Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: May 16, 2026
The West Branch is falling at Hale Eddy and remains a good boat-and-edge-water option, with warmer afternoon water and a late-day dry fly window.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Late afternoon into evening
- Best methods
- dry flies, nymphs, streamers
Quick Summary
The West Branch is still moving with enough push to limit wading, but the direction is favorable. USGS showed 1,200 cfs at Hale Eddy late this afternoon, down from roughly 1,310 cfs six hours earlier. Water temperature reached about 55 F late afternoon after cooler morning readings, so the best trout window is still the late afternoon into evening hatch and spinner period.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good |
| Flow | 1,200 cfs at Hale Eddy at 4:45 PM gauge time |
| Water Temp | 55 F at Hale Eddy at 3:45 PM gauge time; morning readings were cooler |
| Clarity | Not reported |
| Trend | Falling |
| Best Window | Late afternoon into evening |
| Best Method | dry flies; nymphs; streamers |
| Wadeability | Limited; boat preferred with edge-water wading only |
Weather
Hancock was warm and mostly sunny late today, near 79 F, with southwest wind around 7 mph. Tonight brings a small chance of showers and mostly cloudy skies, which may help the evening surface window if wind stays down.
River Notes
Flows are dropping through the West Branch, which is usually better than rising water on this tailwater. At 1,200 cfs, fish from a boat where possible or stay on softer inside edges and protected seams. Local morning tables were closer to 45 F, while live USGS readings warmed into the mid-50s later in the day; both can be true on a sunny May afternoon, so treat temperature as time-specific.
Hatch Activity
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hendrickson | 12-14 | Carry duns and spinners where fish are still keyed to mayflies |
| Apple Caddis | 16-18 | Useful around softer edges and evening caddis activity |
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | Better if cloud cover or showers build |
| March Brown | 10-12 | Larger mayfly option, especially lower in the system |
| Rusty Spinner | 12-18 | Important late-day pattern |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Hendrickson Sparkle Dun | 12-14 | Use during visible mayfly activity |
| Dry | Apple Caddis | 16-18 | Fish adults or emergers in softer water |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 12-18 | Keep ready for last light |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail | 14-18 | Good before fish commit to the surface |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Use before caddis show |
| Streamer | Sculpin pattern | 4-8 | Work banks if light drops or stain appears |
Tactics
Start with nymphs in slower seams, inside bends, and edge buckets. When fish begin showing, switch to a single dry or dry with a small emerger behind it and lengthen the leader for flat pools. Streamers are secondary unless clouds, stain, or low light give you a better bank-fishing window.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch Delaware River at Hale Eddy NY | 1,200 cfs | 55 F | USGS 01426500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 01426500 and the National Weather Service forecast for the Hancock, NY area. This report is an original Custom FlyBox summary based on current official gauge and weather data, with local public conditions reports reviewed separately for hatch, access, and method context.