Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: July 13, 2026
The West Branch remains the best New York trout option in this report set, with cold steady release water at Hale Eddy and a useful summer mix of sulphurs, olives, Isonychias, Cahills, caddis, and terrestrials.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Midday cold-water sulphur activity on the upper West Branch, then the evening spinner window if storms stay away
- Best methods
- dry flies, nymphs, wet flies
Quick Summary
The West Branch is again the strongest New York trout option in this morning's set. USGS showed 648 cfs and 46.8 F at Hale Eddy, with Stilesville at 516 cfs and 45.5 F during the 9 AM refresh, so the release water is cold after an overnight pulse that is already backing down. Expect nymphs and soft hackles to cover slower stretches, then watch for sulphurs, tiny olives, Cahills, Isonychias, tan caddis, terrestrials, and a possible spinner fall when light and wind cooperate.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good on the cold tailwater; choose the West Branch over warmer freestone trout water today |
| Flow | 648 cfs at Hale Eddy; 516 cfs at Stilesville |
| Gauge Height | 3.04 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.09 feet at Stilesville |
| Water Temp | 46.8 F at Hale Eddy; 45.5 F at Stilesville during the 9 AM USGS refresh |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current local Delaware context still points anglers to the cold upper West Branch |
| Trend | Falling after an overnight Cannonsville release pulse; still in a useful cold-water range |
| Best Window | Midday cold-water sulphur activity on the upper West Branch, then the evening spinner window if storms stay away |
| Best Method | Nymphs and wet flies between hatches; dries, emergers, and spinners when trout feed on top |
| Wadeability | Limited. Use known crossings and softer edges; 600-plus cfs at Hale Eddy is not low-water wading |
Weather
For Hancock and Hale Eddy, the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high near 86 F, mostly sunny skies, light southwest wind, and isolated showers or thunderstorms after 4 PM. Tonight is forecast mostly clear with a low near 64 F, followed by a hot Tuesday near 95 F with heat index values near 98 F. The trout safety advantage today is the cold release water, not the air temperature, so stay on the West Branch cold-water influence and watch the sky late in the day.
River Notes
The West Branch is cold this morning and backing down from the overnight release bump. Hale Eddy is still around the mid-600s, and Stilesville has already eased back near the 500-cfs release range, so access and boat handling should stay familiar while the upper river remains protected by cold water. The flow is enough to protect temperature and give trout room, but it still calls for selective wading. Fish the colder upper river first, treat slick tailouts carefully, and do not leave the tailwater to target trout in freestone water that is already near summer stress temperatures.
Hatch Activity
Current local Delaware context is still the normal July cold-tailwater menu, with tiny olives now worth watching around the sulphurs in Deposit and the colder upper river. Sulphurs are the key upper West Branch hatch, olives matter in shade or any cloud cover, Isonychias and Cahills give you larger searching profiles, tan caddis can fill the gaps, and terrestrials belong in the box along grassy banks. Save the spinner box for calm last light, but be ready to leave if thunderstorms develop.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Primary cold-tailwater mayfly; carry duns, emergers, cripples, and soft hackles |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-24 | Best in shade, soft slicks, or any cloud cover that develops over cold water |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Useful visible searching dry and a reasonable evening profile on broken water |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Nymphs and wets belong along riffle edges; dries can prospect when rises are sparse |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Pupa, soft hackles, and low-riding adults can pick up fish between mayfly pushes |
| Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | Keep ready for a calm evening fall on flats and tailouts |
| Ants and Beetles | 14-20 | Useful summer backups along shaded banks and soft edge water |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun, Comparadun, or CDC Emerger | 16-20 | First choice when upper-river sulphurs bring fish up |
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Dun | 18-24 | Use in shade, clouds, and quiet slicks |
| Dry | Light Cahill or White Wulff | 14-16 | Visible dry for pale mayflies and broken water |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute or Comparadun | 10-12 | Prospecting fly along riffles and heavier seams |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner | 14-20 | For the evening flat-water window |
| Dry | Ant or Beetle | 14-20 | Bank-side summer backup when hatch activity is uneven |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Split-Back Mayfly | 14-18 | Light nymphing through soft seams before surface activity develops |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Work riffle edges and let the fly finish with a controlled swing |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail or Soft Hackle Sulphur | 14-18 | Good when trout flash under emergers but will not take a dry |
| Nymph | Tan Caddis Pupa | 16-18 | Useful dropper before or between mayfly windows |
Tactics
Start with cold-water discipline: fish the West Branch, not the warming freestones. If trout are not rising, work soft seams with modest weight, small mayfly nymphs, caddis pupa, or a swung soft hackle. When surface activity starts, lengthen the leader, cut back on false casts over slick fish, and match the actual stage rather than only the adult insect. Keep wading conservative at Hale Eddy's current flow, and get off open water if the afternoon thunderstorm chance becomes real.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 648 cfs | 46.8 F | USGS 01426500 |
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT STILESVILLE NY | 516 cfs | 45.5 F | USGS 01425000 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS stations 01426500 and 01425000, plus the National Weather Service forecast for the Hancock and Hale Eddy, 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, method, clarity, and safety context.