floating the sbr

[skipper3245]

First of all..is it even legal in a dory boat? Im coming home in a month or so and wanted to maybe see if I can float any stretch on the sbr. Anyone ever do it? I have a small skiff in NJ that would make it but idk if there is are any places to dump and take out the boat. Anyone know of anything on this subject?

 

[Simms]

'yak it' through the gorge! LOL

 

[Werloc]

A "lot" of people float it with canoes and kayaks. Always while I'm fishing too... ..lol Groups of 2 to 6, every few hours near me. Anyway, the water is at it's lowest right now. Much lower than it was all Summer.

 

[coolkyle]

Much lower than it was all Summer.

Not really.
Skipper, I'd bring a 7wt that can chuck big streamers to the bank. Just change to a longer leader if the BWO's come out, it gets windy out in Jersey and those fish are too big for a 5wt. On the mighty South Branch, the ability to cover a lot of water is key, so even consider a shooting head for that sculpzilla. Ask Shannon's if they have a shuttle service.

 

[Simms]

A "lot" of people float it with canoes and kayaks. Always while I'm fishing too... ..lol Groups of 2 to 6, every few hours near me. Anyway, the water is at it's lowest right now. Much lower than it was all Summer.

The SBR was down in the 20cfs range this summer on occassion. Dont you fish bluegills anyway?

 

[skipper3245]

haha simms was that one for me? Yeah i dont have a kayak or anything. I mean its a one sided dory boat that is prob worth $200 tops so it will be interesting. I just wanna do some exploring. Especially through some private land.

But does anyone know of any places on the system that you can put in and take out?

 

[Simms]

Skip,

I was just bustin weloc's balls.

I do not know of any put in/take outs, however if I find time today Ill give Shannons a call for you.

 

[thrashers.wheat]

First of all..is it even legal in a dory boat? Im coming home in a month or so and wanted to maybe see if I can float any stretch on the sbr. Anyone ever do it? I have a small skiff in NJ that would make it but idk if there is are any places to dump and take out the boat. Anyone know of anything on this subject?

Above Lake Solitude you'll find very skinny h2o. would not suggest floating above there unless rain comes our way. the stretch down in to high bridge is skinny, too. We need the rain to bring the water up. I'd say your most uppstream point you'd be ok to put in would be just downstream of high bridge.

starting at upstream most point, here they are:

put in downstream of high bridge on gray rock road. you can hit that from 31, where the mcdonalds is at and head north past the new middle school. You would float under the 31 bridge. 1 - 1.75 miles of inaccessible water. I imagine the water is slow past the bridge. take out above clinton reservoir in marshy area - have yet to float this stretch, believe it is floatable.

put in downstream or at clinton falls, take out upstream of water
treatment plant which is just upstream of camp carr. you could put out at hamden road which is up from the treatment plant, but there is some nice water after hamden. - flows through some inaccessible water downstream of clinton, but i'd advise you stay away from floating this stretch for the first time in winter.

put in at hamden road, take out at camp carr.

put in near of camp carr, take out near sunnyside park

put in near camp carr, take out at stanton station, passing sunnyside
if you put in or take out at camp carr, park by the bridge on the side of the road, they are cool with fisherman doing that

put in near sunnyside park, take out at stanton station

put in near sunnyside, take out on river road at packer's island, passing stanton station

put in at stanton station, take out on river road at packer's island

put in on river road on east side of 31, take out at dart's mill

the south branch downstream of three bridges really slows down and is a better small mouth fishery, with less stocking focus.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Legal? Yes. Make sense? Not even close. The SBR is marginal kayak water when the flows are up. Right now I wouldn't want to tow a kid's foot long plastic boat down the SBR and I just guided there today. Maybe during a flood....

Remember, on private lands you still can't fish unless you are free floating. Once you have to get out to portage, the rods have to be stored. No anchoring either except on public water. But please post if you do float it, I'd like to take some pix

 

[JeffK]

I'm with Rusty. I used to be a enthusiastic canoer and have canoed the SBR from Gonsky's Bridge to the Junction with the N BR over the decades. Can be done - causes conflict with the fishermen.

My one beef with the year round special regs in the gorge was that in the old system the 6 weeks when it was closed to fishing prior to opening day was a great time to canoe since you would only pass a half dozen or so fishermen and since the season was closed I didn't feel bad canoeing in front of them.

 

[gadfly]

Hi Skipper. What you really need is a book called Garden State Canoeing by Ed Gertler. I'd be happy to scan the appropriate section for you if you shoot me your email address, especially as you've been so generous with your MT information. That book will tell you just how skinny the water is, and will tell you what the levels need to be to float it. Then you can check the gauges on the USGS website to see if/when its doable. Gertler's will also tell you about put in/take out locations and portages/dangers.

I agree with others here. Any water upstream of Clinton is not going to make sense with a dory IMHO. However, it is a great float with a canoe when the water is up and I have paddled through much of it. Downstream of Clinton you might find some water you could float with a dory, but then you're out of trout country and into small mouth water.

Make sure you take heed of Rusty Spinner's advice, particularly if you float through any of the fishing club sections.

 

[JeffK]

Most NJ trout "rivers" are on the skinny side and not that suitable for dories. Even canoes take either high water or skills with poling skinny water. in NJ most dory water is smallie water like Lower SBR/Raritan of the Delaware.

Close by in PA is the Lehigh, which may be more like a western float river. Big trout in the Lehigh. In the gorge it is class II-III water (maybe a couple spots running towards IV in high water) - but the run is in a state park and they have funny rules about floatation. Check before you head there. From Jim Thorpe to Bowmanstown it is Class II and more friendly to lower water levels. Have a few boat ramps because there are commercial whitewater rafting companies (don't fish in a whitewater release if you want more than 5 ft of space). The WW companies do the lower stretch in the summer, but the upper probably needs 1000 cfs for a dory.

The Pohopco is a tailwater that comes in near Bowmanstown. The pool where the Pohopco meets the Lehigh is a hotspot, but is far from a secret one unfortunately. When drifting by it never hurts to take a cast.

 

[emoussa]

Your better off doing this float in march or april. I Kayaked through the KLG last year in early april when the water was up and it was pretty nice, even though I probably pissed off a few people. I would also recommend Gertler's book.

 

[Simms]

Your better off doing this float in march or april. I Kayaked through the KLG last year in early april when the water was up and it was pretty nice, even though I probably pissed off a few people. I would also recommend Gertler's book.

So that was you!!!!

 

[skipper3245]

thanks guys. Ill prob just take my neighbors kayak. I wish I could be here to do it in the spring with more water, but Ill be stuck in Chile/argentina.

 

[Simms]

thanks guys. Ill prob just take my neighbors kayak. I wish I could be here to do it in the spring with more water, but Ill be stuck in Chile/argentina.

HAHA POOR baby!

Mind if I come down to stay with you? in all seriousness.

 

[skipper3245]

Sry my tent is only a one man.

 

[jholland]

Just remember that if the land is posted even if you are free floating, fishing is prohibited as per the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.-JH