Fresh Water Fishing

Fishing In The Delaware River

Seven years after fishing in the Salt Waters of the Pacific Ocean, my son started Fly Fishing in the Fresh Waters of the Delaware River. He caught this 14” Rainbow Trout with a Green Drake #10 and a 5 weight 10′ Lefty Kreh Fly Rod in the Junction Pool in the town of Hancock of the East Branch. This deep pool is excellent holding water and best fished from the east side; however, when the water is high, it is nearly impossible to cross the river.

A True Paradise For All (Fly) Fishing Lovers……

The East Branch of the Delaware River above the reservoir is a quaint little freestone harboring 9- to 12-inch browns and rainbows, which are mostly stockers. Easy wading and abundant fish populations make this stretch an ideal choice, specially for novices. There are some large browns that are caught in the fall during their spawning migration up from the reservoir. The upper stretch below the dam, which runs about sixteen miles, resembles a spring creek. The river consists mostly of long and glassy pools with weeded bottoms with harbor abundant populations of insects and crustaceans. Brook trout dominate the upper stretches and brown trout increase in population further downstream. Large brown trout, some up to 26 inches, are taken from the East Branch, especially by those who are adept at stealth approaches and matching the hatches. 

Most striped bass on the Delaware are caught from late summer into early fall at night. Heavy tackle, up to a 9-weight, is advisable. Large flies, such as Zonkers in size 4 and minnow patterns up to 1/0, are recommended. Most stripers are in the 18-28-inch size but on occasion a large fish will keep things interesting. Anglers should fish with very large white streamers (Zonkers in size 2) on sink-tip lines (200 grain is preferred) along the banks and around grassy knolls, ideally from boats during high water. The fall is also an excellent time to catch some very large trout.

Since the river is large, long casts are frequently made to reach rising fish. Windy conditions are quite common, a five-weight fished on a nine-foot high modulus graphite rod is preferred. As a rule of thumb, try to get as close as possible to rising fish. The shorter the line, the less currents will have to be dealt with and therefore, less drag on the fly. If long casts must be made, move up and above the target and make a quartering downstream cast. However, just before the fly lands, bring the rod back and allow the fly to land a few feet above the target. Then instead of mending, bring the rod gradually forward in the direction of the current so the line will not drag the fly. Moreover, strip out line to float the fly downstream; this allows a lot of water to cover below with minimal effort. Just cast quartering downstream and start stripping out line without creating too much slack line in case you need to set the hook.  Good Luck and many returns…

Blog Catalog Blog Directory