=Current Conditions: Delaware System: 5/1/14=

[Rusty Spinner]

I like to prod other anglers that think a river is now dead because it is so popular and ask them just exactly what is the criteria that makes this river yours but not mine? How does the fact that maybe you started fishing it 35 years ago while I only began 30 years ago give you certain privileges? Obviously, it doesn't.

So yes, the WB is very popular and oftentimes very crowded. That only means anglers aren't fishing somewhere else. Those with experience up there know that there are plenty of other rivers nearby that fish as well or better, conditions permitting, than does the WB. If you don't like the crowds, especially this time of year when water temps are still low, then wade or float the East or mainstem. But I've always been the one that says a river loved is a river protected. Crowds or no crowds, the WB is my personal favorite river. And some of that love is because of the crowds making it so tough and not in spite of....

That said, last week I spent most of my time fishing the East and mainstem.....the West was still too cold for hatches and fish looking up.

 

[jack1266]

I ran into some locals on the EB last year. Thoughts of having my tires slashed entered my mind but they turned out to be friendly. We talked for a few minutes and they said they had stopped fishing the WB because it was over run with drift boats. They blamed Weamer's book for killing the WB. I will defer from using their choice adjectives for said author and book. You get the picture.

 

[Future Fanatic]

I ran into some locals on the EB last year. Thoughts of having my tires slashed entered my mind but they turned out to be friendly. We talked for a few minutes and they said they had stopped fishing the WB because it was over run with drift boats. They blamed Weamer's book for killing the WB. I will defer from using their choice adjectives for said author and book. You get the picture.

Didn't he write that JUST before he left to guide streams in Central PA?

 

[JOE.T]

I ran into some locals on the EB last year. Thoughts of having my tires slashed entered my mind but they turned out to be friendly. We talked for a few minutes and they said they had stopped fishing the WB because it was over run with drift boats. They blamed Weamer's book for killing the WB. I will defer from using their choice adjectives for said author and book. You get the picture.

Paul Weamer had nothing to do with the WB becoming more popular...It was already a zoo when he wrote the book.

He actually put locations more so on the East branch and the Mainstem.. Those are the facts.

 

[JOE.T]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the ORIGINAL name for that pool was fought over by the Lenape and Oneida Indians some time back. The Oneidas won out and named it:

Tehalihwákhwa' É:lhal Ohne:kánus

(Singing Dog Water)

Ask around, you'll see...

Shit John, I guess you learn something new everyday.

 

[Future Fanatic]

Shit John, I guess you learn something new everyday.

Or... you don't.

 

[MACFLY]

I need directions to barking singing dog. I want to launch my drift boat there tomorrow. Thanks for the info Cdumb

 

[NJFred]

C Dun Wow a blast from the past !

I think the beginning of the true end started years ago...For me , someone who fished the WB at a point in time when there was almost no drift boats, i rarely had anyone around me in the no kill except for Al Conklin..I had to deal with tubers not drift boats.it is sad, it'll never be the same.You adapt,improvise and overcome..that's all you can do..

Until the water is to warm where I'm fishing I don't do the WB..I haven't even seen an Angler yet this year where I'm hanging.

BTW everyone Barking Dog is not the original name of that Pool...

It is really Silo Pool

Have fun.

CDUN...The end started in the 60s when the dam was put in and the fishing got good. Real good. Think about it.

I'm with Joe....I love it when the no kill is full of anglers. That means all those anglers are not fishing where I'm fishing.

 

[comparadun]

CDUN...The end started in the 60s when the dam was put in and the fishing got good. Real good. Think about it.

Geez NJFred, that statement could not be farther from the truth!

Fishing stayed prime until the early 90's...even with the fish kills of 81 and 85....it was rare to see another angler coming into the stretch you were fishing....then came the first banana boats of Brian Wilson (Walton) and Bill Fraser (Hankins). After that came all the internet blabbermouths, fly shops, outfitters, etc.....things exploded. I've NEVER seen it as worse as this current season. Very sad state of affairs here on the entire system. I feel sorry for the so called "guided" people that in my opinion waste $375 + .....oh....plus the tip to fish CROWDED conditions for a handful of 15-18" fish on a good day.

