3rd Catfish Tourney on the Banks (To be held on September 15th, 2013)

Hello, Blog Readers!

Note: The original date for the 3rd Catfish Tourney on the Banks was August 18th; however, due to the low number of participants 2 days prior to the event (9 individuals/teams), the new date for it is September 15th (Sunday).

The 3rd Catfish Tourney on the Banks will be held on the Schuylkill Banks (between Locust and Walnut) on September 15th, 2013. Rain date for it will be September 29th, 2013, since it's storm season in PA.

This will also be the LAST Catfish competition of this year; therefore, your last chance to claim a nice trophy home! =)
Since the 1st Catfish Tourney on the Banks, a lot of people have been asking me about "parking" around the area. Therefore, here's a link for parking spots that are close to the Schuylkill Banks. As you guys can see, there are plenty of parking spots close to the competition site, not to mention that it's FREE parking on Sundays!
The 1st Catfish Tourney on the Banks was a blast! Here's the link for the results of the first Catfish Tourney on the Banks. Below is the picture of the winners:
The Winners: 1st Place (center) - Kevin W. with a bag of 16.09lbs (4.12, 3.94, 3.46, 2.77, 1.80), 2nd Place (left) - Linda Z. with a bag of 12.98lbs (4.05, 2.61, 2.57, 2.30, 1.45), 3rd Place (right) - Don G. with a bag of 10.84lbs (3.32, 3.10, 1.96, 1.25, 1.21)
The 2nd Catfish Tourney on the Banks had even more participants!
Most of the participants of the 2nd Catfish Tourney on the Banks. Note: If you participated, and you are not in the picture above, don't forget to STAY after the competition for the awards ceremony! After all, a good picture brings good memories. =)
Click here for the results of the 2nd Catfish Tourney on the Banks. A photo of the winners is below:
1st Place + Big Fish: Center - Ronald L. J. - 21.75 (5.44, 4.56, 4.36, 3.85, 3.54)
2nd Place: Kevin W. - 14.65 (3.41, 3.10, 2.79, 2.75, 2.60)
3rd Place: Keith Jr - 11.90 (3.30, 2.51, 2.13, 2.05, 1.91)

Now, let's go for the rules and additional information regarding the 3rd Catfish Tourney on the Banks. Interested Readers and Future Participants - please read it carefully, since there have been a change in the rules!
1. The Event and the Rules (they may be subjected to changes at any given time).

A. The Event:

- The third official Catfish Tourney on the Banks will happen between the
Locust and Chestnut Bridges on the Schuylkill Banks. The official date for it is September 15th, 2013 (Sunday). In case of rain or weather issues, the "Rain Date" is set to be two weeks after - September 29th, 2013. Registered participants will be contacted through e-mail/phone two days prior to the event in case of bad weather and/or cancellation.

- Contestants may enter the competition individually or as a "team" of 2. In the second case, the team will be treated as a single unit; therefore, the team is subjected to all the other rules as one unit (i.e. 2 rods per team; same bag per team; etc). The entry fee for the competition is $20 for single individuals (one person), and $30 dollars for a team (2 individuals) - cash only. The fee will be collected before the beginning of the competition, during the check in under the Walnut Street Bridge. Notice that this friendly tourney is profit-free. For more details, see the prize section; section 3.

- Public Transportation is available (Amtrak - Regional Rails, and
Septa) through the 30th street station, and it's highly recommended. The distance between the site of the competition and the station is a 10 minutes walk. For cars, there's parking along the Walnut and Chestnut bridges, as well as parking around 26th and Locust and below. Here's a link for parking spots that are close to the Schuylkill Banks. Note that parking is free on Sundays!

- The minimum number of participants for this competition will be 15 individuals/teams. If there are not enough participants 2 days prior to the competition, all registered competitors will be contacted about its cancellation - either via e-mail or/and phone. Notice that a higher number of participants results in a  higher amount for the cash prize (see prize section; section 3). Therefore, invite your buddies to come. =)

- Instead of the traditional format of 6 a.m.-3 p.m. (9 hours), the 3rd Catfish Tourney on the Banks will start at 9 a.m. sharp and end at 3 p.m. (6 hours). Therefore, it's highly recommended for people to show up 1 hour or half an hour prior to the beginning of the event for setting up a good spot on the banks! Late participants will not be disqualified; however, they will clearly have a disadvantage in terms of time and location. Therefore, plan your schedule carefully.

- Prizes will be awarded half an hour after the end of the competition, in situ. The winners - 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and "Big Fish" - will immediately walk out of the event with their prizes: cash and trophies. Notice that this friendly tourney is profit-free. For more details, see the prize section; section 3.

- Since this is a friendly competition, participants are free to leave the site at any given moment. There's a restroom and drinking fountain between Locust and Walnut on the Schuylkill Banks, and there is a Rite Aid on 23rd and Walnut in case anyone needs additional water or food. If there are small emergencies, participants may leave and come back, as far as they come back within the range of the competition (9-3p.m.).


- Kids (15 and below) are highly encouraged to participate in a team. According to the PA Fish and Boat Commission laws, they are not required to have a fishing license in order to fish. Note that the parent/adult is responsible for his/her child's safety in situ - there is a liability waiver in the e-mail registration form: section 2 (this document will be sent via e-mail once you contact me). The kid will be counted as part of its parent's "team," and the result of both will be summed as one.

B. The General Fishing Rules:

Important Note: All fishing participants will abide by all PA Boat and Commission regulations and safety guidelines.

- A PA fishing license is required for anyone older than the age of 15 (as the law states), and it must be shown at the check in - before the competition - and placed on an outer garment during the entire period of the tourney (9-3 p.m.). Participation without a license will not be permitted. The license can be purchased online or in certain local stores (i.e. Dicks Sporting goods, Walmart, Bait Shop -
Brinkmans bait and Tackle, Bob's bait and Tackle; etc). 

- Fishing spots will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, no right to complain if one comes late! You are being advised, and you should time yourself for the event. Also, for more comfort and better fishing, the spots were already divided in sections, so the anglers can stay at least 10 feet apart from each other. Chances are that there will be available spots for everyone.

- Although the PA law states that it's legal to fish 3 rods per session and 3 hooks per rod, the competition will work on the 2 rod per person/team and 2 hook per rod rule with the purpose of preserving space for all participants. Anyone disrespecting this rule will be given an initial warning and a penalty of 5lbs on the total poundage of the bag. A second time will result in disqualification.

- For weight-in: there will be a fixed weight in station at the Walnut Street Bridge! Instead of the traditional weight-in system, which happens at the end of the competition, the weight-in for this specific competition will happen just after successfully landing the fish. After properly unhooking a fish, the participant should walk towards the Walnut Street Bridge. I'll eventually be on "lookout" as well. If not, wait a minute or so and I'll eventually be there to properly measure and record the fish.

- There will be a penalty for mishandling fish. Every fish should be perfectly caught and released. In case the fish swallows the hook, the line should be cut. In case a fish is heavily injured and dies, there will be a severe penalty of 5lbs per incident. Catfish are tough fish; therefore, there shouldn't be any incidents! Follow the guidelines for safely practicing CPR - "Catch, Photo Release."
- A net is highly recommended for landing big fish (drop net or 8-feet long net). A Balzer fishing net is highly recommended. Believe me - you do not want to take your chances by pulling a big fish by the line. Again, a drop net or 8-feet long net is highly recommended.

- Only Catfish will be counted as part of the tourney. That includes: Channel, White, Flathead, and Bullhead. Each participant can (and should) weight-in as many Catfish as possible from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. The five biggest ones (in terms of lbs) will determine the final bag/result for given participant.

2. Registration

In order to register, send an e-mail to "
sheng12182527@gmail.com" with the subject "3rd Catfish Tourney on the Banks" or something similar. Also, write in the e-mail if you are registering yourself as solo ($20) or team ($30). 

After receiving the e-mail, I'll e-mail the person back with a formal Microsoft Word registration file (.docx) and liability waiver, requesting additional information and a digital signature. Once the person fills up the registration file and e-mail it back to me, the same will be officially registered in the tourney.

On site registration will be available on Sunday, September 15th, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. I'll be under the Walnut Street Bridge with printed registration forms. However, I would prefer everyone to sign in in advance, since the event will not happen if there are less than 15 participants, 2 days prior to the event!

3. Results and Prizes

The prizes will be distributed for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places, as well as the "Big Fish" (biggest Catfish of the day).

Note that the Catfish Tourney on the Banks is a non-profit competition. In other words, Extreme Philly Fishing is absolutely making no money out of these events. 20% of the total cash amount is donated to the Recycled Fish non-profit organization, which  focuses on environmental conservation and aquatic sustainability. Read more about it here.
In other words, $4 dollars of your registration fee will go directly to a national level non-profit organization, and it will be focused on the well-being of the country. The other $16 dollars are pulled together for the remaining cash prizes.

The prizes will be distributed as it follows (in cash, at the end of the event):

- 20% of all proceeds gathered in the tourney will go to the Recycled Fish non-profit organization, which focuses on environmental conservation and aquatic sustainability. Therefore, as mentioned above, the "Catfish Tourney on the Banks." is a profit-free event.

