Upper Delaware River Fishing Report: Conditions
A round of overnight storms pushed every gauge in the system up this week, but the West Branch is already coming back down faster than expected — Hale Eddy has dropped to 895 cfs this morning, putting some stretches back into wadable range after a couple of boat-only days. Still worth scouting before you commit; not every section clears and drops evenly.
The East Branch is running high at Harvard — 350 cfs this morning — and still off-color. The Main Stem is carrying a lot of extra water too, with Lordville at 3,950 cfs; not a wading proposition yet, but a fine one if you’ve got a boat and don’t mind stripping streamers through the stain. The Beaverkill at Cooks Falls is at 1,030 cfs — well up for a freestone, though it should settle faster than the tailwaters once the rain clears the system.
For real-time flows, radar, and forecasts, check the Live Report — it’s the fastest way to know before you go.
What’s Hatching
- Blue-Winged Olives — #16–18
- Sulphurs — #16–20
- Light Cahill — #14–16
- Isonychia — #10–12
- Tan & Grey Caddis — #16–20
The bug calendar hasn’t missed a beat despite the high water — this spread is showing up consistently enough across the system that it’s worth carrying a full box rather than betting on just one pattern. Flying ants are still around on warm afternoons too.
Today’s Watch Items
- West Branch is dropping fast but unevenly — scout a stretch before committing to wading it
- East Branch, Main Stem, and Beaverkill are still high and off-color — boat and streamer territory for now
- Flows are changing quickly this week — check the Live Report for current numbers before you head out
Best Techniques
Where water’s still up and stained, swing streamers with confidence — high, off-color water on this system has a way of putting big fish in a mood. On the recovering stretches of the West Branch, keep a streamer rig as backup even if you’re planning to wade, since not every run has cleared evenly yet.
As flows keep settling, last light remains the most reliable window for consistent dry fly activity as bugs and spinners pile up in low light — a good bet to build your evening around as the system clears.
Fly of the Week
Cahill
Dry Fly · Size 14
Simple profile, does the job.
Cahills are around in decent numbers right now — a solid pick for covering water once the system finishes clearing.
See live conditions on the Live Report →Upper Delaware River fishing report, covering the West Branch, East Branch, Main Stem, and Beaverkill & Willowemoc. Flows, hatches, technique, and today’s watch items — everything you’d want to know before you string up a rod, gathered from conditions across the watershed.