South Jersey Fly Fishers

Calendar

August 21 - Youth Outdoor Day at the Salem County Sportsmen’s Club. Members will be providing fly tying, casting, and fly fishing

                    instruction. Setup begins at 7 a.m. Activities run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  All members are welcome to attend. 

Schedule of Events

September 17  A float trip on the  Brandywine River. By Kip Heiny

                

               The date has been set for the annual Brandywine River float trip, this year it will be Friday September 17^th. This is a great trip from Rt. 1 at the Brandywine River Museum down to just across the Delaware state line. In pontoon boats this is an all day float, considerably shorter in a canoe or kayak. Personally I like the pontoon boat it floats slowly giving you more time to fish with only minimal steering corrections needed. This stretch of river is however quite calm with no rapids and easily floated in a canoe. If you use canoe or kayak be sure to leave a vehicle at the take out point or stop and wade periodically to allow us slowpokes to catch up.

                 I would recommend light tackle for this float either a 4 or 6 wt. rod with a floating fly line. Small white poppers are my fly of choice although small bead head woolly buggers also work very well. I do strongly recommend taking an extra rod and reel along. It’s no fun being on an all day float with a broken rod and watching everyone else catch fish. Take you fly of choice for river sunfish and smallmouth bass.

                 As I said this is an all day float with no place to jump out and run to the store, so along with your fishing tackle let’s do a list of the supplies needed for this trip. Water, I usually pack 6 bottles of water in a soft side cooler. Also in the cooler you will find a sandwich and a handful of granola bars. Next in one of the storage compartments on my boat is sunscreen and bug spray, bugs have never been a big problem but again it doesn’t hurt to be prepared and a rain coat, That has come in handy a few times for both rain and due to a temperature drop. I don’t wear waders for this trip, a pair of shorts and wading shoes and be sure to have a pair of socks to wear with the wading shoes they will save your feet from all the sand and stones that will get in your shoes. You will also need a Pennsylvania fishing license, a one day license costs $26.70 and is available online.

                 The plan is to meet at the museum parking lot at 8:00 am get the boats launched shuttle cars and hopefully be on the water by 9:00 or more likely 9:30. We will stop along the way for lunch and a stretch. After lunch we will continue fishing down to the red covered bridge which is just below the state line. There may be some groups of canoers on the river we usually just stop and let them go by, it only takes a couple minutes to have the river to ourselves again. Last year I had a couple of first timers along and they were amazed at such a remote and pristine fishery so close to a large population center.

                 My cell number is 856-305-4476 I’m not to good about keeping it with me but leave a message I will get back to you. Or you can e-mail me at fisherkip@aol.com. I recently bought a second pontoon boat which will be available if somebody would like to try it this year. Give this some thought I have floated a number of rivers along with the Brandywine, this is my favorite way and one of my favorite places to fish. I hope some of you take advantage of this wonderful fishery.

                   

September 16 - Next Regular Meeting at The Salem County Sportsmen’s Club. President Terry Fitzpatrick has a  fun night planned for everyone.