streamside just as two gentlemen were leaving because of the lightning. Sat for a few minutes and when the storm cell had gone past I waded in. Saw two rising fish, the first refused and the second ate (a 12 inch hatchery fish). There was a flash of lightning from behind the hill and my count never got to three before the thunder. Reeled it in at 4:38 and headed for the Beaverkill Angler.

Walked into the shop just before 5:00 and when I asked if he had a Sci. Angler  DT-4, Mike the clerk asked if I was Angler 119. I was puzzled until he said he reads the blog and knew I had looked for one in the Whitetail Shop in  Shehawken  yesterday. He knew he had a DT but when he found it, it was a 5 (I need a four). Hit the lottery, however, when I asked about waders. He was only into the back room a minute when he returned with a pair both the right size and color (not camo).

The fishing -The stars are clearly not aligning. It's hot, a good ten degrees above normal for this time of year. They have raised the releases  from both reservoirs to close to max.  The WB is off color and in most places too high to wade. The UEB is running clear and cold, at the current level it can be waded with caution. That said I never saw a bug or a rise from East Branch up to Harvard.  The BK was back down to an ideal level for fishing were it not for the water temp of 68 degrees.  Pesudos like it cold and were no where to be seen this afternoon.  I'm not even sure drifters are happy with current conditions, the two I talked to last night clearly weren't.

If the rain tonight puffs up the BK flow, I'm out of here as it's about my only option and with low temps the next few nights predicted to be in the mid 60's the water is likely to be too warm for good pesudo hatches anyway. Drifters have most of the river to themselves and I say welcome to it.