It's been 3 years of Multi-Species fishing in and around Philadelphia. I've made a video to show the public that there are plenty of fish to be caught around these areas:
--- June 1st, Schuylkill River ---
Location: Schuylkill Banks
Time: 1:30-5:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 1 Largemouth Bass
- 2 White Perch
- 12 Channel Catfish
- 1 Flathead Catfish
- 1 American Eel.
First fish of the day was a chunky Largemouth Bass on a piece of nightcrawler - quite an unexpected catch!
First Catfish of the day was a fat Flathead Catfish, caught on a piece of cut bait (cut White Perch). Although not big (4.87lbs), this fish fought nicely.
One of the many "juvenile" Channel Cats (with the dots on the side), all caught on suspended pieces of nightcrawler.
This bigger Channel Catfish was caught on a piece of White Perch.
The only American Eel of the day, caught on a piece of suspended nightcrawler. This little fella will be good bait in the future!
The 2nd and last White Perch of the day. I caught the first one moments after I started to fish, and decided to cut it for bait (best idea ever - it lead me to my first Flathead of the year). This guy was released safely! =)
--- June 3rd, Cooper River Lake ---
Location: Cooper River Lake
Time: 12:30-4:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 3 Yellow Bullhead
- 1 Channel Catfish
- 1 White Catfish
- 2 Common Carps
- 2 Mummichogs
- 2 Pumpkinseeds
- 9 Bluegills
- 1 American Eel
I arrived at the location around 12:30 p.m.. The weather looked terrible, but I still had my hopes high! I set up 2 rods for Carp fishing, and 1 for "Multi-Species" (as always).
First "catches" of the day: 2 in one. The one above turned out to be a White Catfish (a.k.a. White Bullhead), and the one below a Yellow Bullhead.
The picture of the White Catfish, caught on a piece of nightcrawler (suspended).
And the picture of the Yellow Bullhead, caught on the piece of nightcrawler that was on the bottom.
Soon after, one of my Carp rods went crazy! Since I leave my drags loose while Carping, I couldn't tell at the beginning if the fish was a small Carp or a big Catfish. After a minute or so, I was able to determine it: a big Channel Catfish. I landed this 3.44lbs Channel Catfish on kernel corn.
After chumming a little bit more, I landed my first Common Carp of the day - 3.15lbs - on kernel corn. Small guy with a wounded tail. I took a picture of it quickly, and released it soon after.
The biggest fish of the day came right after - a 6.90lbs Common Carp. It gave an awesome fight!
2 Bluegills in one go, both on nightcrawlers.
A close-up picture of the little guy above.
I lip hooked this beautiful Pumpkinseed right off a sunken branch while micro-fishing for small minnows.
Soon after, I landed this nice Bluegill on a super tiny piece of nightcrawler (size 26 hook). I was surprised when I landed it because I was fishing in very shallow water (less than a foot).
After a little bit of effort, I was finally able to land one of the little minnows that were swimming in shallow water. It turned out to be a Mummichog.
I was also able to land this super cute Pumpkinseed (probably the smallest one I've landed so far) on the #26 hook.
And, to finish the day, I caught an American Eel on a piece of nightcrawler. 8 Species of fish in one day is definitely not bad! Even though I got soaked from the thunderstorms, it was still pleasant to be out there.
--- June 4th, Pennypack Creek (Tidal) ---
Location: Tidal Pennypack Creek
Time: 11:30-4:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 4 Redbreast Sunfish
- 4 Mummichogs
- 1 Green Sunfish
- 14 White Perch
- 5 Channel Catfish (biggest at 3.46lbs)
- 1 Common Carp (15.35lbs)
I started my fishing session around 11:30 a.m.. The original plan was to meet my friend Don. G. at the tidal Pennypack (between State and Torresdale); however, he had some problems and couldn't come. I set up 2 rods for Carp and Micro-fished with my third one. I got this little Green Sunfish after a couple casts. It turned out to be the only one for the day.
I walked a little bit to my left, and saw a couple schools of minnows swimming by. They turned out to be Mummichogs. It seems that they are almost in every Creek around these areas...
Nice little Redbreast Sunfish (not surprised), caught on a piece of nightcrawler.
Beautiful Mummichog caught on a piece of nightcrawler (I switched from a size #10 hook to a #26).
This little guy is possibly the smallest Sunny I've ever caught on hook! Hehe. Good stuff.
After getting absolutely no Carp bites between Torresdale and State Road, I decided to move downstream. I walked my way around the penitentiary, finally reaching the junction of the Pennypack with the Delaware River. The picture above shows a spot full of vegetation. It only contains water when the tide is high!
After walking through some intense jungle, I reached a little spot on the Creek bank. The spot was pretty small, and SUPER muddy. Even so, it was the only spot. Therefore, I set up two rods for Carp and one for Multi-Species.
Soon after the first cast with the nightcrawler, the White Perch started to bite! Not big, but constant action.
After chumming and waiting, one of my rods finally started to bend! From the rod action, I knew it wasn't a Catfish! The fish turned out to be a chunky, fat 15.35lbs Common Carp full of eggs. The video of it is at the end of this post.
