Delaware River Was High and Muddy

I was entertaining guest this weekend, so I could only get out for a few hours on Sunday.  The fall afternoon was wonderful and I was hoping to snag some smallies on a 4-inch wacky rig.  I fished from about 2:00 to 3:30 and didn't even get a bite.  The water was high and muddy and the there were lots of leafs in the water. The Gage Height at Port Jervis, NY was about 5.3 feet.

I did get to try my neoprene waiters and they are a great addition to my arsenal of fishing.    I got a pair of Field and Stream (with no boot) waders and some accessory boots which go on over top the wader socks.  I figured I could still use the accessory boots in the Summer without wearing the waders.  There are some locations I fish on the Delaware that are just sooo rocky and potentially dangerous.  But even in the winter, these waders should keep me warm in the winter months, should I choose to fish the winter months.

I hear a lot groaning and moaning when the Delaware is high and dirty and my voice can now be added to the list.  I am still hoping for a few more good weekends to catch some more walleyes, as I think the bite will be good up to late November.

Walleye Fishing in the Delaware River

For those who know me best, I have been adamantly chasing walleye outside of the State of Minnesota (primarily in warmer climates) for some time, and with limited or no success.  So this summer was big for me as I was determined to eventually catch a keeper walleye.  This August I made another big push for walleye at Swartswood Lake and I only caught one fingerling (who my nightcrawler brought to the surface in a rear-naked-choke) and a 16-inch walleye after putting forth maybe 20 to 40 hours of lake time.  So I finally changed my tactics, gave up fishing for walleye in the summer and decided to revisit walleye fishing in October.  Well, Sunday was October.

To fish the Delaware in October, I bought myself a set of neoprene waders from Field and Stream to help stay dry and warm.  Comfort is everything when fishing and when the water is this cold, it is one of those things where you don’t realize how ‘not cold’ you are when you are ‘not cold’.  I am sure if I did not have these neoprene waders on  Sunday, I probably would have caught no fish and had a miserable time.

So Sunday morning I woke up and headed to Dingman’s Ferry.  The sun came up around 7:00ish and I was probably fishing by 7:30.  I focused on fishing behind the bridge pilings at Dingman’s Ferry as well as the backwater on the Pennsylvania side of the bridge.  Everything seemed perfect regarding water conditions as well as my presentation; a lindy rig with two floaters and a perch colors spoon on a worm harness.  As soon as my pole bent over and I picked up the pole, I immediately recognized the fish as a walleye with his lethargic fight and constant head-shaking!  I am sure my eyes were as big as saucers when I first saw this walleye about 2 feet below the surface.  He did not take me long to net him and he measured out at 20 inches and 4.1 pounds.  

New Jersey is starting to feel a bit more like home...

And a hand for perspective....