Spin fishing the Big D

[Poopdeck 0]

I haven’t had my boat out enough to run the winter gas out so I took the day off and went fishing. We’ve had about 3 weeks of 95 degree and high humidity days which of course brings violent storms and high muddy water. Today the heat and humidity subsided and it only reached the mid 80’s with a 5 MPH wind. With river levels dropping to 1.75’ (perfect level) it was time for a SMB trip with the boat and spinning gear. Now the river has been SMB fishing very poorly over the last 6 or more years so I was more hoping to run the winter gas out. We fished for about 5 hours and took a good long boat ride. We boated 24 and lost 6 others. Not a big number day but the average size was the best in a very long time.  It was the kind of day that made me think there is hope for the future of the river. Ran the gas out to boot so a very productive day, 

[Philly 0]

Sounds like a good day to me, Poopdeck.  I haven't fished the Delaware in years.   It use to be a regular stop for me and my fishing buddy.   We didn't have a boat so we fished from the bank.  Our favorite spot was the old factory just below the New Hope wing dam on the PA side.  I thing there are condos there now.  We'd park and wade out to a small island that gave us access to the main river.  If the levels were low enough we'd make our way out onto the wing dam and fish from there.  Caught a lot of fish there.  Long before I took up fly fishing.

This was a picture of me holding a nice crappie I caught one day about 40 or so years ago.

[Poopdeck 0]

We launched in lambertville right above the wing dam. You are correct there are condos there now. That was always a popular fishing spot for the shore bound angler. You can still walk out on the wing dam from the jersey side if the Lambertville gauge is under 2’. 

[Mark Knapp 0]

Glad you got out and had a good time. It sounds like a good outing.

[Philly 0]

10 hours ago, Poopdeck said:

We launched in lambertville right above the wing dam. You are correct there are condos there now. That was always a popular fishing spot for the shore bound angler. You can still walk out on the wing dam from the jersey side if the Lambertville gauge is under 2’. 

The last time we went up there, again many years ago, we worked the Jersey side.  It wasn't  a great day.  I haven't been back there since then.

[Poopdeck 0]

7 hours ago, Mark Knapp said:

Glad you got out and had a good time. It sounds like a good outing.

You and me both. It was a great outing because it exceeded our expectations, the fish were really healthy looking, we came home with a lot of hope and I’m excited to get back out there.  A definite win. 

3 hours ago, Philly said:

The last time we went up there, again many years ago, we worked the Jersey side.  It wasn't  a great day.  I haven't been back there since then.

It’s been my home waters for about 35 years and it’s been a fantastic fishery for most of that time but it really requires a boat to fish successfully because of the limited bank access. Nothing is what it use to be though and I ever so briefly had a thought to sell my boat and go back to trout fishing. The thought of that had me breaking out in hives.