05.23.13 Back from the Delaware....great times, some good fishing, and thankfully some rain

     Super week. I could write a long story but I'll keep it short and sweet. Went up Friday after my sons junior prom pics and met up with guide Charlie "Bunky" Limbert who was with our four clients at the Dream Catcher Estates on the West Branch of the Delaware. Bunky put the trip together which included lodging, food- breakfast, lunch and dinner, float trips, shuttles and beverages for the guys. We had a nice intro dinner and cocktail session Friday night which included chewing on some smoked and rubbed venision steak Digger brought that was out of this world. 

                           

      Saturday we were up and at it and floated the upper Main and the boys worked hard, had a great shore lunch, and ended back up on the West to fish the evening. A few smallmouths to the net and a few misses but several targets kept everyone happy. 

                        

     On Sunday the boys were ready to go- well ready to watch and wait- so we put in a little up river and re-floated some familiar water. We had sulfurs pop up and Digger caught the nicest fish of the weekend when he dropped and drifted perfectly a size 14 sulfer emerger right down the pipe. Another small brown and a few targets kept us interested on a slow day into a slow evening.  

                                    

   

  It was guides day off Monday so Charlie and I enjoyed a hot, but beautiful day on the river. Yes we caught browns, but it was a chub, or fallfish, kind of day. We had a blast with them, and we didn't care. 

We left the trouty water for the working guides and targeted fallfish most of the day.

     We caught browns in the riffles but didn't find a rainbow. We didn't see many bugs but we did see some Green Drakes that are here and there throughout the system. 

     On Tuesday I had a trip re-schedule so it was off to the races again for me and Charlie. We spent most of the day at the Border Water Outfitter shop in Hancock before jumping into the Junction Pool in the late afternoon. We had nice steady bugs for a while and brought a few nice browns to the net. But the best part was the setting and having it almost all to ourselves. That night guide/chef Brandon Alexander cooked up a great curry chicken dinner for the guides over at the "guide house".



     I did see the below set up on my way past the Capra Motel- one way to beat the cost of a shuttle!

      On Wednesday I had Brian and Vic come up from Hoboken. We put in, found a few targets, and shortly after, the heavens opened up, and up, and lighting, and up and so on. At one point I think I had 10 inches of water in my boat. After a good hours soaking we peeled off the rain gear (and my plastic hefty bag). pumped out the boat, and went to work. We looked and waited for bugs and fish that really never showed. The boys nymphed and blind casted almost all day. I had to apologize for hooking a rainbow while doing a demo on nymph fishing with an indicator. I just hate when that happens. 

     We rowed on and set up and hoped for an evening something that never materialized. It was a good day with good guys, and we had a great lunch. Hope to see them again. 

     I got a call at midnight that my Thursday clients were canceling out so in the morning I hit Hancock and washed the boat before heading back to Jersey and jump into the salt on Friday.

05.17.13 Second cast bass this morning before heading to the Upper Delaware for a week of float trips

     A client and I re-schedued todays trip so it gave me the chance to run down and wet a line. Got down just on the bottom of the ebb. Figured it would be slow but it was a beautiful morning and the swells and winds that we had yesterday were absent when I got down. Came up with a plan and headed out on a different set of rocks than usual. Made a cast, then another......and came up bassy. It was a one and done short session before running home and doing the physical and mental salt to freshwater switch.
     I'll be up on the Upper Delaware from tonight till next Friday. I have Tuesday and Friday open if you are interested in a float trip. Its $400 for the day includes shuttles, lunches, snacks and drinks for one or two anglers. Drop me an email or give me a call to grab one of the days...732.261.7291

05.16.13 It was a hard, but fun, days fishing.....

                         

     We had fog, rain, bright and hot sun, wind, incoming and outgoing tides, swells, waves, and lots of white water....but couldn't find a fish to eat. The fishing has been great, the catching a little on the slow side. The water temps seem to have played a part in the slow week. We had a NE-E blow that seemed to last for weeks and then the wind changed and it dropped the hammer. Todays water felt like it was below 50 degrees, although it was coming in at 52.
     Vincent came down for a days charter and worked, and worked, and worked. He found a new friend in the double haul which helped when the wind started to blow. We put a pot-pourri of flies out there for them to sample but no takers. No doubt I'll see Vincent again down in these parts, and in my drift boat on the Upper Delaware.

05.15.13 Bottom of the ninth, two outs, 3-2 count.....

......and he gets a hold of one! Very late in a full days trip Greg from Colorado drifted the chartreuse and white Clouser just over the right spot. We'd spent the day casting into S- SE wind that blew steady from 15 with gusts to 25, all day. But we had a great day and he was rewarded for lots of hard work.

     Greg started out with an Orvis 11'6 ZG 8 wt spey rod that he picked up pretty quickly for his first time in the surf. We went over to an H2 9ft 10wt for most of the heavy lifting with the wind and the high tide. We jumped from groins, to the beach, to the inlet, to the river and back to the groins to finish the day. 

