Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report: June 26, 2026
The West Branch is still the best New York trout option, with cold release water, clear post-rain conditions, and a cloudy sulphur-and-olive setup.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Midday sulphurs into the evening, with storms possible late
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, streamers, dry-dropper, nymphs
Quick Summary
The West Branch remains the strongest trout choice in the active New York report set. USGS showed 642 cfs and 48.0 F at Hale Eddy, with Stilesville steady at 507 cfs and 44.2 F during the 9 AM refresh. Local Upper Delaware context now reports that last night's rain bumped the river without leaving the West Branch off-color, and yesterday's BWO and sulphur activity was strong before heavier rain ended the dry-fly window. Expect nymphs, wets, dry-dropper rigs, and small streamers to cover water before fish commit to sulphurs, olives, Isonychias, Cahills, and spinners on top.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good; cold release water and cloud cover keep the West Branch fishable, and local morning context reports clear enough post-rain conditions |
| Flow | 642 cfs at Hale Eddy; 507 cfs at Stilesville |
| Gauge Height | 3.03 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.08 feet at Stilesville |
| Water Temp | 48.0 F at Hale Eddy; 44.2 F at Stilesville |
| Clarity | Local morning context reports the river is not off-color after last night's rain; official gauges do not report clarity |
| Trend | Nearly steady since the 8 AM report check and still higher than yesterday morning below feeder water |
| Best Window | Midday sulphurs into the evening spinner window if storms stay away |
| Best Method | Nymphs, wets, dry-dropper rigs, and small streamers early; sulphur, olive, Isonychia, Cahill, and spinner dries for active fish |
| Wadeability | Limited but workable in softer edge water and familiar access points; use extra care with the higher Hale Eddy flow |
Weather
For Hancock, NY, the National Weather Service forecast calls for patchy morning fog giving way to partly sunny skies and a high near 81 F. Wind should be light from the west. Tonight brings mostly cloudy conditions, a low near 58 F, and a slight chance of isolated showers after midnight. No active NWS alerts were returned for the Hancock point during the morning check, but any late-day thunder near the valley is a reason to leave the water.
River Notes
The upper West Branch still has the cold-water advantage. Stilesville is steady at 507 cfs, while Hale Eddy is holding in the low 600s after last night's rain, so anglers below the feeder creeks should expect a little more push than yesterday without the color issue that would make the river a streamer-only call. That is a useful fishing level, especially from a boat or from bank-side wading positions where you know the bottom. The cloud cover should help the hatch window, and the added local report of heavy BWO activity yesterday is a good reason to keep small olives ready alongside sulphurs and Isonychias.
Hatch Activity
Current local context continues to center on sulphurs, Isonychias, Blue Winged Olives, Yellow Sallies, Yellow Drakes, and Light Cahills, with fresh Upper Delaware notes pointing to strong BWO activity and good sulphur fishing before rain shut down the previous evening. With cool tailwater temperatures and clouds, carry both emergers and duns, then keep a spinner box ready if the evening stays calm enough.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 16-18 | Main hatch to plan around; carry emergers, duns, cripples, and spinners |
| Isonychia / Slate Drake | 10-12 | Nymphs, wets, and larger dries fit riffles and broken seams |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-22 | Clouds favor small olives; use emergers if fish are taking just under the film |
| Yellow Sally | 14-16 | Useful as a small stonefly dry or soft-hackle cue around riffles |
| Yellow Drake | 8-10 | Carry a few larger pale dries for low-light or mixed evening activity |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Good larger pale mayfly option in riffles and evening water |
| Rusty Spinner | 10-20 | Evening option if wind stays light and storms do not interrupt the fall |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun or Comparadun | 16-18 | Primary dry once pale duns show and fish feed cleanly |
| Dry | Sulphur Emerger or Cripple | 16-18 | Use for selective fish feeding in or just below the film |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-22 | Important today after strong olive activity was reported with the cloudy, post-rain setup |
| Dry | Light Cahill Parachute | 14-16 | Covers larger pale mayflies in riffles and late-day glides |
| Dry | Isonychia or Slate Drake Dry | 10-12 | Useful searching dry or dry-dropper top fly in broken water |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Let it lift or swing at the end of the drift near riffle edges |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail or Frenchie | 14-18 | Compact mayfly dropper before the main hatch |
| Wet | Soft Hackle or Flymph | 12-16 | Swing through riffle tails when bugs are active but rises are not steady |
| Streamer | Small Woolly Bugger, Clouser, or Deceiver | 4-10 | Local context supports keeping small streamers in play before the hatch or under darker clouds |
Tactics
Start with a dry-dropper, soft hackle, compact nymph rig, or small streamer in riffles, seams, and shaded banks while you wait for steady surface activity. When fish start repeating, lengthen the leader, simplify to one dry or a dry-and-emerger pair, and make the first presentation count. At the higher Hale Eddy flow, do not wade into pushy slots just to reach a riser; reposition from the bank, use a boat, or look for softer edges. If thunder develops, leave the river rather than trying to wait out one more fish.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 642 cfs | 48.0 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, clarity, access, and method context.