Raritan river 10/6/24:

[AndyS]

Funny I was just reading about how the Division is going to postpone fall stocking on some rivers due to low water. I'm down here fishing the main stem Raritan and watching my step so I don't fill up my waders. True the river is low but there never seems to be a shortage of deep water and big riffs on the main stem. I mean why would they want to fall stock the main stem, just today I watched a prolific hatch of cream colored (flies) , the edges are choked with baitfish and there are loads of crayfish under the rocks. I wrote to F&G for the better of 9 years asking for fall trout stocking on the upper 2 1/2 mile stretch - from the Headgates dam to Orlando Park in Raritan Borough. I never heard back from them and finally gave up in the end, I guess those big trout are better suited for some duck pond down in Salem or Gloucester county. It does appear they are releasing small amounts of water from Round Valley since Spruce Run is all but dried up. Don't get me wrong, we desperately need rain but I can easily find home for just a few of those big trout this fall.
Uncle Ken and I hit the BIG water this morning, I knew in the back of my mind that we better hit it early with the forecast of bluebird skies, that combined with the gin clear water. We held our own and I even caught a VERY feisty channel catfish on a hair jig, I think that was a first.
As the sun got higher the fishing become tougher. We parted ways around noon and I went down to Somerville. Struck out down here and I fizzled out and flipped over all the cards and headed for home. All in all a fun day and thinking of all the water we DIDN'T fish, basically we covered just a fraction of this great river. As usual it was hard to find another angler on the river today. p.s. At one point I had 2 adult bald eagles circling overhead, that was pretty neat.

[FASTEDDIE29]

Well yep there's fish to be had all over the river. It just doesn't have the great runs the NY waters have. Those Carp holes and muck bottom can be fantastic however. Some nice Channels and Flatheads around as well. Looks like a fun day all around.