So the very beginning of the end started in the early 90's but has come to fruition in 2014. Enjoy, enjoy your world class fly fishing sitting your fat ass in a banana boat dodging all the others all day and making your 20' cast to a fish that has been pounded over day after day after day after day..........fly fishing......I don't think so.

CDun

 

[Big_Spinner]

Another fine day on the rivers today.

 

[flyI4]

All of this comes down to 1 thing. Cdun doesn't have enough money to buy a drift boat. I'm 26 and have bought 2 and was not brought up or put in a situation like simms. So whose fault is that. Cdun- buy a boat or continue to be stuck on the side lines.

 

[Future Fanatic]

I'm 26 and have bought 2 and was not brought up or put in a situation like simms. So whose fault is that.

?
Raised in Rumson, right? (How's Bruce doin'?)
Cabin on the West Branch, right?

I think your "situation" is more like Simms's than you'd like to admit...

 

[flyI4]

?
Raised in Rumson, right? (How's Bruce doin'?)
Cabin on the West Branch, right?

I think your "situation" is more like Simms's than you'd like to admit...

Fair haven actually-blue collar baby.The house was 17k- and was better characterized as a tree fort about to fall over and took 3 years to clean the mouse shit out of it . If that's rich- America has truly gone to hell but I'll stop there bc I'm starting to sound like CMM

 

[Future Fanatic]

Fair haven actually-blue collar baby.The house was 17k- and was better characterized as a tree fort about to fall over and took 3 years to clean the mouse shit out of it . If that's rich- America has truly gone to hell but I'll stop there bc I'm starting to sound like CMM

BLUE COLLAR?!?

Your dad (and your neighbors) wear a uniform or other protective clothing at his manual labor job?

Fair Haven median household income is around $100,000.

$100K is just about DOUBLE the U.S. median.

Top 20%... That's NOT "blue collar"...

Nothing to be ashamed of, but your view of what constitutes "rich" may be a bit skewed.

 

[flyI4]

BLUE COLLAR?!?

Your dad (and your neighbors) wear a uniform or other protective clothing at his manual labor job?

Fair Haven median household income is around $100,000.

$100K is just about DOUBLE the U.S. median.

Top 20%... That's NOT "blue collar"...

Nothing to be ashamed of, but your view of what constitutes "rich" may be a bit skewed.

I'm not ashamed, you are the one who tried to come at me for growing up in a nice place as if that has anything to do with the fact I bought the boats, just like I did for my college and law degrees. My point remains cdun should buy a boat or at least a "stinktoon", and if he can't too bad so sad watch the rest of us float on by.

 

[Future Fanatic]

I'm not ashamed, you are the one who tried to come at me for growing up in a nice place as if that has anything to do with the fact I bought the boats, just like I did for my college and law degrees. My point remains cdun should buy a boat or at least a "stinktoon", and if he can't too bad so sad watch the rest of us float on by.

No, I "came at you" for saying that your situation wasn't like Simms.
I really don't know either of your situations, but I'd guess yours was more like Simms than most. Maybe you know what Cdun's situation is, too.

 

[Future Fanatic]

NOW I remember...

Your Cdun problem goes back...
At 18 you kinda DID sound like CMM.

Cdun,... MAybe your just to poor financially to afford a drift boat in the first place and are a little upset. You must be one of thoes locals who looks like he just came out of his cave on the top of the mountain and most likely invite other cavemen like charlie the nut at carins pool over to your place all the time for dinner too. Without us drifters and weekend warriors the already struggling economy in the catskill region would barely be in existance. Your moaning just makes me smile keep it coming.
fly

 

[comparadun]

Fly14....you are perhaps the worst self centered person I have ever encountered in the fly fishing community. Also, whether you are wading (rare these days) or sitting your lazy young skinny ass in a banana boat....you still have little to no river etiquette. You are like more and more people up there....one big ahole.

I should buy a banana boat or stinktoon........lol........if you only knew.......but....you never will because you are of the yuppie, iphone, internet, "I am the best" mold of lazy ass fly fisherman. You're funny.

The facts come out as always................CDun

 

[flyI4]

Fly14....you are perhaps the worst self centered person I have ever encountered in the fly fishing community. Also, whether you are wading (rare these days) or sitting your lazy young skinny ass in a banana boat....you still have little to no river etiquette. You are like more and more people up there....one big ahole.