I took only one picture of it, and released it right away. The fish was out of the water for about 90 seconds. I took good care of the beast: I went into the water and revived it. It swam away without problems.
During low tide, the Catfish started to feed on the chum. This guy was the smallest one of the day.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough light there for a proper picture. A nice sized Catfish, caught on a piece of kernel corn.
Videos:
Part 1 - Introduction
Part 2 - The 15.35lbs Common Carp
--- June 8th, Frankford Creek ---
Location: Frankford Creek
Time: 10:15-12:15 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 3 Channel Catfish
- 2 White Perch
- 1 Common Carp (20.67lbs)
- 3 Channel Catfish
- 2 White Perch
- 1 Common Carp (20.67lbs)
The original plan for today was to fish a nameless pond on Northeast Philadelphia. Well...the place turned out to be a private pond that belongs to the PWD. Therefore, I went to the Frankford Creek, which was right next to it. I set up two rods for Carp, since I saw some bubbles surfacing!
Soon after touching the bottom, one of my baits attracted a Catfish. First Channel Catfish of the day - 2.55lbs.
Same Catfish above, from a different angle. Chubby and healthy guy!
Just like other tidal Creeks around, there's a wide population of White Perch! I caught this little fella on corn, actually (they must have been hungry!).
Another beautiful Catfish caught on corn.
After a couple fish, I finally hooked into a NICE ONE! The bite was soft: instead of the regular run and rod bend, the line went slack. I thought right away: "Small Catfish or Big Carp!" When I held the rod and felt the pull, I set up the hook! The fish immediately took off to the other side of the Creek, burning my drag with an outrageous run. I knew it was a big Carp then! Jackpot! After fighting it for a short amount of time, I landed the beast: 20.67lbs - my first 20lbs+ fish of the year!
--- June 9th, Frankford Creek ---
Location: Frankford Creek
Time: 12:15-3:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 3 Channel Catfish
- 2 Common Carp (8.06lbs, 9.45lbs)
Since I landed an awesome Carp yesterday, I decided to give the Frankford Creek another try. I planned a trip there with my friend Don G., who never caught a Carp before. The plan was for him to catch the first monster Carp of his life!
- 3 Channel Catfish
- 2 Common Carp (8.06lbs, 9.45lbs)
Since I landed an awesome Carp yesterday, I decided to give the Frankford Creek another try. I planned a trip there with my friend Don G., who never caught a Carp before. The plan was for him to catch the first monster Carp of his life!
Soon after I chummed the area and cast my rod, I saw some action. I landed this 2lb Channel Catfish on my first cast. Pretty neat!
After a little bit, Don G. arrived. As soon as he did, my rod got a solid strike. I ended up landing this 8.06lbs Common Carp - first one of the day! The video of this little guy is further below.
Don G. began his day with a beautiful White Catfish (a.k.a. White Bullhead). Good stuff! At that point, none of us would get skunked.
Second Carp of the day - 9.45lbs, also caught on a piece of kernel corn.
Almost at the end of our fishing session, I decided to chum the area one more time. Don cast his corn right at the chummed area, and 1 or 2 minutes after it, we saw a solid strike! I thought it was a Catfish at the beginning, but soon we both realized that it was a Common Carp! Don was shaking with excitement, and he was able to land the first Carp of his life - a chunky 9.65lbs, also the biggest fish of the day! Congratulations, Don! Catching a nearly 10lbs Carp is certainly an achievement.
Same beast from another perspective.
Video of the first Carp of the day - 8.06lbs
--- June 10th, Dinosaur Lake ---
Location: Dinosaur Lake
Time: 12:00-2:15 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 12 Hybrid Sunfish
- 1 Bluegill
- 1 Brown Bullhead
- 1 Yellow Bullhead
After a long time, I finally decided to hit the ancient Dinosaur Lake in Bensalem - the Lake that was once famous for the Dinosaur Statues that stood there! During the old times, the poor children from the close neighborhoods would go there for a swim and play with Standish Hansell's dinosaur statues.
Nowadays, the Dinosaur Lake is nothing but a neglected Lake. There are no more dinosaurs there (there are giant Snapping Turtles!) and no more kids swimming around (there are lots of garbage around!).
However, the Dinosaur Lake is still a little treasure when it comes to fishing: it's one of the only spots around here with a good population of Hybrid Sunfish and a good Koi diversity.
- 12 Hybrid Sunfish
- 1 Bluegill
- 1 Brown Bullhead
- 1 Yellow Bullhead
After a long time, I finally decided to hit the ancient Dinosaur Lake in Bensalem - the Lake that was once famous for the Dinosaur Statues that stood there! During the old times, the poor children from the close neighborhoods would go there for a swim and play with Standish Hansell's dinosaur statues.
Nowadays, the Dinosaur Lake is nothing but a neglected Lake. There are no more dinosaurs there (there are giant Snapping Turtles!) and no more kids swimming around (there are lots of garbage around!).
However, the Dinosaur Lake is still a little treasure when it comes to fishing: it's one of the only spots around here with a good population of Hybrid Sunfish and a good Koi diversity.
