Upper Delaware, New York
West Branch Delaware Fishing Report: September 18, 2026
The West Branch is near 684 cfs at Hale Eddy with cold water, good access, and small olives or ants worth watching before skies brighten.
- Status
- good
- Flow trend
- rising
- Best window
- Morning cloud cover and late-day low light
- Best methods
- dry flies, streamers, nymphs
Quick Summary
The West Branch is near 684 cfs at Hale Eddy and 467 cfs at Stilesville, with morning USGS temperatures of 54.7 F and 50.9 F. Rain produced a modest rise without taking away normal wading or floating options. Small olives and ants brought fish up Thursday, and Cahills, Isonychias, and Hebes remain in the mix. Start during the morning cloud cover, then use nymphs or streamers if brighter skies and north wind interrupt surface activity.
Conditions Snapshot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Good. Cold water and manageable flow support wading, floating, and several methods |
| Flow | 684 cfs at Hale Eddy; 467 cfs at Stilesville |
| Gauge Height | 3.11 feet at Hale Eddy; 8.03 feet at Stilesville |
| Water Temp | 54.7 F at Hale Eddy; 50.9 F at Stilesville |
| Clarity | Green reservoir tint on the West Branch |
| Trend | Modest rain-driven rise at Hale Eddy; nearly steady at Stilesville |
| Best Window | Morning cloud cover and late-day low light |
| Best Method | Small olive or ant dries for rising fish; streamers and nymphs between surface windows |
| Wadeability | Good in familiar sections; use care where the rain added depth or current |
Weather
The National Weather Service forecast for Hancock calls for a high near 74 F, mostly sunny skies, and north wind from 3 to 8 mph. Clouds should be more useful early before the sky brightens. No active weather alert covered Hancock during the morning check. Tonight turns cooler near 44 F, which should help keep the river cold into Saturday.
River Notes
Hale Eddy gained roughly 60 cfs since Thursday morning while Stilesville changed little. The current local report puts the Cannonsville release near 475 cfs and describes the rain bump as too small to require a change of plan. The upper river remains accessible, though anglers should fish the closest edge before stepping into the flow.
Thursday produced useful reports of olives and ants. Check slow margins and foam lines during the morning clouds before committing to a nymph rig. As light strengthens, work the green-tinted water with an olive or black streamer along shaded banks, or drift an Isonychia profile, Pheasant Tail, or caddis pupa through riffle seams. North wind may make long dry-fly presentations harder by midday.
Hatch Activity
Official gauges do not report hatches. The September 18 Upper Delaware report supports small dark Blue Winged Olives, tan caddis, Light Cahills, Isonychias, and Hebes, with ants also producing fish Thursday. Match an observed insect or a repeat rise rather than fishing a tiny dry blindly in bright water.
| Hatch | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Winged Olive | 16-22 | Best chance during morning clouds or in protected margins |
| Flying Ant | 16-20 | Worth carrying after Thursday's reported activity |
| Tan Caddis | 16-20 | Fish pupa through riffle seams before surface activity |
| Light Cahill | 14 | A larger searching profile in broken water |
| Isonychia | 12 | Nymphs and dries can cover riffles and pocket water |
Recommended Flies
| Category | Fly | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | BWO Comparadun or CDC Olive | 18-22 | Present to repeat feeders during the cloudier window |
| Dry | Flying Ant or Rusty Spinner | 16-20 | Use where the observed rise form supports a terrestrial or spinner |
| Streamer | Olive or black Woolly Bugger | 6-10 | Work shaded banks and deeper seams as the sky brightens |
| Nymph | Isonychia Nymph, Pheasant Tail, or caddis pupa | 12-18 | Drift the softer side of riffle seams |
Tactics
Begin with a dry only where fish show more than once. Use a longer leader and a downstream or reach cast for small olives and ants. If the surface quiets under sun or north wind, shorten the leader and move an olive streamer through shaded structure, or nymph the seam beside the main current. The modest rise can change familiar crossings, so probe depth and keep a direct route back to shore.
Gauge Links
| Gauge | Flow | Temp | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT HALE EDDY NY | 684 cfs | 54.7 F | USGS 01426500 |
| WEST BRANCH DELAWARE RIVER AT STILESVILLE NY | 467 cfs | 50.9 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 the September 18 local public conditions report reviewed separately for release, clarity, hatch, and method context.