N.Y. West Branch Delaware report 4/21-23:

[AndyS]

I drove up Thursday morning after a doctors appointment and got on the Beaverkill down stream of Roscoe around noon. Fighting 40 mph winds and snow flurries I managed 2 16" brown trout from Carins pool. Fished down stream and hit various pools including cemetary pool, no other fish caught.
Met Wilson, Lard and his dad in Hancock at the hotel.
Wilson and I did a float trip Friday. Temps never got out of the 40's all day and it was cloudy. Wilson and I combined for 20 trout on a 8 hr. float trip.
Wilson had the pool fish, a nice 23" brown trout. Most fish were in the 16, 17, and 18 inch range, very few dinkers, Wilson got the only rainbow. Water temps were in the high 30's, so when a trout was hooked thet really didn't scream out down river, they more or less dogged deep and rolled alot, but that's okay. We saw a big eagles' nest along the way and a grey fox. Fishing was pretty good. While Wilson and I were floating, Lard and his father found a trib that runs into the West Branch, the baged 50, yes 50 trout, most in the 12" range.
Saturday morning we got up and it had rained most of the night, and was still raining with temps in the high 30's. Wilson and I took off for the Beaverkill while Lard and dad were waiting for the weather to calm down to start a 4 hr. float. Wilson and I got some some nice browns down by Cemetary pool but by the time we got to Carins pool the water was starting to run grey. We looked at Junction pool in Roscoe and both the Wilomac and Beaverkill were running grey and muddy so called it a day. We are still waiting to see how Lard and dad made out.
It was a great trip despite midday temps in the 40's and rain, nice to go away, but always glad to come back. It is still WINTER up there !!
My photos suck, I think Wilson has some better ones.

[Salt]

When your having a good time with good friends you don't feel the cold as much. Glad you all had fun. Nice pic's.

[Wilson]

The Fox was cool about 60 feet from us along the shore.
I winged a Thomas spinner about 5 feet from the fox and as soon as it heard the splash he spotted us
and bolted up a steep and high cliff in less time then it takes to tell the story.
After seeing my pixs on the home computer I'm convinced that I take the best pix's.
I hate seeing my mug with bad facial expressions, obviously the pixs of me where taken by the guide or Andy.:p
Anyway the fish are the stars.


Funny watching Andy get attacked by a vampire Brown.

Was a good time but the weather kinda sucked...but it could have been worse.

[Mike M]

Nice report and even nicer fish. Pics look OK to me but what do I know?

[Moz]

Great looking fish. Hope the Brown wasn't carrying rabies. :p

[Wilson]

And the pool winner:)

[shucker]

I got to get in on one these trips.Nice going

[Detour66]

Now that looks like a great trip!!

[LongBallLarry]

very nice report looks like a great trip!

[Tin Squid]

Very nice catch under less than ideal conditions. A very sizeable brown for Wilson. There just are noth that many 23 inch browns with colors like that around for the catching these days. You guys did very well and as always, great pictures Wilson!

[Leif]

Awesome trip guys and great pictures. Sounds like a fun and productive time.

Only thing is the trout don't count unless they were caught on a fly rod. LOL

Leif

[Wilson]

Awesome trip guys and great pictures. Sounds like a fun and productive time.

Only thing is the trout don't count unless they were caught on a fly rod. LOL

Leif

Y?

[Leif]

Y?
My mistake! "Dry fly fishing for trout" ......

Wilson, just an age old debate Fly vs. Spin for trout. I only fly fish up there. My son likes to catch them on the spinning rod but when we go up, no spinning rods allowed. He also wants to know why.

Didn't mean to offend. You guys certainly did well despite the conditions.

Nice trip.

Leif

[Leif]

I know all about the fly vs. spinning argument. I wanted to know what YOUR reasons are. Some say spin guys are litterbugs and meat hunters.
Some say fly guys are arrogant and snooty.
I grew up spin fishing and did fly fish for a couple of years. Fly fishing is too much work for me!
What ever way you fish don't litter and be nice to everyone...unless you find they don't deserve it.
The conditions on Friday would of had you watching TV, not fishing:D
And I'm not offended either, to each his own.:)
Oh OK. I think the reason for me is that I learned (grew up) on the fly rod just like you grew up on spin fishing. Plus I like to do things the hard way. I tie my own flies, fish 99% dry flies, won't fish from a boat, or use live bait, ect.

I like to eat a few, only keeping a few smaller fish for a meal.

I am sure if I was fly fishing with you guys I would have caught very few unless I was using streamers and even then, it would be a challenge.

Leif

[Lard Almighty]

The rain finally broke around 11:30 Saturday morning, called the guide and he was at the hotel in 15 minutes, raring to go. We did a half-day trip on the same stretch that Andy and Wilson floated on the first half of their trip. When we parked at Balls Eddy (the end point) water was high and a bit chalky, but very fishable. By the time we got to the launch point about 5 miles up, the river had turned brown! Visibility was only about a foot. We threw everything we could think of at those fish, but not even a sniff! Saw a few other fly guys in drift boats and from shore, they weren't having any luck either. Of course, by the time we got off the river to go home, it was starting to clear up. That's fishing, I guess. :o

Our guide Mike felt really bad about not putting us on any fish, but I don't think anything short of drifting crawlers could have scored a trout under those conditions. At the very least, we didn't get rained on. Plus, we had a bonanza on Friday, so getting skunked on the boat didn't sting as bad.

At the folks' house for Easter today, I'll upload photos when I get home tonight. Get ready to look at the most beautifully colored browns you may ever see! :eek:

[Life's A Beach]

Good report and pics. You ain't that tough on the eyes Wilson as long as you're holding a pretty trout LOL


Have done that float trip from Hancock and enjoy it every time.


Dry flies from shore vs spinners from a canoe = personal preference. As long as you're fishing and having a good time. Bottom Line!

[FASTEDDIE29]

WOW, nice catch fellas! Its amazing up there!:D

[AndyS]

I know we got some rain Friday night and Saturday morning, but I guess with the water tables maxed out it didn't take much to turn the Beaverkill and the West branch to chalk and mud. If the ground had been dry and it hadn't rained up there in a while it wouldn't have made a difference.
Really not a far drive, I guess you'll be in NY again next weekend, this time for bass !!

[Lard Almighty]

Last set, these are from a stretch running right through downtown Deposit behind a bunch of houses. This is the pool where the catching was insane.

By the way, the first person who can positively identify the spinner in photo 4 gets a dozen of them, on me!

[Lard Almighty]

As promised, here are the pics.

These are all photos taken on the Oquaga Creek in Deposit, a tributary of the West Branch. This first set is from the first spot we hit, at the Old Route 17 bridge. The brown trout I'm holding was one of the prettiest fish I have ever caught.

[Lard Almighty]

Second set. These are from a beautiful pool about 200 yards downstream from the bridge. I tried my best to get a photo of the color on these browns, but the photo really doesn't do it justice.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Looks like a Thomas spinner to me but also can be home made from a bait shop I know of up near Narrowsburg NY. Anyway nice pics, brings back memories for me, havnt been up that way in years.......