Upper Delaware Boat Launch in the vicinity of Pond Eddy

[beeber]

Does anyone know of a boat launch for pontoons and yaks in the vicinity of Pond Eddy? We were looking to float that section downstream to Sparrowbush. Jerry's campground is right there at Pond Eddy, but I called and they don't do launches like that. On the PA side there is state gamelands 209, there has to be a pull-off around there somewhere.

Bill

 

[Fly Tier]

Sparrowbush is south of Hawks nest on the NY side. Very large put in and take out area.
As you continue north on 97 up and over Hawks nest, you will start to come down from the top of that famous area. (It will look familiar...numerous car commercials shot on that short windy mountain road overlooking the river) As you come down the hill you will cross a bridge which is over the Mongaup River.
You can pull off there on the N. bound side and but in at the bridge. A little cumbersome for a pontoon but no problem for a kayak. You can float down the monagaup about 200 yds into the Main Delaware River. Its pretty steep and the water is full of boulders so if you choose this, be careful. If you continue on 97 after the mongaup River about 1/4 mile, there is a big pull off on the ------- edited in(I MEANT LEFT SIDE)and I believe its some sort of DEC area. you can park there (lots of parking spots) and follow the trail to the rivers banks, about 50 yds.

A few suggestions.
1) the float form the Mongaup is about 3-5 miles. Can be tricky going around the islands so make sure its not too dark as you are approaching Sparrowbush
2) If you do this float, fish the area where the Mongaup dumps in. Its fast pocket water in a nice riff area. Usually holds a lot of smallmouth. Nothing huge but Ive had days where Ive taken a dozen or more fish in less than an hour. Just below the mouth of the mongaup, there is a big wide pool which holds BIG stripers. If its cloudy or late afternoon, do not hesitate throwwing a big surface popper.
3) South of there you will hit another long pool which fishes real well for stripers and Ive even seen some walleye as well. Anywhere along that float should yield you a more smallies than you know what to do with.
4) beware of rafting brigades
5) if you fish to when the sun goes down, make sure you have a badmitton racked and a head net. I was stuck near the mongaup in fish one evening 2 years ago, about this time of year when the sun went down, I had the craziest hatch of Dobson flies you can possibly imagine. Thousands of them. If you have never seen a dobson fly, you will certainly know what they are quickly if you are in that area late. If you have seen them, you know how they are. They seem to fly right at you and continue to try and "attack you". Think about thousands. It was not pleasant rowing out that entire stretch.

 

[Joe D]

Bill,

There is an access on RT 97 about 14-15 miles above the Mongaup in Highland, NY. Also, as Fly Tier mentions, you could put in at the Mongaup River. Also, just north of the Mongaup River there is an access on the main river that can work for kayaks, pontoons and the like. More info on accesses and distances can be found on the Park Services website: Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River - Public Accesses

Have fun!

Joe

 

[beeber]

Joe D and Fly Tier,

Thanks for the advice, good info here as usual. We were looking at putting in at Highland, but that is a long float to Sparrowbush. As long as there's no significant upstream breeze, that's what we will try. I will let you know how we make out next week.

Bill

 

[beeber]

On Monday we put-in at Highland and floated to the access at Mongaup. We had wind from the North which made the float easier. The water was stained from a release from the Lackawaxen. The topwater bite started right away and action was good all day. Anything that resembled a white minnow about two inches long scored well and often.

There were plenty of eagles and wildlife to see. There were very few other boats out that day. A very good float, I will be back for sure! We launched at 7 am and landed around 530 pm. Again, the wind easily saved us a few hours.

Travelling south the Sparrowbush access was not easy to find. We blew past it and when we turned around we saw the sign going north, it was quite overgrown with greenery.

Bill

 

[Joe D]

beeber,

Sounds like you had a really nice day. I guess next time you'll remember that when you go under the train bridge at Mill Rift to go way to the right... the next stop is the Fish Commission Access on Delaware Ave. in Matamoras.

Did you run into any stripers?

Joe

 

[beeber]

Hi Joe,

Nope, there were no sign of stripers, just smallies, some fallfish and a bluegill.

The other item of note was the presence of tame ducks. These ducks would swim right up to the pontoon boat looking for handouts. They would try to chase down what I was casting too. It was a bit pesky. I was making a sandwich and made the mistake of laying out the bread in the open. There was a quick gust which knocked a full slice into the water, and they were on it immediately.

Bill