After subtracting 20% from the final amount of cash gathered, the prizes will be distributed as it follows:

1st place: 40% of remaining cash + 1st place Trophy
2nd place: 30% of remaining cash + 2nd place Trophy
3rd place: 20% of remaining cash + 3rd place Trophy
Big Catfish: 10% of remaining cash + Big Fish Trophy

Therefore, the minimum prize amount (based on 15 participants) for the 2nd Catfish Tourney on the Banks will be:

15 participants = $300

20% of 300 will go to a non-profit organization: $60

The remaining $240 will be distributed as it follows:

1st place: 40% --> $96
2nd place: 30% --> $72
3rd place: 20% --> $48
Big Catfish: 10% --> $24

Note: if, for example, the first place is accounted for the biggest Catfish of the day, that person will be taking $96+24, and he/she will be receiving both trophies.

If the number of participants are actually 25 instead of 15: 20*25= $500. The same calculation is performed. Therefore, the higher the number of participants, the higher the amount of money distributed.

I'll request a formal e-mail from the non-profit to every participant after the donation is in, as a gesture of gratitude.
I'll see all participants next month. For those who are planning to participate - best of luck for you guys!

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.

Where Have I been Recently? Where should I go in the Future? The Art of "Keeping Fishing Logs"

Hello, Readers!



Today I'm posting about the art of keeping "fishing logs." As many of you may already be aware of, a fishing log is a very important tool for any serious angler. Why is that, you may ask? Well...you will eventually find your answer as you read through this post! As for now, I'll tell you that creating a good fishing log means recording many different variables to increase your chances of future catches!

Keeping records is a fundamental skill in human life, and it is definitely not bounded only to fishing. It's a fact that creating a habit of recording events is very healthy and leads to a more organized life. Think about it -- depending on how organized you are, the art of keeping records will even save you a lot of money. Though, when it boils down to keeping fishing records, just think of it as the same as creating a "scientific" document based on empirical observations and facts. Interestingly enough, if well preserved, your fishing log could even be a historical document one day! Nice, huh?

But then, what exactly should one write in his/her fishing log? Here are a couple suggestions:


1. Time of year: What day was it? What time of the day? What season? A simple example: "May 12th, 2014. Summer. I did a fishing session from 12-6 p.m."

2. Body of water: Where did you fish at? Was is a Lake, a River, a Stream, or a Pond? And what was its name? A simple example: "Today I've fished at the tidal Schuylkill River, located in Philadelphia, PA."

3. Weather conditions: How was the air temperature? The sky? The wind? A simple example: "It was hot today: 75F. It was cloudy and peaceful, without signs of wind (2 mph)."  

4. Water conditions: How was the clarity of the water? The temperature? The current level? The water level (if applicable)? A simple example: "The Schuylkill River was clear and calm, with very little current during high-low tide. The lack of rain was accounting for a 2-feet drop in regular water level. The water temperature was 68F."  

5. Bait used: What type of bait was used? Live bait? Lures? What about its size and color? A simple example: "I decided to use a pack of nightcrawlers for one rod and two 1/8 oz shad darts on my noodle rod -- green on the bottom and red on top."

6. Presentation: What level did you fish at? On the bottom? Perhaps suspended? Or maybe the surface? What about the rig? What about the retrieve (if applicable)? Slow? Fast? Medium? Hopping? Jerking? Dead-sticking? A simple example: "I set up a slip-sinker rig with a 1 oz. slip sinker, a small snap swivel and size #4 hook. I decided to use the nightcrawlers on the bottom for multi-species fishing. As for the noodle rod, I set up the 2 shad darts 2-feet apart from each other. Hoping for some American and Hickory Shad, I fished them with a slow steady retrieve, sometimes stopping and jerking in-between."  

7. Fish Caught: What type of fish did you catch? How many? How much did it weight? What about its length? Girth (if applicable)? A simple example: "In the end, I landed 8 White Perch and 3 Channel Catfish on the nightcrawlers, and 2 American Shad on the shad darts. The biggest Perch was at 6 inches, and the biggest Channel Catfish was at 5lbs, 23 inches. In order to preserve the American Shad, I quickly released them without measuring them. I would estimate the biggest one to be around 3lbs."

8. Location of the catch: Locally speaking, where was your fish caught? Close to shore? Near structure? Open water? A simple example: "Facing the River from the fishing spot, the White Perch and Channel Catfish where caught to the utmost left side of the Fairmount Dam, about 20 feet straight. No snags in that spot. The American Shad were caught 45 degrees to the right, when retrieving the darts right next to the falls." 

And perhaps some extra information: 

9. Photos: Photos of your catches; scenery. 
10. Additional Comments: General thoughts and additional notes for the day.

As one can see, a full fishing log is formed by simply answering all these questions! Wonderful, isn't it? So, if we were to put all parts together, we would have our complete work:

"May 12th, 2014. Summer.

I did a fishing session from 12-6 p.m.. Today I've fished at the tidal Schuylkill River, located in Philadelphia, PA. It was hot today: 75F. It was cloudy and peaceful, without signs of wind (2 mph). The Schuylkill River was clear and calm, with very little current during high-low tide. The lack of rain was accounting for a 2-feet drop in regular water level. The water temperature was 68F. I decided to use a pack of nightcrawlers for one rod and two 1/8 oz shad darts on my noodle rod -- green on the bottom and red on top. I set up a slip-sinker rig with a 1 oz. slip sinker, a small snap swivel and size #4 hook. I decided to use the nightcrawlers on the bottom for multi-species fishing. As for the noodle rod, I set up the 2 shad darts 2-feet apart from each other. Hoping for some American and Hickory Shad, I fished them with a slow steady retrieve, sometimes stopping and jerking in-between. In the end, I landed 8 White Perch and 3 Channel Catfish on the nightcrawlers, and 2 American Shad on the shad darts. The biggest Perch was at 6 inches, and the biggest Channel Catfish was at 5lbs, 23 inches. In order to preserve the American Shad, I quickly released them without measuring them. I would estimate the biggest one to be around 3lbs. Facing the River from the fishing spot, the White Perch and Channel Catfish where caught to the utmost left side of the Fairmount Dam, about 20 feet straight. No snags in that spot. The American Shad were caught 45 degrees to the right, when retrieving the darts right next to the falls." 

Photos and additional comments are below:" 


Keep in mind that you want your fishing logs to be as detailed as possible, so you can "picture" your fishing session even years after it as you read though it. Personally, I like to split the format above into 2 different types of digital fishing logs: "photo" and "writing."


The photo portion of the log shows me the scenery, which shows me part of the weather. It also shows the type of the fish caught and where it was caught. The digital data on the photo allows me to see the exact time when the fish was caught, as well as the date -- the day, the month, and the year (note: if the camera is set with the right date).


The handwritten portion refers to all the fish I've caught in that day; the body of water I went to; etc. It also includes information as water temperature, clarity, and any other additional information that may be important for future fishing sessions. 


The "fishing session" posts that you read in this Blog are usually the product of these two digital fishing logs together. =) 


Finally, I also have a more "basic fishing log" in .txt format. This informal log shows me ONLY the date of the session, the amount of fish caught, and the location. For example, this has been my "basic" fishing log since September of 2012: 

2012

September:

09/01 - Manayunk Canal - 3 Largemouth Bass.
09/07-09/08 - Fish-A-Thon 2012 - 210 White Perch, 15 Bluegills, 3 Pumpkin Seed, 10 Channel Catfish.
09/14 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
09/15 - Manayunk Canal/Schuylkill River - 2 Largemouth Bass, 1 Pumpkin Seed, 1 Spot Croaker, 1 Bluegill, 1 Yellow Perch, 3 White Perch.
09/16 - Haddon Lake - 1 Bluegill.
09/19 - Audubon/Haddon Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass.
09/21 - Manayunk Canal - 17 Largemouth Bass, 1 Green Sunfish.
09/22 - Grenloch Lake/Black Wood Lake/Cooper River Lake - 7 Largemouth Bass, 5 Bluegill, 2 Black Crappie, 1 Channel Catfish.
09/23 - Fairmount Dam/Manayunk Canal - 2 Largemouth Bass.
09/24 - Wissahickon Creek - 6 Rock Bass, 1 Redbreast Sunfish.
09/29 - Manayunk Canal - 1 Carp (5lbs).
09/30 - Hopewell Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass.

October:

10/05 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish, 1 White Perch.
10/06 - Crane's Lake - 2 Chain Pickerel.
10/07 - FlatRock Dam (Schuylkill River) - 2 Catfish, 1 Fathead Minnow, 1 Bluegill.
10/09 - FDR Park (Meadow Lake) - 4 Black Crappie, 38 Bluegill.
10/14 - Pennypack Creek - 5 Rainbow Trout.
10/15 - Pennypack  Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout, 1 Smallmouth Bass.
10/18 - Wissahickon Creek - 7 Rainbow Trout.
10/21 - Schuylkill River - 4 Channel Catfish (5.2 kicker).
10/22 - Wissahickon Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
10/23 - Wissahickon Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
10/26 - WIssahickon Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
10/28 - Hopkins Pond - 3 Largemouth Bass.

