My Fall Florida Trip Summary (October 12th-16th, 2018)

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Today I am bringing you folks a "summary" of my amazing 5-days Multi-Species fishing trip down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am also linking all the YouTube videos below, in case you folks haven't checked it out yet!

Main Objective: 

To catch as many different Species of fish as possible, in a period of five days. 

Locations: 

- Intracoastal Waterway

- Hillsboro Inlet

- C-14 Canal

- G-15 Canal

- Boca Raton Inlet

- Royal Palm Ponds

P.s. hyperlinks for the Smugmug folders of these locations are only accessible to Patreon/YT Members.

Species Caught:

- Mangrove Snapper (Lutjanus griseus)

- Crevalle Jack (Caranx hippos)

- Checkered Puffer (Sphoeroides testudineus)

- Spottail Pinfish (Diplodus holbrookii) or South-American Silver Porgy (Diplodus argenteus)

- Black Margate (Anisotremus surinamensis)

- Atlantic Needlefish (Strongylura marina)*

- Scrawled Cowfish (Acanthostracion quadricornis)

- Sand Drum (Umbrina coroides)*

- Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis)

- Tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum)

- Smallmouth Grunt (Haemulon chrysargyreum)

- Houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus)

- Blue Runner (Caranx crysos)

- Dusky Damselfish (Stegastes adustus)

- Crested Goby (Lophogobius cyprinoides)

- Frillfin Goby (Bathygobius soporator)

- Inland Silverside (Menidia beryllina) or Tidewater Silverside (Menidia peninsulae)

- Spotted Sunfish (Lepomis punctatus)

- Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

- Mayan Cichlid (Mayaheros urophthalmus)***

- Hardhead Catfish (Ariopsis felis)*

- Spotfin Mojarra (Eucinostomus argenteus) or Bigeye Mojarra (Eucinostomus havana)

- Large-Scaled Spinycheek Sleeper (Eleotris amblyopsis)*

- Florida Largemouth Bass (Micropterus floridanus)**

- Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus)

- French Grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum)

- Lane Snapper (Lutnajus synagris)

- Hairy Blenny (Labrisomus nuchipinnis)

- Bermuda Chub (Kyphosus sectatrix)

- Sailor's Grunt (Haemulon parra)

- Ladyfish (Elops saurus)*

- Ballyhoo (Hemiramphus brasiliensis)

- Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus)

- High-Hat (Pareques acuminatus)

- Spotted Scorpionfish (Scorpaena plumieri)

- Permit (Trachinotus falcatus)

- False Pilchard (Harengula clupeola) or Scaled Sardine (Harengula jaguana)

- Bluehead Wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum)

- Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus)

- Redfin Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne)***

- Flamefish (Apogon maculatus)

- Florida Gar (Lepisosteus platyrhinchus)

- Butterfly Peacock Bass (Cichla ocellaris)

- African Jewelfish (Hemichromis letournexi)***

- Yellow Belly Cichlid (Cichlasoma salvini)

- Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

- Spotted Tilapia (Pelmatolapia mariae)***

- White Grunt (Haemulon plumierii)

- Long-Spined Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)

*Lifers. In other words, new species for my list! See my Master Species Album right here. 

**The Florida Largemouth Bass has been classified as a separate Species; however, the community is still skeptical about it. Thus, I do not count the Micropterus floridanus as a new Species yet.

***Changes in classification or Species identification. All changes were made on the Smugmug Fish Photo Database. 

Videos:

Below are the highlights for this fishing trip:

Day 1, morning -- Hillsboro Inlet:

The Sand Drum shows up!

Day 1, afternoon -- Hillsboro Inlet:

An unexpected guest makes an appearance...Sigh.

Day 2, morning -- C-14 Canal:

A new Species shows up!

Day 2, afternoon -- C-14 Canal wrap up + Royal Palm Ponds:

A rare Species of fish appears!

