Delaware 6/7

[Eskimo]

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I fished the Delaware Water Gap at Route 80 this afternoon.

It was weird because the rangers had the place locked down tight. I guess they were determined not to have the number of drowning they had had last summer. The main parking lot was gated off at one end and they had two park rangers closing the entrance at the other end. The lot was full of cars so I assume they let new cars in as other cars left.

The parking lot for the boat ramp (next to the beach) had a big sign that said "Parking By Permit Only". I have no idea what this permit thing is, so I left.

On the other side of route 80, they had the parking lots barricaded because they were full and the lawn area next to it was closed off to parking.

For some reason I can't explain, I was determined to fish the Route 80 area. I drove up to the parking space by the 3-minute light, unloaded my kayak, and sent my kayak tumbling off the steep bank into the water. I scared the crap out of an old bucket-sitter fishing under the bridge. Then I loaded my kayak up and paddled away.

The scenery and weather were beautiful, but the fishing was not great. I was catching fish, but I seriously didn't catch a Smallmouth bigger than eight inches all afternoon.

It didn't used to be this way. I recall the fishing being much better when I was younger. I'm not a fisheries biologist, but I blame over-harvest and the young-of-year disease (columnaris) for the poor yields.






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