     The second high point was a slammer fluke that took the Clouser as drifted in between the rocks on the retrieve. Lucky for the fish it isn't May 18th yet! We fished all day, stopped for a good lunch at Frank's in Asbury Park and now Greg is ready to fish a striper tournament in Cape Cod this weekend.

05.13.13 "Brooklyns in the house....."

     Today I had Dmitri down from Brooklyn looking for stripers off the rocks. We spent the morning in the W wind blowing from 12-22 mph. Funny thing is the winds were blowing east for about a month and we complained, but I wish they were back. Dmitri started out working his way on both sides of the end of the groin throwing an Orvis pattern called a Predator Pounder followed up by some Clousers and Deceivers. He worked hard and he went back and forth between his 11'6 rod and my Helios 2 with the Depth Charge line. As the morning turned to afternoon the winds picked up and changed from W to WNW so we changed our direction a bit and gave some new water a shot. The fishes mouths were welded shut, or, they just weren't around for brunch.

                                   

05.09 - 05.09.13 Great few days on the Upper Delaware now back to the salt

     Great days on the Upper Delaware in a mix of foot and boat traffic, water conditions, rain and wind, but as always enjoyable. The first night I was able to get into town and sneak into the water and get a few brown trout that were garbage picking at the end of the day. Had two floats the first day with Vic and Bob. Had tons of wading anglers and boats that we had to navigate through to find some fish. Bob caught his first brown trout on the other boat after we switched up the party of four after a shore lunch. Vic laid down a great cast and a good drift to catch his first Delaware chub which he proudly holds below.

     Day 2 started in the middle of the night with a heavy downpour that stopped and then started up as we met up the Orvis NYC at the Border Water Outfitters shop in Hancock. Joe D had six boats with 12 eager anglers chomping at the bit. I had the pleasure to draw Jeff and Kevin who worked hard throwing caddis to a few fish right out of the gate landing a smallmouth bass that was rising to caddis. Then they went nymphing in the rain till lunch. Jeff managed a small but pretty rainbow that took a March Brown bead head nymph (in the back).
     After lunch we got serious and did lots of blind casting March Brown emergers and setting up on and flossing and breaking off a few nice fish. We had some late targets right till dark then the boys went  psycho on them and threw some meaty streamers and a mouse fly to try and drum up a big brown. Great few days, great laughs both days, and a pleasure to have hard working guys happy even though it was a tad slow and we didn't see that many bugs or rising fish.

Now back to the salt all week, till the Upper Delaware next weekend.

05.09.13 Quick a.m. session before heading to the Upper Delaware

     Fished with Richie this morning in some great looking water, but with a only a micro bass flipping off at the rocks for a good effort. Water looked nice with plenty of white water created towards high tide. It's fishy looking....but either not many fish are around or their just tight lipped. The fish are low, and sinking lines with Clousers taking the mixed bag of fish the last couple of days. Rich ordered the Orvis Depth Charge line last night which will help getting that fly down, and stay down, in the water column.
     Off to the Upper Delaware today for a trio of days of float trips. The Catskill region got rain, and that has helped bring up the flows a bit. We need that nice steady soaking rain, not the deluges we got across the northeast yesterday. As far as fishing in the rain- it's okay, the fish are already wet!

05.08.13 Fluke yesterday, weakfish today.....the bass remain elusive

        Got down around 6am and waited for the squall to pass before hitting the start of the outgoing. Great looking water as long as you weren't casting into the chocolate milk coming from the sewer drain outflows that are on every other beach. Lots of white over green water to hit. The forecast called for E winds at 5-8, but in reality they were more like 15-20 at times.
     Started out fishing the pocket in the bigger water before moving out with the tide. Had a big weakfish grab a chartreuse/black Deceiver on the 20th cast, then a long drought before a fluke lipped a Clouser on the rocks a town away. The bass have been absent for me over the last days, and I'm trying to figure out what's up. I haven't seen any bait or birds which is usually a good sign that food is around.
Saw a guys forum post that a keeper he filleted was loaded with sand fleas, aka mole crabs, so that's may be what's being served up.
     The new moon is tomorrow so there's anticipation for the herring to stage and move in to spawn so your favorite outflow near the tidal ponds may produce some fish.

     Glad that we got some rain which we need desperately. It you fish the Upper Delaware you know how low the water levels are and how pathetic the lack of releases are have been. Hopefully the rain will make its way up there and give the area a good and steady soaking.

05.07.13 Found some flatties on the end of the ebb....

     With stripers on everyone's mind no one wants to see pictures of a few flatfish. But you can only take what the ocean gives up. A big fluke and a sundial couldn't resist a Jonny King Kinky Muddler tossed just past the rock field on the end of the outgoing tide. I saw a nice bass caught way out front that fell to a guy soaking clams. Just when you say to yourself the bass aren't there on a particular day a guy goes and catches a 32" fish to blow up your theory, or excuse.

