Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report: June 22, 2026
The West Branch remains the most reliable cold-water New York trout option, with stable release-driven flows and a stormy forecast that favors subsurface fishing until a safe evening window develops.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Late afternoon into evening if storms pass; nymphs and wets before fish rise
- Best methods
- nymphs, wet flies, dry-dropper, dry flies
Quick Summary
The West Branch remains the strongest New York trout recommendation for today. USGS showed 561 cfs at Hale Eddy and 507 cfs at Stilesville during the morning check, with cold tailwater temperatures of about 45.5 F at Hale Eddy and 44.2 F at Stilesville. The National Weather Service forecast for Hancock calls for showers and thunderstorms, so treat the day as fishable but weather-dependent: start with nymphs, wets, or a dry-dropper in controlled water, then look for sulphurs, olives, caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychia, and spinners if storms clear and fish settle in the evening.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good; cold tailwater temperature and stable release-driven flow give anglers a useful trout option |
| Flow | 561 cfs at Hale Eddy at the latest USGS reading; 507 cfs at Stilesville at the latest USGS reading |
| Gauge Height | 2.87 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.08 feet at Stilesville |
| Water Temp | 45.5 F at Hale Eddy; 44.2 F at Stilesville |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; watch for color changes if thunderstorms add runoff |
| Trend | Stable over the six-hour USGS check; Hale Eddy moved from 557 to 561 cfs and Stilesville from 499 to 507 cfs |
| Best Window | Late afternoon into evening if thunderstorms pass and light levels soften |
| Best Method | Nymphs, wet flies, and dry-dropper rigs before steady rises; dry flies when sulphurs, olives, caddis, Cahills, Isonychia, or spinners are active |
| Wadeability | Limited but workable in edge water and known access points; avoid heavy mid-river current and leave the water during lightning |
Weather
For Hancock, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 65 F with showers and thunderstorms likely through the middle of the day and a continued storm chance into the evening. Wind should be light from the southeast, generally 0 to 6 mph, so wind is less of a problem than lightning, runoff, and changing visibility. If thunder is nearby, get off the water; if storms pass cleanly, the cloud cover and lower light could help the late-day surface window.
River Notes
The upper and middle West Branch still have the best cold-water profile among the active New York targets. Stilesville is holding near the 500 cfs release level, and Hale Eddy is only slightly higher than the overnight reading, so this is not a high-water change from the gauge side. The practical constraint is weather: storms can shut down safe fishing quickly and may add color below small tributaries. Fish the controlled tailwater first, keep wading conservative, and avoid shifting to warmer lower-system trout water without a thermometer.
Hatch Activity
Current Delaware-system context still points to the early-summer mix of sulphurs, Blue Winged Olives, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychia, and spinners. Cloudy, wet weather can help olives and emergers, but thunderstorms are a safety stop, not just a fishing variable.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 14-18 | Main tailwater hatch; carry emergers, cripples, duns, and spinners |
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | More relevant during cloud cover, drizzle, and shaded riffle edges |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Worth having if larger pale mayflies mix into the evening activity |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Nymphs, wets, and larger searching dries fit broken water and riffles |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Pupa and soft hackles are useful before adults draw consistent surface takes |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-20 | Evening option if storms clear, wind stays down, and fish settle into flats |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Comparadun | 14-18 | Use when pale duns are on the water |
| Dry | Sulphur Emerger or Cripple | 14-18 | Good for fish feeding in or just under the film |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 16-22 | Keep ready for cloudy seams and softer rain windows |
| Dry | Light Cahill Parachute | 14-16 | Carry for larger pale mayflies late in the day |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute | 10-12 | Searching dry or dry-dropper top fly in broken water |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Fish riffles and let the fly swing near the end of the drift |
| Nymph | Caddis Pupa | 14-18 | Dead drift or swing through riffle tails and edge water |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | Good smaller mayfly dropper before surface activity develops |
| Wet | Partridge and Yellow or Leadwing Coachman | 12-16 | Swing when bugs are active but fish are not taking cleanly on top |
| Streamer | Small Sculpin or Woolly Bugger | 6-10 | Low-light or stained-edge option after rain, if visibility remains reasonable |
Tactics
Start with a light nymph rig, swung wet fly, or dry-dropper in riffle margins, shaded banks, and inside seams. If rain or cloud cover has fish looking up, watch for repeatable rise forms before changing to dries. Match the stage first, especially with sulphur emergers and cripples, and keep casts short enough to control drag in mixed currents. Leave the river immediately for lightning, and if storms stain side channels or push debris, move back to safer, clearer controlled water instead of forcing the issue.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 561 cfs | 45.5 F | USGS 01426500 |
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT STILESVILLE NY | 507 cfs | 44.2 F | USGS 01425000 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01426500 and 01425000, plus 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.