Posted on October 06 2022
When the release from Cannonsville is only 130 cfs, 90 cfs of muddy water from Oquaga is more than enough to "stain" up the WB. Drove up to Stilesville, not really because I wanted to fish there but rather to see what Dennis was talking about. Usually trout are willing to eat pseudos on top and I was curious. With no one in the pasture pool and some fish rising I paid the $5.00 and waded in. Got half a dozen refusals to my pseudo within the first half hour. Then fished for an hour in a decent pseudo hatch without a fish even glancing at my fly.
Dennis asked what do you do when fish are feeding subsurface like that. Dennis, I reel it in and head for someplace else. Seriously, I don't have a clue what the fish were eating. All I know is that if you were to look at the water up close (yes, with your bifocals), you would have seen more living creatures than ever you could imagine floating down the river, none of which could be duplicated on the smallest hook that has ever been created. Any four of the them could sit on the head of a pin and play poker with plenty of room in the middle for the pot. Was that what the fish were eating? I really don't know but the boils were so frequent that I find it hard to believe they were just eating pseudo nymphs. Have seen some big time midge hatches on the BR of late and expected to find that that was what they were feeding on but I didn't see any midges in the air..
The fishing - Get the hell out of Dodge, everyone! Fishing the Delaware in the Deposit area, in murky water, for fish that have been pounded relentlessly since early July, is a waste of time. In less than twenty minutes from reeling it in at the red barn, I was on a pool in the BK with a good hatch of fall bugs and trout feeding everywhere. How'd I do? Caught a 13 inch rainbow right off the bat and then cast at a bunch of fish who were again feeding subsurface. Got mostly ignored, with a few indignant refusals just to let me know that they hadn't forgotten what a fly with a hook in it looks like. Tipped my cap and left with good fish still boiling the water.
Made my last stand (it's now 6:00) at a pool farther downstream that required a machete (no I don't carry one) to cut through the knotweed that had grown over the trail this summer. Again there were fish and yes some were still boiling subsurface but some were sticking their noses out of the water to eat on top. Didn't make the most of my chances, tied a half hitch around the bend of the hook and pulled the fly out of a nice fish, had the line catch under a rock and lost a good rainbow and yet another 'bow came unstuck after the first jump. But I caught a beautiful 20 inch brown and three more rainbows which made it well worth the drive.
Authors note - I've been writing this thing a long time and sometimes things sneak up on me but most of you no longer say "He missed it" and more and more of you are seeing the difference between subsurface boils, splashy rises and the fish that are feeding on top. Still waiting for you to see noses out of the water, hear the glup of a fish eating a dry and recognize an indignant refusal when you see one. Small steps.
Bounced around the Willow and BK yesterday(Thursday) looking for rising fish . Not much happening . Managed a 15” brown and a 10”er blindcasting(Thank You Angler119). Fished till dark on the Willow,maybe the BK would have been a better option. Who knows. Fishing aside , it was a beautiful day. The hills are full of color as the season ends down.
Many years ago, I stepped into the Henry’s Fork about 6pm. It was one of those summers when the young kids “running” the flyshops asked, “what are you doing here now? The great fishing ended a couple weeks ago…”
I wasn’t young like them, then, and I sure as hell ain’t young now, but I had seen the boils and was determined. There was blizzard caddis activity for a while and a breeze, but as I slowly scouted from shore, making my way downstream, I spotted two consistent boilers, far bank, feeding in rhythm.
I tied on a single PT/sawyer style, unweighted size 18, and my greased leader was 16’ ending in 5x, no indicator. I spit on the last foot of tippet to make sure it would sink.
I moved into position for the first one, and timing the boils, I laid out the reach cast and let the fly drift down to him,some sixty feet below me, stack mending the whole way. He was not there, the first two times I set. But on the third, he boiled, I set, and almost 15 minutes later I had the 24" rainow in hand.
I repeated the feat for the next fish after waiting 20 minutes or so for him to continue feeding. He taped in at almost 26". Two anglers watched me do it. It was one of the best outings of my life.
This was my first attempt at this method. It has served me well over the years, including on the WB and UEB, especially. Sometimes the fish is there on the boil and set, sometimes he’s not, but it is every bit as exciting as the nose-up dry gulp, when it’s clicking.
Cheers to you, A119. You sir, are a master of NY waters.
A119 thanks for answering my question. I am headed for the BK today. Hope to meet you!!!!! I tell the guys I fish with you can hear the fish suck flies and they think I am nuts. You and Adrian confirm I am a little sane.
Thanks again