Getting to the Dinosaur Lake was already a challenge. My friend Chris and I had to cross the overwhelming Poquessing Creek (after rain!) to reach the Lake. Once we got there, Chris started to fish for his "bait" with his wooden stick. Pretty cave-man style, huh? He landed a good amount of sunnies on it, not to mention a GREAT Green Sunfish Hybrid - all caught on pieces of leaf (I'm serious).
Soon after setting my two rods for Carp, I reserved the third one for "Multi-Species." I started landing multiple different types of hybrid Sunfish, including this little Green Sunfish X Bluegill hybrid. So pretty, right? Perfect for a fish tank!
Another pretty Hybrid sunfish: Green Sunfish X Pumpkinseed. The blue waves on its face gives away the characteristics of a Pumpkinseed while the Yellow/Orange on the tail and fins give away the details of a Green Sunfish.
Hybrids are usually very rare in all other locations in Philadelphia! At Dinosaur Lake, it's the opposite: pure breeds like this Bluegill are super rare.
I missed one Carp on my Carp rod. The Carp rods were suffering quite a bit due to the huge amount of turtles around the area! I even lost a hook after a bite - the turtle just chewed on it. After a little while, I landed this Red Ear Slider Turtle...
On the top stands the Dinosaur Lake, once a place filled with Children and Dinosaur Statues. Now it's a danger to swim there due to the giant Snapping Turtles, not to mention that the access to it is itself a big challenge.
I have no idea if Dinosaur Lake has ever suffered from Winter or Summer kills; however, it's evident that the place is filled with Bullheads! My friend Chris states that there are 3lb Bullheads in that Lake! The state record for it at the moment is 4lbs 10oz. Interesting, huh?
--- June 12th, Concourse Lake/Schuylkill River ---
Location: Concourse Lake
Time: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Location: Schuylkill River, between Locust and Walnut
Time: 8:00-9:15 p.m.
Location: Schuylkill River, between Locust and Walnut
Time: 8:00-9:15 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 2 Green Sunfish
- 86 Bluegills
- 1 Channel Catfish
- 1 American Eel
After a good while, I went back to Concourse Lake. The place wasn't exactly how I expected it to be! My last time there was during the beginning of Spring: clear water, plenty of access, etc. Now the whole place (including Centennial Lake) is filled with vegetation and the water level rose a lot, probably due to the rain...
I was planning to Carp there, but it was just impossible! The bottom was full of some type of grass and 50% of the Lake was covered with lily-pads...
Good news, though: I was walking around the lake, scooping some good spots for Sunnies, when I suddenly spotted a school of 4 Largemouth Bass! I spooked them (of course...), but I was happy enough to see that there are still some Largemouth Bass in Concourse Lake!
After that, I settled down for some Sunfish, and I still saw 2 Largemouth Bass swimming around the pads! Awesome, isn't it? And it gets even better: these Largemouth Bass weren't little "thin 1lbers" - they were chunky 2-4lbers! No wonder: the place is full of tadpoles, bullfrogs, and has a stunted population of Bluegills. That's plenty of food for the next decades to come!
I fished for Sunnies there, and broke 2 PBs today: 0.52lbs Bluegill on a cut-Bluegill and 0.50lbs (on the dot) Green Sunfish (by far the biggest I caught around these areas! Monster Green Sunfish), also on a cut-Bluegill.
No Game fish at Concourse today; however, I'm pretty psyched that I was able to catch such a big Green Sunfish! I've never seen one so big around here...
Location: Schuylkill River
- 2 Green Sunfish
- 86 Bluegills
- 1 Channel Catfish
- 1 American Eel
After a good while, I went back to Concourse Lake. The place wasn't exactly how I expected it to be! My last time there was during the beginning of Spring: clear water, plenty of access, etc. Now the whole place (including Centennial Lake) is filled with vegetation and the water level rose a lot, probably due to the rain...
I was planning to Carp there, but it was just impossible! The bottom was full of some type of grass and 50% of the Lake was covered with lily-pads...
Good news, though: I was walking around the lake, scooping some good spots for Sunnies, when I suddenly spotted a school of 4 Largemouth Bass! I spooked them (of course...), but I was happy enough to see that there are still some Largemouth Bass in Concourse Lake!
After that, I settled down for some Sunfish, and I still saw 2 Largemouth Bass swimming around the pads! Awesome, isn't it? And it gets even better: these Largemouth Bass weren't little "thin 1lbers" - they were chunky 2-4lbers! No wonder: the place is full of tadpoles, bullfrogs, and has a stunted population of Bluegills. That's plenty of food for the next decades to come!
I fished for Sunnies there, and broke 2 PBs today: 0.52lbs Bluegill on a cut-Bluegill and 0.50lbs (on the dot) Green Sunfish (by far the biggest I caught around these areas! Monster Green Sunfish), also on a cut-Bluegill.
No Game fish at Concourse today; however, I'm pretty psyched that I was able to catch such a big Green Sunfish! I've never seen one so big around here...
My first Green Sunfish of the day. Notice how big its belly is! It's spawning season for Green Sunfish in the Concourse Lake. =)
My new best Personal Best for Green Sunfish: 0.50lbs. They rarely get above 6 inches (this one was 9 inches), and it takes them 6 years to get to 0.26lbs (about half of this one's size!). They live up to 10 years...So, I still keep wondering how old this fish actually is. It's certainly an abomination!
