North Branch 9/21/25:

[AndyS]

I managed to get Uncle Ken out of tire pulling retirement. Together we were able to bank 4 truck tires and one car tire. We worked a small section of the North branch from North branch park (4-H) to the Rt. 202 overpass So far this summer I think between walk-ins and float trips my friends and I were able to bank close to 50 tires from the Raritan watershed.
After we tidied up the stream we decided to fish. I love the North branch more than anything else. We are so lucky to have a great watershed within a great watershed. What I mean by that is the Rockaway, Lamington and North branch. We were wet wading today but the water is starting to cool off.
So far I think the bottom 6 miles of the North branch there are 2 truck tires left to be pulled, not too shabby. Hopefully in the spring I can do that 8 hour trout float from Far Hills to the confluence of the South branch.
Rivers are starting to transition from the bass "look" to more of a trout "look" now. The edges are choked with baitfish.
I know fall stocking is right around the corner and hopefully we get some much needed rain. I won't fish much till mid to late November because I can't fish through a thick mat of leaves on the river.
Come December it will be time to grab the trash grabbers and start beating up the banks. The Rt 202 overpass was pretty much trashed unfortunately.
Both Ken and I agreed that the stretch of river would fish much better with the dam removed, why does it take NJ so long to remove deadbeat dams ??