Fishing Report: August 14th

Greetings Compleat Anglers!  Here is your fishing report for August 14th.

Overview

While our rivers are definitely in a summer mode, with all the rain we've been having both the Connecticut and Catskill rivers are running high and are a bit cooler than usual for this time of year. These flow levels will drop quickly once the rain slows down, but the good news is that the Catskill reservoirs are at capacity and there should be decent water releases in the Delaware system through the fall. At the moment, the Cannonsville Reservoire release is 1460cfs and the Pepacton Reservoire release is 934cfs. Insect hatches in all Catskill and Connecticut rivers are pretty much the same right now. There are Caddis, Sulphurs, BWO's, Cahills, a few Yellow Drakes, Isos, Paraleps and ants and beetles. With the high, colored-up water on the Delaware system streamers continue to take some great fish. Bang the banks and keep moving - with the high water those big "D" browns are so close to the banks they're practically up on the grass. In all three Delaware branches it's pretty much a floating game right now - wading is extremely limited in the high water (even up high on the WB at Stilesville and the EB above Harvard.) The Delaware West Branch is colored-up in the lower sections but fishable - (for clearer water stay above Oquaga Creek). On the East Branch even the upper section is rather turbulant, as is the Beaverkill. For wading, the Willowemoc is your best bet currently. (There are more thunderstorms in the forecast today, so keep your eye on the sky.)  Ben Rinker, from East Branch Outfitters  info@eastbranchoutfitters.com  reports that the East Branch is currently high and rising and off-color. The West Branch is muddy in the lower sections. Wading is limited everywhere. Ben says that heavy rain is intermittent. If you're planning a trip up to the Catskills be sure to check with your guide service or online before you leave.

Here are the flows for today:

Catskill River Flows:

Delaware WB at Hale Eddy:   2430cfs at 51 degrees;

Delaware WB at Stilesville:  1490cfs at 44 degrees;

Delaware EB at Harvard:  1960cfs at 54 degrees;

Delaware EB at Fishs Eddy:  5660cfs at 60 degrees;

Delaware Main Stem at Lordville:  6500cfs at 58 degrees;

Beaverkill at Cooks Falls:  2880cfs at 62 degrees;

In Connecticut, the Farmington West Branch has been fishing well and has not been as affected by the rains as the Catskill rivers have been. The above-mentioned hatches apply but if you're expressly looking for bugs, the key is to fish early morning and evenings. During middays nymphing both in deeper glides and the faster water is productive. For nymph patterns, the usual suspects apply - small wets, soft hackles, and nymphs such as Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Zebras, Frenchies, Caddis Pupa and Larva and Stoneflies as well as scuds and other mayfly patterns will all do well. And be sure to try a dry/nymph dropper with the small nymph dropped off a dry such as a bushy caddis by 12-18 inches.

(above: Our friend Lenny with a good Connecticut fly-rod Pike.)

Connecticut River Flows:

WB Farmington River at Riverton:   324cfs at 51 degrees;

Still River at Robertsville:  180cfs;

WB Farmington through the TMA:   504cfs at mid-50's-to-mid 60's;

Housatonic at Falls Village:  1680cfs at 70 degrees;

Norwalk River in Wilton:  125cfs;

Saugatuck River at Ford's Road:  217cfs;

On the Norwalk River, this week the Mianus Chapter of TU announced some good news. Here's the announcement:

"Trout and sea-run fish will have a much better shot at success thanks to the removal of two dams on the Norwalk River this month.

 It has taken more than a decade of planning and partnership, but we're thrilled to announce that this week a contractor has begun dismantling the Flock Dam in Norwalk - a 20-foot high dam close to Long Island Sound which has kept sea-run trout, herring, eels and other species from making their way upstream to spawn!

 Even better, next week on Aug. 15, Mianus Chapter volunteers and staff from CT DEEP will be removing a section of the 6-foot tall Cannondale Dam in Wilton to allow fish passage and reconnect another 10 miles of trout stream! If you would like to stop by the dam removal in Wilton please email Jeff Yates for details.

 The chapter has also received permission from the town of Wilton to pursue permits for the removal of the Dana Dam, which, once removed, will reconnect more than 20 miles of trout habitat!

 Removing dams is important not only for allowing fish passage and spawning, but also because dams increase water temperatures, decrease oxygen levels, change the water chemistry and impair the river's ability to rebuild itself through sediment transport and deposition. 

 Taking out these two dams vastly increases the ability of the river to heal itself and trout will grow faster, healthier, and bigger in this new, reconnected river."

Finally, here's the latest update from FUDR (Friends of the Upper Delaware River) on the fuel spill on the Delaware River West Branch:

 The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) are continuing response efforts concerning the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (NYSW) train derailment that occurred early Thursday morning in the town of Deposit in Delaware County. As of Monday morning, all engines have been righted and placed on rails. Removal of the freight cars continues. DEC Spills Response staff will continue to assess potential environmental impacts but there are currently no restrictions on the use of the river outside the immediate area of the incident. 

 While righting one of the engines on Saturday, August 11, the engine's tank released additional diesel fuel at the site. Remediation of the site is underway. Currently, NYSW and its environmental contractor have excavated the impacted soil. The area where the backwater meets the west branch has been completely boomed off. A slight sheen is visible on the river near the accident site and under the Hales Eddy Road bridge. Water samples were taken of the river and the assessment of the river continues. 

 ON BACKGROUND 

The train was carrying cars with sulfuric acid, radioactive soils containing low levels of alpha radiation, and non-radioactive contaminated soil. However, none of the cars containing hazardous materials were derailed in the accident and there were no releases or spills of hazardous material. "DEC Spill Response continues to monitor NYSW and their environmental contractor at the site. While righting one of the engines on Saturday, August 11, the engine's tank released additional fuel at the site. DEC is on site assessing potential environmental impacts. A slight sheen was detected at the Hale Eddy Road bridge. The rising river water may also be flushing spilled fuel out of vegetation."

That's it for this week!  Remember to stop by the shop for all your fishing needs, whether it be gear, info, instruction, reading material - whatever you need to enhance your enjoyment and bring you to the next level. Come in and check out all the latest rods, reels, fly lines, boots, waders, fly-tying equipment, flies, accessories, tools, clothing, luggage - we carry all the major brands such as Sage, Loomis, Winston, Scott, Hardy, Reddington, Echo, St.Croix, Abel, Ross, Lamson, Nautilus, Hatch, Galvin, Rio, Sci-Anglers, Air-Flow, Patagonia, Yeti, and so much more. And we have a huge inventory of both freshwater and saltwater flies - many of them tied right here in the USA by master tier Mike Motyll.

Hope to see you on the water!

Len