west branch of the deleware

[krayfish]

John,
the lower east is constantly changing. I've never seen a river so different from one season to the next. From fishes eddy bridge and up about a mile is completely different tha it was a few years back. High water moved rock shoals and the channel moved to the opposite side of the river.

DF,
it's a sleeper up there. People are amazed when I take them up there. Water that looks like it couldn't hold a 10" fish will hold fish twice that size. Hooked one on the opposite bank in May...march brown emerger on 4x. I couldn't get him off the bank but when I did, he was leaving the pool and snapped 4x like it was nothing.

 

[mutzinbaugh]

Well we found it around 7:30 this evening and got the skunk out. Thanks guys

 

[lv2nymph]

Good fishing Jearomy, want some pics.

 

[DavidFin]

Kray,

I totally agree with you. One of my favorite eddys ever was beneath jaw and as of this season it's gone. I've also had more heart stopping lost fish moments on the east than any other fishery; it's taught me things that I bring along everywhere now-- even salt.

 

[BeastBrown]

The whitefly, Ephoron Leukon, doesn't go up into the cold water of both branches does it? That's more a warm water mass hatch right? Rigggggggght? lol

 

[vcregular]

White Fly. I don't think it does, but there might be some stragglers. However, I've hit the white fly before on the Main. This was years ago, before the powers that be could throttle the West Branch release like they can now. This particular time, there was 1500cfs of coldwater (mid-to-high 40s) all the way down the West. And so the Main was very cold well downstream. We were fishing below Bouchouxville when you could drive the RR tracks, and we hit it. It was amazing, and the bows were gluttons. Fishing into the glare was fantastic. Post spawn shad were also eating them off the top. The good ole daze!!!

 

[rubby]

to you experts how is the fishing on the w. branch in sept.,oct. have not been there in about 15 years,took a float didnt do very well thanks hoe you have a good time fishing this weekend.

 

[mcwillja]

DavidFin wrote:
My advice would be to go to the upper east branch. The west branch is sort of unbearable, well the tail water at least. I only fish the upper west and the lower part in the winter.

David not sure if you have a typo there but the upper west is closed for fishing in the winter. I just wanted to give you a heads up if you are indeed fishing there in the winter months.

 

[DavidFin]

Yea, I meant that to infer that I'll hit up the upper west on occasion (which is criminally underrated), and then I'll pretty much only fish lower parts in the winter after the crowds thin and when it's the only part open.

 

[afishinado]

Hey DF,

I've been fishing the D since I was a kid (a long time ago) and agree that it's very crowded now when compared to back in the day. It's a big river though, and most times you can find a spot to fish away from the crowd, even on the WB. The crowds thin a bit in the summer and the WB is often the only game in town with good temps and flow. This season, at least lately, the flow and temps are good in all branches and stems. Lotsa water to fish. Good luck.