We're all fanatic fishermen, and if we weren't we wouldn't post on a fishing bulletin board all the time. Some of us are so fanatical, we refuse to give up good equipment when it's just out of reach, and this is a tale of just that.

I've enjoyed fishing my home waters of the Delaware River for many years. For the first 5 years since my introduction to it, I strictly fished it from shore, with the occasional guided trip. I've caught lots of average fish, with a few larger fish mixed in. Lotta fun that river.

About 4 years ago, I was given a pontoon boat as a gift from my employer. A Creek Company ODC 816, a pretty standard pontoon boat with 8 foot 'toons, a seat, and oars. I use it mostly to shuttle myself between launching points on the river, and fish all the areas in between.

One of the first upgrades was an anchoring system. It's come in very handy when spotting that fish in the center of the river. Even better when I need to get out of my boat somewhere mid-river and I can't beach it because the bank is too far. I've also added rod holders, and some pretty nifty gear pockets that hold everything. Makes for a great looking boat that ACTUALLY is functional.

My buddy Tony M whom you all know also purchased the same boat when it was on sale at Cabelas a few years ago, and we've been down the rivers a bunch, catching fish together, snapping photos, and teasing each other. We've had good days, we've had bad days. Tony's broken rods 'tooning, drowned a cell phone, and even broke a brand new net. I guess soon it would be my turn.

When I bought the anchoring system, I didn't have an anchor, so I decided when I walked into a big box store that I'd buy their $15 river anchor, an 8lb mushroom anchor that was rubber coated. Not a bad little tool, and after deciding one day to float with Tony down the Housatonic River in CT, I found it to be an absolute pleasure, give or take the occasional roll around in the current, which would make me break loose from the bottom. The real problem was in a 25 foot deep hole, when I dropped anchor to cast to a VERY large fish slurping tiny mayflies, I got snagged for over 45 minutes. I had no choice but to cut my anchor line and continue my float anchorless, not being able to stop for rising fish anymore. The river anchor demon had it's first taste of my angst.

Rivers 1, Richie 0

Again, I still had the issue with my boat pulling loose, and about halfway down the river, I again had gotten my boat locked onto the bottom.I purchased a different anchor, again this time from a big box store, and it was also mushroom shaped, but had cuts in it so it sorta looked like a bio-hazard sign when seen from above. Quite appropriate. I bought a new anchor line again, and this time floated down the Delaware with Tony. We had a blast. We found pods of rising fish all day, some huge monsters, and some very gullible dinks. It was a blast. Tony was using an actual 10 lb Weider barbell weight as an anchor and having no problems staying put. Again, I still had the issue with my boat pulling loose, and about halfway down the river, I again had gotten my boat locked onto the bottom. Very upsetting again, and this time I had a drift boat come to my rescue, and yank my anchor out for me. I was safe again, and as Tony passed me, I explained my trouble. We kept fishing and I caught a bunch of fish, but I wasn't rewarded with anything special.

About 2/3 of the way downriver, I came around a bend to some fish feeding, and Tony moved downstream and I up, and as it got later and the light faded, we hooked fish into the night. I was anchored up again, casting to fish, and decided to move downriver with Tony and get out of the river. But again, my anchor wouldn't budge. Another 30 minutes of trying to force it, and I decided again that I needed to cut the line and make a mad dash for the take out, as it was already after 8pm.

Rivers 2, Richie 0

I finally found a drift boat anchor made for pontoons, a cylindrical anchor with spikes with connecting loop that was offset so it could be lifted from the craggy rocks. This was IT! I grew tired of losing my steel anchors to the rivers. I wrote a thread on a bulletin board, I talked to guides, and checked out all I could. I finally found a drift boat anchor made for pontoons, a cylindrical anchor with spikes with connecting loop that was offset so it could be lifted from the craggy rocks. This was IT! I bought it from Cabelas for $30, and it was shipped and delivered within a week. 3 days later, I was out to get my vengeance! The river would be mine!

