Welcome to the Delaware

This past Monday, Jared, Steve, Jim and I all headed North to fish the Delaware River system.  Heavy winds were forecasted, but we decided that there were bugs and rising fish, so we were going, wind or no wind.  I am no expert when it comes to the Catskills in any way, shape or form, but I decided to show Jared what I know about the great fishery that is the Delaware.  Jim was already at his cabin up there, and Steve left early Monday morning to meet Jimmy.  I met Jared at the shop in Bryn Mawr around 7 when he got off the train and we hit the road.  After the three or so hour car ride, we got rigged up and headed to the water.  When we arrived, the wind was absolutely brutal with gusts over 40mph.  We decided, however, that in a few hours there would be bugs and rising fish.  We were right.  Over the next two hours, Hendricksons and Paraleps began hatching everywhere, but the wind made the fishing incredibly difficult.  Whenever the wind died down a bit, the fishing was fast and furious, as fish were up and gorging themselves on bugs.  As soon as the wind picked up again, however, the fish were sent back down and just ate nymphs and emergers below the surface.

Crazy Hawaiian

The West Branch of the Delaware

Lots-o-nymphs

Since this was Jared’s first time on the D, I was really hoping he would have fun.  Not only did he have fun, Jared hooked and landed his first two Delaware fish!  During a brief break in the wind, Jared hooked up with a solid fish.  After a great fight with some powerful runs, I slipped the fish into the net and Jared was greeted with his first ever Delaware fish, a beautiful silvery brown.  Great job man!

Jared's first look at his fish

Nice one man!

A little while later, I hooked a really good fish, but lost him when he ran right at me and I just couldn’t get tight.  You win some, you lose some.  Shortly thereafter, I decided to walk upstream and see what I could do above Jared.  Just as I got back into the water, I glanced down at Jared just in time to see him come tight to a really good fish.  I rushed down and after an incredible fight with quite a few close calls, we netted the fish, which was Jared’s largest trout ever by far.  He was super stoked and so was I.  We fished for a little while longer, but the sun began to dip behind the mountains and as the temperature dropped, the bugs stopped hatching.  We packed up and headed to Wendy’s, where we then gorged ourselves like the fish and headed home.  It was a rough day, but overall, it was a blast.  Nice job braddah!

Pig

This was a super fat fish

"I'm ready for my close-up."