November:

11/02 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
11/03 - Driscoll/Cooper River - 52 Crappie, 1 Largemouth Bass, 5 Bluegill.
11/04 - Driscoll/Cooper River - 32 Crappie, 7 Bluegill.
11/06 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
11/12 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
11/16 - Pennypack Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
11/17 - Schuylkill River/Cooper River/Driscoll Pond - 7 Black Crappie, 3 Bluegills.
11/18 - Manayunk Canal - SKUNKED
11/21 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Rainbow Trout.
11/24 - Lake Luxembourg - 7 Common Carp, 1 Rainbow Trout.


December:

12/01 - The Ponds (Downingtown) - 1 Common Carp.
12/02 - Haddon Lake/Audubon Lake - 2 Golden Shiner, 3 Gizzard Shads, 10 Bluegills, 2 Black Crappie.
12/05 - Concourse Lake/Centennial Lake - 1 Black Crappie, 1 Bluegill.
12/07 - Driscoll Pond/Cooper River - 10 Black Crappie, 10 Bluegills, 1 Yellow Perch, 1 Brown Bullhead, 1 Largemouth Bass.
12/08 - Haddon Lake/Audubon Lake - 1 Common Carp, 10 Bluegills.
12/09 - Glenlock Lake - SKUNKED
12/14 - Wissahickon Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
12/16 - Haddon Lake/Schuylkill River - 10 Black Crappie, 6 Bluegill.
12/17 - Lake Luxembourg - 12 Common Carp, 2 Rainbow Trout, 2 Black Crappie.
12/18 - Lake Luxembourg - 3 Common Carp.
12/19 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish.
12/24 - Lake Luxembourg - 3 Rainbow Trout, 2 Common Carp, 1 White Perch, 1 American Eel.
12/30 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish.
12/31 - Lake Luxembourg - 3 Rainbow Trout.

2013

January:

01/01 - Lake Luxembourg - SKUNKED
01/05 - Wallworth Pond/Upper Cooper River - 7 Bluegills, 2 Pumpkin Seeds, 7 Black Crappie, 1 Yellow Perch.
01/09 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish.
01/10 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
01/11 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
01/13 - Wissahickon Creek - SKUNKED
01/14 - Schuylkill River - 9 Channel Catfish (2.5, 2, 2.5, 2.5, 2, 1.5, 3, 4, 3).
01/20 - Haddon Lake/Audubon Lake - 61 Bluegills, 1 Pumpkinseed, 4 Common Carps.
01/21 - Upper Cooper River - 2 Yellow Perch, 6 Black Crappie (9 in. PB), 8 Bluegill, 2 Pumpkinseed, 12 Golden Shiner.


February:

02/02 - Audubon Lake/Upper Cooper River - 2 Bluegill, 3 Black Crappie, 3 Golden Shiner, 1 Common Carp.
02/03 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish (3.5, 1.5).
02/10 - Manayunk Canal - SKUNKED.
02/17 - Schuylkill River - 10 Catfish (4, 2.5, 4.5, 2.5, 2.0, 1.5, 9.5555!!!!! (27 inches), 1.5, 1.5, 1.5, 4, 4).
02/24 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
02/28 - Meadow Lake - SKUNKED


March:

03/02 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish (3lber).
03/03 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish (2lber)
03/07 - Manayunk Canal - SKUNKED
03/10 - Schuylkill River - 3 Channel Catfish (2, 1.5, 5.5lbs), 1 Eastern Silvery Minnow.
03/11 - Concourse/Centennial Lake - 5 Brown Bullhead (0.55 - 9 inches), 1 Bluegill.
03/13 - Newton Lake/Knight's Lake - 8 Bluegill, 1 Brown Bullhead.
03/14 - Tookany Creek/Kleinheinz Pond - 1 Spottail Shiner, 1 White Sucker.
03/15 - Tookany Creek - 11 White Suckers.
03/17 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish (4, 1.25lb).
03/29 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
03/30 - Pennypack Creek - 9 Rainbow Trout.
03/31 - Pennypack Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout (12.5 inches!), 2 Brown Trout (14.5 inches!).

April:

04/01 - Pennypack Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
04/04 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Rainbow Trout.
04/06 - Wissahickon Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout, 1 Golden Rainbow Trout.
04/07 - Haddon Lake - 3 Common Carp, 8 Bluegills, 2 Largemouth bass, 3 Yellow Bullhead, 1 Brook Trout.
04/08 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish.
04/10 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Green Sunfish, 1 Rock Bass, 2 Brown Trout.
04/11 - Newton Creek/Knight's Lake - 58 Bluegill, 7 Black Crappie, 2 Brown Bullhead, 1 Channel Catfish (4.5lbs), 1 White Perch, 5 LMB, 1 Pumpkinseed.
04/13 - Schuylkill River - 10 Channel Catfish, 6 American Eels.
04/14 - Newton Lake/Knight's Lake - 36 Bluegills, 3 Largemouth Bass, 24 Black Crappies, 4 Brown Bullheads.
04/15 - Cooper River Lake - 47 Bluegills, 1 Green Sunfish.
04/18 - Linden Lake - 15 Bluegills, 1 Brown Bullhead, 2 Largemouth Bass, 9 Black Crappie.
04/21 - Silver Lake/Rowand's Lake/Lake Worth - 15 Bluegills, 8 Largemouth Bass, 2 Chain Pickerel.
04/24 - Hilliard's Creek/Linden Lake/Kirkwood Lake - 5 Brown Bullhead, 158 Bluegill, 15 Black Crappie, 25 Green Sunfish, 3 Pumpkinseed.
04/25 - Schuylkill River - 4 Largemouth Bass.
04/27 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish.
04/28 - Core's Creek/Lake Luxembourg - 25 Bluegills, 1 Yellow Perch.
04/29 - Schuylkill River - 2 Hickory Shad, 2 Gizzard Shad, 2 Largemouth Bass, 1 Channel Catfish.

May:

05/01 - Schuylkill River - 1 Largemouth Bass.
05/02 - Tacony Creek - 36 Redbreast Sunfish, 6 Spottail Shiner, 2 Creek Chub, 1 Bluegill, 16 Green Sunfish.
05/04 - Wissahickon Creek - 27 Redbreast Sunfish, 18 Rock Bass, 3 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Largemouth Bass.
05/05 - Tookany Creek - 2 Spottail Shiner, 12 Creek Chub, 2 Largemouth Bass, 2 Brown Bullhead, 1 White Sucker, 1 Bluegill, 15 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Goldfish.
05/06 - Byberry Creek - 36 Redbreast Sunfish, 4 Common Shiner, 2 Spottail Shiner, 1 Pumpkinseed, 3 Mummichog, 6 banded Killifish, 1 Swallowtail Shiner, 1 Bluegill.
05/07 - Lake Luxembourg - 1 Green Sunfish, 1 Bluegill.
05/08 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Brown Trout.
05/09 - Schuylkill River - 4 Largemouth Bass, 1 Striped Bass.
05/11 - Meadow Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass, 1 Black Crappie, 5 Bluegills.
05/12 - Neshaminy Creek - 64 Rock Bass, 22 Redbreast Sunfish, 6 Green Sunfish, 1 Bluegill, 2 Black Crappie.
05/13 - Schuylkill River - 3 Largemouth Bass, 1 Smallmouth Bass.
05/15 - Byberry Creek - 10 Redbreast Sunfish, 4 Banded Killifish, 2 Swallowtail Shiner, 2 Creek Chub.
05/17 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish, 1 Rock Bass, 1 American Shad.
05/18 - Schuylkill River - 2 American Shad.
05/19 - Manayunk Canal/Schuylkill River - 1 Largemouth Bass, 10 Bluegills, 2 Satinfin Shiner, 6 Green Sunfish.
05/20 - Newton Creek - 1 Pumpkinseed, 4 Bluegill, 2 Largemouth Bass, 1 Northern Snakehead.
05/21 - Neshaminy Creek - 1 Smallmouth Bass, 5 Green Sunfish.
05/22 - Schuylkill River - 7 Green Sunfish.
05/25 - Wissahickon Creek - 7 Redbreast Sunfish, 5 Rock Bass.
05/26 - Schuylkill River - 3 Channel Catfish.
05/27 - Delaware River - 8 White Perch.
05/28 - Schuylkill River - 1 Bluegill, 3 Channel Catfish.


