West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report: June 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The West Branch is the best New York trout option in the active report set today. USGS showed 658 cfs at Hale Eddy and 507 cfs at Stilesville during the late-morning check, with cold tailwater temperatures near 48.9 F at Hale Eddy and 45.0 F at Stilesville. Local public reporting described yesterday's rain as helpful rather than damaging, with clear water, strong sulphur and Blue Winged Olive activity, and cloud cover setting up another good afternoon. Start with nymphs, a dry-dropper, or small streamers before the hatch develops, then be ready for sulphurs, olives, Slate Drakes, Light Cahills, Grey Fox, and spinners as fish settle into surface feeding.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Excellent; cold tailwater temperatures, workable flows, cloud cover, and current hatch reports all point to a useful fishing window
Flow	658 cfs at Hale Eddy; 507 cfs at Stilesville
Gauge Height	3.06 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.08 feet at Stilesville
Water Temp	48.9 F at Hale Eddy; 45.0 F at Stilesville
Clarity	Local public reports described the river as not off-color after yesterday's rain; official gauges do not report clarity
Trend	Slightly falling at Hale Eddy over the six-hour USGS check, from 679 to 658 cfs; stable at Stilesville near 507 cfs
Best Window	Afternoon into evening, especially if cloud cover holds and wind stays manageable
Best Method	Nymphs or dry-dropper before bugs show; dry flies for sulphurs, olives, Slate Drakes, Cahills, Grey Fox, and spinners; small streamers are worth a few casts in low light or softer color
Wadeability	Limited but fishable in softer edges and known accesses; use care at Hale Eddy volume and avoid pushing into heavy current

Weather

For Hancock, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a cloudy day with a high near 74 F, north wind around 6 mph, and very low precipitation chances through the afternoon. That is a good June weather profile for the West Branch: enough cover to help olives and sulphurs, without the thunderstorm risk that shuts down safe fishing. Tonight should be partly cloudy with a low near 53 F.

River Notes

The release-driven upper West Branch remains cold, stable, and more forgiving than the nearby freestones. Hale Eddy has eased slightly since early morning, while Stilesville is holding steady around the 500 cfs release level. Yesterday's rain appears to have freshened the system without creating a color problem, so the main decision is timing rather than whether the river is fishable. Fish nymphs, wets, or a dry-dropper in riffles and edge seams until rises become consistent. Once bugs are on the water, slow down, match the stage, and expect fish to be selective in the softer pools and flats.

Hatch Activity

Current Upper Delaware context is centered on sulphurs and Blue Winged Olives, with Slate Drakes, Light Cahills, Grey Fox, caddis, and spinners also in the box. Cloud cover should help the smaller olives and emergers, while the colder release water keeps sulphurs relevant through the afternoon and evening.

Hatch	Size	Notes
Sulphur	14-18	Main hatch to plan around; carry emergers, cripples, duns, and spinners
Blue Winged Olive	16-22	Cloud cover makes olives important in riffles, shaded seams, and slow edges
Slate Drake / Isonychia	10-12	Nymphs, wets, and larger dries fit broken water before and during the hatch window
Light Cahill	14-16	Carry for larger pale mayflies mixed into the evening activity
Grey Fox	10-12	Worth having as a larger mayfly option when fish key on a bigger profile
Tan Caddis	16-18	Pupa, soft hackles, and adults can cover riffles before steady mayfly activity
Rusty Spinner	10-20	Evening option if the water stays calm and fish feed in the film

Recommended Flies

Category	Fly	Size	Notes
Dry	Sulphur Comparadun or Sparkle Dun	14-18	Primary surface pattern once pale duns are riding the water
Dry	Sulphur Emerger or Cripple	14-18	Use for fish feeding just below or in the film
Dry	BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun	16-22	Good under clouds, especially in softer seams and tailouts
Dry	Slate Drake or Isonychia Parachute	10-12	Larger searching dry or dry-dropper top fly in broken water
Dry	Light Cahill or Grey Fox Dry	10-16	Carry for larger mayflies mixed into the evening rise
Nymph	Isonychia Nymph	10-12	Fish riffles and let it lift or swing at the end of the drift
Nymph	Pheasant Tail or Frenchie	14-18	Compact mayfly dropper before the surface window
Nymph	Caddis Pupa	14-18	Dead drift or swing through riffle tails
Wet	Partridge and Yellow or Soft Hackle	12-16	Good when bugs are active but fish are not taking cleanly on top
Streamer	Small Woolly Bugger, Clouser, or Deceiver	4-10	Useful in low light, stained edges, or between hatch windows

Tactics

Begin with controlled subsurface presentations in riffle margins, inside seams, and shaded bank water. A dry-dropper with an Isonychia or sulphur-style nymph is a good bridge until fish start showing themselves. When rises become repeatable, move to a single dry or dry with an emerger trailer and lengthen the leader enough to manage drag in the softer flats. If the river stays cloudy and calm, stay late for spinners, but keep wading conservative at Hale Eddy flows and do not cross heavy current just to reach rising fish.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY	658 cfs	48.9 F	USGS 01426500
WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT STILESVILLE NY	507 cfs	45.0 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, clarity, access, and method context.