Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report: June 14, 2026
The West Branch at Hale Eddy is cold, steady, and wadeable this morning, with sulphurs, Cahills, olives, caddis, and Isonychia in play before a better rain chance arrives tonight.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Morning through evening, with the best dry-fly chance late day
- Best methods
- dry flies, nymphs, wet flies, dry-dropper
Quick Summary
The West Branch at Hale Eddy remains the best New York trout option in this morning's report set. USGS showed 566 cfs, 2.88 feet, and 46.0 F around 7:45 AM EDT, a cold and steady tailwater reading that keeps both wading and floating realistic. Local public Delaware-system context points to Cahills, olives, caddis, sulphurs, and Isonychia, with nymphs and swung wets still the more dependable daytime approach before surface feeding settles in. The main safety note is selective river choice: several nearby mixed and freestone reaches have been reaching trout-stress temperatures, so stay on colder water and carry a thermometer if you leave the tailwater.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good |
| Flow | 566 cfs at about 7:45 AM EDT |
| Gauge Height | 2.88 feet |
| Water Temp | 46.0 F |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current local public reports describe the West Branch as in good shape |
| Trend | Stable near the mid-500 cfs range at Hale Eddy |
| Best Window | Morning through evening, with the best dry-fly chance late day |
| Best Method | Nymphs, wet flies, and dry-dropper rigs before bugs; dry flies when sulphurs, Cahills, olives, caddis, or spinners draw steady rises |
| Wadeability | Good from a flow standpoint, with normal caution around slick rocks, deeper seams, and boat traffic |
Weather
For Hancock, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for partly sunny weather and a high near 88 F. Southwest wind should run about 1-9 mph. A chance of showers and thunderstorms arrives late in the day, then showers and thunderstorms become likely tonight with a low around 51 F and a quarter to half inch of possible rain. No active NWS alerts were posted for the point checked at report time.
River Notes
Hale Eddy is still in a comfortable range for a mixed wade-and-float plan. The cold release is the reason to favor this reach over warmer freestone and lower Delaware-system water today. Start in riffles, inside seams, shaded banks, and soft edges with caddis pupa, Isonychia nymphs, small mayfly nymphs, or a dry-dropper. If fish begin rising, slow down and identify the target before changing flies; the surface mix can include sulphurs, Cahills, small olives, caddis, and spinners rather than one simple hatch. Tonight's rain can change clarity and flow, so recheck the gauge before an evening or Monday plan.
Hatch Activity
The current Delaware mix is a late-spring and early-summer box: sulphurs, Cahills, olives, caddis, Isonychia, March Brown or Grey Fox leftovers, and spinners. Local public reports continue to favor nymphing and swung wets for the steadier daytime program, with sulphurs and spinners more important when light softens and fish commit to the surface.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 14-18 | Best from midafternoon into evening where the hatch builds; carry emergers, duns, and spinners |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Useful in softer evening water and mixed pale mayfly activity |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Check shaded lanes and smaller rise forms, especially if clouds or showers arrive |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Nymphs and wets are good searching choices in faster seams before dry-fly activity |
| Caddis | 14-18 | Fish pupa and soft hackles around riffles, then adults or spent caddis if trout key on top |
| March Brown / Grey Fox | 10-14 | Carry a few larger searching dries for riffle fish and mixed evening activity |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-20 | Have several sizes ready for the last-light fall |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Comparadun | 14-18 | Primary dry when pale mayflies start coming off |
| Dry | Sulphur Spinner | 14-18 | Have ready for evening fish in flat seams |
| Dry | Light Cahill Comparadun | 14-16 | Use when larger pale duns mix with sulphurs |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-22 | Match small, deliberate rises in shaded water |
| Dry | Elk Hair Caddis or Spent Caddis | 14-18 | Good around riffles and evening caddis activity |
| Dry | March Brown or Grey Fox Parachute | 10-14 | Useful searching dry if larger mayflies are present |
| 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 soft edges |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | Useful as the small mayfly dropper |
| Wet | Partridge and Yellow or Leadwing Coachman | 12-16 | Swing when bugs are active but surface takes are scattered |
Tactics
Start with a dry-dropper, a two-nymph rig, or swung wets in riffles and inside seams while the light is strong. Keep moving until you find current speed and depth that match active fish, then simplify to a single dry when trout begin rising with intent. On flat water, use longer leaders, careful reach casts, and one clean presentation rather than repeated fly changes over the same fish. If showers build late, watch for a short olive window, but get off the water if thunder is nearby.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 566 cfs | 46.0 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, access, and method context.