I should buy a banana boat or stinktoon........lol........if you only knew.......but....you never will because you are of the yuppie, iphone, internet, "I am the best" mold of lazy ass fly fisherman. You're funny.

The facts come out as always................CDun

You know you've reached the top when you get called a yuppie
I can move back to rumson now- thanks bud.
.

 

[dcabarle]

Well now... I have to admit, I'm one of those lazy types too! Nothing beats a day on the river relaxing in my boat in the middle of the river with my yuppie dog with my feet kicked up on the seat in front of me! My kind of relaxation after working all week!

A few weeks ago, I had my laptop tethered to my cell phone while sitting at the Shehawken ramp watching the water from my car. I love technology! Screw that wading crap!

 

[comparadun]

Ahhhhh....fly fishing at its' best up here.....lol.

DC, please take me for a "relaxing" ride.....I do not want to go in Fly14's banana boat(sssssssssssss).......he'll just crowd me out!........lol.

Enough.

CDun

 

[Trout Guy]

Goddamn.. All you grouchy old timers sound like you really need to get laid..

Its 2014, boats are the way of the future, either conform or get crowded out. The decision is yours.

 

[golden beetle]

Well now... I have to admit, I'm one of those lazy types too! Nothing beats a day on the river relaxing in my boat in the middle of the river with my yuppie dog with my feet kicked up on the seat in front of me! My kind of relaxation after working all week!

A few weeks ago, I had my laptop tethered to my cell phone while sitting at the Shehawken ramp watching the water from my car. I love technology! Screw that wading crap!

I wanted to stay out of this one, but I see the drift boat as for lazy ass fishermen...

 

[mob201]

I don't know but I think I might be with C-Dun on this one. It must suck to have waded the WB and enjoyed solitude before it became a drift boat highway with bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic.

Plus, having waded most of my life and just recently acquired a banana boat, the main difference is luxury. When I catch a fish from the boat it doesn't feel like I worked for it. I didn't spend two hours sitting on a rock in the rain waiting for bugs. I don't have an aching back, cold feet or scrapes and rashes from the nettles and blackberry I went through to get there. Drift boats are for wimps.

(Granted I'll be guiding my 67 year-old mom on my banana boat somewhere on the system on Sunday for Mother's Day, which would definitely qualify me as part of the problem.)

But anyway, I think we should declare a cease-fire on this one and agree that the solution to everybody's problems would be for Big Spinner and others to be successful in getting cold water releases that would expand the trout holding water down past Lordville. The main stem down there is way better suited to drift boats than the upper West Branch anyway. It would take a bunch of the pressure off.

 

[Pete]

IMHO: The main problem here, is people who use the difficulty/inconvenience of a portage as an excuse to ignore the courtesies they'd give another fisher if they were wading.

Most wouldn't barge into an occupied pool while wading.
Some even try to stay completely out of sight of another fisher.
Or at least ask permission....

Put these same people in a boat, and they'll drift right through, and even fish an occupied section.

If your boats too big, or you're too lazy, to portage around another fisher, take it to a lake.

 

[MACFLY]

I wanted to stay out of this one, but I see the drift boat as for lazy ass fishermen...

So you will no longer be guided by Joe D on the Delaware and you will sell your pontoon boat. Good for you

 

[Future Fanatic]

But anyway, I think we should declare a cease-fire on this one and agree that the solution to everybody's problems would be for Big Spinner and others to be successful in getting cold water releases that would expand the trout holding water down past Lordville. The main stem down there is way better suited to drift boats than the upper West Branch anyway. It would take a bunch of the pressure off.

I say, take whatever water is available and split it between the East and West. THAT would create some more trout habitat and open up a bunch of miles on the East. Waders would be happy. The drifters could then continue to battle it out on the West.

 

[Matt Grobert]

I wanted to stay out of this one, but I see the drift boat as for lazy ass fishermen...

In that case, stay out of Cabarle's and run down the bank like the rest of your minions.

 

[mob201]

I say, take whatever water is available and split it between the East and West. THAT would create some more trout habitat and open up a bunch of miles on the East. Waders would be happy. The drifters could then continue to battle it out on the West.

As you can imagine, I like this idea a lot as well.

 

[Future Fanatic]

As you can imagine, I like this idea a lot as well.

Well, you won't find too many guys who use a boat (or NEED to fill one) who agree with us.