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New York, NJ, Pennsylvania report

1K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Dan Cuomo 
#1 ·
I headed out last Monday for a week on the east coast including 5 days fishing with family I had not seen in a while. The plan was to start in New Jersey and work our way northwest for a last day drift boat trip down the West Branch of the Delaware.

Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate, as we arrived it was pouring and thunder storming and it had been for the past week. The rivers were running up to 3x their normal flow so we put it off for 2 days and when the weather channel said we were about to take a break we took off.

We took off early and headed for the Flatbrook, as we drove over it we could see it was off colored and high so kept going.

We got to New York and stopped at 3-4 spots on the Neversink and could see fish rising but the flow was just to high for my Dad to be comfortable getting in to it to reach the fish. I explored the river for about an hour and it was moving even a little fast for me so we packed it up and headed for trout town usa.

The next 2 days were pretty much the same we explored the Beaverkill, Willowemoc, and the east and west branch of the Delaware on the NY and PA side but found high and fast moving water made it difficult for wading.

On the last day we drifted the west branch, it was the first day with no rain at all but the sun was brutal, it was 82 with not a cloud in the sky. We saw rising fish early but most of the day was streamer work. I had my first fish on a dry fly then did not see anything for hours. We would stop the boat and work the riffles with nymphs and my dad did ok but I am terrible at nyphing and was missing fish. Right at dark they started rising again and my Dad got into a couple but overall it was not a good day for a drift boat trip because of the weather.

The west branch is all wild fish and those rainbows are some of the feistiest fish I have ever had on a line.

For Chef:

Everything I fished was a couple of hours from where you will be moving to and though I didnt get to fish much I talked to a lot of guides and other anglers and its normally really good this time of year.

The rivers up there are pristine, since it was to fast to fish I did a bunch of exploring down 4 or 5 rivers and I dont recall seeing a single piece of trash.

I also couldnt believe how much access there is for wading, there are turn outs and parking areas just for fly fishing. When you are driving down the major highway there are signs before the exits that tell you if there is river access\how much of it and there are signs that tell you what fly shops are off that exit just like the fast food ones.

The people were pretty friendly, we stopped at the famous Cemetery Pool on the Beaverkill and there were already some guys working it so I was standing on the bank just watching and got to bullshitting with a guy. When he found out I was from out of town he showed me how to work the pool and told me to get in there and fish it while he watched.

I could also go on about some epic hatches I got to see(even if the fish werent eating) but this is getting pretty long, shoot me a PM or give me a call and we can talk about some of the spots. Also I will be working out of PA this summer so depending when you move out there I might get another report in.


KC
 
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#3 ·
Yeah it was fun, even with the bad weather.

Those rivers are really worth seeing if you are in the area, I am not sure they are worth flying out there from the west coast just to fish.

Here is where we stayed, it was 120 a night for a 2 bedroom suite, food at the restaurants in town was like 11-13 bucks a meal. If you enjoy wading you can do it cheap and be within an hour drive of 5 great rivers.

http://thedelawareriverclub.com/
 
#4 ·
I grew up fishing those NY water and other less well know streams and rivers in the Catskills and Adirondacks. The area is so rich in fly fishing history, and the fishing can be challenging to say the least. I'd never want to leave the embarrassment of riches we have here in the Western states, but those storied waters, and the legends that fished them, will always hold a special place in my heart with some great memories of fly fishing with friends and family now gone. Thanks so much for sharing, and for bringing me back to those places and times for a few moments.
 
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