Posted on May 07 2023
Arrived at the Lordville Estate about 1:00, unpacked, made up a batch of hummingbird food, filled the feeder, ate lunch and headed out to got reacquainted with the river system after a week of no fishing. The WB, UEB, EB and BR are fishable only by boat. The Willow can be waded as can portions of the BK (with care).
Drove along the WB around 2:00 and saw no bugs or risers. Talked with the occupants of a couple of boats about 4:30, who said the fishing was "So so", not as good as yesterday". Perhaps the bright sun and increase in water temp got things out of kilter.
Spent an hour and a half on the BK. The Hendricksons are done at least on the lower section. There were a few March Browns and some egg laying caddis. Wade fishermen were at least getting their feet wet while one guided drift boat occupied one of the more wade able pools all afternoon. Saw and was able to reach a handful of rising fish. All but two ignored my offerings. Two rainbows took pity on me, ate the fly, and ended up in the net.
Stopped at the BE where you could not get off the bank. Saw a few caddis and a good number of March Browns. Cast at two risers and was ignored by both. Did the drive back to Deposit arriving about 5:15 to find no bugs, no risers and no fishermen. Drove downstream along the WB and BR seeing lots boats with very few fishermen fishing. Stopped below the Buckingham takeout and walked along the river. There were caddis egg layers in the air and fish rising in what was over 7,000 cfs of water. Hooked and lost two and was then humiliated by a series of refusals and ignores. Finally reeled it in and drove to Lordville where the river was bugless.
The outlook - It seems clear that the Hendricksons are over on the EB, probably most if not all of the BK and the BR at least up to Stockport. Buckingham had caddis egg layers but the caddis bonanza is done there also. Where to fish? Probably from a boat on the WB if you are going to fish in the next day or two. With Cannonsville reservoirs spilling, the warm surface water temps and sunshine predicted for the next week might well create a bug explosion. Watch the water level at Hale Eddy, if it gets into your comfort zone, be there!
A119 thanks for the report. It’s been a very frustrating spring not being able to Wade the rivers. The golf game is getting better
Be safe out there