Raritan river 9 hr. float 4/29 report:

[AndyS]

Started off by leaving one car down at the 2nd 287 crossing and Hatterr and I driving up in one car to where the N. & S. branch meet. I think we were on the water some time around 7am or so with my 17ft. flat bottom canoe.
Big slow water, tough. Portage at Duke Island Park is nothing short of a major PIA, but we did what we had to do. Anchored up in the fast water below the falls for a bit, it's very strange and what I call squirlly anchored up in there, first fish, a stockie rainbow.
Big slow water again, and alot shallower than I had thought going down to Roberts St., again a PIA portage but we pressed on. Anchored up below the falls at Roberts St. where I got a small walleye and a smallmouth. Amazing how big the trees are laying at the bottom of Roberts. St, and they look like a jewlers case, glittering with all the lures hanging off of them.
We press on.
Through Bronzeback's home turf and out to Nevieus. A quick jump over the falls, easy for a change. We found a huge dead gizzard shad there.
We blew through Nevieus like it wasn't even there.
Down to the Rt. 206 crossing, strange water, pits and runs. Through the Somerville stretch without a fish.
Took a break above Manville to re-organize and do a few throws in some fast water, had a few chunky smallmouth hit and fly through the water, gone.
Manville rip-rap, one smallmouth, disapointing. We get into the fast run and Hatterr had been throwing BIG stuff all day, he gets crushed and the smallmouth flies through the air, waves a fin, and says good-bye. I think that fish was every bit of 5 lbs.
Train tressels in Bridgewater, deep holes, nice looking stuff. Portage at South Bound Brook falls, easy, lunch time. Anchored up in the crazy fast water for a bit, nothin' doin there.
Get to the 1st 287 crossing and Hatterrs plug gets crushed at boatside by something big and fast, walleye ? pike ? musky ? Swing and a miss, the plug was fouled when he was bringing it in.
Bound Brook, slow and steady.
Just as we are getting to get out of the water Hatterr throws his plug and connects with his 1st walleye ever, right by the 2nd 287 crossing, nice fish, no skunk, cherry broken. After that he looks over in a wood pile and finds his plug he lost last week fishing in South Bound Brook, too funny.
All in all a fun day. We didn't hit EVERY spot and passed over some really sexy spots, but thats floating. We threw everything from BIG yo zuris to musky lures to husky jerks to fake crayfish and jigs.
AVERAGE water depth through the whole float was 4ft. deep.
I had my GoPro on for a bit but when I thought it was on it was off and when I thought it was off it was on, so we'll see if any video comes out of this ( old dog learning new tricks )

I'm thinking just a little early for Merrill Creek yet, so if I get the time I'll float some more, who knows, South Branch, or maybe the main Raritan again.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Great day Andy and Hatttter. How did that first WALLEYE feeeeeeeeeel???? Great day for a float trip!!! AWESOME!!!

[lunkertaker]

Nice report Andy

i went with one of my daughters biking the tow path from 287 past bound Brook today. Saw one guy on the Canal fishing two rods in a canoe on the bottom and flipping for whatever would bite. Did not talk to him...just rode past and...well, thought about the possibilities

Beautiful day today to get out.

[tjc76]

Great report. That is a beautiful eye.

[Cuz]

Well Andy, you now have the record for the longest post. But the 10 mile trip also holds a record for hard work and dedication to the sport of fishing. I can't even imagine trying to do a trip like that. Too bad you didn't catch a whole lot more. Maybe next time it'll produce more bites and fish. Try it on the Delaware River next time. I guarantee you'll have much better luck.

Thanks again Andy.....yesterday was fun. And catchin my first walleye was killer......think I'll be back tomorrow just above that first 287 bridge.....alot of great fishable water through there......some really great holes...lets doin again soon....

[AndyS]

Cuz, it isn't so much about the catching. I grew up on the Raritan as a kid, Manville, Bridgewater, Bound Brook. I remember when the river flowed red from pollution, and the smell was horrible. We floated and saw tons of ducks, I think no less than 7 varieties. We saw schools of large suckers, some big carp and some big fish we couldn't identify. We floated through Raritan, Manville, Bound Brook and Somerset, my home waters. Ultimately I would like to buy a drift boat and do charters on the Raritan. There are a lot of people working on the Raritan and Millstone rivers. I plan on floating the Edison wetlands when I get the time.


Here are just a few…………………….there are many more.

http://www.raritan.rutgers.edu/

http://www.edisonwetlands.org/

http://www.thewatershed.org/

[FASTEDDIE29]

That river should be stocked with walleye and baitfish. Maybe some Smallies as well, there are definately some monsters in there!!!

I think we need to get more access to the river. If the fisherman can get access to to fish it I think the state would be inclined to do some stocking programs. But if only a hand full of guys are fishing it or talking about it that wheel is just not gonna get greased! I remeber as I kidd my father taking back down some tracks in Finderne to fish under a tressel...one of the one we floated under.........WE NEED MORE ACCESS!

[mcfish82]

by edison wetlands do u mean the dismal swamp??