Scheduled to begin next Saturday, 6/22. Info at link 1, good map of the 8 daily paddles at link 2.
http://www.delawareriversojourn.org/
http://goo.gl/maps/IirYo
http://www.delawareriversojourn.org/
http://goo.gl/maps/IirYo
Paddlers; 2013 Delaware River Sojourn
- Thread starter 46er
- Start date
Looks cool. $640 for eight days is pretty steep tho. You or I could use that for a 2-3 day guided fly fishing trip on the Del. lol
Whip and I paddled it from Hancock,NY to Water Gap in four days 126 mi back around 83 or 84.low water probably dragged the canoe 60 miles,Sunburned and poisoned ivyed so bad my eyes swelled shut,Had to sneak and camp next to peoples houses a couple nights and get out before the sun came up so we weren't discovered.Got dumped in Skinners Falls too into a ten foot deep pool.Quite interesting since Whip cain't swim.
To me it's a 1 or 2 day thing. I have no desire to paddle thru Philly, nor drive from place to place. Those prices do include everything except overnighting, but there is no credit if you bring your own boat 
Thinking of trying for day 4, 5 or 6, if the river goes down. Right now its running close to 40,000 cfs and is at 14 feet and both numbers are headed up. The max discharge seen on this date was 15,600 back in 1986. It's really rippin'.
You really don't need a guide on the D
Thinking of trying for day 4, 5 or 6, if the river goes down. Right now its running close to 40,000 cfs and is at 14 feet and both numbers are headed up. The max discharge seen on this date was 15,600 back in 1986. It's really rippin'.You really don't need a guide on the D
I don't know why you'd need a guide anywhere? Where is peoples sense of adventure.The only place you might be able to get lost is in a big swamp like maybe the Atchafalaya basin or some like place and with GPS and decent map skills you shouldn't get lost there.I might take a guide into the Amazon but not for fear of getting lost but to keep me out of trouble with the native insect life.Stinging ants,killer bees,fist sized spiders.I'd come out of the amazon tore up from the floor up.
Al, the guide he was referring to is one that finds the fish for the fisherperson, then said fisherperson follows the guides direction to catch said fish. Not my cup of tea, takes 99% out of the fishing part, and 100% out of the peace and tranquility part 
, but it is big business around the popular streams, rivers, lakes, bays and oceans. I can understand it in some situations though.
, but it is big business around the popular streams, rivers, lakes, bays and oceans. I can understand it in some situations though.
Oh I misunderstood.The only fishin I do is a little pickerel now and then mostly because of where it takes me not so much for the fish.I know plenty of good places for that but if I ever need a guide I'll hire the Woodjin.I'd say instead of payin a guide folks might learn more about fish and they wouldn't need someone to find em for em. Thats part of the fun anyway is findin them spots for yourself,not gettin someone to show you theirs.
Id rather fish on my own anyday as well, but guides can be a great resource for an unfamiliar river. I dont own a drift boat, so a guide can come in handy for covering big water like the Del in such a boat. I can see them being especially beneficial when fly fishing a new river. They fish the water regularly and can teach you the river, the best ways to fish it, and of course supply you with a drift boat if you dont have one (and do the steering while you're casting). I only hired one once the first time I fished the Salmon River near Lake Ontario. I still fish the river at least once a year for salmon and steelhead and use all the helpful tips the guide shared.Al, the guide he was referring to is one that finds the fish for the fisherperson, then said fisherperson follows the guides direction to catch said fish. Not my cup of tea, takes 99% out of the fishing part, and 100% out of the peace and tranquility part
Fly fishing can be a challenge all of its own, Al. Figuring out what flies are hatching and what size the trout are biting can be tricky bussiness, especially for the novice fly fisherman and the fact that trout can be some of the most selective feeders out there. Id think more would be learned in the early stages by attending fly casting demonstrations, classes, or hiring a guide. I was lucky enough to have my old man show me the ropes, but I also attended some free clinics (for tying flies as well) and they were all beneficial and improved my technique. As much as anyone, I enjoy being alone on the river, as thats my favorite part of fishing. I also think theres a lot of good to be said about hiring a guide for certain situations. Just imagine going down to the Florida Keys for fly fishing tarpon, permit, and bonefish. I wouldnt know where to start without a guide or a local fly fisherman to show me the ropes. Then hopefully the next time, I could go alone or with a buddy and and use the knowledge I previously obtained while enjoying the peacefulness of the water.
I have never Fly Fished before but have observed folks doing it in WV.Seems it would be more my type of fishing.They saty moving constantly upstream.I get bored setting around if I'm not catching anything.I'd probably end up flipping rocks along the bank for crawdads,salamanders and snakes.Not for bait ,just cause I like catchin em
Fly fishing for trout is the single biggest thing I miss after leaving Passaic County 30 years ago. I tried it on the Toms several times, and the trout are there, but it just isn't a trout stream as I am used to. Luckily my wife's mother lives a few hundred yards from the Pequannock River, and within a short drive of several smaller streams where I catch wild brookies. In-between trips I get my fix by replenishing my flies at my vise, tying far more than I need. I caught three wild browns plus one larger stocked one from the Pequannock a few weeks ago, returning them all to the water. A little over a month after opening day and the only other angler on the stream on a beautiful Saturday was a kingfisher. It don't get much better than that.
Agreed German. The Toms isnt as an attractive a trout river as the ones up in NW area of the state (south branch, musky, pequest, flat brook). I was surprised to see all the nymphs the Toms has though. Lots of mayfly and caddis nymphs if you overturn a few rocks. Id think the hatches would be more prolific than they are. As for the Del, saw this in the paper today, watch out for flags. haha
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-...f_thinks_delaware_r.html#incart_river_default
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-...f_thinks_delaware_r.html#incart_river_default
Three deaths from drowning so far on the Big D this year. What I read did not say if any were part of the Sojourn; I think not, but they were in the same time frame. The D is still ripping along at a good clip, over 8K cfs and dropping.
Best fly for the Toms is a black or olive wooly bugger, size 14. Only hatches are some caddis, few and far between. Lots of other food. About the only casting is by roll cast, I prefer just a downstream drift. Lots of briars though keeps lots of folks away from the good spots. Wet wade during the week from the GS camp downstream, mind the special reg stretch and the holes. You won't see a soul nor any of the Orvis crowd
Best fly for the Toms is a black or olive wooly bugger, size 14. Only hatches are some caddis, few and far between. Lots of other food. About the only casting is by roll cast, I prefer just a downstream drift. Lots of briars though
keeps lots of folks away from the good spots. Wet wade during the week from the GS camp downstream, mind the special reg stretch and the holes. You won't see a soul nor any of the Orvis crowd