Raritan river 9 mile FLOAT trip 3/27/19:

[AndyS]

They say all things are for love or for learning, today I guess was for learning. The1 and I finally got a float trip in. Original plan was to float the upper part of the river in November and put a hurtin' on the hold over trout, but it never stopped raining. So 4 months later we decided to float and see what was what. The thought of a MEGA float trip did cross our minds putting in way up at Raritan Borough and floating down to Piscataway, but launching into closed water due to stocking kind of threw us off. That and fishing hasn't been all that great up that way anyway and some of the better reports were coming from the lower end of the river. We put in on the Muddystone in Manville and floated to Landing Lane in Piscataway, about 9 miles. Portage at the fish ladder falls was okay, no big deal.
I threw the Clown Yo-Zuri in the deeper runs and marabou jigs in the shallow faster runs. The1 mixed it up with various jigs and lures, nothing caught unfortunately.
We flew down the river at 1000 CFS, 6 1/2 hours total time. Water temperature was 42* and gin clear.
Think it was my 1st time floating in March and this was my first float trip since I quit smoking in October, so it's all good.
(p.s. Had a good number of bugs coming off the water all the way to Piscataway)

[Mark B.]

Here's a mega float.

When we were kids, my brother & I canoed from Three Bridges (where we grew up) to Johnson Park. About 25 miles.

I recall portaging over the dams, and the long slow stretch of constant paddling at the end. From the Rt. 287 crossing to Johnson Park (where our father picked us up).

[thmyorke1]

Still a fun float. Glad to experience how it is in the cold.

Originally Posted by Mark B.

Here's a mega float.

When we were kids, my brother & I canoed from Three Bridges (where we grew up) to Johnson Park. About 25 miles.

I recall portaging over the dams, and the long slow stretch of constant paddling at the end. From the Rt. 287 crossing to Johnson Park (where our father picked us up).

That's epic. Sunrise to sunset float? That stretch you mentioned has some good spots though, produced some good fish, but most of it is paddling however.

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by thmyorke1

Still a fun float. Glad to experience how it is in the cold.



That's epic. Sunrise to sunset float? That stretch you mentioned has some good spots though, produced some good fish, but most of it is paddling however.

Yes, took the whole day. We didn't fish,.....the only implements in our hands were paddles.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Well you can’t catch fish in the Raritan every trip. That’s a proven fact! Hahahaha! Nice scenery if you like the sound of cars doing 90mph on 287!

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by Mark B.

Yes, took the whole day. We didn't fish,.....the only implements in our hands were paddles.

Ooh now I see what you mean about the lower stretch. Must have been tough work with all those dams, and tires , to maneuver around.