West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report: June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The West Branch remains the safest trout choice in the active New York report set because the release is keeping the upper river cold and steady. USGS showed 601 cfs and 46.2 F at Hale Eddy, with Stilesville holding at 507 cfs and 44.1 F during the morning check. The Cannonsville release is reported at 500 cfs, and current Upper Delaware reports continue to point to sulphurs as the main hatch with Cahills, Isonychias, olives, caddis, and spinners in the mix. Bright sun makes the early surface bite less automatic than yesterday's cloudier setup, so start subsurface or with a dry-dropper and be ready for late-day dry-fly work.

Conditions Snapshot

Field	Value
Status	Good; cold release water and stable flows keep the West Branch fishable, while full sun makes timing and presentation more important
Flow	601 cfs at Hale Eddy; 507 cfs at Stilesville
Gauge Height	2.95 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.08 feet at Stilesville
Water Temp	46.2 F at Hale Eddy; 44.1 F at Stilesville
Clarity	Current local public reporting did not indicate a color problem; official gauges do not report clarity
Trend	Stable to slightly falling over the six-hour USGS check; Hale Eddy eased from 612 to 601 cfs and Stilesville held at 507 cfs
Best Window	Late afternoon into evening, with early nymph, wet-fly, or dry-dropper fishing before bugs and spinners draw steady risers
Best Method	Nymphs, wets, or a dry-dropper early; dry flies for sulphurs, Cahills, olives, Isonychias, caddis, and evening spinners when fish show
Wadeability	Limited but workable in softer edges and known access points; avoid heavy current and treat Hale Eddy volume with respect

Weather

For Hancock, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for sunny skies, a high near 76 F, and northwest wind around 2 to 7 mph. That is comfortable fishing weather, but the sun can slow the mid-day dry-fly bite on clear flats. Tonight should be partly cloudy with a low near 52 F. No active NWS alerts were returned for the Hancock point during the morning check.

River Notes

The West Branch is still in a good release-driven shape. Stilesville is steady at the release level and Hale Eddy is only slightly lower than it was earlier in the morning, so anglers should see predictable water rather than a rapid flow change. With full sun in the forecast, the best plan is to cover riffles, seams, and shaded edges with nymphs, soft hackles, or a dry-dropper until fish begin feeding with confidence. If the surface bite is spotty, do not force long casts over flat-water fish in bright light; find broken water, softer banks, or wait for the evening spinner and sulphur window.

Hatch Activity

Upper Delaware source context remains centered on sulphurs, with Light Cahills, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, tan caddis, and early or late spinners also relevant. Sunshine may shorten or delay the strongest daytime surface activity, but the cold release keeps the hatch program alive compared with nearby warming freestones.

Hatch	Size	Notes
Sulphur	16-18	Main hatch to plan around; carry emergers, duns, cripples, and spinners
Light Cahill	14	Useful for larger pale mayflies, especially in riffles and during evening activity
Isonychia / Slate Drake	10-12	Nymphs, wets, and larger dries fit broken water before steady rises
Blue Winged Olive	16-18	Less favored by full sun than clouds, but still worth carrying for shaded or softer water
Tan Caddis	16-20	Pupa, soft hackles, and adults can cover riffle water between mayfly windows
Rusty Spinner	10-20	Early and late option when the water is calm enough for spinner falls

Recommended Flies

Category	Fly	Size	Notes
Dry	Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Comparadun	16-18	Primary dry once pale duns show and fish feed on top
Dry	Sulphur Emerger or Cripple	16-18	Use for selective fish feeding in or just below the film
Dry	Light Cahill Parachute	14	Good larger pale mayfly option in riffles and late-day water
Dry	BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun	16-18	Keep for shaded seams and any brief lower-light window
Dry	Isonychia or Slate Drake Dry	10-12	Good blind-cast or dry-dropper top fly in broken water
Nymph	Isonychia Nymph	10-12	Fish through 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 hatch builds
Wet	Soft Hackle	12-16	Swing through riffle tails when bugs are active but fish are not taking cleanly on top
Streamer	Small Woolly Bugger, Clouser, or Deceiver	4-10	Use sparingly in shaded banks, riffle edges, or between hatch windows

Tactics

Start with subsurface control rather than chasing blind risers in bright sun. A dry-dropper with an Isonychia-style nymph or a compact mayfly nymph is a good bridge through riffles, while soft hackles can cover water when bugs are active but fish stay just under the film. Once rises become repeatable, switch to a single dry or dry-and-emerger setup and lengthen the leader to manage drag on the cold tailwater flats. Keep wading conservative at Hale Eddy flows; fishable does not mean easy crossing water.

Gauge Links

Gauge	Flow	Temp	Link
WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY	601 cfs	46.2 F	USGS 01426500
WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT STILESVILLE NY	507 cfs	44.1 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, release, and method context.