Posted on May 19 2022
On margin this has been a very good week. Yes, Tuesday was something of a rotter what with the wind, cold air and cold water stifling the bugs and consequentially almost no fish were up. Me burning $4.95 cent per gallon gas on a fools errand looking for Hendricksons and/or rising fish on the UEB did nothing to take the curse off the day.
Monday and Thursday were for me, good fishing days. There were enough bugs to get some fish up, if you made a good cast you got a look and there were enough fish willing to eat the fly to make both days entertaining and successful.
Wednesday was another story. There was no wind. Where I fished there were enough Hendricksons to get the fish feeding but not so many that they wouldn't see your fly. There was a good caddis hatch. There was a epic caddis spinner flight up the WB through Deposit and there was a more than adequate Hendrickson spinner fall. I cast flies at rising fish from 2:00 until 8:00 and not many said no.
If you are coming this weekend be prepared for a letdown. Boats that went by me on the WB today said they did not have Hendricksons up river. Clearly they are waning. Had a brief flurry of apple caddis hatching where I was but nothing like Wednesday. There were spinners, yes, but a front was pushing through with enough wind that I decided at 6:00 to reel it in and try the BR rather than gamble on it being quiet enough for a spinner fall.
The Big River - At 7:00 there were bugs on the water, MB's, Gray Foxes, a few sulfurs, some caddis and some spinners. The fish - were feeding subsurface on March Brown emergers. The doldrums are ending at least on the BR. If you were to fish down at Callicoon, and you can at current water levels, you would probably see sulfurs near dark. Got three fish to eat and a half dozen to say no thanks. The fish were much heavier than their WB relatives and not nearly as beaten up.
Where to go? It will be the most crowded on the WB. It's probably too early for the freestones to be on fire but there are bugs and hot fish to throw at least on the BR. The UEB, I haven't a clue. It will either be alive with Hendricksons and caddis or in the Doldrums. Go fishing, it's predicted to hit 90. Standing in cold release water isn't a bad way to spend time.
What does it mean to “get a look”….do you actually see the trout rise and refuse your fly?
Maybe I need better glasses….. :-)
Appreciate the updates. HLR
Happy to see your post. Please keep the info coming. Had a great day on the 18th on the WB.
Please keep us informed on what is happening
Take care
Thanks for the update.Appreciate your insights. Sounds like you had some great fishing.
Good to see your reports even if fewer than in the past! I was on upper WB Wed as well and it was as great a day as I’ve ever had up there….large trout rising everywhere and not all that hard to fool. Makes those days that are coming where they ignore every perfect cast made a little easier to take!