Upper Delaware - Cannonsville release question

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ny/nwis/uv/?site_no=01425000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

Its spilling. Where did you hear anything re 106% capacity? That makes zero sense.
 
Didn't make much sense to me either, lol. It was on one of the guides websites somewhere. Confused me as well. lol

 
So when you guys say its spilling, what you mean is that the lake has so much water in it that its spilling out over the top of the dam uncontrolled?

Is that because they already have the spillway cranked all the way open but it still cant handle the volume of water coming into the lake?
 
I believe there's more left in the window for release. I think they calculated "x" amount of water left in the snow so they will release "x" amount to allow them to reach target storage numbers. Well, it's coming in faster than going out. They wanted to be at 93% and it surpassed it with a big rain event in the next 24 hours.

If it ain't spilling, it will be shortly. As for making the trip, alewives would just be a bonus and my concern is the temps..High flow after a long winter not on the feed is never a bad thing.
 
Yes. It is spilling over the top because the reservoir is full. Nowhere else for the water to go but over the dam. The inflow at walton above the reservoir is still 2400+. Thats a ton of water coming into the lake. And it is going to continue to spill with this rain forecast were having tomorrow. They cant pump enough out fast enough, so pretty sure thats why it spills. When guys talk about it spilling, they are referring to the fantastic streamer fishing that can be had if the alewives from the reservoir spill over the top as well. If they dont, then its just more water to the west branch below. If they do, you can have some of the best streamer fishing of your life. Big browns chasing crippled alewives on the top.
 
I may have to take a ride up today after work and see what's going on.
 
Just go to the DRC website. They have a photo of the Main and it looks to be 25-50 yards up into the trees. Chocolate brown and hauling azz
 
Might as well forget fishing the hendrickson hatch there this year
 
Yea but its not the alewife hatch like it was a few years ago in august. Water is still very cold so the fish are still sluggish.
 
DFG,
If you mean on foot, probably. We fished it a few years ago when it was 7000 at Hale. We had some of the best dry fly action we'd ever seen. You needed a boat was the only caveat.

Kev,
Yep. Fish are being caught and they have a belly like a 6 lb largemouth before the spawn. Like you pointed out, 42 degree water doesn't make for many active feeding fish. Who wants to jig it on a sink tip for 7 hours to have 2 whacks? If the temps were 50-60, it would be a whole different situation. That said, I may be jigging a buttmonkey in 48 hours. Lol
 
Yea, i talked to a few guys up there. They said its okay. Waters just cold. Ill wait till another hurricane dumps water in august ;).
 
Why do you say that the hendrickson hatch will not be fishable for waders? I was planning on heading up there two weeks from today to wade fish for a few days. Is it unrealistic to think the river will be wadable by then with no additional significant rain in the forecast?
 
You'll have to wait and see how the flows are. Chances are something should be wadeable in two weeks. I would guess at the very least the little east and beaverkill would be wadeable. Maybe not ideal for wading, but wadable.

 
Don't panic. A lot can happen between now and then. We could get very little rain or the system could get a weather system that is not even on the weather maps right now that will blow it out. For such a big watershed it is very unpredictable.

Regardless with reservoirs being full chances are flows will push waders around. It comes down to how aggressive of a wader you are and where you fish. Pick your spots.
 
Kev,
Accidentally caught Rinker in the middle of a float with clients this morning. Oops. Briefly talked and instead of swinging a 7wt I'll be swinging a 7 iron and waiting for the temps to come up 5 more degrees.

I'm thinking the high / cold water will push back the start of the Blue Quills and Hendricksons a tad. Watch the second half of the Hendrickson hatch to be overlapping with caddis clouds and a full blown March Brown hatch mixed in. Providing the flows don't drop to 200 cfs, I'm liking the scenario for May 1 - 15. Could be dandy or frustrating. Lol.

Timmy,
Trying to guess flows 2 weeks out is like trying to predict the exact rainfall (today) for April 8th, 2019. I've seen guys wading up to 5000 cfs. They've fished the river for 30 years and knew where they could step and where they couldn't. One guy was getting washed away but struggled his way to shore. I wouldn't do it or suggest it. If you go there will be somewhere you can Wade or you'll have to stalk the banks. Might even be forced to try new water that you'll fall in love with.
 
Lol yea Andy you really gotta work for the fish supposedly. Ill stick to the poconos until i see the flows drop/water rise in temps.
 
I don't like to wade the WB when it's above 1,000 CFS - although I have done it in a few certain spots.
It's currently flowing around 3200.
Very doubtful it will drop to a nice wadeable level by next week - which is when I have vacation time, and had planned to go up.
Hendricksons have recently been hatching the third and fourth week of april.
When I put in for my time off - late january - we were having a very mild winter. And I thought the third week would be good.
Now, I wish I had taken it later.

But yeah, you never know what's gonna happen up there.
 
Bill,
Once the spilling stops, the flow will drop very quickly. The question then becomes 'how big is the release going to be?'. I'd say you stand a good chance of finding some water that can be waded. Highly doubt the WB will continue pumping out 1400+ and you can bet the EB will release 300 or less.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top