Delaware River 10.5.2014

[golden beetle]

Joe D likes fishing all year round, so much that if he had to say his least favorite season, it would fall. That's when the fishing begins to end. The long shadows cast by the low sun are beautiful, but they foretell shortening days, and impending winter. It is beautiful, but his time on the water is nearing a close.

Another season is ending, and soon.

Here's a guy who fishes Patagonia and the Bahamas every year, whose favorite stretch of water is somewhere between Cannonsville and the Main Stem of the Delaware River.

Or perhaps Pepacton and the Main.

He appreciates the water close to home, and family.

I appreciate a day on the water with Joe because it is a vacation, only 140 miles from home. I want to get away, but not too far...

That's why the Delaware is so special. It is our home water.

Away, but not too far...

Joe can talk fishing the Delaware better than anyone, but I fish with Joe to talk about life.

I think Joe is half fishing guide, half therapist. At least when he fishes with me.

Simple family things that occupy my mind as a new father, Joe relates to.

He told me how he learned to fly fish as a kid, and how some old timers fishing old Payne bamboo rods helped him along the way.

I was probably telling Joe about fishing with my son, when I hooked and landed the biggest brown trout I have ever caught.

He can hold any conversation, and has an interesting answer to any good question.

And I talk while I cast, and he can relate because he has stories of fishing with his son...

Got that fish on a dry fly. Iso emerger I think, but I don't know for sure.

The fishing is important, but the people you fish with are more important. This is a sport about people. It involves fish.

It is about perspective. The beauty and scale of the river relieves us of our stress and concerns.

So whether or not the big brown trout came to net...

I was already planning my next trip to the Delaware with Joe D.

 

[WBDluver]

Stop kissing his butt, hes not taking you with him again.

 

[CTobias]

Fishing does not end in the Fall. Fishing is just getting better in the Fall.

 

[emoussa]

Nice fish!

 

[golden beetle]

Nice fish!

A spawner with a nice kype.

 

[lightenup]

More pictures, less talking......

I love fall fishing, except the leaves on the water........the crowds thin, the air is crisp, the water(if there is any) is cool, and the fish are active......

nice fish, maybe some more videos....

 

[Thursthouse]

Nice lookin fish (and dog)! thanks for posting.. I do think you have a man crush on Joe which is a bit concerning, but to each his own. The real gripe I have is that this is a sport about people. (Full disclosure: I've never been on a drift boat and would assume that that's a much more people-oriented adventure) I think this is the one sport that I RARELY think about other people. Whether it's hikin that extra mile to get to some secluded WTS or getting out on a rainy weekday to avoid the crowds, I think fly fishing is much more solitary. Even if you're fishing with a friend, how often (besides in a drift boat) are you side by side conversating? Perhaps after a nice catch? In passing to leap frog holes? Midday for lunch and cold one? Perhaps I'm going about this fly fishing all wrong...but I'm pretty confident that when I hop in the car to drive to a trout stream, I'm not going to have to worry about small talk. The only time I do think about other people is when someone, who should know better, starts encroaching.

Glad you had an awesome trip and found just what you were looking for in a fishing trip - pillow talk - haha seriously nice report and glad you had fun

 

[mob201]

Nice lookin fish (and dog)! thanks for posting.. I do think you have a man crush on Joe which is a bit concerning, but to each his own. The real gripe I have is that this is a sport about people. (Full disclosure: I've never been on a drift boat and would assume that that's a much more people-oriented adventure) I think this is the one sport that I RARELY think about other people. Whether it's hikin that extra mile to get to some secluded WTS or getting out on a rainy weekday to avoid the crowds, I think fly fishing is much more solitary. Even if you're fishing with a friend, how often (besides in a drift boat) are you side by side conversating? Perhaps after a nice catch? In passing to leap frog holes? Midday for lunch and cold one? Perhaps I'm going about this fly fishing all wrong...but I'm pretty confident that when I hop in the car to drive to a trout stream, I'm not going to have to worry about small talk. The only time I do think about other people is when someone, who should know better, starts encroaching.

Glad you had an awesome trip and found just what you were looking for in a fishing trip - pillow talk - haha seriously nice report and glad you had fun

Fly fishing from a drift boat is a whole different thing, you're right. It's as much hanging out as fishing. If you're all serious about your business on a given day, it's like team fly fishing, which almost seems like a contradiction until you've done it a few times.

