West Branch Delaware River Summer Fly Fishing

[@ItsBobo7]

Your almost in my home town ( long Eddy ) really like the Delaware river so glad I was brought up on it , many fishing trips and stories great video can’t wait until next one

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Nice! I don't ever seem to get below Hancock lol. So beautiful down there and not quite as many people fishing. I really enjoyed the day even though I couldn't manage any bigger fish! Thanks for the support (sorry no slomo releases in this one lol)

[@NajyK]

Love yours videos! And I love how you explain your rig at the outset - I feel like no one does that anymore.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Thanks so much!

[@Fresh_Popped_Corn]

Jon, great video as always. I appreciate watching your attempts at technical and difficult fly fishing, it reminds me that I’ll be testing my skills every time I hit the water, regardless of how many years I have behind the fly! Thank you, brother.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Thanks Andrew, yeah I struggled for sure but its good to get humbled occasionally keeps me from becoming too cocky! Thanks for your comment!

[@georgenianiatus3216]

I thoroughly enjoyed watching you fish sections of the Delaware that I have fished. However, you manage to have better success than I experienced, and you make it look easier. Also, kudos to clearly showing your setups. The instructional aspects of your videos are highly appreciated. I hope you remain motivated to do more.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Thanks George, don't forget that I condense all my success into a short vid so there are hours of not catching anything that you don't see haha. But thanks for the kind words and don't worry I'll keep making videos!

[@outdooropportunitiesguides8797]

Great video as usual! Make sure to look is up if you head up to the Salmon River this season. I’d love to haul you around on the drift boat or put you on some fish with our crew.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

I may have to take you up on that. I've managed a few steelies up there but certainly not my strength!! Thanks for the comment!

[@michaelcapurso]

Looks like a great day. I have an assortment of size 26 olives for when nothing else will get them to take. Thanks for sharing.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Michael. Yes I need to get some super small BWOs for sure, they were just gulping em down in the afternoon. Hard to watch 18-20" fish eating right in front of you without being able to hook-up, but they will be there next time I'm sure! Thanks as always for the comment!

[@StuFlyFishing]

Love the video WB fish are the tuffest to catch but when u do it’s well worth it

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

I agree , you definitely have to earn em! Thanks for the comment!

[@NoEscapeOutdoors]

Not often you hear people call it the lower west branch below the dam. Seems like everyone forgets what is above the dam and calls that stretch the upper lol. It's a very nice stretch of river, nice video man and glad you caught some

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

LOL i didn't really think of it like that. Thanks for the comment! Do you ever fish above the resevoir?

[@NoEscapeOutdoors]

@@deaddriftoutdoors2940 lol, no problem! And yessir, most of my trout fishing is above the reservoir. 99% of my videos are from above the dam, I live about 15 minutes from the Upper West

[@pawoodsnwater7551]

Hey Jon! Great being on the water with friends no matter how the fishing is. Great to see you back on the Delaware. I was just up there for a week, hopefully I can get up there again before archery deer season. Thanks for sharing. 👍🏻

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Yeah I watched part of your vid, you put me to shame lol! I will def be back again soon, hopefully with a bigger fish or two!

[@tcbtcb]

Great video, glad you showed the real WBD and not a fish every cast. Presentation is 95% the battle.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

I agree, the presentation is critical.

[@anthonyb1661]

Was up there on a float trip a couples weeks ago. We actually had to leave fish to catch fish. Although plenty of fish rising near Deposit, only had 1 small taker and I have no idea what he was thinking. Pretty quiet after that. Nymphed around Hancock the next day and did better. Another nice entertaining watch.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Glad you enjoyed Anthony! Yeah that town pool is no joke, the fish are tough. The most frustrating was the few eats where I missed the hookup. Oh well they'll be there next time!

[@danatucker5193]

Great video!

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Thanks so much Dana I appreciate it!

[@chuckn7740]

Nice video. I haven’t made it down this year but I’m going to try and get down there in September. Wish me luck.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Good luck Chuck, nice time of year for sure !

[@DouglasLyons-yg3lv]

True story … The first time I fished the WB I stayed at a campground owned by a “famous fly fisherman”. People can likely guess where that is. I set up camp then did some fishing before checking out the fly shop. What I noticed was everything was in Latin and there were no Catskill style dries to be seen. I picked up some flies and went to check out. The shop guy noted that he had never seen me before and I advised that it was my first time there. He immediately said I wouldn’t catch anything. I just looked at him and asked why is that. After being given the standard line of wild, selective fish etc etc I happily advised the fellow that in fact I had caught three fish that morning. When he asked what I was using I just said a black wooly bugger and smiled when I saw the surprised look on his face. If only the rest of the weekend was that productive ; )

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Haha yeah sometimes on heavily fished creeks going with something simple like a bugger can work, great story!

