I'm not a kayak guy. Well, I'm probably a flip over and get into trouble kayak guy. But today I took mine for a spin on the big river. More later. Started early just as the sun broke from the east. Drove past Trenton and didn't even stop as the water temps are in the mid-80's. It was a drive south to find, well you know, some SH's.
Don't know what to say other than this is what it's like when you fish new spots and fish for new fish. I haven't fished slow-ass-water since I was a kid. Growing up in Millstone and fishing small ponds, irrigation lakes and some bigger lakes was how I learned to fish, well I've forgot a lot of it. But to be fair, back then I was only using a spinning rod. Fly fishing, and doing it on foot, for SH isn't easy, and probably not advised. It's hard enough from a boat I am told. So I hit the main river and then jumped out of the truck and walked, and walked and walked. Finally finding some
promising spots. Didn't see any lying in wait, none coming up for a breather, no blow ups, no frogs, but lots and lots of turtles. I blind casted as well as I could but the backcast was a bitch and the pads grab your fly and don't let go. Had the waders on and they worked fine, until later in the day. I went to a spot where I could launch my kayak but I forgot my life jacket and I'm not playing. So
missed that opportunity. Once home I banged out another "Archer's Flying frog" and this time I tied in some mono as a weed guard. It's not as nice as the other one, and the other one has held up nicely, but it should get the job done, eventually. Later in the tide I went over to PA to see if I could catch
something, anything, in that bathtub water. I put the waders on and once I got above my calf the flood started, first the right foot, then the left. So with my lifejacket in the truck I decided to launch my kayak. Didn't bring a rod, just socks on my feet and camera in my pocket. I just did a tour
between the bridges. I saw some monster carp and a few striped bass swimming along, and trying to breathe. When I tell you the waters warm, its dam near hot. Any thought I had of hitting it at 430 am on the top of the tide is out the window. Its not good for the bass, too hot, too much stress. I walked along the path looking over the below normal river. They are releasing 325 million gallons from Cannonsville and 95 from Peapacton reservoirs in Upstate New York but you can;'t tell that down here. But I bet the West Branch is fishing well, Hale Eddy is 540 cfs and is 58 degrees. I jumped
across the river and back down south and popped my fly on top of the lily pads that were covered over on the moon flood tide. With each retrieve I am just anticipating these "ferocious" strikes. It will happen when I least expect it and will blow the hook set.