Day 3, morning -- Boca Raton Inlet*:

Sabiki fishing for different Species!

Day 3, afternoon -- Boca Raton Inlet*:

Punching rocks for different reef Species!

*My fellow lifelister Rocky Bangor makes an appearance in these video. Check out his Instagram here. 

Day 4 -- Hillsboro Inlet:

Revisiting the spot for more Species!

Day 5, morning -- G-15 Canal:

Live-Lining Shiners for bigger fish!

Day 5, afternoon -- G-15 Canal:

Micro-Fishing the freshwater Canal!

Summary & Photos:

This section will only be available for Patreon & YouTube Members, in the near future.

Best of luck to all of us!

Long Days and Pleasant Nights!

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing

A Failed Day at the Delaware Canal! (01/24/18, Yardley, PA)

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As always, this Winter has been quite busy! However, I finally have some time to work on the Blog. Since I am still in January (and a few fishing sessions behind), let's work hard on these posts! Heh. And on a positive note, the Florida fishing trip reports will be coming up soon. ;) 

Here is my fishing report for January 24th, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well.

Location: Delaware Canal

Time: 9:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Fishes caught:

- None

Video:

There is no video for this fishing session. :)

Summary & Photos: 

The Delaware Canal is a great Winter fishing spot, since it is one of the only bodies of water in southeast Pennsylvania with the Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) in it. And as it is known, the different species of fish in the Esox genus are very tolerant to low water temperatures -- making it a great target during the colder months of the year.  

A Chain Pickerel from the Delaware Canal. Winter of 2016.

Taking all of that in consideration, I woke up early, prepared my fishing gear, and headed out in hopes of catching some chunky Pickerel down at the Canal. My main plan for the day was to cast a 3/8 oz. Z-Man white/chartreuse Chatterbait all around structure.

Sadly, as soon as I saw the "current situation" of the Canal, my plans immediately got crushed. Not only the water levels were extremely low in comparison to the other Winters that I had fished there, but the canal was also still frozen due to the cold air (26 - 35F/-3 - 2ºC).

The Delaware Canal. January 24th, 2018.

  

To not waste the day, I decided to walk and cast where I could -- in-between the chunks of ice. But my efforts produced no results! After fishing for a total of 4 hours or so, I finally gave up and went home. Not a single bite; not a single fish. Heh. This is exactly when that old wise fishing cliche comes into play: "There is a reason it is called fishing, and not catching." And getting skunked is definitely a part of the sport! 

Well...in the end, the experience still counts, doesn't it? :) 

Best of luck to all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights!

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing

Winter Carp Fishing at the Upper Cooper River! (01/22/18, Haddonfield, NJ)

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Want to support EPF financially? Help me out with production and traveling costs?! Donations are always welcome via PayPal, or via my Patreon website! 

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I just came back from my New York trip with Tim Galati Outdoors and First State Fishing! It is time to catch up on the Blog, as always. ;) 

Here is my fishing report for January 22nd, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well.

Location: Upper Cooper River

Time: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Fish caught:

- 2 Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Video:

Below are the highlights for this fishing session:

My 6th outing of 2018: fishing the Upper Cooper River for Common Carp! 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:

My carping friends used to tell me that when it comes to winter Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) fishing, "preparation is key." And within that process, they always emphasized that the technique of chumming was crucial to attract those big beasts to bite your hooks during the colder months of the year. Thus, after finishing my previous fishing session at the Upper Cooper River in Haddonfield, NJ (last post), I walked a few steps upstream and chummed a whole can of corn in preparation for my next fishing session.  

I arrived at the same place the next day, around noon. With my Oakley polarized sunglasses, I quickly took a glance at the river. Immediately, I was able to see patches of mud around the area where I chummed. In other words, I knew at that point that there were some fish on my chum. 

The Upper portion of the Cooper River is always saturated. However, with a nice pair of polarized glasses, one can still see the bottom in its shallower spots.

