Fall Smallmouth Bass Action Ready to Begin

The cooling temperatures and shorter days of September and October signal the height of the smallmouth bass fishing on New York and Pennsylvania's Upper Delaware River.

Well known as a wild trout fishery, the Upper Delaware is also an excellent smallmouth bass fishery. All spring, fly fishermen from throughout the East travel to the Upper Delaware River hoping to catch a few of the hard fighting wild rainbows or browns that make the river their home. On their way, many fishermen drive by another stretch of the river that has its own challenging wild fishery. The area is between Narrowsburg and Port Jervis, NY.

This stretch of the Delaware encompasses over thirty miles of prime smallmouth habitat and is part of the nearly seventy-five mile long Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. The most use this part of the river sees is by recreational canoes and rafters who enjoy its swifter currents and relative remoteness from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The greatest fishing pressure this part of river sees is during May when fishermen are chasing American shad.

Joe Demalderis of Cross Current Guide Service is an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide who enjoys the challenge of light tackle and fly fishing for smallmouth on the Upper Delaware. Floating the river in a sixteen-foot ClackaCraft drift boat is the perfect way to experience the fun and excitement of smallmouth fishing.

Cross Current Guide Service prides itself with always having premium tackle available for their clients to use, or of course, anglers are always welcome to bring their own. The same tackle you use for trout is suitable for smallmouth. In fly rods, nine foot six and seven weights are ideal. But anything from a five to eight weight will do the job.

So, grab your fly or spinning rod and enjoy a day in the autumn foliage catching some feisty smallmouth bass.