Monday, September 13

Quick Report: King salmon are beginning to make their annual run up the Salmon River, and fish are being taken on wet flies of up to 30 pounds. The run is small at this point, but should open up within the next few days. Trout fishing on the Delaware has been slow over the past few weeks, although we’re still managing to pick up some good fish. Insect activity is off, and water is discolored.

Dear Flyfisher:

I’m fishing between the Salmon River and the Delaware’s Main Stem and West Branch this week. The kings have moved into the estuary at the mouth of the Salmon River, and a few are making the run upstream. Some good fish were picked up over the weekend, and we expect a stronger run any day.

The Delaware fishing has slowed over the past few weeks, with insect activity falling off considerably. On some days, the trico hatches have been too small to prompt trout into rising, although that changes from day to day. Mid-day fishing has been mostly wet, with wooly buggers, zonkers and bead-heads providing the action.

In the evenings, we’re moving into the big pools on the Main Stem, and picking up some good fish on spinners. There have been some great Isonychia spinner falls, and occasions when you can look over your head and see thousands swirling in the air. But, this, too, has been a bit spotty, and the conditions can change from night to night and pool to pool.

One of my clients picked up a great five-pound wild brown on the West Branch on a wooly bugger, along with several other good fish. We concentrated on fishing the riffles and the tails of some of the river’s larger pools, and have had reasonable – but not spectacular – success.

There have been some reports of dead alewives drifting downriver with the releases from the Cannonsville Reservoir, which explains the success of wooly buggers, zonkers and other streamer flies. The releases are also warming up as the level of the reservoir declines, and the water is a deep chocolate color. But, cool evenings are keeping the water temperatures in the 60s, and we should be seeing some more bugs coming off the water and we change seasons.

The releases have been mixed, too. We’ve had full blasts of over 1,200 cfs, and then shut-downs to about 500 cfs. Currently, the releases are just under 1,000 cfs, which tends to dampen the streamside fishing. The best fishing is from drift-boats.

I’m drifting the Salmon River today, and should have a report back for you on our success soon. I have several dates filled for the king, coho and steelhead runs, but there are still openings for both the Salmon River and the Delaware in September and throughout the fall. Drop me an e-mail or give me a call 570-635-5968. If I’m on the river, leave a message and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Hope to see you soon.

– Adrian