Shehawken --> Buckingham on a Sunday

[mellowluke]

I'm floating next week for a few days beginning this Sunday (5/1).

I'm getting up there Sunday around mid-day, so would like a shorter float. I was thinking about doing Shehawken to buck, but don't want to be playing bumper boats for the few hours that I'm on the river.

Wanted to see what the forum would think traffic would be on a Sunday for that stretch.

 

[afishinado]

mellowluke wrote:
I'm floating next week for a few days beginning this Sunday (5/1).

I'm getting up there Sunday around mid-day, so would like a shorter float. I was thinking about doing Shehawken to buck, but don't want to be playing bumper boats for the few hours that I'm on the river.

Wanted to see what the forum would think traffic would be on a Sunday for that stretch.

Far be it from me to try to predict anything that happens on the D River, but check out the number of trailers at Buckingham to gauge the amount of boats on the River.

My guess, flows are low right now, but if we get a lot of rain as predicted, the flows may be up and more boats/waders will be fishing in the WB or EB. If not, the MS will be pretty crowded. Regardless, there is always more room floating the MS than on the branches.

As always, assess the situation when you get there and make your best guess right before kick-off.

Good luck on your trip. Post a report.

 

[Stimey]

I would anticipate that there will be a lot of boats out. I have been up to the Upper D each of the last 3 weekends and it seems to me like there are more boats and wade fisherman than usual. Also, I believe this weekend is the one bug so that could add some people as well (think that is Saturday)

p.s. I will be adding to the crowd going up Saturday to Thursday.

 

[vcregular]

One Bug this weekend, and with most likely limited water in teh west branch - most boats will be on the main. I would guess trailer will be out to the 191 at Buck.

Off course all conditions on the D could change tomorrow if we get rain.

 

[mellowluke]

Ah -- forgot about the 1 bug. It's probably going to be jammed up anywhere I put in. May just put in really late and try to be the last idiot on the river.

 

[krayfish2]

One bug madness. Lol. I avoided this weekend because of it. Unless there's rain or a release, the water is getting low. The main might be the only float in town so expect DC beltway conditions. Been up once and it was very busy. if you are still up on the 5th, I'll be limping up 191 heading to the Capra.

 

[DavidFin]

I wouldn't float, I'd skip around the whole system on foot.

 

[mcwillja]

I will be up this friday and saturday to officially open camp and put the water in. Should be able to get some good fishing in.

 

[fisherboy3]

Ton of traffic i would assume. With the one bug, and the west not really at a good floatable level, most guys would be on the main. If i were you, I wouls also skip around on foot. Plenty of access spots on all three branches.

 

[Chaz]

They can actually close a navigable river for a stupid tournament?

 

[afishinado]

Chaz wrote:
They can actually close a navigable river for a stupid tournament?

Not closed, just crowded

 

[krayfish2]

And it raises a lot of FUDR funds to lobby for protection of the watershed. It's not like Hay Crk Chaz

 

[wbranch]

Fisherboy wrote;

Plenty of access spots on all three branches.

Please tell me where all the access spots are on the main? I can only think of five from Hancock to Lordville. On the entire lower EB from Jaws to Hancock I can only think of four legal parking places and on the upper EB (Sunoco to Downsville) maybe half a dozen parking opportunities. I think the word "plenty" might be somewhat subjective. There are far more public and legal parking opportunities on the Beaverkill and Willowemoc than there on the main and EB.

 

[DavidFin]

There's a ton of access all over the system if you don't mind walking. The Main has train tracks following it.

 

[krayfish2]

But...... accessing the tracks is most likely trespassing on railway property and then......you have to trespass when going down the back to the river. Just saying. The EB has public fishing rights scattered through it's length. Getting to the fishing access requires permission to cross private land or trespassing. Basically, a bunch of those 'public fishing access points' are land locked. It's not as easy as it first seems.

 

[DavidFin]

Sad world we live in.

 

[krayfish2]

What is sad? If it's private land, they have every right to post or permit access. Personally, I'd post. If you're talking about the section near Bouchouxville Brook, there's a sign in box and access. Some of the refusals to allow access........

Lawyers - people fear someone getting injured / lawsuit
Slobs - landowners tired of people littering, noise, property damage
Guides - yes, some have had issues with guides and closed access

Can't blame any landowner that posts property or has an attorney draw up a 'hold harmless agreement'. Sucks sometimes but what can you do.

 

[fisherboy3]

West: stilesville
Sewage plant
Gentlemans Club
Indian Country
Upper and lower gamelands
Balls eddy
Shehawken
East:
Thayer Hollow
Tommanex
Powerlines
Corn fields
Oxbow
Sunoco
Jaws
Cadosia
Main:
Junction pool
Stockport
Buckingham
Lordville(Ny side)
Soaring eagle campground(pa side of lordville)
Bouxieville
Basket Brook
1943 riffle
Long Eddy
Callicoon
Damascus
So Wbranch....you were saying?

 

[foxtrapper1972]

And there are loads of vehicles and boat trailers parked in every one.

fisherboy3 must've bought "the book".

 

[JeffK]

I've spent the last two Fridays on the upper and lower East and found spots with uncrowded fishing and plenty of risers. Hatches haven't been heavy, but enough to bring up feeding fish. This week the small olives were on from about 3 to dark - the low clear water has the bottom covered with weed which eliminates the spin fishermen and helps the olives. Sure, some of the more famous spots (i.e cornfields) were mobbed. Others were empty and we had holes to ourselves.

Just stopped by Oxbow to look at conditions and the landowner from across the river hurried down on his ATV to warn us from fishing on his side of the river. Had some horror stories to tell of anglers hassling his kids - which would have me on alert as well.