Traffic heading home on Rt. 78 last night was backed up, so I got off at exit 24 and took the back roads into Califon and then down River Road that runs along side the South Branch of the Raritan River.
I was surprised that the river wasn't off-coloured considering the amount of rain we had, it cleared up rather quickly.
I haven't been to the Gorge in a while and seeing the river made me wonder why I don't fish it like I use to??? Tonight I will after work that is for sure.
As I was driving along the river I noticed a car at one of the road side pull-off's, it belonged to a guy I use to fish with and a few years ago use to guide in the area, so I stopped to say hello. He stated a hatch came off around 5 pm and the fish were rising in good numbers.
While talking to him there was a father, his son and daughter fishing with spin casters and they were hammering the trout. I believe the regulations state you can keep 6 fish each and they were nearing that limit. My friend with a fly rod and red B/H Woolly Bugger wasn't doing too bad either, and after a short time taking the family slowy encroached in on him, I told him it was the Salmon River during salmon season. There was no one up stream or down stream within sight, but they just had to stand less than four feet from him.. I thought it was funny.
I departed and when I reached Hoffman's Bridge I stopped and looked over the water, there was one fisherman with a spinning rod and a full stringer on the bank.
So, there are plenty of decent sized trout in the SBR, and if you don't get there soon, the spinning rodder's will have them all for dinner.
ON ANOTHER NOTE Yesterday I received an e-mail from KLG-TU The Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic is scheduled for the 7th of June, Pequest has set it up on their web site. We need to line up instructors. Instructors needed for: ·Intro to Fly Fishing and TU ·Equipment ·Lines & Leaders ·Knots ·Matching the Hatch. The afternoon session is casting and we will need about six instructors to help out. Can you please ask for volunteers from each of your chapter.>> Anyone interested in helping out, please contact XXXX (will not post his name & e-mail without his permission) Recently I met an Engineer that just moved here from California, she was a fly fishing instructor out there and I passed on this information and directions to the hatchery. She was happy and indicated she was going to participate.