Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: August 28, 2026
The West Branch is cold and fishable at Hale Eddy, with 684 cfs, 50.5 F water, a clear local report, olives, Hebes, flying ants, Isonychias, and Cahills.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Cloudy morning edges, then late afternoon into evening
- Best methods
- dry flies, wet flies, nymphs
Quick Summary
The West Branch remains the strongest all-day trout option in this New York set. USGS showed 684 cfs, 3.11 feet, and 50.5 F at Hale Eddy during the morning check, up modestly from yesterday morning after brief storms but still cold and controlled. Current Upper Delaware source context reports a 549 cfs Cannonsville release, clear water near the upper river, algae that can foul nymph rigs up top, and a late-summer mix of olives, Hebes, flying ants, Isonychias, and Cahills. Fishable water is available from a boat and from careful bankside wading, but do not treat this as casual crossing water.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good. Cold tailwater water, a steady release, and current hatch context make the West Branch worth fishing, with limited wading and upper-river algae the main constraints |
| Flow | 684 cfs at Hale Eddy during the morning check |
| Gauge Height | 3.11 feet at Hale Eddy |
| Water Temp | 50.5 F at Hale Eddy |
| Clarity | Not reported by official gauges; current local context reports clear water on the West Branch, with algae still a practical issue in the upper river |
| Trend | Rising modestly compared with yesterday morning |
| Best Window | Cloudy morning edges, shaded slicks, and late afternoon into evening |
| Best Method | Dry flies and emergers for olives, Hebes, flying ants, Isonychias, and Cahills; wet flies or light nymphs where algae is not fouling every drift |
| Wadeability | Limited. Use known bars, softer edges, and conservative entries; boats have the easier program at this level |
Weather
For Hancock and Hale Eddy, the National Weather Service forecast calls for partly sunny skies, a high near 77 F, and light northwest wind around 0 to 6 mph. Tonight should turn mostly clear with a low near 49 F. The lighter wind is helpful for small dry-fly presentations, and the cooler night should keep the tailwater comfortable going into Saturday.
River Notes
Hale Eddy is a little higher than yesterday morning, but the level is still squarely fishable for the West Branch. The cold release keeps trout temperature out of the danger range, while the extra push gives drift boats clean lines along banks, riffle edges, and long inside seams. Wading anglers should pick deliberate access points and avoid unnecessary crossings.
Current Upper Delaware context points to clear water despite yesterday's short storms. The main fishing complication is not temperature; it is presentation and algae. If nymphs or wets come back dirty in the upper river, switch to dry-fly work or move lower where cleaner subsurface lanes are available.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. Current Upper Delaware source context supports Blue Winged Olives, Hebes, flying ants, Isonychias, Cahills, and tan caddis, with the better surface work tied to clouds, shade, and evening light.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-24 | Carry a range from darker #16-18 olives down to small technical patterns for slick water |
| Hebe | 18-20 | Useful during late-summer cloudy periods when fish are on small mayflies |
| Flying Ant | 18-24 | Important on banks, foam lines, and quiet tailouts when trout refuse mayfly profiles |
| Isonychia or Slate Drake | 10-14 | Search broken banks and riffle edges with dries, wets, or swimming nymphs |
| Light Cahill or Summer Steno | 14-16 | Good larger dry during mixed evening activity |
| Tan Caddis | 16-18 | Fish pupa, soft hackles, or sparse dries in riffles and along shaded seams |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Comparadun, CDC Olive, or olive emerger | 16-24 | Use during cloudy periods, shaded slicks, and slow seams |
| Dry | Hebe, Flying Ant, or small beetle | 16-24 | Strong late-summer choice for banks, foam lines, and selective fish |
| Dry | Isonychia Parachute, Slate Drake, Light Cahill, or Summer Steno | 10-16 | Blind-cast broken water or cover larger evening mayflies |
| Wet | Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail, Isonychia Wet, or partridge soft hackle | 12-18 | Swing riffle tails and bank seams between surface pushes |
| Nymph | Pheasant Tail, Frenchie, caddis pupa, or Isonychia Nymph | 12-20 | Best in cleaner lower-West lanes; check often for algae |
| Streamer | Small olive or black sculpin, Woolly Bugger, or sparse baitfish pattern | 4-8 | Worth a short test in low light, especially from a boat |
Tactics
Start by watching the water. If fish show on small olives, Hebes, or ants, keep the rig simple with a long leader, a single dry or dry-and-emerger setup, and careful reach casts. In riffles and broken banks, an Isonychia dry or wet fly can cover water without dragging a heavy nymph rig through algae. If you nymph, check the flies constantly and move if the upper-river algae makes clean drifts impossible.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 684 cfs | 50.5 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.