N.Y. West Branch float 10/8-9

[AndyS]

I fished the Beaverkill on Saturday while Lard and Wilson did a float. The Beaverkill was crystal clear and I picked a few 12 to 13 inch browns at most stops along the river, highlight was an 18" rainbow at a spot our guide turned me onto. Lard and Wilson had a good day floating the West Branch.
Sunday Lard and I floated while Wilson took off for the Beaverkill. Lard was on fire with all fish over 19". I caught a few. The water was chocolate milk and both days fishing got very slow as the sun got high in the sky.
I've got a few photos, I think Wilson and Lard will have more to add along with photos and video. Fishing up there comes to a screeching halt October 15th and doesn't reopen till the spring (so the fish can spawn)
All fish fought great and all were released unharmed.
Next stop on the trout tour will be in November on Penns Creek in PA.

[Mike M]

Nice pics Andy. Very healthy looking fish.

[Wilson]

It was a good float for me on Saturday, inspite of the crappy looking water. Lard held his own but his day would be on Sunday...when I'm on the Beaverkill
Mike our guide was saying that since the water has been chocolate milk since Irene that the fish are used to it and they still gotta eat.
That turned out to be good info. as the fish were less warey in the opaque water. I had several hook-ups 5 feet from the boat.

The force and destructive power of water should never be under estimated. Check out the John boat in the tree pix.
And our friendly Eagle pal always in the same tree on the lookout for a careless Trout.

Does the Banana jinx apply in freshwater?? Our guide busting our balls with his banana cell phone!

[Lard Almighty]

I couldn't compete with Wilson in the big fish department, so I had to take it out on poor Andy. I got six on Sunday, none under 18" long. Big fish was 23". It was The Revenge of Lard! Andy scored one of the most colorful browns you will ever see on one of his jigs. Action wasn't as fast as Saturday, but we were happy with quality over quantity.

Pics below:

1. A foggy morning

2. Andy brings a nice trout to net

3. A real fisherman supervises us from his perch

4. Mike about to release a nice brown caught by yours truly

5. Mike tending to one of Andy's jig-caught fish

6. Andy expertly played this big brown to the net in fast water

7. A brown even more colorful than the fall foliage

[Salt]

Nice pic's, looks like you had a fine weekend. I wish I could have been there, but I was busy catching nothing in the salt water.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Nice trip, good job fellas!! Great pics!!!

[Duffman]

Nice fish and nice pics.

Why are you guys wearing waders in the boat?

[AndyS]

1.Getting in and out of the boat.

2. You get some big long stretches of really fast water, too fast to anchor, and if we floated we would go through it at light speed. You hop out of the boat and work the stretch from the bank, depending on the size of the stretch any where from 15 to 30 minutes on average. Lard nailed a nice one off the bank in fast water where a feeder creek came in.

[Leif]

Beautiful fish! Great trip. I was up there the week before.

Leif

[AndyS]

I talked to Ken, he told me you were up there Leif. Many drifts and anglers bailed on the West Branch, way muddy. The East branch is just starting to clear up now. The Beaverkill was a great gin clear and below where the East branch and the Beaverkill meet was in great shape. Wilson said the Beaverkill was packed on Sunday, I saw many anglers Saturday but it wasn't too bad. They say it could take weeks or months for the West branch to clear up, same with the Neversink. Won't be back up there till April now, it should clear up by then.