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West Branch Delaware River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

America’s best wild trout tailwater: Cannonsville’s cold releases grow selective browns that humble visiting anglers all summer.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
1,200 cfs
Air / High
75 / 76 F
Wind
WNW 11 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01426500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

West Branch Delaware River is in transition: bait on the move and predators following. The river is running 1,200 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind WNW around 11 mph, rising pressure near 1012 hPa and a high of 76. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 71 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from West Branch Delaware River at Hale Eddy.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01426500.

6988961,0931,200 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp75 F
High / Low76 / 63 F
WindWNW 11-18 mph
Pressure1011.9 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain4% cloud, 66%
Sunrise / Sunset06:30 / 19:30
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 76/63 F, wind 11 mph, rain 66%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on West Branch Delaware River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the West Branch Delaware River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks West Branch Delaware River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 81 F, wind to 8 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 70 F, wind to 12 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 78 F, wind to 6 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

New York requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

New York license. No-kill and special regulations on designated reaches: check current DEC rules. Wild trout: most anglers release everything.

Access

Hale Eddy, Balls Eddy, Deposit and Shehawken accesses; public fishing rights easements along much of the river.

About this water

A 17-mile cold tailwater below Cannonsville Reservoir, Delaware County, New York, joining the East Branch at Hancock to form the Delaware.

Fishing West Branch Delaware River: the full guide

Cold water, wild fish

The West Branch Delaware runs from Cannonsville Reservoir to Hancock, and it may be the finest wild trout water in the eastern United States. Bottom releases hold the river in the 50s all summer, sustaining a wild brown trout population of remarkable density and size: sixteen to twenty-inch fish are routine and true trophies are realistic. The trout are wild, unstocked and among the most selective in America: this is graduate-level dry-fly water.

The hatch machine

The West Branch produces hatches nearly year-round: blue quills and Hendricksons in April, March browns and sulphurs from May through July (the defining hatch: evenings of noses in flat water), green drakes in early June, tricos in August mornings, and olives into November. Fish rise selectively, refuse casually, and reward 6X tippet with a downstream slack-line presentation. Between hatches, nymph the deeper runs or swing streamers at dawn.

Releases rule everything

The river lives and dies by reservoir releases: the Hale Eddy gauge running 300-800 cfs with cold water is prime; low-release summers push warm water down from the mainstem junction and pinch the fishable miles. Check both the release schedule and the gauge before every trip: the Delaware River Basin Commission publishes releases, and the local shops track thermal conditions obsessively. Wading is technical at higher flows: a boat opens the river.

Hancock logistics

Access points at Hale Eddy, Balls Eddy, Deposit and Shehawken serve wading and drift boats; the float from Hale Eddy to Balls Eddy is the classic. Public fishing easements cover most of the good water. Hancock and Deposit hold the fly shops, guides and lodging: this is a destination fishery where a guide on your first day saves a season of learning. Crowds concentrate on famous pools during the sulphur weeks.

Common questions

Is it really that hard?

The trout are wild, heavily fished and eat tiny naturals in flat water. Expect refusals. Fine tippet, perfect drifts and patience are the price of admission.

When are the sulphurs?

Mid-May through early July, evenings until dark: the river’s signature weeks and the reason the parking lots fill.

Do I need a boat?

No, but it helps: wading covers plenty of water at moderate releases, while a drift boat reaches the pools nobody walks to.

Is fishing good at West Branch Delaware River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Beaverkill21 miDelaware River23 miWillowemoc Creek29 miLake Wallenpaupack42 miEsopus Creek55 miOtsego Lake60 mi
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