June:

06/01 - Schuylkill River - 1 Largemouth Bass, 2 White Perch, 12 Channel Catfish, 1 Flathead Catfish, 1 American Eel.
06/03 - Cooper River Lake - 1 Channel Catfish, 3 Yellow Bullhead, 1 White Catfish, 2 Common Carp (6.90lbs, 3.15lbs), 9 Bluegills, 2 Pumpkinseed, 2 Mummichogs, 1 American Eel.
06/04 - Tidal Pennypack Creek - 4 Redbreast Sunfish, 4 Mummichogs, 1 Green Sunfish, 14 White Perch, 5 Channel Catfish, 1 Common Carp (15.35lbs).
06/08 - Frankford Creek - 3 Channel Catfish, 2 White Perch, 1 Common Carp (20.67).
06/09 - Frankford Creek - 3 Channel Catfish, 2 Common Carp (8.06, 9.45).
06/10 - Dinosaur Lake - 12 Hybrid Sunfish, 1 Bluegill, 1 Brown Bullhead, 1 Yellow Bullhead.
06/12 - Concourse Lake/Schuylkill River - 2 Green Sunfish, 86 Bluegills, 1 Channel Catfish, 1 American Eel.
06/14 - Haddon Lake/Audubon Lake/Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish.
06/16 - Schuylkill River - 1 White Catfish (4.58lbs - 0.04lbs BELOW the state record), 2 Channel Catfish, 2 American Eel, 2 White Perch.
06/17 - Dinosaur Lake - 8 Bluegill, 17 Green Sunfish, 3 Pumpkinseed, 182 Hybrid Sunfish, 1 Goldfish (0.75), 1 Shiner.
06/18 - Delaware River - 21 Bluegill, 3 Green Sunfish, 2 White Perch.
06/19 - Upper Cooper River/Wallworth Pond/Evans Pond/Driscoll Pond - 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.
06/20 - Delaware River - 25 Bluegill, 7 Pumpkinseed, 2 Green Sunfish, 2 Largemouth Bass.
06/22 - Crane's Lake - 1 Pumpkinseed, 4 Largemouth Bass, 1 Chain Pickerel.
06/24 - Frankford Creek - 4 Common Carp (3.5, 7.05, 9.76, 9.81).
06/26 - Newton Lake - 6 Largemouth Bass, 2 Northern Snakehead, 1 Bluegill.
06/28 - Pennypack Creek - 4 Green Sunfish, 4 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Brown Bullhead.
06/29 - Manayunk Canal - 2 Common Carp (11.88, 8.50), 2 Largemouth Bass, 2 Bluegills.


July:

07/03 - Newton Lake - 2 Largemouth Bass.
07/07 - Absecon Bay - SKUNKED
07/08 - Absecon Bay - SKUNKED
07/09 - Neshaminy Creek - 1 Bluegill, 5 Rock Bass, 7 green Sunfish, 12 Redbreast Sunfish.
07/10 - Tookany Creek - 2 Creek Chub, 3 Spottail Shiner, 4 Spotfin Shiner, 5 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 White Sucker, 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Bluegill, 1 Banded Killifish.
07/13 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish, 1 American Eel.
07/14 - Barnegat Bay - 3 Summer Flounder (Fluke).
07/15 - Byberry Creek - 7 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Green Sunfish, 10 Mummichogs, 2 Banded Killifish, 1 Fallfish, 1 Spottail Shiner.

07/21 - Delaware River - 1 Bluegill, 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Green Sunfish.
07/22 - Manayunk Canal - 2 Largemouth Bass.
07/23 - Delaware Canal - 10 Black Crappie, 1 Bluegill.
07/24 - Delaware River - 10 Bluegill, 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Golden Shiner, 7 Green Sunfish.
07/31 - 17 Redbreast Sunfish, 8 Rock Bass, 15 Green Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed.

August:

08/05 - Nameless Ponds (East Sandwich)/Cape Cod Canal - 5 Bergall, 2 Black Sea Bass.
08/06 - Lagoon Pond - 4 Scup, 1 Black Sea Bass.
08/07 - Cape Cod Canal/Little Stellwagen Basin - 10 Bergall.
08/11 - Absecon Bay Inlet - 3 Bluefish, 5 Black Sea Bass, 1 Atlantic Croaker, 1 Fluke (Summer Flounder), 2 Bergall.
08/12 - Absecon Bay Inlet - 1 Tautog, 3 Spot Croaker, 15 Atlantic Croaker, 1 Bergall, 5 Black Sea Bass.
08/13 - Absecon Bay Inlet - 1 Northern Puffer, 1 Bluefish, 3 Atlantic Croaker, 7 Black Sea Bass, 1 Bergall.
08/14 - Newton Lake/Knight's Lake - 1 Pumpkinseed, 4 Bluegill, 1 Western Mosquitofish, 1 Channel Catfish, 1 Largemouth Bass.
08/18 - Schuylkill River - 5 Bluegill, 1 Yellow Perch, 3 White Perch, 2 Channel Catfish, 1 American Eel.
08/20 - Neshaminy Creek - 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Bluegill, 5 Green Sunfish, 2 Rock Bass, 25 Redbreast Sunfish, 2 Largemouth Bass.
08/23 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
08/24 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED
08/26 - Schuylkill River - 8 Bluegills, 1 GreenSunfish, 4 Flathead Catfish.
08/28 - Schuylkill River - 5 Bluegills, 1 Green Sunfish, 1 Largemouth Bass, 5 Flathead Catfish.

September:

09/04 - Schuylkill River - 3 Channel Catfish.

09/07 - Schuylkill River - 12 Bluegills.

09/08 - Hopkins Pond/Wallworth Lake/Upper Cooper River/Evans Lake - 96 Bluegill, 7 Pumpkinseed, 2 Bluegill X Green Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed X Green Sunfish, 1 White Perch, 1 Yellow Perch, 3 Largemouth Bass, 1 Channel Catfish, 12 Brown Bullheads, 1 American Eel, 3 Black Crappie, 2 Eastern Mosquito Fish.

09/23 - Schuylkill River - 2 American Shad, 1 Striped Bass.
09/29 - Schuylkill River - 7 Channel Catfish.


October:

10/01 - Schuylkill River/Manayunk Canal - 4 Largemouth Bass, 1 Smallmouth Bass.

10/04 - Schuylkill River - 3 Largemouth Bass.

10/06 - Schuylkill River/Manayunk Canal - 1 Largemouth Bass, 1 Smallmouth Bass.

10/07 - Schuylkill River - 1 Largemouth Bass, 1 Smallmouth Bass.
10/09 - Pennypack Creek - 2 Rainbow Trout, 1 Smallmouth Bass, 3 Redbreast Sunfish.
10/13 - Pennypack Creek - 4 Rainbow Trout, 1 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Spotted Bass, 1 Green Sunfish, 5 Redbreast Sunfish.
10/14 - Pennypack Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
10/21 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
10/23 - Linden Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass, 17 Black Crappie, 5 Bluegill.
10/28 - Schuylkill River - 1 American Eel.
10/30 - Schuylkill River - 1 American Eel.

November:



11/02 - Delaware River - SKUNKED.

11/03 - Cooper River Lake/Audubon Lake - 2 Common Carp (3.5, 6.5lbs).
11/13 - Upper Cooper River - 5 Black Crappie, 1 Brown Bullhead.
11/16 - Delaware River - SKUNKED.
11/17 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
11/25 - Manayunk Canal - SKUNKED.
11/26 - Linden Lake/Kirkwood Lake - 6 Bluegill.


December:

12/04 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.

12/05 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish.

12/07 - Linden Lake - 2 Chain Pickerel, 2 Bluegill.

12/20 - Upper Cooper River - 2 Black Crappie, 1 Bluegill.
12/22 - Newton Lake - 1 Black Crappie, 4 Bluegill, 1 Brown Bullhead.
12/30 - Pennypack Creek - SKUNKED.

2014

January:

01/13 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
01/29 - Upper Cooper River/Evans Lake/Wallworth Pond - SKUNKED.

February:

02/21 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
02/23 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish (4.05lbs -- 20 inches).

March:

03/07 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.

03/08 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish (5.57lbs -- 34 inches).

03/09 - Newton Lake/Cooper River Lake - SKUNKED.

03/15 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
03/19 - Tookany Creek - 3 Spottail Shiner (4 inches max).
03/20 - Linden Lake - SKUNKED.
03/22 - Schuylkill River/Manayunk Canal - 1 Largemouth Bass (1lber).
03/29 - Pennypack Creek - 12 Rainbow Trout.


April:

04/02 - Pennypack Creek - 6 Rainbow Trout (12 - 0.90lbs), 2 Brown Trout (11 - 0.50).
04/04 - Pennypack Creek - 6 Rainbow Trout (0.7, 0.63, 0.33, 0.5, 0.6, 0.77 -- 12, 12, 9.5, 10.5, 11, 12.5), 1 Brown Trout (2.11, 16.5), 1 White Sucker (2.02, 17).
04/06 - Haddon Lake - 3 Brown Trout, 20 Bluegills, 1 Bluegill X Green Sunfish Hybrid.
04/11 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
04/12 - Schuylkill River - 1 Common Carp (8.13lbs).
04/13 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
04/18 - Lake Luxembourg/Core Creek - 6 Bluegill, 1 Yellow Perch, 3 Brown Bullheads, 2 Green Sunfish.
04/19 - James River - 4 Blue Catfish, 1 Striped Bass.
04/20 - Meadow Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass, 1 Northern Snakehead, 11 Bluegill, 1 American Eel.
04/21 - Meadow Lake - 1 Northern Snakehead, 8 Bluegill.
04/25 - Newton Lake - 1 Warmouth, 9 Largemouth Bass, 8 Black Crappie, 2 Bluegill.
04/26 - Cooper River Lake - 1 Brown Bullhead, 1 Common Carp, 3 Bluegills, 1 Black Crappie.

