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3. upper delaware river trout at night

Hi, I was fishing the upper Mainstem this weekend and from my camp riverside, I could hear what sounded like little kids splashing and playing in the river. I went down to find what seemed to be thousands of trout splashing in the shallows up and down the river. I tried everything in fly box and only managed to hook and lose one rather quickly. It seemed like I couldn't take a step with out spooking one. I couldn't tell what they were feeding on. Any Ideas why they were acting this way? I've never heard them do this before. Thanks for any feedback.

TT

Where we talkin about here buddy? When you say Mainstem you mean the Delaware? It DOES make a difference!!

Thanks,
Adirman

Sorry, Yes the Upper Main Stem of the Delaware river in NY/PA.

Could be alot of things but my guess would be caddis based on the splashy rises. Then again there are a bunch of "sulphurish" mayflies at this time.
I have had some amazing nights in the riffles of the Upper mainstem. With some really monstorus trout on dries right at and then for about an hour after dark (not sunset but true dark).
How were the water temps as that could possibly play a role in their behavior.

While JohnW may be right I'd think more than not what you heard where trout gorging on Green Drake duns. I have witnessed numerous occassions on the upper main where literally every fish, not just trout, are rising in the black of night to the emerging Ep. guttalata nymphs and duns. There are so many rises, and so close to you, that it is kind of scary!

Sounds like fun to this night owl...Like our Brown Drakes & Mr. hex-o-genia! YeeeHaaa!

Matt...You and I shouldn't be schooling 'em...Maybe we should just tell them to stay in their tents afterdark so no one gets hurt or gets in our way...;) Maybe we should tell them how Big Browns go to sleep very early, way before sundown, and there's no one out here, in the dark, cept us meeces!

Spence

I'll yield to Matt on this one my knowledge of the Upper D system is infantile as compare to a guy with a camp on the river.
JW

I put the flash light on the river many times only to see some small spinners and a few caddis. I saw only a few green drakes the week before although, not that weekend but I'm new to fly fishing, especially in the middle of the night. Thanks for the insight. I may try and get up there this weekend and give it another go.

TT

TT,
have some Epeorus with you (think smallish sulphurs with a pink cast to them). Also don't be affraid to throw some oversized rusty brown spinners at them. Sometimes the memory of big meals sticks for a while after the big bugs are gone. Also there should be some isos about.

Finally if you wait until after dark fish to the sound and pattern won't be nearly as important.
Best of luck,
JW

Maybe it wasn't Green Drakes, maybe it was a family of Susquatch out there having a skinny dip party.

Tt8377,

Just a thought, but if no Green Drakes were seen, I'm with John in thinking that the caddisflies may have been the cause. The small spinners would be unlikely to generate the splashy response that you describe, and the timing and activity reminds me of a Psilotreta (Dark Blue Sedge) emergence. These can be highly concentrated affairs, but very few (adult) caddisflies would be seen on the water's surface during the emergence. Were any of the caddisflies that you saw about a #14 with plain dark wings?

Update:

I went back up a couple weeks later and same splashing in evening but much less frequently. Could they have been shad??? I didnt see any the next time but certainly heard them. I did see the dark blue sedge during the day that week in large quantities, so that may have been what they were feeding on. Thanks again for everyone's thoughts. I'm going to try to get up there in a few weeks and at least try for some walleye at night. I hear they ar good eating.

TT

Seems late for shad but it could be a possibility with the high cold water this spring.
I'm told they are on hell of a fight if you can hook one.
JW

To check out some "night fishing" go to www.gateslodge.com and check out the "fishing report" page. Joe there holding the monster trout works in the shop and check out the bat photo there as well.

Spence