floating the little J

[Fly-Swatter]

If its wader after wader though you are just paddling down the shore line and it isn't much fun and defeats the point.

This sounds like more than one float I've done down the West Branch of the Upper Delaware over the last few years (April - June). I was leapfrogging from spot to spot trying to find 50 yards of unoccupied water to slot into. Maybe I stopped 6 times to fish in a 6 hour float. The rest of the time it was "sorry....behind you....just floating though....sorry..., etc."

That's just not fun. I stopped trying to float the West Branch during that time of year.

"Nobody goes there anymore....Too crowded."

If I visualize floating Penns (or the Little J) during spring hatches I imagine the same scenario. I definitely do not want to be that guy!

 

[discomidge]

Last spring on Penns some fisherman in kayaks chased me to the bank, clumsily hitting every rock as they went by and trashing what had been, up to that point, a productive spot. Whatever, it happens. But as someone who knows how to paddle a bit, I quietly fume when knuckleheads can't control their boats. Whatever, knuckleheads. I saw another boat coming so I went to the other side of the island I was on and started fishing a shallow riffle leading into a fast run blocked by big logs at the bottom. The other guy gets to the top of the island, sees me, then back paddles so he can go down my freaking riffle. He of course gets hung up a bunch, almost capsizes, and ends up helpless and backwards, flailing at the water and rocks. Not a good look. As he passed me I let him know that he should watch out for the logs at the bottom of the run. I was even nice about it, probably because he was already so screwed. And it's no fun to have spectators in moments like those.

My buddy once said he wished something would clear those logs at the bottom of the run. I like them and liked them even more that day. That kayaker didn't go over, but looked to have a rough time figuring out how to get out of his boat and unpin it from the logs in the heavy water. I was ready to go help him if things looked dire, but fortunately it looked like it was just a huge pain in the *** for him.

 

[gfoledc]

I live in Tyrone and am retired I would be happy to help anyone needing a shuttle

 

[Schaefer406]

Be careful on the J while floating... I've never done it, but a buddy and I were in the section we call the "minefield" about 300-400 yards upstream from the second rail bridge, and watched a guide and his client hit a rock while the client was standing. Dude took a spill, equipment everywhere... not good. That could've ended in a TBI if the client hit his head on one of the many rocks. Other than that, I'd say look for flows between 400-700 and you're good to float and even wade in majority of the river. Those little J trout really activate in high water on streamers.

 

[redietz]

I'm curious about floating in smaller waters that are typically only the realm of wading anglers.

Although I agree with you that you're going to tick off wading anglers, don't forget that access to to the Little J is possible because it was deemed a navigable river by the courts. Navigating it once in a while would remind all concerned of that fact.

 

[wbranch]

Although I agree with you that you're going to tick off wading anglers, don't forget that access to to the Little J is possible because it was deemed a navigable river by the courts. Navigating it once in a while would remind all concerned of that fact.

Understood but that doesn't make it agreeable to the wading public. I am talking about tradition. Not laws. I am an old man and I respect certain traditions. You can float your craft (if you have one) anywhere it is legal. I chose to limit my floating to waters where there are the absolute least amount of wading anglers to minimize getting someone upset.

 

[redietz]

Understood but that doesn't make it agreeable to the wading public. I am talking about tradition. Not laws. I am an old man and I respect certain traditions. You can float your craft (if you have one) anywhere it is legal. I chose to limit my floating to waters where there are the absolute least amount of wading anglers to minimize getting someone upset.

I don't disagree. As mentioned above, floating should be reserved for days when the water is too high to wade.