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Folks -- Winter is finally coming to an end!!! Next week we have some good weather (40-55F)! I think it is time for us to catch up on this Blog as well. :)
Here is my fishing report for January 21st, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well.
Fishes caught:
- 2 Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus)
- 5 Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius)
- 3 Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
- 4 Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)
- 4 Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
- 1 Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
- 1 Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid (L. macrochirus X L. gibbosus)
Video:
Below are the highlights for this fishing session:
My 5th outing of 2018: still-fishing the Upper Cooper River, below Driscoll Pond. Don't forget to watch it in HD quality (1080p60)! If you enjoy watching my YouTube videos, please support the YouTube Channel by subscribing to it! More likes & more subscribes = more time to make videos!
Summary & Photos:
Every winter of every year, I tend to keep one of my fishing traditions alive: to go micro-fishing for some shiners at the Upper Cooper River in Haddonfield, NJ. The fact is: shiners are just so underappreciated in the fishing community nowadays! After all, they are sold in tackle shops as bait; thus, they have a "baitfish" reputation. But let me tell you something, my fellow friends...when it comes to their sizes, even a chunky Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) can give you a nice bend on an ultra-light setup! Even better -- many Species of Shiners are very resilient when it comes to cold weather. Therefore, they will always be there for your bait -- even when other Species are not willing to bite.
Taking that in consideration, I went to the Upper Cooper River with my ultra-light setup for some "shiner still-fishing" action. I arrived at my usual spot -- the bridge, under the Driscoll Pond, around 11:30 a.m.. I equipped my Daiwa Spinmatic Ultra-Light Rod with my Shimano Sedona 500FD and 4lbs KastKing Fluorokote Fluorocarbon line. For my rig, I tied a dropper-loop rig with a size #10 Mustad Hook and a Water Gremlin Dipsey Swivel sinker. My main choice of bait was small pieces of big red worms.
After my first cast, it didn't really take long for the first Species of the day to show up. And to top it off, it wasn't a Shiner:
First Species of the day: a Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus).
Second cast in, I got my first Shiner Species of the day:
Second Species of the day: a Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius).
And I have to say, folks: I was delighted! Heh. Not only I was happy at the fact that my objective of the day was accomplished, but also because the Spottail Shiner is not easily found in the state of New Jersey.
In Pennsylvania, this Species can be found pretty much in every little Creek here and there. That includes places like the Pennypack Creek, or the TTF Watershed (Tacony, Tookany, and Frankford Creeks). Even the Poquessing and Byberry Creeks have a healthy population of Spottail Shiner. New Jersey; however, is a whole different story! Per se, NJ already doesn't have a lot of "clear water creeks" in the southern portion of its state -- which by the way, is the prime habitat for this specific Species of fish. Thus, catching one of those in NJ waters is always an accomplishment for a micro-fishing angler!
Continuing my fishing session for the day, the following Species showed up soon after:
Not quite a Species, but a Hybrid: a Bluegill X Pumpkinseed (L. macrochirus X L. gibbosus)
Third Species and second Species of Shiner of the day: a Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas).
Fourth Species of the day: a Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus).
Fifth Species of the day: a Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)
The Golden Shiner were definitely putting a great fight on the ultra-light setup! And among the Bluegill that showed up, there were a few "jumbos" here and there. In quotes, since a jumbo panfish in the Upper Cooper River only ranges from 5-6 inches. :(
And to end the day, a neat little Bass decided to bite on the red worms as well:
Sixth and final Species of the day: a Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides).
For a winter fishing session, the Upper Cooper River did not disappoint! To be able to land six different Species of fish in open water, in the harsh month of January, that is quite an accomplishment for any PA/NJ multi-species angler. :D
And therefore, I left the spot without any regrets. Another annual tradition was fulfilled.
Hope you folks have been doing good recently!
Best of luck to all of us,
Long Days and Pleasant Nights! ,
Sincerely,
Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing
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