05.05.13 Early morning bass in tough wind....

     Hit the rocks at 6 am with winds E-NE from 15 to 20. Fished the south sides as the north side was sloppy and the winds didn't help. Lots of nice white water on the other side where schoolie bass to 26" were tucked in the rocks taking Clousers. It was a beat your fly and leader up type morning as most of the fish were caught high-stickin' just past the rock fields off the groins. Long casts didn't produce, but "nymphing" the rips along the rocks did.
     I was surprised to see so many small boats out joining the head boats. They had a sporty ride out and up along the Jersey Shore. It looks like the winds that we've had will continue at least through mid week, then hopefully they'll swing around. It'll be nice to have the wind coming from a different direction for at least a little while.

                          

05.04.13 First a First Communion, then picked up the boat after a long winters nap.....

     Over the last four months I must have received over 15 calls to fish today May 4th. Early in November we were told at CCD that my daughter Erin's First Communion would be held today. There aren't to many good reasons to miss floating the Upper Delaware, (and getting paid!), then those milestones in your kids lives, like today. It was a great day and it was refreshing to see my daughter and the other kids excited and nervous about receiving Communion. Times have changed, we have changed, but those kids do have a way of keeping us grounded and refreshed with their un-biased and youthful approach to things. 

     On the fishing side of things, well, it was time to pick the boat up and get her uncovered and ready for a trip this week. Fishing has been good, real good, just about everywhere. This prolonged E-NE wind we've had has made both boating and walking and wading a little sporty, but the rewards for wet hard work are there. 

Give me a call to book a half day or full day boat trip. I can accommodate two fly anglers on my Jones Brothers 19'10 LT Cape Fisherman. My number is 732.261.7291 or colin@theaverageangler.com

05.03.13 Orvis NYC by day.....nice bass in the evening

     Had a great time as always at the Orvis NYC store. Thanks to Rob and the staff for the invite and helping with the set up. Had about 15 people sit in as I talked about the fly fishing the Upper Delaware. Tons of good questions and interest from people who have had the pleasure of fishing the Catskills, and from those that don't realize what they're getting into, as far as the addiction is concerned. 

     Coolest thing in the shop today, besides Rob of course, was the display and fly selection for the upcoming 17 year cicada hatch. I wouldn't want to be caught without one so I purchased a half a dozen to be on the safe side. If you want some give the shop a call and they'll send them out to you. The number is 212.867. 0212. In addition to the cicadas I picked up a half a dozen articulated Iso nymphs that I think will work well when retrieved through the water. If you're ever in NYC and near 5th Avenue and 45 Street the Orvis store is a must stop.    

     I got home just in time to rum down to the beach and catch the best part of the outgoing. Jumped up and the rocks and found lots of seaweed and kelp being pushed in with the wind and big waves. After cleaning Deceivers for about and hour I tied on a well worn Clouser and caught two in fishy looking water on the beach end of the groin. I'm glad I was able to get out as it was pretty as the sun set and I had the whole rocks and beach all to myself.

05.02.13 Don't forget the bite leader.....

     Beautiful day down on the beach and the groins. Found lots of anglers, boats, bunker, bass, and the first Racer bluefish of the season. I also had Al out for the first time this spring in now his 90th year of life!

                           

     Lots of great looking white water to fish on the incoming tide where a six-pack plus one of bass tucked in near the rocks took a chartreuse and white Deciever, until the bluefish got a hold of it. It's that time of year to keep some straight wire or tieable wire leader in your bag if the bluefish are around. The bass were a mixed bag of micro, schoolie, and keeper sized. I saw a fish fall to a clam and when it came up it had a half a tail, no doubt bitten off by some other predator. It looked keeper sized, if you could count the part that was missing. Had a camera malfunction today so I had to go with the trusty iPhone camera which worked in a pinch.

     Tomorrow is Orvis Days and I'll be at the Orvis NYC store doing a presentation on Fly Fishing the Upper Delaware. It starts at noon and bring your wallet as I'm sure Rob will have some kind of special for those that swing by the shop. Hope to see you there. 

05.01.13 The micro bass like the Pulse Disc.......

     Seems like a smaller group of fish have came in to eat. Went with the Pulse Disc out in front of a Clouser this morning on the incoming. It didn't take long to find a willing taker but it was a slow go after that. Later on another small bass grabbed the same offering on the outgoing tide. It was big water again today with a steady E wind on the incoming tide. It will be nice when the wind finally swings around. We need that, and some rain!

     The Pulse Disc was designed by Jim Matson from Brinefly Innovations. It gets tied in with a mono-loop-knot and creates a pulsating swimming fly that is very effective in the right situations. You can see more HERE.

     From Orvis. Today they announced the purchase of Scentific Anglers and Ross Reels. Both companies will continue to operate as they are currently and will be run by Jim LePage.

     The beaches along the Jersey Shore are abuzz with activity involving heavy machinery. Today this bulldozer was pushing sand into the ocean creating a very turbid south side of the groin.