Hello, Readers! And welcome to the Extreme Philly Fishing (a.k.a. EPF) Blog.
I am a very dedicated fisherman, and a very happy one as well. This is the best sentence that came to my mind while I was thinking on how I should introduce myself to you - the reader. This happiness came long ago, when I first learned how to fish with my father. Those were wonderful days, back in Brazil (I was born and raised in Brazil. You can read a bit more about it here)!
If you are an angler, you already know the great feelings and life experiences that fishing has to offer. If you have never tried to fish before, I hope with all my heart that one day you give it at least a try, so you can have a taste of the wonderful "World of Fishing!" If it doesn't work out for you in the end - that's fine! At least you can say you gave it a try, isn't it? =)
If I could, I would certainly fish EVERYDAY of my life. I would travel through different bodies of water; fish different species of fish; take with me the appropriate equipment for each body of water; practice different types of fishing techniques; meet and talk to different kinds of fishermen; enhance my skills in fishing; all while trying to understand fish and their living behaviors. However, this is a dream for now! After all, I have responsibilities just like any other regular person in Philadelphia: I have to worry about my bills, attend to my "college student responsibilities," work (I have a job), etc! So, all I can do for now is slip away on my free time, and fish the waters around me - Philadelphia and surroundings. Believe it or not, it's not nearly as bad as it seems! It's actually a lot of fun. I certainly enjoy fishing all the different spots around Philadelphia - a beautiful city, indeed. There are plenty of fishing spots in Philadelphia (you can watch the video that I made, below), and plenty of Species available for fishing (click here for my 2012 Statistical Fishing Chart, which contains all the fishes that I've caught in 2012)!
Throughout my fishing adventures, I came to realize something very interesting: people would often stop by, observe the sport, and ask some questions to satisfy their curiosities. At the beginning, it was a lot of fun to talk to people about fishing. Later on, however, it became a little bit boring at certain times! The questions were always the same, and I often became frustrated while responding to them. "I thought there were no fishes in this River"; or "What kind of fish is this?"; "What do you get in this river?"; "You can fish here?".
I realized that a lot of people didn't have much knowledge when it came to the sport known as "fishing/angling;" the aquatic biodiversity here in Philadelphia; etc. It was frustrating (still is) to know that a lot of people did not have enough knowledge when it came down to my favorite sport! It seemed that a huge majority of the population in Philadelphia only knew fish when it came to shopping at the supermarket (buying fish fillets..hehe). Therefore, I have decided to create this blog not only for fellow fishermen, but also for the "fellow population" that does not fish.
From this day onwards, you will find here a lot of information about my fishing adventures: pictures and information on difference species of fish in Philadelphia; a variety of locations that are "fishable" in the city (you can read about my opinion in Spot Burning and social consciousness here); all sorts of different people that I meet on my fishing sessions (my so-called fishing buddies!); a little bit about adequate equipment and bait for each session; and a lot of interesting stories (not fishermen stories! Hehe). Hopefully, this blog will be as fun and as informative for all the people reading it. I'll try my best to back up all my information here with concrete data, hence this will be an informative and "scientific" blog. And, hopefully (I really wish!), I'll get less questions when it comes to what kind of fish I can get in "the River!" =D
The "Extreme Philly Fishing" Blog was created also with the purpose of supporting environmental conservation, giving emphasis to the quality of the aquatic biodiversity in Philadelphia and surroundings. It cannot be forgotten that fishing is a unique sport that includes aquatic creatures - in this case: fish. Therefore, there will be a whole bunch of topics about them: how fish can be harmed if not handled carefully; how bodies of water can be easily overfished if catch and release is not practiced (also if people do not respect harvesting laws); etc. This blog will constantly focus on topics such as: Over harvesting, Selective Harvest, CPR (Catch-Photo-Release), Point-Source Pollution (i.e. Littering), and other topics related to our aquatic environment.
When it comes to aquatic sustainability, I strongly believe that the Pennsylvania Boat and Commission made their fishing regulations for a reason: to be followed (simple and clear, huh?). As a fisherman, I respect fish with all my heart - after all, they are the ones giving us entertainment, and we are the ones giving them "knowledge" (click here to read more about my "fish evolution" hypothesis, Ctrl+F for "evolution"). Obviously, there's no fishing without fish! In conclusion: I practice catch and release most of the time (95% of all my catches). I'll only harvest fish in two different situations: (1) to test them for scientific and quality purposes: amounts of heavy metals, PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyl), fish anatomy and physiology, etc; and (2) to eat (especially the Trout, which are stocked by the government). So, in other words, I take them either to test or to eat. Otherwise, I release them, and try my best to hurt them as least as possible. I respect rules, respect the nature (I do not LITTER!), and respect fish. Hopefully you are a person that does the same. If not, it's never too late to redeem (I sound like a priest now, huh?), and be a good fisherman! I believe that people are able to change their attitudes and behaviors towards something (sometimes someone) that they truly love. If thou shall love fishing as a sport, I'll always believe in progress.
Another thing... I strongly encourage everyone to fish legally, which means purchasing a fishing license. I always carry my license with me, and I am very proud of having it.
First, the catching rules. Click here for the link of the Pennsylvania Boat and Commission website on seasons, sizes, and creel limits.
And click here to purchase the PA fishing license ONLINE:
BEFORE BUYING IT, NOTE: I strongly recommend people to also purchase the Trout Permit (which is an extra). If you like to eat fish, you should know that this fish is SAFE to eat (they are stocked in nearby creeks by the Fish and Boat Commission), and they are delicious. It's worth to purchase it.
Since NJ is so close to us, and there are lots of wonderful fishing locations in West/South New Jersey, click here if you want to purchase a NJ fishing license ONLINE (click on "Start Here" at the end of the page).
Sincerely? It's a very reasonable amount of money for a whole year worth of fishing, not to mention that you can take fish legally at your discretion (don't forget to look at the limits website above). Just make sure that the fish are safe to eat, before you take them home. I highly advise fishermen to look at the "Fish Consumption" chart (PDF file) from the Boat and Commission.
Hopefully you will enjoy reading this blog as much as I will enjoy writing it. And please, don't mind my informality from time to time. For questions on ANYTHING related to the Blog, open up and send me an e-mail to sheng12182527@gmail.com
For now, best of luck for ALL OF US!
As one of my idols would say: Long Days and Pleasant Nights,
Sincerely,
Leo S.