North Branch Raritan river 20 inch smallmouth

[thmyorke1]

Yesterday Nick and I floated the North Branch. We got a late-ish start at 7am.

Passed a lot of people by getting work done on trout. Rt 28 bridge was the busiest spot with at least 5 people wading and catching good numbers of trout. Every other bridge/stocking point we saw someone fishing and catching.

SMB Action through the day was pretty slow in comparison to other floats on the North Branch. Even in terms of the dink 5inch smallmouth. Most of the dinks would follow or just not be able to hook up.
Water was clear-ish (clearer than the normal stain we've had) and the sun was beating down. I was able to haul a 13 incher out of a log sticking out of a deep hole. Some other 9 inch fish but few and far inbetween. Nick also got hit by a giant one out of a foot of water deep inside a shallow cove.
Trout however were pretty aggressive, first fish I put in the boat was a pretty stockie, and overall Nick did best putting about 4 in the boat.

Nick and I get out to wade + fish this spot. Nick is doing well with trout, getting 3 follows almost every cast and landing a couple. Just downstream of him, im fishing a shallow flat spot that ive done well in before. I guess there's a deep spot here where it slopes down. I hook up with heavy fish and soon seen its mouth surfaces. Im thinking it's a hefty LargeMouth based off the bucket-sized mouth, but next its head flops out and I see the trademark bronze stripes on its cheeks. I hold on and the fish eventually moves closer, out of the main current. both of us gasping at it's absolute size once finally seeing what I hooked into.

this time I properly measured a fish with a straight tape Taped out to 20 in. My Personal best.

Later in the day, it gets cloudy and the fishing got even slower . We got lucky as once we ended and drove back north to my car, the whole area is washed out by a storm.

In conclusion, im starting to learn a bit more about these smb. Expected them in the shade + deeper spots but turns out the big ones willing to bite were the ones shallow.






Here are also some pics from bank fishing the lower raritan with a friend, got two channel cats on garlic scented curly tail jigs. And my friends' pb bass. Also the 2nd time I ever saw a deer swim across river, while I carp fished for the first time; I learned the hard way 6 lb test is not going to land carp in a river.

[JimmyL]

HOly cow, dude. Seems like the float is the way to do it. Way to land that beast!

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by JimmyL

HOly cow, dude. Seems like the float is the way to do it. Way to land that beast!

Thanks. Where I caught that from is where I normally wade to on foot. Not too far from a popular access point, surprisingly.

[ALS Mako]

Sweet beast of a smallie. You sure are putting your time in. Great job

[AndyS]

That's a PB SMB on the NB during MDW.

Gotta love a CANOE !!!

[FASTEDDIE29]

Well done guys! Congrats on your pb Smallie Luke. That fish is a BEAST! Solid action all around. YEA BUDDY!!!

[Sako1]

Way to catch em up, great pics and report. The bar now set higher on the PB!

Dave

[Lard Almighty]

That is a HUGE smallie, especially for the North Branch. I do not see very many giants come out of there. Great job!

[AndyS]

Someone should start a charter business going down the S and N branches and main stem

I see waders no longer needed !!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Wow nice Smallie there!!