A bit of good, a bit of bad

This has been another tough year for those who fish the Delaware system and those whose income is derived from others who come to fish it.

Early in the season, high water and rainy weekends greatly reduced the number of fishers coming into Delaware and Sullivan counties.

The situation improved briefly in June, but along came more heavy rainfall, which again raised the rivers to a difficult wading level. Our friends, Jim and Ed Graham, have been up twice to fish and both times have run into high water conditions. They are coming up again this morning, July 23, and guess what? It has been raining for two days, and as I write this, it is pouring.

I have no idea where they can find any decent fishing. I suggested they come up at this time because three days ago, in the mid-morning, I spotted little Trico mayflies over the pool in front of our property. This hatch usually produces dependable, if often difficult, dry fly fishing. There will be no Tricos today, and I have no reason to believe that the weather will be any better tomorrow.

At any rate, the guys are going to try to give us some clues on our upcoming trip to Montana. We’ll need all the help we can get. Our neighbor, Tom Brown, has already given us a briefing on what he has learned in 30 years of fishing the West. Tony Jansic has also weighed in with his expertise.

From a conservation viewpoint, there have been some small victories this year:

• The number of trout that may be taken in one day will be reduced in 2004.

• The Beamoc Chapter of Trout Unlimited has reached an agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on the removal of a berm on Bennett Brook, which will allow this tributary to reach its flood plain once again.

• There will be a thermal refuge established at and below Horton Brook on the Beaverkill. In 2004, there will be no fishing allowed from the Iron Bridge downstream to the next crossing of the Quickway, a distance of roughly six hundred yards, during the months of July and August. This regulation should help the trout survive during a period when elevated river temperatures cause them to suffer considerable stress. Large numbers of trout seek out the cooler water in this area that flows in from Horton Brook.

This is a step in the right direction, but the wild trout of the Main Stem of the Delaware need the same type of regulation at Bouchoux and Basket Brooks.

• There are no gains to be reported on as far as Delaware River flows are concerned. It certainly appears that Pennsylvania Power and Light (PP&L) will receive permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to make additional releases from Lake Wallenpaupack down the Lackawaxen into the Delaware. These releases will allow the City of New York to release a lesser amount of water that will be equal to the additional water being released by PP&L.

This means that if PP&L releases large amounts of water, the Upper Delaware could be reduced to a trickle. The only way around this problem is to insist on having a flow gauge installed at Callicoon to guarantee a targeted amount of water flowing past there regardless of how much water PP&L releases.

Mr. Gary Petrewski, the headman at PP&L, said there should be no concern about his releases affecting the Delaware. “The City of New York will take care of the Delaware flows.”

Yeah sure, when pigs learn to fly.

Charles Wieland, head of the Upper Delaware Council’s Water Use Resource Management Committee, has been pushing the idea of a flow gauge at Callicoon for years. However, there is still no flow gauge there, folks, and time is running out.

The peacock that has adopted our cabin has now become so tame that it will eat Saltine crackers from my hand. I feed it very sparingly, so that she will remain independent in our absence. We have become quite used to her early morning cries, which sound a bit like a Canadian goose. We rather like having her around. I have been collecting any feathers that she drops. I think they will be perfect for tying soft hackle flies. Stick around peacock.