I've grown to love it. You should give it a try. Hiking up a WTS by yourself has its merits, but so does a day drinking beer and casting and bullshitting and <strike>cuddling with Joe D and spooning in the bottom of his boat</strike> hopefully also catching a few fish.

 

[Thursthouse]

Fly fishing from a drift boat is a whole different thing, you're right. It's as much hanging out as fishing. If you're all serious about your business on a given day, it's like team fly fishing, which almost seems like a contradiction until you've done it a few times.

I've grown to love it. You should give it a try. Hiking up a WTS by yourself has its merits, but so does a day drinking beer and casting and bullshitting and <strike>cuddling with Joe D and spooning in the bottom of his boat</strike> hopefully also catching a few fish.

Hahaha! don't get me wrong - I have nothing against and would absolutely love to try it...just haven't had the opportunity.

 

[flyI4]

Its fun doing both- I like the rewarding feeling of catching fish while wading and making that far cast to the far bank chest deep- and I like chilling in the boat on a day that I don't feel like working hard. A lot of people won't do anything but drift though once they have started drift boat fishing and act like wade fishing actually is "work". BTW-nice fish Beetle, great spawning colors on that fish.

 

[golden beetle]

The fish was insane and I agree with you, flyi4, that wading has its merits too.

However, for dry fly fishing, I'd take a drift boat any day over a wade trip on big water.

You can drop anchor and wade if you want to...

 

[flyI4]

Yup agreed- I am big on using the boat as a taxi and getting out to fish certain sections thoroughly. Also- nothing more frustrating than alternating fish in the boat when they are rising all over. Better for both people to get out and both fish at the same time. Again- that would require putting on waders which most boat owners aren't fond of. They just bring them with for the sake of tradition.

 

[FIN-ITE 34]

Even if you're fishing with a friend, how often (besides in a drift boat) are you side by side conversating?

Even though I don't speak ebonics like TH, I do however share his singularity approach to fly fishing.

 

[Thursthouse]

Even though I don't speak ebonics like TH, I do however share his singularity approach to fly fishing.

Hahaha I have no idea what you're talking about...

 

[lightenup]

Hahaha I have no idea what you're talking about...

Even if you're fishing with a friend, how often (besides in a drift boat) are you side by side conversating?

Jeez, you been hanging with CMM?

 

[Thursthouse]

Jeez, you been hanging with CMM?

is conversating not a real word? I'm going to walk away from this thread cause I'm as lost as Simms at a Sunday morning bible study

 

[lightenup]

is conversating not a real word? I'm going to walk away from this thread cause I'm as lost as Simms at a Sunday morning bible study

Urban Dictionary: conversate.....

 

[Future Fanatic]

Urban Dictionary: conversate.....

Converse...
Like the sneakers...

Right?

 

[FIN-ITE 34]

is conversating not a real word? I'm going to walk away from this thread cause I'm as lost as Simms at a Sunday morning bible study

TH- lose that word from your vocab, the correct usage is conversing. Conversating is something the boyz in the hood do.

 

[golden beetle]

More pictures, less talking......

I love fall fishing, except the leaves on the water........the crowds thin, the air is crisp, the water(if there is any) is cool, and the fish are active......

nice fish, maybe some more videos....

Very well said.

I appreciate that.

I am sure Joe does too.

 

[golden beetle]

Hahaha! don't get me wrong - I have nothing against and would absolutely love to try it...just haven't had the opportunity.

I am gonna make the argument for hiring a guide and drifting the D with a guide now that I've made for several years..

It is the best way to fish the Delaware.

The guides are vested, economically, in the health and well being of the river, and the fishery.

So, a group like Friends of the Upper Delaware that protects the Upper Delaware?

That's Joe D and Coz and guys like that. They protect the fishery, and Joe is smart, strong minded, and a hell of an advocate for the river.

 

[lightenup]

Converse...
Like the sneakers...

Right?

I believe you accent is on the wrong syllable......
but O.K.

 

[Bigfishy]

Middle pic just below my favorite creek....Wade fisherman know ALL the gr8 spots which in turn makes them better drift fishermen:smiley-sniffer:

 

[flyI4]

I used to fish that creek when I was a little kid on my walk down to the main river. There are a surprising amount of fish in there.