May:

05/05 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Brown Trout, 6 Rainbow Trout, 10 Redbreast Sunfish.
05/10 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Rainbow Trout.
05/14 - Linden Lake/Kirkwood Lake - 1 Green Sunfish, 2 Largemouth Bass, 7 Black Crappie, 6 Bluegill, 1 Brown Bullhead.
05/15 - Schuylkill River - 7 White Perch, 10 Channel Catfish, 4 American Eel.
05/18 - Newton Lake - 4 Bluegills, 1 Largemouth Bass.
05/19 - Schuylkill River - 1 Common Carp, 1 Channel Catfish, 2 Flathead Catfish, 1 American Eel.
05/20 - Absecon Bay Inlet - 5 Tautog, 28 Bergall.
05/21 - Delaware Canal/Buck Creek - 15 Bluegill, 1 Pumpkinseed, 3 Largemouth Bass, 4 Rainbow Trout, 2 Chain Pickerel.
05/26 - Swatara Creek - 4 Smallmouth Bass, 9 Fallfish.
05/29 - D&R Canal/Brock Creek - 3 Redbreast Sunfish, 7 Bluegill, 2 Largemouth Bass.

June:

06/03 - Barnegat Bay - SKUNKED.
06/04 - Wissahickon Creek - 1 Largemouth Bass, 4 Rock Bass, 3 Smallmouth Bass, 3 Redbreast Sunfish. 
06/09 - Schuylkill River - 1 Flathead Catfish, 2 Channel Catfish. 
06/10 - Absecon Bay Inlet - 10 Tautog, 1 Bluntnose Stingray, 2 Northern Kingfish, 2 Dusky smooth-hound, 1 Summer Flounder, 15 Bergall. 
06/11 - Magnolia Lake/D&L Canal/Martins Creek/Falls Township - 6 Bluegill, 1 Largemouth Bass. 
06/12 - Mill Creek (Bristol)/Silver Lake/Magnolia Lake - 8 Bluegill, 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Channel Catfish, 7 Redbreast Sunfish. 
06/16 - Schuylkill River - 8 Flathead Catfish, 1 Channel Catfish. 
06/18 - Delaware Canal/Buck Creek - 4 Largemouth Bass, 1 Northern Snakehead, 3 Bluegill, 1 Black Crappie, 1 Chain Pickerel. 
06/19 - Neshaminy Creek - 1 Common Carp. 
06/22 - Tacony Creek/Tookany Creek - 1 Bluegill, 1 Green Sunfish, 4 Redbreast Sunfish, 3 Creek Chub, 1 Spotfin Shiner, 1 Largemouth Bass. 
06/27 - Darby Creek/Hoy's Pond - 2 White Perch, 3 Largemouth Bass, 5 Bluegill, 1 Redbreast Sunfish. 
06/29 - Ridley Park Lake - 1 Common Carp, 2 Brown Bullhead. 
06/30 - Schuylkill River - 4 Common Carp. 

July:

07/06 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish.
07/07 - Brandywine Creek - 1 Green Sunfish, 2 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Smallmouth Bass.
07/08 - Neshaminy Creek/Pond Next to Neshaminy Creek - 1 Largemouth Bass, 1 Common Carp.
07/10 - Delaware Canal/Buck Creek - 1 Black Crappie, 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Green Sunfish, 4 Largemouth Bass.
07/14 - Newton Lake/Newton Creek - 2 Northern Snakehead, 2 Green Sunfish, 5 Redbreast Sunfish, 5 Bluegill, 1 Pumpkinseed, 2 Largemouth Bass.
07/16 - Newton Lake - 1 Bluegill.
07/17 - Delaware River - 3 Channel Catfish.
07/20 - Schuylkill River - 1 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Largemouth Bass.

August:

08/12 - Lake Nockamixon - 3 Bluegill.
08/23 - Schuylkill River - SKUNKED.
08/25 - Schuylkill River/Manayunk Canal - 1 Green Sunfish, 8 Smallmouth Bass, 5 Bluegill.
08/27 - Schuylkill River - 3 Striped Bass, 3 Channel Catfish, 1 Bluegill.
08/29 - Schuylkill River - 4 Redbreast Sunfish, 5 Bluegill, 8 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Rock Bass.
08/31 - Newton Lake/Newton Creek - 4 Largemouth Bass, 3 Redbreast Sunfish, 18 Bluegill, 1 Green Sunfish.

September:

09/06 - Schuylkill River - 1 Striped Bass.
09/07 - Pennypack Creek - 2 Creek Chub, 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Rock Bass.
09/19 - Delaware Canal/Buck Creek - 2 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Common carp, 2 Bluegill, 2 largemouth Bass.
09/21 - Schuylkill River - 3 Channel Catfish, 1 Bluegill.
09/27 - Upper Cooper River/Wallworth Lake - 1 Green Sunfish X Bluegill Hybrid, 1 Pumpkinseed, 5 Bluegill, 7 Black Crappie, 1 Yellow Perch, 25 Largemouth Bass, 11 Gizzard Shad. 

October:

10/01 - Wissahickon Creek - 5 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Largemouth Bass, 3 Smallmouth Bass, 2 Rock Bass.
10/04 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
10/08 - Upper Cooper River/Wallworth Lake/Driscoll Pond - 6 Black Crappie, 7 Bluegill, 7 Largemouth Bass, 1 Green Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed, 3 Green Sunfish X Bluegill Hybrid, 1 Brown Bullhead.
10/10 - Pennypack Creek - 8 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brown Trout.
10/11 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Pumpkinseed.
10/12 - Pennypack Creek/Mills Creek - 8 Creek Chub, 1 White Sucker, 1 Brown Trout, 1 Brook Trout.
10/13 - Pennypack Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
10/18 - Schuylkill River - 7 Channel Catfish.
10/24 - East Branch Brandywine Creek - 3 Redbreast Sunfish, 2 Rock Bass, 2 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Green Sunfish X Bluegill Hybrid, 1 Bluegill X Redbreast Sunfish Hybrid, 5 Bluegill, 1 Black Crappie.
10/26 - Cobbs Creek - 7 Redbreast Sunfish, 2 Creek Chub, 7 Unknown Minnows.
10/29 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
10/31 - Poquessing Creek - 2 Swallowtail Shiner, 4 Spottail Shiner, 1 Creek Chub.

November:

11/01 - Potomac River - 3 Blue Catfish, 1 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Channel Catfish.
11/07 - Schuylkill River - 6 Channel Catfish.
11/10 - Wissahickon Creek - 7 Redbreast Sunfish.
11/15 - Upper Cooper River - 3 Black Crappie.
11/20 - Upper Cooper River - Skunked.
11/24 - Meadow Lake - 4 Common Carp, 1 Mirror Carp.

December:

12/01 - Meadow Lake - 3 Common Carp.

2015

January:

01/25 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish (4.85lbs).

February:

02/04 - Upper Cooper River/Wallworth Lake - Skunked.
02/08 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish.
02/09 - Meadow Lake - Skunked.

March:

03/02 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
03/09 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
03/11 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
03/15 - Great Egg Harbor Bay/Atsion Lake - Skunked.
03/16 - Linden Lake/Kirkwood Lake - 20 Bluegill.
03/17 - Oyster Creek/Vincetown Millpond - Skunked.
03/20 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish, 1 American Eel.
03/21 - Silver Lake - Skunked.
03/31 - Mill Creek - 2 Rainbow Trout.

April:

04/02 - Tacony Creek - 7 Creek Chub, 4 Common Shiner, 8 Redbreast Sunfish, 2 Spottail Shiner, 1 White Sucker.
04/03 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish.
04/04 - Pennypack Creek - 4 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brown Trout.
04/05 - Pennypack Creek - 4 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brown Trout.
04/06 - Pennypack Creek/East Branch Brandywine Creek - 7 Rainbow Trout.
04/07 - Pennypack Creek - 4 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brown Trout.
04/08 - Pennypack Creek - 3 Rainbow Trout.
04/09 - Pennypack Creek - 2 Rainbow Trout.
04/10 - Stony Creek - 7 Rainbow Trout.
04/14 - Wissahickon Creek - 6 Redbreast Sunfish, 4 Rock Bass, 1 Bluegill, 1 Smallmouth Bass.
04/15 - Delaware Canal - 5 Rainbow Trout, 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Bluegill X Green Sunfish Hybrid, 2 Green Sunfish.
04/16 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
04/17 - Newton Lake/Haddon Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass, 23 Bluegill, 6 Black Crappie, 1 White Perch.
04/23 - Delaware River - Skunked.
04/24 - Delaware River - Skunked.
04/25 - Frankford Creek - Skunked.
04/28 - Schuylkill River - 1 Striped Bass, 1 White Perch, 5 Channel Catfish (biggest at 5.5lbs 23 inches).
04/30 - Newton Lake - 7 Pumpkinseed, 32 Bluegill, 4 Largemouth Bass, 3 White Perch, 1 Goldfish X Common Carp Hybrid.

