How do the Northern streams and rivers look????

Went scouting the South Branch on Thursday afternoon and Friday from Califon/Ken Lockwood Gorge down to Clinton - The water was high and fast due to the earlier weeks rain and the rain Thursday night.

Checked out most of the tributaries to the South Branch, also. All were higher than normal, but had already started receding and slowing down to near normal conditions for this time of year.

The South Branch was also high and fast on Saturday, but it is gradually slowing down and water levels are dropping, but a little slower than usual. Check out the latest South Branch of the Raritan stream conditions at http://www.shannonsflytackle.com/ .

I fished a tributary of the South Branch and limited out, but I had to work for my fish in "out of the way" areas to avoid the crowds (any more than four people in an area is a crowd to me!!!), even though there were less people fishing (all of the areas mentioned) this weekend than is usually anticipated for opening day.

In talking to a few guys who fished the Clinton area of the South Branch, right in front of the waterfalls was the hot spot, even though they really had to work for their fish. (I particularly don't like fishing that section of the river for various reasons.)

Most other tributaries to the South Branch and the Delaware River in Hunterdon County were a little higher than usual, but were fishable.

A lot of fish were in holes/undercuts in the creek banks and in undercuts under trees/root systems, but later in the day as the water levels dropped even furhter, the fish were moving back to their traditional head end and tail ends of pools and in troughs in the middle and sides of the creek beds.

Sunday was a really nice day again and tributaries to the Delaware were near normal for this time of year (slightly high, but very fishable).