Even though there's not a State Record for Green Sunfish, I would love to see someone beat my PB for it! =)
Even though there's not a State Record for Green Sunfish, I would love to see someone beat my PB for it! =)
Quick measure for it. The Green Sunfish was the same size as my fishing scale.
Another one of my new PBs: 0.52lbs Bluegill. The picture is a little bit misleading, since the Bluegill was pretty chunky. It was a heavy one. It was caught on a cut Bluegill.
After finishing at Concourse Lake, I went back to Center City to talk to a City Paper reporter about the Schuylkill River. I met my friend Tony G. there and decided to fish the Schuylkill for a little bit. I ended there with 1 American Eel and 1 Channel Catfish. For some reason, I did not take pictures of them. I forgot... Hahaha
The seasons change, and so does the environment! Concourse Lake was totally different than what I expected it to be. It was full of life, though.
That's how stunted the population of Bluegills is in the Concourse Lake. Scary, huh? On the other hand, it's an awesome place to bring a child for some Sunnies.
Another nice Bluegill, also on a piece of cut Bluegill.
--- June 14th, Haddon Lake/Audubon Lake/Schuylkill River ---
Location: Haddon Lake/Audubon Lake
Time: 8:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Schuylkill River
Time: 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 2 Channel Catfish
I went fishing with Mike H. at Haddon/Audubon Lakes. He landed 2 Largemouth Bass (one on a Spook and another on a plastic rodent) and I got skunked! I did hook up with 2 snapping turtles, though, but I let them go before they could chop my fingers off...Haha.
After coming back to Philadelphia, I decided to fish the Schuylkill River for a little bit. My friend Mike P. was there, and we both caught some Catfish!
Hands up for my friend Mike P.. He was one of the first anglers I met in Philly, and he taught me a lot about Catfishing. I currently hold a PB of 9.5lbs for Channel Catfish on the Schuylkill River. Mike P., on the other hand, holds a PB of 14.5lbs Channel Catfish (he caught it just last week between Locust and Walnut!).
I don't have the picture of the 14.5lbs available at the moment; however, you can find the picture of the monster on a wall under the Walnut Street Bridge (across from the Schuylkill Banks Shack).
Congrats, Mike P.! 14.5lbs is certainly a monster Channel Catfish for the Schuylkill River.
--- June 15th, Pennypack Creek ---
Location: Pennypack Creek
Time: 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Fishes caught:
--- June 16th, Schuylkill River ---
Location: Schuylkill River
Time: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 1 White Catfish
- 2 Channel Catfish
- 2 American Eel
- 2 White Perch
I went fishing on the Schuylkill Banks today. Ended up with a couple Channel Cats. The biggest among them was a 5.74lbs Channel.
I also landed an awesome White Catfish (aka White Bullhead - Ameiurus Catus spp.). I was very surprised when the fish surfaced! I knew from the fight that the fish was a good sized Catfish, but I never expected it to be a White Catfish. I was totally shocked because of its size, taking in consideration that they are supposed to grow only up to 2lbs or so. My fish measured 4.58lbs on the scale, only 0.04lbs smaller than the state record for the Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus spp).
Unfortunately, the PA Boat and Commission does not have a "White Catfish" State Record. Instead, it has a Bullhead state record (Ameiurus spp.) of 4.62lbs, which includes not only the White Catfish, but also the Yellow, Brown, and Black Bullhead Species.
I dare to say that this may be really a "state record" for White Catfish alone! However, we will never know...
My friend Christofer Eife (from the Right Anglers FB Page) kept telling me that there were tons of Koi in the Dinosaur Lake! Since I never caught one there yet, I had to go back to check if the rumors were true.
Upon arrival, there were people in the only accessible spot there for Carp. Without many options (I spent 50 minutes on the bus to get there), I went to a "not-so-accessible-spot" full of mosquitos and 7 minute itch, but I still fished for Sunfish there. It was better than just turning my back and going back home. I ended up catching 210 Sunfish in 2 hours. That's an average of one Sunfish per 34 seconds!
This is to show you guys how that place is stunted. Hehe. After 2 hours of "catching Sunnies," the guys finally left and I went to the open spot for Carping...
After 7 mosquito bites and 4 snapping turtles, I finally landed my first "Koi" (Not really a Koi. It was a Goldfish) from Dinosaur Lake!
I have yet to see the true Koi at the Dinosaur Lake...
Fishes caught:
- 2 Channel Catfish
I went fishing with Mike H. at Haddon/Audubon Lakes. He landed 2 Largemouth Bass (one on a Spook and another on a plastic rodent) and I got skunked! I did hook up with 2 snapping turtles, though, but I let them go before they could chop my fingers off...Haha.
After coming back to Philadelphia, I decided to fish the Schuylkill River for a little bit. My friend Mike P. was there, and we both caught some Catfish!
Hands up for my friend Mike P.. He was one of the first anglers I met in Philly, and he taught me a lot about Catfishing. I currently hold a PB of 9.5lbs for Channel Catfish on the Schuylkill River. Mike P., on the other hand, holds a PB of 14.5lbs Channel Catfish (he caught it just last week between Locust and Walnut!).
