Lower South branch 9/29/25:

[AndyS]

9/29/25: Rockafellows dam to the confluence of the North branch.
I was actually hoping to squeak in one more day on the river before the leaves really start coming down. Had a fantastic summer of SMB despite the lack of rain. The Lower South branch has been running high all summer, until today. For whatever reason I guess everything is starting to dry up, but I wasn't fazed by the lower than normal water, still plenty of water to float a canoe on.
I took my time in the beginning working as hard as I know how throwing my Keitechs. Leaves and weeds were a bit of a PIA but kept fishing. Got down to Three Bridges and started pulling tires since the fishing was slow in the low gin clear water. What I failed to realize I needed to be doing something since I really hadn't gone that far in almost 3 hours... PADDLE !!!! With the lower than usual CFS I was going nowhere fast !!! So I battened down the hatches and dug in for an almost 3 hour non stop paddle. Mind you I enjoy the river, just don't want to be out there all day. That trip usual only takes me 5 hours, I dug in and did it in 5 1/2. I barely slowed down when I saw a tire. Jump out, dig it out, toss in canoe and keep going !!! I think I banked 8 tires today but had to leave 8 truck tires behind, I can't do truck tires by myself.
Soooooo fall stocking is in a few weeks and it looks like we are going to be in the same situation as last fall, no water !! Had my fingers crossed we were going to get something from these hurricanes, but nothing, grrrrrr
Saw 4 bald eagles and 1 osprey.