Raritan river 8/23: plus MORE GREAT NEWS

[AndyS]

I wanted to hit the stretch in Duke Island Park this morning but the main gate was still closed at 6:30am so I went up and entered at the Sellers maintenace yard entrance. I walked down to the falls and there was a guy there dead sticking lickin chivers and he said he just released a 7lb. channel cat. I fished the falls for a bit and didn't get anything so I went down to the big run below the falls and got a handful of foot long smallmouth, all fought great and looked healthy. I came back up the other side of the falls and deep dropped jigs there but found no love. I packed it in and went around and came into the park and fished the stretch below the shale flats, it was like fishing new found water. The level was down about 2 feet and moving very nice. I walked across and hit the shale flats and donated some tackle there, with the summer levels it was tough, no fish but very pretty. I wanted badly to see Roberts St. so I packed up and drove down there, it looks great !! At the moment the river is still trying to find itself. I fished where the dam was and there is a great run and still a huge drop off where the dam was, I got a nice smallmouth there. It looks like they just completed removal of the dam and already the fish are coming back. The stretch there has some great runs and deep stretches but I didn't fish more because the sun was coming on strong and I was getting very hungry.
Here is the best part of the day !!! As I was geting ready to pack it in a guy pulls up and gets out of his car with some camera equipment, it was the guy who is in charge of the dam removals on the Raritan river. I think his name is John so I got a quick chance to pick his brain. He said they are going after Nevius St. dam big time and Dukes Estate is backing him on his project. He also said that Dukes Estate thirst for river water may be coming to an end also. MORE great news, he said they have their sights set on the headgates, yes !!! the headgates on the Raritan in Duke Island Park, imagine that one coming down !!!! He said they are also looking into reconstucting the fish ladder in South Bound Brook and making it even more fish friendly. He also went on to say when they took out the dam at Roberts St. it exposed all kinds of trash so he ordered a huge dump truck and they pulled no less than 16 tires out of the river along with assorted car parts, shopping carts, steel drums and bicycles. So I was glad I went fishing today, didn't catch much but had a great day.
So onto part 2: Here is where I need your help. I will be writing letters to NJFG&W and try to push for fall stocking on the Raritan, I figure they have enough fish to stock into these "swamps" I think they can afford to throw a few in the Raritan. I will also be writing letters to push for spring trout stocking as far down as Bound Brook and not just to the Rt. 206 bridge. I'm not down and out on the sea run brown trout program on the Raritan either, time to stop the waste in the Muddysquan. So do your part and take a few minutes of your time and let them know what YOU want. There is a trout stocking meeting every spring also, I'll try to make that one and push for more trout in the Raritan. If trout isn't your thing then please feel free to write to NJFG&W and ask for bass or what not to be stocked, they raise them also, and muskies and pike. Thanx guys, here is the link:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/contactform.htm