I got my boat in shape, and Tony and I got everything together. We even had another guy, Chris (FishingComic) with us, and he was going to fish the river from the banks and meet us at the take out with my truck. We unloaded at the Shehawken launch on the West Branch of the Delaware, a mere 1/8 mile from the Bard Parker access, where the East and West Branches of the Delaware meet in a junction pool and form the Main Stem.

I rigged my boat, fitted my anchor on the spring loaded anchor hook, and began to float downstream. We got to Bard Parker about 15 minutes into our float, and we already spotted rising fish. I drop anchor in a long, flat pool with no boulders, and cast to fish. Tony was upstream of me.

After about 5 minutes, I noticed that I was sliding downstream. I began to cuss, and was angry that my anchor was holding in what was very slow current, and decided to pull up anchor and move on, and that's when I felt a snap and a pop, and then my anchor line came up TOO easy...

I pulled my boat to the shore, and yelled to Tony that I had lost my anchor. When I looked at the anchor hook, the spring loaded clip was twisted out and the anchor must've pulled easily from the hook. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS! ANOTHER ANCHOR! - NOT THIS EFFING TIME!

Tony moved his boat downstream and marked the location of the anchor with his boat. It was bright yellow and easily seen from above. It was in about 6 or 7 feet of water. It was a 90 degree day, but the river was in the low 50's from dam releases.

I didn't care... I stripped down to my boxers and a t-shirt, and strapped my wading boots on and waded into the river. Each step was agonizingly frigid, and I won't mention where my twig and berries decided to take refuge.

I waded out halfway to the river, and positioned myself just upstream of the anchor, which was marked by Tony's boat. When I spotted it, I took a deep breath and dove down to get it.

About a foot from my anchor the current threw me about 6 feet downstream and as I came up for air, I was another 10 feet downstream. The current there was too fast to move, and I had to walk back to the bank, hike back upstream, and cross the river again, and position myself about 15 feet above my anchor. Again freezing my asss off as I crossed the river, I got to where I could see my anchor, took a deep breath, and plunged into the icy depths. Again, about a foot from the bottom when the current takes me, but this time it pushed me right towards my anchor. I grab it, and I stand up on my toes, holding the anchor like a heavywieght fighter who'd just won the championship fight. And my balls were frozen.

I crossed back to my boat, wrung out my clothing, got dressed and donned my waders again, and waited till I was warm enough to proceed. I tied my anchor to my line with a quadruple overhand knot and a few half hitches, and as I got back in my boat, I told Tony that because I did that, I was going to catch a big fish. AND I HAD MY ANCHOR!!!!

We floated downstream, and we got to an area with a campground, and found some rising fish, but couldn't get the fish to eat. The problem? There were too many bugs on the water. #10 March Browns. #8 Brown Drakes. #16 sulphurs. #16 ants. #8 Green Drakes. #14 Light Cahills. #16 Yellow Sallies. Even a few spinners from the night before were on the water. So much food, and so few flies to imitate them.

Tony found some rising fish, and after casting to them for over an hour, he broke off 2 fish, and missed an additional 3 or 4 fish. His frustration was rising.

I missed a fish on a March Brown imitation that I thought was a short strike, and as the sun was setting, I couldn't see my flies anymore. I decided to change flies, and as I did, I saw a huge #8 Coffin Fly on the water, and decided to throw a Dave Schmezer pattern, an extended body Green Drake pattern.

After about 4 good drifts, I heard a slurp and lifted my rod, and a fish was on. Tony came down after I told him I thought it was a big fish, and when he brought his net over, we scooped it and it was indeed a biggun...

Back to the boat to grab my camera, and we shot a few frames of myself and what amounted to be a 21" Delaware brown, which most definitelty made my trip!

When we plugged our way back to the boat, the river was literally covered with MILLIONS of drake spinners, and everytime we'd shine the light on the water, we'd have more flies bombard us so we couldn't see. It was absolutely amazing.

We were afraid of missing the take out, and when we got down to the ramp, we only knew we were there because Chris had taken my truck down to the ramp and turned on the high beams so we could see. I had a blast, and it was a memorable day for me...

River 2, Richie 1, plus a fish and an appreciation for Dave's flies...

Oh yeah - Tony shot this while laughing at me.

| 2007.02.08 |