With the main stem of the Raritan still high and murky, I headed up to Natirar to fish the North Branch. Water was up a foot or two, but a lot clearer than downstream. I fished the stretch along the back side of the park. Started out with a white grub and immediately it was drop-and-reel action on sunfish. They were everywhere; every little riffle, run, and pool in the stream was bursting at the seams with hungry sunfish. Not big (in fact some were notably small), but with a fish for nearly every cast, it sure was entertaining. After I had my fill of the sunnies I switched to a #0 Mepps Aglia silver, and started getting a nice mixed bag. Species represented in today's catch included fallfish, smallmouths, largemouths, rock bass, yellow perch, four different kinds of sunfish, and even a holdover rainbow.
All told, I believe I caught around 100 fish. I lost count fairly quickly, but it sure seems like that's how many I got. Nothing super big, but a few decent smallies broke up the dinks. A couple of photographs below.
The park was pretty jacked up from the flood damage. Some of the asphalt paths were washed out, and there were several downed trees. The river was at least two or three feet above its banks, and there were lots of trees and branches in the water. Caution tape everywhere; at least half the total trails are closed. Knowing the SCPC, it will stay that way for the rest of the year. On the plus side, the fish are biting!
__________________
Now the sun is just starting to climb up over the treetops,
And it's gonna be a beautiful day, that's plain to see.
But I won't be around at all, so don't even bother to call,
Cause on a day like today there's one place I gotta be:
GONE FISHIN'
Fishing with LardAlmighty on YouTube
09-04-2011, 09:21 PM
NB Raritan River 9/4/11 - 100 fish
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