I don't have the picture of the 14.5lbs available at the moment; however, you can find the picture of the monster on a wall under the Walnut Street Bridge (across from the Schuylkill Banks Shack).
Congrats, Mike P.! 14.5lbs is certainly a monster Channel Catfish for the Schuylkill River.
"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" ducklings feeding on aquatic vegetation. Please, people: DO NOT feed the wildlife! In case people didn't notice, the number of birds in Philadelphia/Southern Jersey has increased dramatically in the recent years! The geese and ducks are taking over, and that is environmentally unhealthy.
A juvenile Channel Catfish with a beautiful dot pattern.
Still a couple dots left. The amount of dots usually indicate how "old" a Channel Catfish is. Once they are adults, they no longer have the dots.
My friend Mike P. with a Channel Catfish caught on a piece of soap. If you see him down on the Banks, say hi to him. He's definitely a friendly person.
"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" A magnified crescent moon. It may not be a big deal for us now; however, ancient populations used to determine the heights of the tides by looking at the moon.
--- June 15th, Pennypack Creek ---
Location: Pennypack Creek
Time: 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Fishes caught:
- none
The free teaching has been great lately, and my students are pretty satisfied (as well as the parents)!
I want to let everyone know that a batch of students just "graduated" from my FREE Summer fishing lessons; therefore, I have more open spots for now! I've posted a new ad on Philadelphia's Craigslist, and hopefully I'll be able to fill in the gap this week. I usually don't post pictures related to my fishing classes; however, I've changed my mind.
As soon as we arrived at the Pennypack Creek, the kids learned a good deal about fish external and internal anatomy and physiology, and they even ended up catching some fish (Kids: don't forget to do your homework!).
Here's a new future generation of Multi-Species anglers, perhaps.
Good job, guys!
The free teaching has been great lately, and my students are pretty satisfied (as well as the parents)!
I want to let everyone know that a batch of students just "graduated" from my FREE Summer fishing lessons; therefore, I have more open spots for now! I've posted a new ad on Philadelphia's Craigslist, and hopefully I'll be able to fill in the gap this week. I usually don't post pictures related to my fishing classes; however, I've changed my mind.
As soon as we arrived at the Pennypack Creek, the kids learned a good deal about fish external and internal anatomy and physiology, and they even ended up catching some fish (Kids: don't forget to do your homework!).
Here's a new future generation of Multi-Species anglers, perhaps.
Good job, guys!
Farris with a Green Sunfish caught on a "Gulp! Alive Minnow."
Ameer with a Rock Bass - the biggest fish of the day.
Ameer with a Green Sunfish.
Farris with a little Pumpkinseed.
Location: Schuylkill River
Time: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 1 White Catfish
- 2 Channel Catfish
- 2 American Eel
- 2 White Perch
I went fishing on the Schuylkill Banks today. Ended up with a couple Channel Cats. The biggest among them was a 5.74lbs Channel.
I also landed an awesome White Catfish (aka White Bullhead - Ameiurus Catus spp.). I was very surprised when the fish surfaced! I knew from the fight that the fish was a good sized Catfish, but I never expected it to be a White Catfish. I was totally shocked because of its size, taking in consideration that they are supposed to grow only up to 2lbs or so. My fish measured 4.58lbs on the scale, only 0.04lbs smaller than the state record for the Bullhead Catfish (Ameiurus spp).
Unfortunately, the PA Boat and Commission does not have a "White Catfish" State Record. Instead, it has a Bullhead state record (Ameiurus spp.) of 4.62lbs, which includes not only the White Catfish, but also the Yellow, Brown, and Black Bullhead Species.
I dare to say that this may be really a "state record" for White Catfish alone! However, we will never know...
The fish was handled correctly and safely released. So, who knows, right? Someone out there can be the lucky one to catch the next state record for Bullhead Catfish! As I always say - Philadelphia has great potential when it comes to fishing.
4.58lbs on the scale! Since this picture can be misleading, I've taken another picture (below) to show you guys how chunky this guy is.
Pretty wide and fat, huh? And notice how this fish doesn't have a single injury, tumor, lesion, etc. It's a healthy and beautiful fish!
This is going to be a picture for a lifetime! As I mentioned before, they barely grow bigger than 2lbs. Notice the tail: that's the key in distinguishing them from other Catfish. The tail is not symmetric. By the way, the fish was caught on a piece of cut eel, right next to the Walnut bridge (structure rules).
Biggest fish of the day: 5.74lbs Channel Catfish, also caught on a piece of cut Eel.
--- June 17th, Dinosaur Lake/Poquessing Creek ---
Location: Dinosaur Lake
Time: 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 8 Bluegill
- 17 Green Sunfish
- 3 Pumpkinseed
- 182 Hybrid Sunfish
- 1 Goldfish
- 1 Shiner (yet to identify)
Location: Dinosaur Lake
Time: 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 8 Bluegill
- 17 Green Sunfish
- 3 Pumpkinseed
- 182 Hybrid Sunfish
- 1 Goldfish
- 1 Shiner (yet to identify)
My friend Christofer Eife (from the Right Anglers FB Page) kept telling me that there were tons of Koi in the Dinosaur Lake! Since I never caught one there yet, I had to go back to check if the rumors were true.
