Author: Len Handler

Rising in two branches in the Catskill Mountains, the Delaware River flows 419 miles into Delaware bay where it’s waters enter the Atlantic Ocean. With no dams or impediments on the river’s Main Stem, the Delaware is one of the few remaining large free-flowing rivers in the United States.

The watershed encompasses five US states – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. It’s bodies of water provide drinking water to 17 million people – roughly 6% of the population of the US.

In the early 1960’s, the West Branch of the river was impounded in Stilesville by the Cannonsville Dam, and the East Branch in Downsville by the Pepacton Dam. Both of these dams respectively created a tailwater fishery on the West Branch, East Branch and Main Stem – ensuring that the waters remain cold and creating a superb cold water trout habitat. The influence of the cold tailwater releases can be felt as far downstream as Calicoon.