West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report: June 12, 2026

Quick Summary

The West Branch at Hale Eddy remains the best New York trout option in this report set. USGS showed 596 cfs, 2.94 feet, and 48.2 F at about 7:45 AM EDT, a small overnight bump from storms but still a stable, wadeable cold-tailwater flow. Current Delaware-system reports point to sulphurs, olives, caddis, Cahills, and evening spinner activity, with nymphs, wet flies, and dry-dropper rigs filling the slower daylight periods. The main cautions are thunderstorms and warm trout water away from the West Branch release; do not move to the warmer Main Stem, lower East Branch, or Beaverkill just because they are nearby.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Good
Flow	596 cfs at about 7:45 AM EDT
Gauge Height	2.94 feet
Water Temp	48.2 F
Clarity	Not reported by official gauges; local context points to a fishable West Branch despite light storm runoff
Trend	Slightly up from yesterday morning, then generally stable within a narrow range
Best Window	Morning through evening on the cold tailwater; leave before thunderstorms
Best Method	Nymphs, wet flies, and dry-dropper rigs before bugs; dries for sulphurs, olives, caddis, Cahills, and spinners when fish rise
Wadeability	Good at Hale Eddy from a flow standpoint, with normal caution around ledges, deeper seams, and boat traffic

Weather

For Hancock, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 87 F with patchy early fog, partly sunny skies, light west wind, and showers and thunderstorms developing from early afternoon into late day. Forecast rainfall is roughly a quarter to a half inch, with additional storms possible early tonight before clearing and a low near 57 F. This is fishable weather if you watch radar, but lightning should end the session immediately.

River Notes

Hale Eddy is running just under 600 cfs, which gives the West Branch enough cold release water for a strong trout plan without pushing wading into a high-water category. The release-influenced water is the important part of the decision today: Delaware-system local reports continue to flag warm water on the Main Stem, East Branch at Hancock, and Beaverkill, while the West Branch near Hale Eddy remains safely cold in the morning. Fish riffles, inside seams, shaded banks, and soft edges with nymphs, caddis pupa, Isonychia nymphs, or a dry-dropper until fish show. If cloud cover or rain arrives before thunder, expect the hatch and spinner timing to shift earlier than it would under bright sun.

Hatch Activity

The current Delaware mix is still a sulphur-and-caddis program with olives, Cahills, March Browns, Gray Fox, Isonychia, and evening spinners in the box. Larger bugs are less predictable now than the main sulphur window, so match what you see rather than fishing the biggest dry all day. Warm weather makes the coldest West Branch sections more important than broad river coverage.

Hatch	Size	Notes
Sulphur	14-18	Primary afternoon and evening mayfly; carry emergers, duns, and spinners
Blue Winged Olive	16-22	More useful in cloud cover, rain-cooled light, and softer sipping lanes
Light Cahill	14-16	Carry pale duns and spinners where they mix into the evening rise
March Brown / Gray Fox	10-14	Still worth a few larger dries and emergers for broken water and bank seams
Isonychia	10-12	Nymphs and wets are useful in faster seams before surface activity steadies
Blue Sedge / Tan Caddis	14-18	Fish pupa, soft hackles, spent caddis, and adults around riffles and evening activity
Rusty Spinner	10-20	Important toward dark and occasionally early if fish find leftovers

Recommended Flies

Category	Fly	Size	Notes
Dry	Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Comparadun	14-18	First dry to check when lighter mayflies start coming off
Dry	Sulphur Spinner	14-18	Carry for the last-light fall
Dry	Rusty Spinner	10-20	Match confirmed spinner size; especially useful in the evening
Dry	BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun	16-22	Use for smaller rises in clouds or rain-cooled light
Dry	Elk Hair Caddis or Spent Caddis	14-18	Good around riffles and when fish are taking caddis adults
Nymph	Isonychia Nymph	10-12	Work faster seams and swing near the end of the drift
Nymph	Caddis Pupa	14-18	Dead drift or swing through riffle tails and softer edges
Nymph	Pheasant Tail or Frenchie	14-18	Useful as the small dropper under a larger dry
Wet	Partridge and Yellow or Leadwing Coachman	12-16	Swing when bugs are active but rises are scattered
Streamer	Olive or Black Woolly Bugger	6-10	Only a situational play in low light or rain before thunder

Tactics

Start with nymphs, a dry-dropper, or swung wets in riffles, inside bends, and shaded seams while waiting for surface activity. Once fish rise, take time to identify whether they are on sulphurs, olives, caddis, Cahills, or spinners before changing flies; a careful single dry will usually beat blind pattern changes. Keep the trout plan on the cold West Branch, check temperatures if you move downstream, and stop targeting trout if readings approach 68 F. Thunderstorms are the hard safety line today: leave the water at the first sign of lightning or fast runoff.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY	596 cfs	48.2 F	USGS 01426500

Sources

Official sources checked: USGS station 01426500 and the National Weather Service forecast and alerts 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, release, access, and method context.