A whole host of flies are hatching, from Sulphurs, various Caddis flies and Blue-Winged Olives in the mornings, to Isonychias, more Sulphurs and Light Cahills in the evenings. Last week while fishing the Willowemoc above Livingston Manor it was heartening to see so many nymph cases/shucks on the rocks in the stream - the prolific insect life a testament to the health of the river. And with so much water in the systems, the trout are growing and faring well, and fishing has been productive. From the Willowemoc to the Beaverkill to the East Branch, local trout fishers have not been disappointed, whether fishing during the mornings, afternoons or evenings.
Beaverkill Stream Conditions Report - April 14, 2024
Our rivers and streams had been in very fishable shape last week, with the early hatches of Quill Gordons and Blue Quills noted. Fishing below the surface with wet flies and nymphs has been productive, even when no hatches are detected. And Tuesday’s water temperatures reached that “magic” number of 50 degrees Fahrenheit - the temperature fly fishers watch for - that marks the beginning of the fly hatches we look forward to.
However, with Friday’s downpours and storms, water levels rose to a non-wadeable level of almost 6000 cubic feet per second. The unsettled weather over the weekend has kept many trout fishers indoors, waiting for more good weather.