Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: August 15, 2026
The West Branch remains the best New York trout option in this report set, with 700 cfs and 49.5 F water at Hale Eddy, a falling flow, and a useful sulphur and small-olive window on the colder upper river.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- falling
- Best window
- Midday on the upper West Branch, then another careful look toward evening
- Best methods
- dry flies, nymphs, wet flies
Quick Summary
The West Branch is still the best New York trout option in this morning's report set. USGS showed 700 cfs, 3.14 feet, and 49.5 F at Hale Eddy during the morning check, with the flow down from yesterday and a reported 500 cfs Cannonsville release keeping the river cold. Wading remains limited but workable on selected bars, banks, and inside seams; do not treat 700 cfs as casual crossing water. Expect the best dry-fly chance on the colder upper river around sulphurs and small olives, with nymphs and wet flies a better plan on the lower West when fish are not showing.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good. The Hale Eddy gauge is cold and fishable for August, and current Upper Delaware context still supports daytime bug activity |
| Flow | 700 cfs at Hale Eddy during the morning check |
| Gauge Height | 3.14 feet at Hale Eddy |
| Water Temp | 49.5 F at Hale Eddy |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current local context does not point to a blown-out West Branch |
| Trend | Falling over the last day at Hale Eddy |
| Best Window | Midday on the colder upper West Branch for sulphurs and olives, with another look in lower light if wind stays down |
| Best Method | Dry flies and emergers over working fish; nymphs, wet flies, or a dry-dropper in faster lower-river lanes |
| Wadeability | Limited. Stay on soft edges and avoid unnecessary crossings |
Weather
For Hancock and Hale Eddy, the National Weather Service forecast calls for areas of fog giving way to mostly sunny weather, a high near 80 F, and very light north wind around 0 to 3 mph. Tonight should be partly cloudy with a low near 56 F. The low wind helps dry-fly presentation, but bright sun can make fish selective, so shade, broken glare, and actual bug activity should guide where you stop.
River Notes
The West Branch has dropped another step into a useful summer tailwater range. Hale Eddy was 700 cfs this morning compared with 749 cfs during yesterday's morning check, while the water temperature was still a cold 49.5 F. That combination gives anglers cover and oxygen without the same push the river had after the earlier bump.
Current Upper Delaware source context points to a 500 cfs Cannonsville release and continued, but spotty, midday sulphur activity on the colder upper West Branch. Small olives are mixed in, with some Isonychias and Cahills around, and the lower West is the better place to nymph if the upper river's algae makes subsurface presentations frustrating. Treat this as technical tailwater fishing: look before you cast, cover real riseforms, and be ready to change methods rather than forcing one program all day.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Current Upper Delaware source context supports spotty summer sulphurs, small Blue Winged Olives, Isonychias, Light Cahills, and some terrestrial or spinner opportunity.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Still the primary daytime dry-fly target on the colder upper West Branch, though activity is becoming spotty |
| Blue Winged Olive | 18-24 | Small olives can mix with sulphurs and matter on flat, technical water |
| Isonychia | 10-14 | Good searching dry, wet fly, and nymph profile in broken current |
| Light Cahill | 14-16 | Useful in lower light and as a searching dry when fish are not locked on sulphurs |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Pupa and soft hackles remain worth carrying around riffles |
| Rusty Spinner and Terrestrials | 12-24 | Carry small spinners, ants, and beetles for bank fish and evening targets |
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 Olive | 18-24 | Match small mixed-in olives and subtle tailwater riseforms |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute or Light Cahill | 10-16 | Searching option for banks, riffles, and lower-light water |
| Dry | Rusty Spinner, Winged Ant, or Beetle | 12-24 | Carry for spinner falls, shaded banks, and picky summer trout |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Sulphur, Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, or Isonychia Wet | 12-18 | Swing through the film before and during sparse hatch activity |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Perdigon, or Frenchie | 14-18 | Use in cleaner lower-river seams when the surface is quiet |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph | 10-12 | Fish faster edges with a controlled swing at the end of the drift |
Tactics
Start by watching the water, not by stepping in. If fish are showing on the upper river, use a long leader, one accurate dry or a dry-and-emerger pair, and make the first drift count. If the surface is quiet, work a soft hackle, Isonychia nymph, or compact dry-dropper through shaded banks and broken current, then move to cleaner lower-river water for deeper nymphing. The water is cold, but the flow still demands careful wading, so stay on known edges and avoid forcing crossings.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 700 cfs | 49.5 F | USGS 01426500 |
Sources
Official sources checked: USGS station 01426500 and 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, method, clarity, and safety context.