Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: August 20, 2026
The West Branch is cold, steady, and fishable, with 663 cfs and 49.5 F at Hale Eddy, a 560 cfs Stilesville release, light wind, showers, olives, fading sulphurs, ants, Isonychias, and Cahills.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- stable
- Best window
- Late morning through afternoon on olives and sulphurs, then evening soft light
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The West Branch remains the strongest New York trout option in this morning's report set. USGS showed 663 cfs, 3.07 feet, and 49.5 F at Hale Eddy during the 8 AM check, with Stilesville holding at 560 cfs, 8.14 feet, and 47.8 F below Cannonsville. That is cold, steady tailwater water for late August, but it is still enough flow to make wading selective rather than casual. Current Upper Delaware source context points to a 549 cfs Cannonsville release, a light-wind olive day with showers, flying ants, fading but still relevant sulphurs, Isonychias, Cahills, tan caddis, and algae on the upper West that favors dry flies over nymph rigs.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good. Cold tailwater temperatures, steady flows, light wind, and current hatch activity keep the West Branch fishable; algae on the upper river and selective late-summer trout are the main limits |
| Flow | 663 cfs at Hale Eddy; 560 cfs at Stilesville during the 8 AM check |
| Gauge Height | 3.07 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.14 feet at Stilesville |
| Water Temp | 49.5 F at Hale Eddy; 47.8 F at Stilesville |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current local context describes the system as fishable with good flows |
| Trend | Stable to slightly falling compared with yesterday morning |
| Best Window | Late morning through afternoon if showers bring olives, then evening soft light if rain stays manageable |
| Best Method | Dry flies and emergers on the upper West Branch; swing wets or nymph lower-West seams where algae is not fouling the rig |
| Wadeability | Limited. Use known bars, soft edges, and short moves; avoid unnecessary crossings at this flow |
Weather
For Hancock and Hale Eddy, the National Weather Service forecast calls for fog early, then mostly cloudy skies with rain showers likely and a high near 74 F. Wind is forecast light from the north around 2 mph, and new rainfall could run between a tenth and a quarter inch. Tonight has a chance of early showers, then areas of fog and a low around 51 F. The cloud cover, light wind, and showers should help olives and mid-day surface work; watch for thunder or locally heavier rain, and get off the water if storms build.
River Notes
Hale Eddy is down only slightly from yesterday morning's 674 cfs reading, and Stilesville is still holding the 560 cfs release. That keeps the West Branch cold and dependable without turning it into easy wading water. Treat it as a good drift-boat river with selected wade opportunities on familiar edges, islands, and inside seams.
Current Upper Delaware local context is fresh for today and supports the official picture: good flows, a 549 cfs Cannonsville release, light wind, and showers. The same context also notes bad algae on the upper West Branch, so do not force a heavy nymph program up high. If you want subsurface fishing, move lower and pick cleaner seams; if you stay on the upper river, watch for heads and fish accurate dries, emergers, ants, or soft hackles.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Current Upper Delaware source context supports Dark Blue Winged Olives, sulphurs, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, and flying ants. Showers and light wind make olives more important today, while sulphurs are waning but still worth carrying on the cold upper river.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Blue Winged Olive | 16-18 | Good match for today's clouds and showers; watch soft seams and slicks |
| Sulphur | 16-20 | Spotty and tapering, but still relevant on the coldest upper West Branch water |
| Flying Ant | 18-24 | Keep ants ready around banks, foam seams, and quiet slicks during humid periods |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Useful as pupa, emergers, or small adults in broken current |
| Light Cahill or Summer Steno | 14-16 | Carry for mixed afternoon and evening activity |
| Isonychia | 10-12 | Good searching bug as a wet, nymph, or blind-cast dry in faster bankside water |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Comparadun, CDC Olive, or olive emerger | 16-18 | First choice if showers and cloud cover bring steady olive feeding |
| Dry | Sulphur Sparkle Dun, CDC Emerger, or Comparadun | 16-20 | Use on the cold upper river when small yellow mayflies are still showing |
| Dry | Flying Ant or small beetle | 18-24 | Fish tight to banks, slicks, and foam seams when trout ignore mayflies |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute or Light Cahill | 10-16 | Search broken current before fish lock onto smaller bugs |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, Soft Hackle Sulphur, or Isonychia Wet | 12-18 | Swing through riffles and seams before or between surface pushes |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, or Sulphur Nymph | 14-20 | Use lower on the West where algae is less likely to foul every drift |
Tactics
Start by watching the water. If rain and clouds bring olives, use a long leader, one accurate dry or a dry-and-emerger pair, and work from downstream or across-and-down. If fish are not up, swing soft hackles through broken seams before committing to nymphs; the upper river algae makes deep rigs inefficient. Keep wading conservative around 663 cfs at Hale Eddy, and use the cold West Branch rather than warmer freestones if afternoon trout temperatures elsewhere approach 68 F.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 663 cfs | 49.5 F | USGS 01426500 |
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT STILESVILLE NY | 560 cfs | 47.8 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, method, clarity, and safety context.