May:

05/01 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
05/02 - Darby Creek/Schuylkill River - Skunked.
05/05 - Barnegat Bay - Skunked.
05/06 - Delaware Canal - 1 Chain Pickerel, 4 Largemouth Bass, 2 Rainbow Trout, 1 Green Sunfish X Bluegill Hybrid, 1 Green Sunfish, 3 Bluegill.
05/07 - Schuylkill River - 1 Flathead Catfish, 1 Channel Catfish, 6 Bluegill, 1 Pumpkinseed.
05/12 - East Branch Brandywine Creek - 1 Spotfin Shiner, 2 Redbreast Sunfish, 4 Rock Bass, 1 Largemouth Bass, 4 Rainbow Trout, 1 Brown Trout, 1 Fallfish, 1 Bluegill.
05/14 - Absecon Bay - 7 Bluefish, 2 Clearnose Skate, 2 Bergall, 1 Tautog.
05/15 - Newton Lake - Skunked.
05/16 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
05/19 - Schuylkill River/Manayunk Canal - 1 Bluegill, 1 Largemouth Bass, 5 Smallmouth Bass.
05/21 - Pennypack Creek - 1 Smallmouth Bass, 2 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Brown Trout.
05/26 - Schuylkill River - 1 American Eel.
05/27 - Schuylkill River - 5 Smallmouth Bass.
05/28 - Meadow Lake - 2 Black Crappie, 1 Largemouth Bass.
05/30 - Schuylkill Canal - 4 Green Sunfish, 1 Largemouth Bass, 2 Bluegill, 2 Smallmouth Bass.

June:

06/03 - Cooper River - 3 White Catfish, 1 White Perch.
06/04 - Schuylkill River - 1 Channel Catfish, 2 American Eel.
06/06 - Loch Alsh Reservoir - 1 Pumpkinseed, 1 Largemouth Bass.
06/10 - Meadow Lake - 2 Largemouth Bass, 2 Black Crappie, 1 Common Carp, 4 Bluegill.
06/11 - Little Mantua Creek/Meadow Lake - 7 Black Crappie, 5 White perch, 2 Bluegill, 3 Mummichog.
06/14 - Lake Florence - 4 Sunfish (not yet identified), 2 Largemouth Bass.
06/15 - Lake Florence - 6 Sunfish (not yet identified).
06/17 - Lake Florence - 1 Largemouth Bass, 2 Sunfish (not yet identified).
06/24 - Schuylkill River - 1 Bluegill, 3 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Striped Bass, 2 Channel Catfish, 1 Redbreast Sunfish.
06/28 - Wallworth Pond/Hopkins Pond/Driscoll Pond/Upper Cooper River/Alverthorpe Lake - 5 Green Sunfish X Bluegill Hybrid, 2 Green Sunfish, 8 Bluegill, 1 Black Crappie, 3 Largemouth Bass, 1 Spotted Bass, 2 Brown Bullhead, 1 White Catfish, 3 Pumpkinseed.
06/30 - Absecon Inlet - 7 Bergall, 9 Black Sea Bass.

July:

07/03 - Newton Lake/Newton Creek - 15 Bluegill, 1 Pumpkinseed, 3 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Largemouth Bass.
07/04 - Nameless Lake/Pennsauken Creek/Falls Township Lake - 12 Bluegill, 1 White Perch, 4 Largemouth Bass, 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Green Sunfish.
07/05 - Pennypack Creek/Moreland Pond - 78 Bluegill, 5 Redbreast Sunfish, 3 Rock Bass, 2 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Rainbow Trout, 2 Green Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed, 2 Largemouth Bass.
07/09 - Unnamed Pond at Rohm & Hass - 4 Bluegill.
07/10 - Meadow Lake - Skunked.
07/11 - Haddon Lake/Cooper River Lake - 1 Largemouth Bass.
07/12 - Silver Lake/Lake Worth/Hammonton Lake/Atlantic Ocean - 15 Bluegill, 2 Pumpkinseed, 1 Largemouth Bass, 2 Chain Pickerel, 1 Cownose Ray.
07/17 - Schuylkill River - 3 Smallmouth Bass, 2 Rock Bass, 2 Green Sunfish.
07/18 - Schuylkill River - 45 White Perch, 3 Striped Bass, 1 American Eel, 9 Channel Catfish.
07/20 - Frankford Creek - 1 Common Carp, 2 Channel Catfish.
07/23 - Schuylkill River - 5 Bluegill, 1 Redbreast Sunfish, 1 Green Sunfish, 5 Smallmouth Bass, 1 Spotted Bass.
07/24 - LBI/Barnegat Inlet - 7 Black Seabass, 3 Bergall.
07/25 - Schuylkill River - 1 Green Sunfish, 2 Bluegill, 2 Smallmouth Bass.
07/28 - Absecon Inlet - 1 Northern Sea Robbin, 25 Black Sea Bass, 7 Summer Flounder.
07/29 - Schuylkill River - Skunked.
07/31 - Schuylkill River - 6 Channel Catfish.

August:

08/05 - Unnamed Ponds at Fort Mifflin - Skunked.

08/06 - Centennial Lake/Concourse Lake - 3 Bluegill, 3 Green Sunfish, 1 Pumpkinseed.
08/09 - Delaware River/The Giving Pond - 5 Bluegill.
08/11 - Schuylkill River - 2 Channel Catfish.
08/12 - Hammonton Lake - 7 Largemouth Bass, 5 Bluegill, 3 Pumpkinseed.
08/15 - Susquehanna River/Sassafras River/Unicorn Mill Pond - 7 White Perch, 2 Brown Bullhead, 3 Channel Catfish, 5 Bluegill, 3 Redbreast Sunfish, 2 Green Sunfish.

Note: This log is updated every often or so.

In reality, my basic log above plus my photos tell me a whole lot already! For example: it's through these that I know when the Spot Croaker will start migrating to the Schuylkill River on Fall; when the Largemouth Bass start to feed and spawn during Spring; when the Catfish are most active annually; etc.

Therefore, as I stated before, there are definitely many different benefits in creating and sustaining a fishing log. It's super helpful! Plus, it's easy to do so: it only takes a couple minutes per fishing session. That's why I highly encourage everyone to start their own little "fishing diary."

Best of luck for all of us!


Long Days and Pleasant Nights, 

Sincerely,

Leo S.

July Fishing Sessions (Last Updated: COMPLETE)

Hello, Readers!
 
June was a productive month for fishing, and I'm hoping that July will be awesome as well. Did you guys ever notice how fishing can be a science; how it follows the empirical approach?
 
"The Carp, if he have water-room and good feed, will grow to a very great bigness and length; I have heard, to be much above a yard long. 'T is said by Jovius, who hath writ of fishes, that in the Lake Lurian, in Italy, Carps have thriven to be more than fifty pounds' weight; which is the more probable, for as the bear is conceived and born suddenly, and being born is but short lived, so, on... the contrary, the elephant is said to be two years in his dam's belly, some think he is ten years in it, and being born grows in bigness twenty years; and 't is observed too that he lives to the age of a hundred years. And 't is also observed, that the crocodile is very long-lived, and more than that, that all that long life he thrives in bigness: and so I think some Carps do, especially in some places; though I never saw one above twenty-three inches, which was a great and goodly fish; but have been assured there are of a far greater size, and in England too."

This is an excerpt of the "Compleat Angler" book (Page 154-155), written by biographer Izaak Walton and first published during the year of 1653: 360 years ago.

At that time, the Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) was just introduced in England:

"The Carp is the Queen of Rivers: a stately, a good, and a very subtle fish, that was not at first bred, nor hath been long, in England, but is now naturalized. It is said, they were brought hither by one Mr. Mascal, a gentleman that then lived at Plumsted in Sussex, a county that abounds more with this fish than any in this nation." (Page 153)

...not to mention that their spawning pattern was already well studied by many different Philosophers, including Sir Francis Bacon (the "empirical" dude):

"I told you that Sir Francis Bacon thinks that the Carp lives but ten years; but Janus Dubravius has writ a book 'Of Fish and Fish Ponds,' in which he says that Carps begin to spawn at the age of three years, and continue to do so till thirty: he says also, that in the time of their breeding, which is in summer, when the sun hath warmed both the earth and water, and so apted them also for generation, that then three or four male Carps will follow a female; and that then, she putting on a seeming coyness, they force her through weeds and flags, where she lets fall her eggs or spawn, which sticks fast to the weeds, and then they let fall their melt upon it, and so it becomes in a short time to be a living fish: and, as I told you, it is thought the Carp does this several months in the year." (Page 157)

Isn't it amazing? Izaak would be happy to see how England and the whole UK adapted so well to Carp fishing! "Carping" is a big sensation over there (and a minor sensation over here!).

The current record for Carp has already passed 100lbs! Just like Izaak predicted back in his time (360 years ago), Carps are resistant fish that can live a long life-spawn compared to other fish, not to mention that they can grow to enormous sizes if they have a lot of food available.

And this is how "science" is made, guys! Every little observation and discovery during a fishing session can be something that will contribute for the future of fishing. Nowadays, we have computers that do a lot of work for us; however, we are unique because we have "expectations." We know how to "expect" from what we see, and then create different hypothesis based on experiences, whereas computers will never be able to do so. They can only be programmed by us.

Fishing is in essence a science and an art. It's even more unique than other Sciences, since it involves the handling of another living being, which is why we owe to respect fish and wildlife (never waste a fish, handle with care if CPR is practice, and harvest selectively). From a philosophical and scientific point of view, it's the "empirical method" at work: for example, fishing is almost always unpredictable when it comes to knowing what kind of fish will come next; however, we can have expectations as to what kind of fish we are fighting after seeing the bite pattern. And even so, sometimes we end up being wrong!

And so I say guys: every passionate angler is a scientist at heart, sometimes even without realizing it. 
 
