Tailwater · Sandstone Shale · New York

Upper Main Stem Delaware River

East Branch Delaware River venue image
Google Places

The big water — wide, wild and full of leaping river-bred rainbows, buffered cold where the two branch releases meet at Hancock and warming as it runs down through the border country.

Species

About as good as it gets

River high but settled. Fish are looking up — bigger flies, confident takes.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
14.5°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6612% weight
Conditions
Level
1.95 m
Water temp
14.5°C
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
21°C
Wind
NW 12 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1022 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • NY/PA border tailwater-fed main stem
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The big water — wide, wild and full of leaping river-bred rainbows, buffered cold where the two branch releases meet at Hancock and warming as it runs down through the border country. In high summer the whole game is finding the cold water: the main stem is the textbook case for chasing thermal refuge, and the app's cold-water-nearby logic earns its keep here.

  • Sandstone shale
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 5