Upon arrival, there were people in the only accessible spot there for Carp. Without many options (I spent 50 minutes on the bus to get there), I went to a "not-so-accessible-spot" full of mosquitos and 7 minute itch, but I still fished for Sunfish there. It was better than just turning my back and going back home. I ended up catching 210 Sunfish in 2 hours. That's an average of one Sunfish per 34 seconds!
This is to show you guys how that place is stunted. Hehe. After 2 hours of "catching Sunnies," the guys finally left and I went to the open spot for Carping...
After 7 mosquito bites and 4 snapping turtles, I finally landed my first "Koi" (Not really a Koi. It was a Goldfish) from Dinosaur Lake!
I have yet to see the true Koi at the Dinosaur Lake...
A Pumpkinseed X Green Sunfish hybrid.
A Bluegill.
Bluegill X Green Sunfish hybrid.
One of the four turtles I caught at Dinosaur Lake. This bad boy was about 40lbs heavy.
Dinosaur Lake - a little hidden treasure in Bensalem.
The only decent fish of the day: a Goldfish. It was pretty beaten too - probably trying to constantly run from the snapping turtles there.
After fishing at Dinosaur Lake, I decided to do a quick session on the Poquessing Creek. I landed a couple young Green Sunfish on a size #26 hook.
The only Redbreast Sunfish of the day!
A little Shiner. I have yet to identify this fish. =)
This is the depth that one must go through to get to the Dinosaur Lake. Therefore, if you don't like getting wet...oh well. =)
--- June 18th, Delaware River ---
Location: Delaware River
Time: 10:30-2:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 21 Bluegill
- 3 Green Sunfish
- 2 White Perch
My friend Don G. and I hit the Delaware River next to Poquessing Creek before the rain came! We weren't able to fish for a long time, but we did land some fish.
It was fun watching Don fishing with a float and small jig! He's usually with two gigantic surf rods, fishing for Catfish and Stripers. Hah.
It was fun watching Don fishing with a float and small jig! He's usually with two gigantic surf rods, fishing for Catfish and Stripers. Hah.
For a change, it was nice to fish for smaller Species in the Delaware River. We tried to catch some Black Crappies and small Largemouth Bass, but it didn't happen!
Maybe next time. =)
A Green Sunfish, caught on a "Gulp! Alive Minnow."
Little Bluegill, as usual. =)
This is about the size of the Bluegills that we were catching over there. The action was constant; therefore, we didn't get bored!
We brought some nightcrawlers with us, so I used them to catch some White Perch.
My friend Don G. holding a beautiful Pumpkinseed (spawning color too!).
Don G. holding a nice Bluegills, probably the one of the biggest ones he ever caught (according to him).
Location: Haddonfield, NJ.
Time: 12:30-5:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 9 Bluegill
- 3 Green Sunfish
- 1 Pumpkinseed
- 1 Common Carp
- 3 Brown Bullhead
- 2 Black Crappie
- 1 White Catfish
- 1 Channel Catfish
- 3 White Perch
After a long time, I went "Multi-Species fishing" at Haddonfield, NJ. I hit the Wallworth Pond, Evans Pond, Hopkins Pond, Driscoll Pond, and the Upper Cooper River.
It was a fun day: I ended up with 9 different Species of fish (I missed a Largemouth Bass and an American Eel, which would have made it 11) on nightcrawlers and "Gulp! Alive Minnows" on a 1/64oz jig head.
A Bluegill caught on a little minnow imitation at Wallworth Lake, right next to the dam.
After fishing the dam for a little bit, I moved to the bridge. I started jigging my Gulp! Minnow, and ended up with a couple Green Sunfish. Note: Green Sunfish are an invasive Species in NJ, and they should not be released if caught.
While I was jigging with one rod, I still fished with another. I ended up catching this little Pumpkinseed on a piece of nightcrawler.
Common Carp, also caught on a piece of nightcrawler. =)
A nice Bullhead.
After a good while near the bridge, I decided to move closer to Evans Pond. I landed this little Snapping Turtle on a piece of nightcrawler.
I caught a couple Black Crappies on my minnow imitation.
Almost at the end of my fishing session, I moved to Driscoll and Upper Cooper River. I landed this unexpected White Catfish, full of eggs!
This Channel Catfish hit my nightcrawler a couple seconds after my cast.
Finally, I finished the day with a couple White Perch on the crawler. Productive day!
--- June 20th, Delaware River ---
Location: Delaware River
Time: 11:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Location: Delaware River
Time: 11:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 25 Bluegill
- 7 Pumpkinseed
- 2 Green Sunfish
- 2 Largemouth Bass
- 1 Hybrid Sunfish.
I went back to the Delaware River with my friend Don G. for some more action and ended the day with a bunch of Bluegills, some Green Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, and 2 Largemouth Bass.
Also, my friend Don G. got a Warmouth on the Delaware on the 19th! The Warmouth is an endangered Species here in Pennsylvania, and it must be immediately released if caught. Somehow, their populations have been diminishing over the decades, and now only a few still remain in our bodies of water. Particularly, I've been hunting the Warmouth for 2 years, and I've never caught one!
Therefore, congratulations, Don! Cheers to Don and the tidal Delaware River - home to many different Species of fish.