I set up two Baitrunner reels for my carp session: a KastKing Pontus 4000 and a Sharky III 5000. For both reels, I used the Perigee II, 7'0", 2 pieces, medium-heavy with 20lbs Fortis braided line. Since this Species of fish is quite finicky, I used 8lbs Fluorokote (Fluorocarbon) leader on a slip-sinker setup -- a 1 oz. egg sinker with a size 1/0 Riptail rolling barrel swivel and a size #8 Gamakatsu octopus hook. I baited each hook with two-three pieces of canned corn. 

After casting both setups around the chummed area, it really didn't take me long to get my first bite of the day! Although, it wasn't quite the type of bite that I was expecting. Instead of bending the rod and peeling the drag on the baitrunner, the bite was very subtle. And after it, the line just went slack! Therefore, I slowly held the rod (without moving the sinker), flipped the drag switch, and finally set the hook after the slack on my line disappeared. 

After a short fight, the first Carp of the day finally surrendered: 

First Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) of the day: a ~4lbs fish. After a few shots, the fish swam away strongly.

The rest of the day was actually pretty slow. I ended up catching one other small Carp (same bite pattern), and that was pretty much it. 

On one hand, I was quite disappointed. After all, the biggest Carp that I ever landed in that particular spot was a 10lbs+ fish. In other words, I ended up catching only the small stuff for the day. On the other hand, I was quite pleased that I didn't end up getting skunked. I mean...fishing during the winter months of the year around PA & NJ is never an easy thing to do. 

Overall, it was definitely a productive day and a positive experience. 

Even so...I hope I land some giants next time!

Best of luck to all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights!

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing

Winter Multi-Species Fishing at the Upper Cooper River! (01/21/18, Haddonfield, NJ)

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Want to support EPF financially? Help me out with production and traveling costs?! Donations are always welcome via PayPal, or via my Patreon website! 

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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.

Location: Upper Cooper River

Time: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

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 

Winter Spillway Fishing at the Pine Run Creek! (01/19/18, New Britain, PA)

...And another cold front is coming up, folks! This weather has been quite crazy recently! :(

Here is my fishing report for January 19th, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well.

Location: Pine Run Creek
Time: 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Fishes caught:

- 9 Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

- 1 White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)

- 1 Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)

- 1 Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid (L. macrochirus X L. gibbosus)

Video:

Below are the highlights for this fishing session:

My 4th outing of 2018: fishing a the Pine Run Creek spillway, below the Pine Run Reservoir. 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: 

After my huge skunk at the Pennypack Creek (previous post), I decided to hit a winter spot that is known to produce different Species of fish: the Pine Run Creek. I had two main goals for the day: (1) to shoot a YouTube video focusing on the theme of "never giving up," and (2) to boost my confidence when it comes to Winter fishing. After all, nothing feels better than catching a fish (any type of fish) during the colder months of the year (30-40F water temperature).

I arrived at the fishing spot around 10 a.m. EST. It was rather cold out there, but thankfully, the Creek wasn't frozen over! I setup my ultra-light Daiwa Spinmatic Rod with a Shimano Sedona 500FD reel (old model), 4lbs test KastKing Fluorokote line, and just a small 3 mm, size #16 Kenders Outdoors ice fishing jig, under a Comal weighted float. For bait, I tipped the jig with very small pieces of big red worms. The primary fishing pattern of the day was the traditional suspended jigging technique.

The Pine Run Creek. Plenty of snow around the area, but thankfully, the Creek was clear of ice!

First, I tried for a little bit under the Covered Bridge portion of the Creek. Sadly, after thirty minutes or so, I still hadn't had a single bite. Better saying -- I had three snags at that spot, and no fish. Thus, without wasting anymore time, I immediately hopped to the most productive spot on the Creek: the spillway. 

The spillway at the Pine Run Creek.