[@SiTengoTiempo]

He’s human after all and will occasionally have a slow day like the rest of us mortals!

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Lol that is for sure!!

[@sawtoothscream1521]

Live in the area but dont fish here too often. Usually head up to the east branch and kayak fish with good result with worms. That said, just ordered a fly setup and bing watching videos. Cant wait to give it a go even though im sure its going to be a shit show for awhile.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Yeah it took me a few years to really start getting the hang out it. One piece of advice I would give you is if you are fishing somewhere and see someone having success and you are struggling. Ask them questions! I learned a lot early on from other anglers and most are more than willing to help, just don't ask about their secret spots lol!!

[@sawtoothscream1521]

@@deaddriftoutdoors2940 finding the trout on not bad at, have my east branch spots that have done well for me. West Branch I'm a failure though and I never used a fly rod in my life. My setup arrives tomorrow. I'll be out on Thursday getting tangled in trees at the river lol.

[@beo77]

Awesome video. 7X tippet with those BWOs? Wondering if you tried a downstream presentation during that last clip since you did that in an earlier segment, when you made an adjustment by taking a few steps upstream. That pool is so glassy and challenging.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Yeah most of the takes I had were downstream but then I'd see a nice one upstream and couldn't resist. Yeah 7x fluoro. I was getting super tired at the end (thats my excuse) and think my BWO was a little big, but man it is exciting. I love that pool but its sooo hard lol

[@beo77]

@@deaddriftoutdoors2940love your casting and presentation. You make it look easy.

[@beo77]

I rarely nymph above Hale Eddy bridge, I always get green junk on my flies and even broke my rod cleaning out green junk out of the last eye (after landing a fish). Also the 2nd pool where you fished below the bridge, I saw a spin fisherman pull out large browns every other cast downstream river left where the water is slow with a lot of structure. I couldn’t trick any trout but there are big Em’s there. Maybe one day I’ll be proficient enough to trick a few nice browns in that pool. I was surprised you didn’t fish the riffles downstream from the first riffle where you had to hike in. You had those riffles in your intro (0:53), some great nymphing water. Happy New Year! Can’t wait to see your next fishing adventure.

[@patrickmccambridge]

Hi John. Just subscribed. At 3:30 you did not loosen or tighten your airlock and you just pushed it higher. Isn't that think moving all over the place by not tightening? Thanks

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Not really I tighten it just enough so that it stays put but I can still slide it. I do have a washer on there that helps make it smooth

[@philliphutcheson4219]

While the West Branch is quite technical, it is not a difficult fishery at all compared to my home waters. I only had bout 4hrs to fish it wet wading and I was able to catch a 21.5” brown. Only way you’ll run into a fish like that on the Hooch is throwing a streamer. Toughest & most technical fishery in the country for wild browns is by far the Chattahoochee river.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Yeah i was kinda just trying to get some clicks lol but this pool in particular is about the most technical I have fished

[@philliphutcheson4219]

@@deaddriftoutdoors2940 this fishery and the Hooch are polar opposites when it comes to food chains… ours is broken and incomplete due to the state not taking care of the river while the Upper Delaware has so much food you have to compete with it to catch fish. True feast or famine imo.

[@balor7]

👍🏼 what kind of camera did you use to get the close ups of the fish taking flies? Those shots were amazing.

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

I have links in the description to camera gear Canon EOS 90d : amzn.to/3CiUalb Canon EFS 15-85mm lens : amzn.to/35AlRKh I hope that helps!

[@sawtoothscream1521]

What bridge is that at the 4 min mark?

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Hancock

[@Barncatfish]

I was just there wading the past two days. Nobody was catching a damn thing. The Didymo down to the PA line is unbearable. Nymphing is basically impossible, and the dry fly potential is limited to about one hour before dark. Don't waste your time and money. Just one brown for me in 15 hours hard fishing- highly unusual...

[@deaddriftoutdoors2940]

Hmm sorry you had a tough time, alot of times the algae can get bad in the water column depending on dam release and nymphing can be tough

[@Barncatfish]

Certainly not a reflection on your very well produced videos. You know your stuff. Sad that the fishery is pretty much ruined however, at least during my visit.