Delaware River: I’m Still Licking My Wounds

We arrived in Delaware County and after a brief swing into the fly shop we were knee deep in the world famous Delaware River. This river is the birthplace of American fly fishing and it is also a place that will humble even the finest of fly fishermen. The hatches were epic. At many points there were so many bugs hatching, it looked as though it were snowing. And the wild trout were rising everywhere. So, there I was in fly fishing paradise. Plenty of bugs, plenty of trout but I could not seem to trick a single one of them. I was throwing everything in my box and I swear I heard a few of those trout laughing at me. Then Nate said to me, “Hey Jer, tie on a March Brown emerger.” I saw one huge brown that rising to a rhythm. I waited for the perfect moment and then threw out a ton of line. I was running a 15 foot leader tapered down to 5x. The fly landed 7 feet or so above the fish and began to drift. The trout gobbled up my fly and I set the hook as though I were fly fishing for steelhead. Snap. Yup, I broke my tippet on the hook-set. I was getting really frustrated. I had a few more takes, or maybe they were just refusals, on the March Brown emerger and then the Trout wanted nothing to do with that pattern. So, I was back to unleashing everything in my Box. Caddis, Nope. BWO, Nope. Hendrikson, Nope, Hendrikson emerger, Nope. I was really losing it. The sun was now very low in the sky and darkness was upon us. The only comfort I had was in knowing that Kranefly and Waterwhippa were having no better success. It was ridiculous. At this point the trout had moved in and were basically feeding off my shoe. Taunting me. Big wild Brown Trout seemingly eating everything by my fly. I sat there scratching my head and then I heard the sound of fly line being peeled off the water and the famous words, “there he is.” Kranefly’s reel was singing. He had tricked one of those trout and somehow even I felt a sense of satisfaction. Whippa and I both reeled up our lines and watched with envy as Kranefly landed his fish. We realized that Kranefly did what seemed impossible and I felt obligated to ask the obvious. “So, what did he take?” Kranefly responded, “Rusty Spinner.” So, the night had come to and end and the Delaware River proved to be as technical and frustrating as I had expected. I did catch some trout on the Beaverkill River. A beautiful river in its own right and beautiful fish, but they were not Delaware River Trout. So, I sit here in Maine thinking of all the shoulda, coulda and woulda’s. I will return to the Delaware River soon and I will be a little wiser, more humbled and prepared to match the hatch.

12 Comments

Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

So, I was back to unleashing everything in my Box. Caddis, Nope. BWO, Nope. Hendrikson, Nope, Hendrikson emerger, Nope. I was really losing it.

Welcome to the Delaware…

I will return to the Delaware River soon and I will be a little wiser, more humbled and prepared to match the hatch.

hhmmmm. I’ve heard that before.

I can’t wait for my first trip of the year down there…Soon very soon

NICE FISH KRANES!!!!
jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

Hey, if anyone cares. These are the lyrics to the song that
goes with this video. It is about the Delaware River… but could be about any
Trout River really…. Here are the chord progressions .. if you play guitar..
(Verses: dm – am – CGFC) (Chorus: dm – am – FCGF)

rusted cars and factories

prodigal sons and broken dreams

the streats all look the same

the faces have no names

the river twists and then it bends

disappears and appears again

This could be the beginning

This might be the end

In this Delaware county town

I think about things that fly around

Nothing seems to matter much

Waiting for the sun goes down

I think about things that fly around

In this Delaware county town

I don’t care at all

Just waiting for the spinner fall

Secret patterns with little hooks

All the things I learned in books

None if it really seemed to work

I never even got a look

Right before dark it dawned on me

Rusty spinners it has to be

I tried to tie one on

But it was too dark to see

In this Delaware county town

I think about things that fly around

Nothing seems to matter much

Waiting for the sun goes down

I think about things that fly around

In this Delaware county town

I don’t care at all

Just waiting for the spinner fall
jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

exactly — wiser, humbled and more prepared might still not do the trick… thos fish are tough.. for sure.
wrh on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

Good story and vid., gets me psyched for trout season and my first trip to the D. Dry fly heaven, or so I’m told. I’ve fished out west, the Farmington and Housy a bunch so I’ll have to see how this famous river compares to those and how well it treats me. I’ve been tying every night.
jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

bring some bandaids for your ego:)
waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

That really came together outstanding. The lyrics are so fitting. All and all just a sensational trip for the early season. Looks like things are going to be really hopping down there this season.

Kranes that last fish of the last night was just so rewarding. Well done Bro. The “silent assassin” strikes again!
jason-c on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

Made me home sick!
mooncaster on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

Hi Jer, I like the black and white Shwagon shout out. Whip will appreciate –M.Caster
greg on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

I’m having my wounds sutured. Plenty of fish, just could not keep one on. I will be out again soon as the river was great and the area was fantastic, obviously plenty of fish but more expertise than I had was needed. Just when you think your pretty good, your ass gets handed to you! I’m coming back soon. I had a great time fishing with you guys and hoppe to see you out there.
kranefly on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

This trip was a lot of fun for me too. It was great, as always, to get out with Dave, J-Bone, and Greg to fish to some of the toughest trout in the area.

On a side note, this trip was very important to me for a number of reasons. I had lost some of my passion for fishing over the past few months. I know……sacralige. I was really concerned with my my feelings about the whole thing. I have never felt that way about fishing, because I have always had so much passion for it….but it was true. I was in a funk. Up untill that weekend I had so much other stuff going on in my life (grad school, in particular) that I think I lost focus. But I was truly SCARED because I have NEVER lost it with fishing. That has been the one true staple in my life that has always remained constant. It was truly heartbreaking for me…

So Thanks again…for helping me realize what is really important.

Nate
wrh on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

hey, Nate I can relate. I lost my passion for flyfishing for 10 years. I burned out after guiding too long, fishing during the off season and working in the industry (a bad move for me), and an accident. I always knew that I’d get back into it, but I didn’t know how long it would take. I now savor my time on the water and have a deepr appreciation of every aspect of flyfishing. Sometimes you don’t know what you have until you loose it. I’m glad you were on the fence for a short period of time. See you on the water sometime.
RickW on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

great song jer,

I’ll be adding that to my playlist 😉

smokin o p’s,
rick

Delaware River: I’m Still Licking My Wounds

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