Therefore, congratulations, Don! Cheers to Don and the tidal Delaware River - home to many different Species of fish.
Don's Warmouth, caught on a minnow imitation on June 19th at the Delaware River.
A nice male Bluegill caught on a piece of nightcrawler.
A Red-bellied turtle. It dared to bite my Gulp! Minnow. Heh. It was safely handled and released.
A beautiful hybrid sunfish. It's partially Green Sunfish due to the yellow/white fins. The other half is probably a Bluegill; though, I'm not certain of it.
Pumpkinseeds are GORGEOUS when they are in spawning season. It's very common for certain Species of fish to be extra colorful during their spawning seasons. It's all about attraction. Remember when you dressed up for that special date? =) Something like that.
A close up photo of another beautiful Pumpkinseed.
After a couple tries there, I was finally able to catch a Largemouth Bass! This one came from under the dock and wacked my bait. Good stuff.
Another little fella. This one was caught on a 3 inch Senko.
--- June 22nd, Crane's Lake ---
Location: Crane's Lake
Time: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 1 Pumpkinseed
- 4 Largemouth Bass
- 1 Chain Pickerel
My friend Rob Z. invited Mike and I to Crane's Lake in NJ as guests ("Hospitality Creek"). The fishing was awesome during the morning; however, it got tough as the day moved on.
Rob fished only for a little bit. Mike and I fished the Lake for the entire morning. After fishing Crane's Lake for almost 6 hours without a lot of success, we decided to move to another body of water: Cedar Lake. We also got checked by a NJ Wildlife officer at Cedar Lake! You can watch the funny video here (Mike is super nervous in it).
Rob fished only for a little bit. Mike and I fished the Lake for the entire morning. After fishing Crane's Lake for almost 6 hours without a lot of success, we decided to move to another body of water: Cedar Lake. We also got checked by a NJ Wildlife officer at Cedar Lake! You can watch the funny video here (Mike is super nervous in it).
Mike ended up with 2 Chain Pickerel and 2 Largemouth Bass; Rob ended with 2 Largemouth Bass and 1 Black Crappie, and I ended with 4 Largemouth Bass and 1 Chain Pickerel.
Overall, it was a productive day!
You can find a video of our adventure here.
I don't remember if it was the first or second cast, but Rob Z. nailed a nice Largemouth Bass!
My first Largemouth Bass of the day, on a Matzuo Zen Quinate.
Second LMB of the day, caught on the same lure above.
A beautiful Chain Pickerel, caught on a wacky-rigged Senko.
A close up picture. Gorgeous fish!
Third Largemouth Bass of the day, caught on a Senko right off the docks.
"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" A dragonfly landing on your hand. =)
My smallest Largemouth Bass of the day, caught on a 3 inch Senko.
A beautiful Pumpkinseed, caught on a piece of nightcrawler.
Mike H. casting his frog at Cedar Lake. Beautiful place for top water action!
Mike H. with his last Bass of the day, caught on a top water frog.
A picture of the dam at Cedar Lake. Notice how the water is "tea-colored." Interesting phenomenon.
"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" Eggs. A lot of frog eggs in a puddle of water!
--- June 24th, Frankford Creek ---Location: Frankford Creek
Time: 12 - 2:30 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 4 Common Carp
Short Carping session with my friend Don G. at the Frankford Creek. It was hot, humid, and the sun was a killer. However, the bite was hot!
I finished the day with 4 Common Carp: 3.50, 7.05, 9.76, 9.81lbs. My friend Don caught a 9.25lbs (on the dual pic below)
Good fishing before the storm...
First Carp of the day (and also the smallest one) - 3.50lbs.
Don's first fish of the day - a healthy Channel Catfish on the corn.
2nd Carp of the day: 7.05lbs.
3rd Carp of the day (and also the biggest): 9.81lbs
Don G. took a nice pic of me releasing the Carp. Good stuff, Don!
Just before we were ready to leave, Don G. mentioned an "Indian Chant" that attracts fish. I was laughing super hard when he started chanting, but soon my rod started to bend like crazy! I was "Wowed" for a little bit. While I was fighting my Carp, Don's rod also started to bend! We ended up with a dual Carp shot. I guess this "Indian Chant" stuff brought us some luck. Haha. According to Don, you can only use it once per fishing session (restricted use, huh?). Heh.
Don's 9.25lbs Common Carp. Lower than his Personal Best, but still a nice fish!
--- June 26th, Newton Lake ---
Location: Newton Lake
Time: 12 - 3 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 6 Largemouth Bass
- 2 Northern Snakehead
- 1 Bluegill
Even knowing that the weather was going to be horrible today (humid and super hot), I still went to Newton Lake for some Snakehead fishing.
I started with a frog, but I didn't have a single blow-up for the first thirty minutes. I switched to a spinner bait...still nothing. Then, I finally went for a wacky rigged Senko, dropping along weedlines. That was the key for the day!
After 3 hours of fishing, I finished the day with 6 Largemouth Bass (1.5lbs top) and 2 little Northern Snakeheads. I missed 2 Largemouth Bass (one around 2lbs), and a huge Northern Snakehead (5lbs+)!