And, if you guys ever have a chance, purchase the "Compleat Angler" book - one of the fishing classics that is known World-wide!

Also, hands up for my friend Tony G., who caught a ~30lbs Flathead Catfish between Market and Spring Garden, on the tidal Schuylkill River:

 
Now, for the July fishing sessions...
 
--- July 3rd, 2013 ---

Location: Newton lake
Time: 9:30-2:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 2 Largemouth Bass

My mother recently arrived in the USA for vacation (this Tuesday), so, I decided to catch her some good quality fish to eat. Jimmy and I went to Newton Lake today for some Northern Snakeheads and Largemouth Bass. Since he decided to help me out on my request, it was a little bit easier for me.

I ended up taking home 4 Largemouth Bass. So, hopefully we will have a nice dinner tonight. Taking fish home once in a while is not a bad idea; however, keep in mind that Jimmy and I harvested selectively! Make sure to ALWAYS practice "selective harvest" when taking fish home with you.

In other words:

- We never harvested any "Trophy Fish" that could endanger the Species in that body of water. All fish above 16 inches or 2.5lbs were released. Our fishes measured: 1.80, 2.05, 2.18, 2.22lbs (average size).

- We picked an open body of water with a healthy population of Largemouth Bass. Harvesting LMB and other game-fish in closed bodies of water with a limited population will definitely harm the aquatic ecosystem.

- We follow the laws! It's past spawning season for Largemouth Bass (no harvest until June 15th), and they were all bigger than 12 inches long.

- We did not keep our limits. I took home only the necessary amount for a good meal. There's no such thing as wasting fish. Plus, fish taste much better when they are fresh.

And, of course, try to harvest as little as possible. I usually CPR all my fish, unless I get it for my parents to eat. They just love to eat fish. Plus, not all fish around these areas are safe to eat! Never forget to follow the FISH CONSUMPTION charts.

If these rules are followed, then harvesting fish for human consumption becomes healthy for the angler and his loved ones, not to mention that it brings the least possible impact on the aquatic environment around you.


Since I took home some Largemouth Bass, this created quite some heated up discussion on the Facebook Page. I even had to ban some people from the Facebook community because they simply did not know how to express their opinions without offending others around. I got quite a lot of hate messages, etc.

But, I would like to point out that Selective Harvest is very productive if used correctly. I'll use my friend Chris' (from The Right Anglers Facebook page) words for it:

"Selective harvest is a very real and useful practice. No keeping small fish, big fish, breeding fish, or rare fish. There is absolutely nothing wrong with harvesting fish for food or bait as long as selective harvest is in play."

And you guys can certainly read the rest of the discussion on the FB page, if it interests you. =)
 

Nice LMB caught on a grey Senko that I found on the floor. Haha. Good stuff!

Avoid holding fish like my friend is doing in the photo. Those fish were dead already. When holding Bass, it's best to hold it with both hands for less pressure on the jaw. Also, try lipping them vertically! Less chances of injuring the fish! A lot of Bass fanatics tend to criticize about Bass being harvested, etc.; however, they don't even pay close attention to how they handle their own Bass. If they want their Bass to be healthy and safely released, then they should NEVER lip a Bass single-handed, non-vertically. Therefore, I'm posting a video below of my friend Chris E. (A Bass anglers). He handles his Bass correctly, and I truly admire him for that:
 
 

--- July 7th/8th, 2013 ---

Location: Absecon Bay
Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m. (7th)

Time: 9:00-4:00 p.m. (8th)

Fishes caught:


- Nothing

I went to Atlantic City for 3 days with my family (Sunday-Tuesday). I was able to fish for an hour on Monday and a couple hours on Tuesday. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch the best tides; however, it was still a good experience!

I ended up catching only 1 thing: a Limulus (a.k.a. Horseshoe Crab). When I landed it, I had absolutely no idea what that "thing" was. I only knew that it looked like Kabuto from Pokémon. Hahaha.

Being a little bit scared of the thing, I let it go by shaking my rod. Therefore, I didn't take a proper picture of it. It was heavy and big, though.

The fishing was tough. I fished for 1 hour at the Jetty on Monday, and I didn't see anyone catching anything. One guy walked out with one Flounder - his only catch of the day.

On Tuesday, I decided to fish the back bay - at Harrah's. I missed high tide by 30 minutes, meaning that the current was pretty strong when I got there. I got a couple bites, but couldn't land anything. The crabs were quite the nuisance too! There were a couple other people fishing there, and one guy landed a Skate. That was pretty much it.


The "T-Jetty" at the Absecon Bay Inlet. Great place to fish when the current is not strong.

Same place, different perspective.

On the second day, I moved to the Absecon Bay. I fished a spot right next to the Harrah's Casino & Hotel. Last year, I had productive days over there in July - Weakfish and Bluefish. This year, nothing. =/

A picture of a little crab that came up with all the algae that I had on my line. =)

Some hermit crabs that I found on some Algae. =)

--- July 9th, 2013 ---
Location: Neshaminy Creek
Time: 4:30-7:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 1 Bluegill
- 5 Rock Bass
- 7 green Sunfish
- 12 Redbreast Sunfish

After coming back from Atlantic City on Tuesday, my family and I decided to go to the Tyler State Park.

We spent about three hours there. I missed one Trout on the corn (the only one that I was able to spot). Then, I decided to do a little bit of exploring! As I walked around, I saw a small Common Carp feeding on the bottom (about 3lbs) and two Smallmouth Bass swimming around (less than 0.5lbs).

I switched the corn to "Gulp! Minnows" for some Multi-Species fishing. I finished the day with 4 different Species of fish: Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Redbreast Sunfish and Rock Bass.

Nothing new, but still fun to catch!
A little Rock Bass, caught right by the dam at Tyler State Park

A chunky Green Sunfish caught from above the dam. Lots of them there! =)

--- July 10th, 2013 ---
Location: Tookany Creek
Time: 2:00-6:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 2 Creek Chub
- 3 Spottail Shiner
- 4 Spotfin Shiner
- 5 Redbreast Sunfish
- 1 White Sucker
- 1 Pumpkinseed
- 1 Bluegill
- 1 Banded Killifish

I went to the Tookany Creek for some Multi-Species fishing. Unfortunately, I finished the day with nothing new (I still have to catch a Blacknose Dace).

After 3 hours of fishing, I finished with a couple different Species of fish: Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Redbreast Sunfish, Spottail Shiner, Spotfin Shiner, White Sucker, Creek Chub, and Banded Killifish.

I did see a couple beautiful things there, though: (1) a Water Snake that wacked my Bluegill; (2) a Mandarin Duck swimming in the Tookany Creek (photo below); and (3) a 4-5lbs Channel Catfish swimming around!

I wasn't able to make the Catfish bite, even though I threw my bait right in front of it. That little fella's wariness is top notch...

I'll definitely go back there with some cut bait, just to catch that fish!


My snake video got pretty famous around the Philly area! It's below, for those who haven't seen it yet. It also made an appearance at LiveLeak, the Philadelpha Metro online newspaper, and the RightThisMinute online video show.

I guess the video was pretty funny since I cursed a lot on it, not to mention my weird accent and people's love for Snaked. Hahaha. Hard to believe, though, huh? A 4-foot snake wandering around in urban waters... =)
 
"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" A Northern Water Snake trying to swallow a Bluegill. I guess you guys will understand when you read the description of the video. Haha. Note: Watch out for the language!

A nice little Spottail Shiner.

A young Creek Chub. Notice how the dark stripe along its body is beautiful! Gorgeous!

Every Creek needs to have its own Redbreast Sunfish. The Tookany is no exception.

Another Creek Chub - this time a little bit bigger. notice how the black stripe is faded in adults.

I stopped by quickly by Kleinheinz Pond. The place is pretty muddy, but there are still some fish inside of it!

My best White Sucker of the day, caught on a piece of nightcrawler on the bottom. It's truly an art to fish for White Suckers - not as easy as everyone thinks. One can see them all the time, but making them bite is a whole different story.

Northern Water Snake in motion! Whacked the Bluegill that I was using for the Largemouth Bass.

"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" a nature sign of "there are snakes around." Hehe. 

Pumpkinseed from Tookany Creek.

This little fella could be either a Satinfin or Spotfin Shiner. I didn't really count the anal rays; therefore, I'm not sure. Since this one came from a Creek, I can only assume that it's a Spotfin Shiner.

nice sample of Banded Killifish - another gorgeous type of Micro-Fish.

"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" A Mandarin Duck swimming in the Tookany Creek! After I saw the bird, I took a picture of it immediately. I came home and searched the local database. I wasn't able to find anything on it. It resembled a Wood Duck, but it wasn't it! For my surprise, I googled "Duck white stripes," and the Mandarin Duck showed up. Quite a rare sign, considering that they are not native to this country.

Finally, a little Bluegill from the Creek! =)

--- July 13th, 2013 ---
 
Location: Schuylkill River
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 1 American Eel
- 1 Channel Catfish

I fished the Schuylkill Banks today with my friends Don G., Tony G., and Nadir G.. The weather was nice - cloudy, but also hot.

Don ended up with 2 Channel Catfish. I finished the day with one Channel Catfish and an American Eel, and Tony...well, Tony missed a huge bite! =)

Nadir arrived last; therefore, I hope he ended up catching something!


