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Artistic view of a Male Pteronarcys californica (Pteronarcyidae) (Giant Salmonfly) Stonefly Adult from the Gallatin River in Montana
Salmonflies
Pteronarcys californica

The giant Salmonflies of the Western mountains are legendary for their proclivity to elicit consistent dry-fly action and ferocious strikes.

27" brown trout, my largest ever. It was the sub-dominant fish in its pool. After this, I hooked the bigger one, but I couldn't land it.
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This discussion is about the Delaware River.

Several anglers fish the tail of a famous pool, loomed over by a Catskill mountain.

From the Delaware River, Junction Pool in New York
The Delaware River, Junction Pool in New York
Late-summer wildflowers bloom along a large trout river.

From the Delaware River, Junction Pool in New York
The Delaware River, Junction Pool in New York
Mcjames
Cortland Manor, NY

Posts: 139
Mcjames on Feb 8, 2010February 8th, 2010, 7:44 am EST
at risk of offending the purists... can anybody help me with timing the shad run on Delaware and/or tribs? I will want to wade so has to be upper reaches I guess. I am told lower Neversink has a healthy shad run? and while I am asking, does the striper spawn more or less coincide? is there a time of year when one is likely to catch shad/stripers/trout all on a fly? I have caught smallmouth/juvenile stripers/trout in same stream/same day once before (Croton River); but I am told there is no longer a viable shad run there, as several years ago they cut off all flow from the dam upstream.
I am haunted by waters
JOHNW
JOHNW's profile picture
Chambersburg, PA

Posts: 452
JOHNW on Feb 8, 2010February 8th, 2010, 8:47 am EST
Mcjames,
I can't speak for the Upper Delaware System. However I know the shad run hits the confluence with the Lehigh in Mid April right around the time of what was the PA trout opener.

There are areas on the midlle/lower river where wading is possible dpending on flow levels.
As for stripers guys catch them through the summer in the lower river around Easton PA although I believe that is primarily a plug and live bait affair (and usually the live bait is 4-6" trout).
JW
"old habits are hard to kill once you have gray in your beard" -Old Red Barn
CaseyP
CaseyP's profile picture
Arlington, VA/ Mercersburg, PA

Posts: 653
CaseyP on Feb 8, 2010February 8th, 2010, 9:35 am EST
Mcjames,
folks who know around here (Potomac River, D.C.) say that the redbuds or dogwoods will tell you: when they bloom, hit the stream. it's a very iffy thing, and a good rain can ruin it by flooding the river and making it dangerous, but then there are the good years...

and i have caught shad and striper on the same day, not large, but definitely memorable. the striper season starts as the shad ends.
"You can observe a lot by watching." Yogi Berra
Sandfly
tioga co. pa.

Posts: 33
Sandfly on Jan 19, 2015January 19th, 2015, 6:50 am EST
lower Delaware from early april on. I have caught some bucks immature in march too. I did an article on fly fishing shad in the lower river, check out my website its in there on the tying page
sandfly
shop owner
N.J.B.B.A. #2215
Tiadaughton T.U. 688
I didn't Escape------They gave me a day pass !

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