I hooked the 5lbs+ on my Matzuo suspending jerkbait. After fighting it for a little bit, I got it closer to land. That's when my line got cut by the side of its mouth... Well...if anyone finds a huge Snakehead with a suspending Matzuo on it, you know the story.
I started with a frog, but I didn't have a single blow-up for the first thirty minutes. I switched to a spinner bait...still nothing. Then, I finally went for a wacky rigged Senko, dropping along weedlines. That was the key for the day!
After 3 hours of fishing, I finished the day with 6 Largemouth Bass (1.5lbs top) and 2 little Northern Snakeheads. I missed 2 Largemouth Bass (one around 2lbs), and a huge Northern Snakehead (5lbs+)!
I hooked the 5lbs+ on my Matzuo suspending jerkbait. After fighting it for a little bit, I got it closer to land. That's when my line got cut by the side of its mouth... Well...if anyone finds a huge Snakehead with a suspending Matzuo on it, you know the story.
My first Largemouth Bass of the day! This little fella came from under the weeds and swallowed my Senko in no time.
Another Largemouth Bass on the Senko. The key for the day was throwing Senkos along the weedlines. Most of the fish were hidden below it, ready to ambush their prey.
The only Northern Snakehead of the day! Still a beauty, though. Note: by New Jersey laws, Northern Snakeheads are an invasive Species of fish. Therefore, they must be terminated immediately.
This Largemouth Bass was probably the biggest one of the day! I ended up with no monsters, but the feeling of fighting a Largemouth Bass is still unique. Made my day.
I'm not exactly sure how this happened. However, a Bluegill got hooked on the 2/0 Gamakatsu after a felt a little bite. The angle of the picture is a little bit weird; however, the hook actually passed through the fish's mouth like a proper hooked fish. This is probably a very very "rare coincidence." =)
Smallest guy of the day! =)
--- June 28th, Pennypack Creek ---
Location: Pennypack Creek, between Roosevelt Boulevard and Bustleton Ave.
Time: 11 a.m. -1 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 4 Green Sunfish
- 4 Redbreast Sunfish
- 1 Brown Bullhead
I did a quick fishing session at the Pennypack Creek. The water levels were higher than usual and the Creek was totally muddy. Not only that, there were some kids swimming at my fishing spot.
They told me to leave because they were swimming there, and I told them "it was perfectly fine." I fished right next to them and finished the day with a couple Redbreast Sunfish, Green Sunfish, and a nice Brown Bullhead.
When I hooked the Brown Bullhead, it swam towards one of the kids. They started to panic like the fish was going to devour them! Haha. Funny.
They told me to leave because they were swimming there, and I told them "it was perfectly fine." I fished right next to them and finished the day with a couple Redbreast Sunfish, Green Sunfish, and a nice Brown Bullhead.
When I hooked the Brown Bullhead, it swam towards one of the kids. They started to panic like the fish was going to devour them! Haha. Funny.
Also, be aware that it's illegal to swim in the Pennypack!
A colorful Green Sunfish. I caught it on the "Gulp! Alive Minnow."
My biggest catch of the day (and rather unusual): a Pennypack Brown Bullhead! Probably my first Brown Bullhead there too. It wacked my Gulp minnow near the surface of the water. Pretty neat, huh?
The regular Redbreast Sunfish. Pretty fish.
--- June 29th, Manayunk Canal ---
Location: Manayunk Canal
Time: 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Fishes caught:
- 2 Common Carp
- 2 Largemouth Bass
- 2 Bluegill
I went Carping at the Manayunk Canal in the morning with my friends Mike K. and Nadir G.
The goal was for my buddy Mike K. to get the first big Carp of his life! Fortunate enough, he landed a 5.13lbs Mirror Carp (I named it "Kim") - a pretty rare catch around these areas, if compared to Common Carps.
I finished the day with 2 Common Carps at the Manayunk Canal (missed a 3rd one): 8.50 and 11.88lbs. Nadir ended the day with a single Bluegill, and he put a lot of effort to catch that fish!
The Mirror Carp seemed to have some kind of illness, maybe a case of Chilodonella. I surely hope it survives. The fish was CPRed properly.
The Mirror Carp seemed to have some kind of illness, maybe a case of Chilodonella. I surely hope it survives. The fish was CPRed properly.
We also made a video of it. You can watch it here.
First Carp of the day - 11.88lbs. It turned out to also be the biggest fish of the day.
The primary goal was Carping, but I couldn't resist! I set one of my rods for Bass and ended up with 2 healthy Largemouth Bass.
Chunky Largemouth Bass from the Manayunk Canal. It's as healthy as always!
My friend Mike K. with his Mirror Carp. Since his last name is Kim, I've decided to name the Carp "Kim." The fun thing about Mirror Carps is that their patterns are all different from one another. Therefore, they can be recognize just by their unique scale patterns. If anyone gets to see "Kim" again, just remember that he was 5.13lbs, and not very healthy at the moment.
Another nice Common Carp, also caught on a piece of corn.
"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" The remains of a huge Flathead Catfish. Where it came from? How did it end there? What was its profession? We will never know... =)
And this completes the June 2013 fishing sessions. I've accomplished a lot during June, and hopefully I'll catch some new Species in July! =)