Not very productive, but a good day of group fishing.

Don Garvey setting up his rods on the Banks. (Maybe he thinks he's fishing the surf. Hehe)

My traditional 3-rods set up for Channel Cats.

This fella came up totally by surprise! It bit on a size #4 hook with a piece of American Eel.

Another view of the same fish. Beautiful one - measured about half a pound on the scale.

Seeing people's TRUE natural smiles while fishing certainly brings much satisfaction.

Don G. with his Channel Catfish.

Just when we were about to leave, Nadir arrived! He finished the day with a couple White Perch and Sunnies.

--- July 14th, 2013 ---
 
Location: Barnegat Bay
Time: 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 3 Fluke (Summer Flounder)

My friend Jimmy and I went to the Barnegat Bay today for some Summer Flounders.

Our initial goal was to fish the Great Bay; however, plans changed and we ended up hitting the Barnegat Bay.

We ended the day with 6 Summer Flounders (3 keepers), and one Skate. I got 3 (all small ones), and Jimmy got 3 (all keepers!) He also missed a forth one that was pretty big (22 inches+). That one is still out there!

I missed a bunch of bites, but it was certainly a great experience for me. Hopefully next time I'll also be able to land a Sea Robin or a Skate for my Species list!


"Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" Rats running around Septa/Patco tracks. Sometimes it's hard to imagine, but there are lots of them "under" us.

Jimmy using his "dual jigging" technique. Quite the view...

First Fluke of the day, caught on a Bucktail + Mummichog.

Beautiful Clearnose Skate at Barnegat Bay.

So, it just happened that our boat broke in the middle of the bay! Hehe. We had to call the coast guard (they are useful at times!) to help us out.
 
I made a little video while we were waiting for help. Our boat rental shop came with another boat, and we were able to change boats in the end. Good stuff.

My first Fluke, caught on a very lively Mummichog. Good times...

A closer view of the fish.

Our initial plan wasn't to go to Barnegat Bay. However, most places had all their boats taken. Bobbie's Boat Rentals turned out to be a life saver! So, thank you, guys!

Jimmy with a happy smile and his catch of the day. Delicious fish, certainly.

--- July 15th, 2013 ---
 
Location: Byberry Creek
Time: 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 7 Redbreast Sunfish
- 1 Pumpkinseed
- 1 Green Sunfish
- 10 Mummichogs
- 2 Banded Killifish
- 1 Fallfish
- 1 Spottail Shiner.

I went to the Byberry Creek in Northeast Philadelphia for some micro-fishing. I ended up with a bunch of Mummichogs, Redbreast Sunfish, Spottail Shiner, and a new Species: a Fallfish.

One of the things I like the most about the Byberry Creek is its fish diversity! So many different types of fish in such a small aquatic environment. Also, it's a very pleasant place to start micro-fishing or just take the kids for some "Sunnies." 

A healthy Redbreast Sunfish caught on a piece of nightcrawler.

One for fish for my Species collection: the Fallfish. I've been looking all around for this Specific fish, and I finally found it. Before landing it, it gave away 3 jumps while being reeled in. Despite its size, it was a nice fight!

--- July 21st, 2013 ---
 
Location: Delaware River
Time: 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 1 Bluegill
- 1 Pumpkinseed
- 1 Green Sunfish

I went night fishing with Don G. at the Delaware River for a couple hours. Nothing new, unfortunately!

Ended the day with a couple Sunnies - Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed. We attempted to catch some Largemouth Bass on top water baits, but nothing! Don missed 2 Blow ups on a Popper. My Buzzbait only made noise... =/

It was a calm and pleasant night, though! Night fishing in a safe location during Summer time can really be a blast.


Delaware River's Bluegill! =)

A nice colored Pumpkinseed.

And, to end the night, a small and skinny Green Sunfish. Between all four common Species of Sunfish in Philadelphia (Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Redbreast Sunfish, and Green Sunfish), the Green Sunfish is definitely the most aggressive one! Drop your baits by the margins of the River or close to structure and you will very likely get a Green Sunfish! Open water is not a good home for them.

Fishing under the moon! Praise Mother Nature for its beaut. =)

--- July 22nd, 2013 ---
 
Location: Manayunk Canal
Time: 12:00-3:30 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 2 Largemouth Bass

I went fishing at the Manayunk Canal with my buddy Don G..

The morning was great; however, in terms of fishing, it turned out to be a tough day - super hot, humid, and only a couple bites. We covered a lot of water (from Fontaine Bridge to Main st.), and I ended the day with only 3 bites, 2 Largemouth Bass. Don missed a couple bites, ending up only with a weird snail! I have to say...it takes a great deal of ability (or luck) to snag a snail! Haha.

No skunk, at least!


First Largemouth Bass of the day, caught on a Grey Senko.

Same fish; different point of view. Let's not forget that Philadelphia is mostly about "Urban Fishing." Lots of folks have absolutely NO IDEA as to how diverse our Rivers/Streams/Creeks/Ponds/Lakes are in terms of fish! They are lurking there, right below our noses. =) 

Don G. with his "lucky catch" of the day: a Snail!

Second and last Largemouth Bass, also caught on a wacky rigged Senko.

And, to end this fishing session, I did a little bit of exploring inside the old Carmelli's Restaurant on Venice Island. So..."Things that you don't see when you stay at home:" A destroyed property, open to the public, right next to the Manayunk canal! I actually made a video of it; however, there are so many curse words that I decided to not list it on Youtube. If you want to watch it, send me an e-mail and I'll send you the hyperlink. Haha.

--- July 23rd, 2013 ---
 
Location: Delaware Canal
Time: 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 10 Black Crappie
- 1 Bluegill

I attempted a new spot in Bristol - The Delaware Canal Park (the beginning of the Delaware Canal). For my surprise, there weren't lots of fish there.

After 3 hours or so of fishing, I ended the day with 10 Black Crappie
s and 1 Bluegill. No other Species whatsoever!  

I didn't try for Carp due to the ridiculous number of Red-ear Slider turtles there. The Carp could definitely be there, though.

Also, no Catfish. I had one bite on my "Catfish Rod," and it turned out to be a turtle. Haha. When I saw the rod bending, it got me excited for a second or so!

No fish passed the mark of 6 inches...But it was still a wonderful day out with my nephew and family. Can't complain!

 
Small and skinny - all 10 Black Crappie were like that. There were also no signs of small minnows swimming around or big fish close to the surface. My bet is that the Crappie population there is stunted - all below 6 inches or so.

A nice scenery shot.

The other side of the Delaware Canal Park.

And, the only Sunfish of the day - a Bluegill! Heh.

--- July 24th, 2013 ---
 
Location: Delaware River
Time: 3:30-6:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 10 Bluegill
- 1 Redbreast Sunfish
- 7 Green Sunfish
- 1 Golden Shiner

Once again, I went fishing at the Delaware River with my friend Don G..

The goal was to catch a couple different Species of Sunfish for my fish tank. It wasn't bad: I finished the day with a couple Green Sunfish, Bluegills, a R
edbreast Sunfish (from the Delaware River! Wow.), and a kid also donated his Pumpkinseed to me. Hehe.

But, hands up for the Golden Shiner below - one of the prettiest I've caught this year! Beautiful fish! Certain a rarity around Philly nowadays.

 
Bluegill, caught on a Gulp! Alive Minnow.

Gorgeous Golden Shiner, caught on a piece of nightcrawler.

Another rarity - a Redbreast Sunfish from the Delaware River! They are very common in the Creeks around Philadelphia (Pennypack, Byberry, Poquessing, Wissahickon, etc); however, very rare in the Rivers (Schuylkill, Delaware, etc).

Don G. teaching the youth how to properly tie a rig. Teaching the youth is certainly very rewarding; after all, we always want to share with them the feelings and experiences that fishing has to offer.
 
--- July 31st, 2013 ---
 
Location: Neshaminy Creek
Time: 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:


- 17 Redbreast Sunfish
- 8 Rock Bass
- 15 Green Sunfish
- 1 Pumpkinseed

It's been a while; however, my father finally arrived on the USA this Wednesday!

We had some family time right away, and then we went to the Neshaminy Creek for some Multi-Species fishing! My dad, of course, was itching to go fishing with me (it's been about a year or so).

We went to Tyler State Park. I missed a Brown Trout there on a small jig, and ended up with 5 different Species of fish. My father ended up with 4: the "Philly Sunfish family" - Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Redbreast Sunfish, and Green Sunfish.

Awesome first day of fishing for him! As a Multi-Species angler, my father doesn't need to worry about Sunnies anymore. =)


Rock Bass at Neshaminy Creek.
 
Redbreast Sunfish at Neshaminy Creek.
 
Pumpkinseed at Neshaminy Creek

Bluegill at Neshaminy Creek

Redbreast Sunfish at Neshaminy Creek
Green Sunfish at Neshaminy Creek.


Pumpkinseed at Neshaminy Creek

A little "Sunfish Combo Pic." You can click on it for its full size. =)

And this ends the July Fishing Sessions post! =)

Don't forget, fellas: Practice CPR - Catch, Photo, Release. Practice Selective Harvest. Protect our environment!

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.