2019 Ken Lockwood Gorge Trip
East Jersey Trout Unlimited is hosting a fishing trip to the South Branch of the Raritan River in the Ken Lockwood Gorge on Sunday, April 14, 2019. It will be a great opportunity to fish one of the premier fly-fishing stretches of river in New Jersey with your fellow EJTU members.
Location: Ken Lockwood Gorge Wildlife Management Area Date: April 14th 2019 Trip Leader/Contact: Paul Reithmeier 973-907-0093 If you are planning on attending, please RSVP via email or phone ASAP. River(s): South Branch of the Raritan River Meeting Location: The last parking area in front of the gate after entering the Gorge from the south end off Cokesbury Road. You can get directions by searching for Ken Lockwood Gorge Wildlife Management Area in your maps program. Enter through the south end off Cokesbury Road and drive to the last parking area before the gate. If you have not been to the Gorge before, we recommend that you take I-78 West to the Cokesbury Road entrance. If you enter through the north entrance, you will not be able to drive all the way to our meeting point. Because this is the beginning of prime fishing season, we recommend that you get there early enough to procure a parking space. We’ll meet for coffee and donuts between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. Quarry: Mostly Rainbow Trout River Access: Wading Degree of Difficulty: Moderate - Challenging. Varies depending on area and pool. Since Ken Lockwood Gorge is mostly rocky pocket water, wading boots with studs and a wading staff are highly recommended. Suggested Equipment: 9 foot, 5 weight, leaders vary depending on dries/wet/nymphs. 9-12 foot leader 4x-6x. Tippet-what you are comfortable with. Nymphing is a great way to fish at the gorge. A 10-11 foot 3-4 weight rod can be good for suspension and tightline nymphing. Nearby Fly Shop: Shannon's Fly Shop Accommodations: Not Applicable. This is a day trip. Meals: Everyone is on their own for meals. Coffee and donuts will be available at the meetup time to allow time for some socializing with your fellow EJTU members before the fishing begins. If you plan on fishing through the afternoon, consider packing a lunch. Licenses: A NJ fishing license and trout stamp is required. Licenses can be purchased online here. Recommended Fly Patterns: Standard trout flies. Ants, Caddis, mayflies. Nymphs. Woolly Bugger, squirmy worm and mop fly. Miscellaneous Information: Please follow all rules and fishing regulations. Alcohol is prohibited. Catch and Release is required. Barbless hooks or regular hooks with the barb crushed down are required. Strong insect repellent may be necessary, especially for ticks. Sun block and raingear are also recommended. If projected weather conditions deteriorate prior to the trip the trip coordinator may send out an email cancelling the trip. Cell phone reception can be spotty. A couple of good websites for information about fishing the gorge are: https://www.shannonsflytackle.com http://www.perfectflystore.com/wsrartainr.html https://www.orvis.com/fishing_report.aspx?locationid=7364 |