Not even five minutes after I arrived, I landed my first fish and first Species of the day: the Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). And just as I had expected, the fish bit my jig very very softly! I mean...the float barely went down with the bite. Which is why I would like to emphasize: when jigging during the Winter months of the year, always make sure to go as finesse as possible. In other words, keep your jigging setup as light as you possibly can! 

First Species of the day: the Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). It barely bit the hook too!

After many Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) here and there, I finally got a very interesting bite on the slow pool area of the spillway! Instead of just "bobbing" a little bit, my float started to move to the left at a constant speed! Bites like that are usually a good indicator that a Crappie is about to come up. After setting up the hook and reeling in the fish, I ended up with a beautiful PA White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis). 

Second Species of the day: the White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis). A very beautiful sample for my area!

For many folks around the country, catching a White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis) is no problem whatsoever. However, in the Philadelphia area (and surroundings), catching one of these from shore is quite a rarity! The reality is that there are plenty of Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) around here, and not so many adult White Crappie. Even with a boat, there are only a few bodies of water around here with a limited population of these fellas. :)

The rest of the day was pretty much a sunfish type of the day! I ended up catching one more Species while bottom jigging the worm: the Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). And a beautiful Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid (L. macrochirus X L. gibbosus) also came up as well.

Third and final Species of the day: the Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). It came right from under a rock and hit the jig!

Not quite a new Species, but a hybrid is still a beautiful fish! This one is a Bluegill X Pumpkinseed Hybrid (L. macrochirus X L. gibbosus)

Summarizing...I ended up the day with three different Species of fish, and a hybrid to boost! For a Winter day in January, this fishing session was definitely extremely productive. Just as a reminder...it is always tough to fish during the colder months of the year. Chances of catching any Species of fish go down drastically. However, keep in mind, anglers: if you don't go outside and try it out, your chances of catching fish will always be zero. :)  

Hope you folks have been catching a lot recently! 

Best of luck to all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights!

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing

Winter Fishing the Pennypack Creek (01/17/18, Northeast Philadelphia, PA)

Once again, some crazy warm weather is coming this weekend, folks!!!

Here is my fishing report for January 17th, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well.

Location: Pennypack Creek

Time: 12:00-2:30 p.m.

Fishes caught:

- None

Video:

Below are the highlights for this fishing session:

My 3rd outing of 2018. Winter fishing in the Pennypack Creek! 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:

After watching the light snowstorm this morning, I was enticed to go out and spend some time outdoors! Since I didn't have much availability today (tutoring has been busy), I hopped on my local bus and stopped by the Pennypack Creek in Northeast Philadelphia for some "winter creek fishing."

I arrived at my favorite Old Bustleton Avenue spot around noon. Not too surprisingly, more than 90% of the Creek was clear of ice. Only a few stagnant pools had a thin layer of ice on top (less than an inch). The water was pretty clear and the current was pretty swift. Combining all those factors with the whiteness of the fresh snow, we had the perfect environment for a few shots. Heh.

Winter is here, folks!

Following the logic of winter fishing, I decided to choose the 4mm, #14 hook Kender's Outdoors ice fishing jig with small pieces of super-worm as my primary setup for the day. As anglers should be aware of, live bait is always the best choice during the colder months of the year. I paired the jig with 4lbs KastKing Fluorokote fishing line, a Shimano Sedona 500 FD fishing reel, and my trusted 5'6" Daiwa Spinmatic 2 pieces, Ultra-Light fishing rod. 

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EPF's tip of the day:
Why is live bait so effective during the winter months of the year?! Recall that fish are ectothermic organisms. Thus, they enter a state of torpor during the colder months of the year. The level of activity varies from Species to Species; however, it is a fact that all of them become more sluggish as water temperature drops. Therefore, they tend to nibble your bait instead of inhaling it aggressively. The livelier and more natural the bait, higher your chances of getting a strike!  
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The primary pattern of the day was to cast and retrieve the small jig in the current. The main target was the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Sadly, after ninety minutes of fishing on the Creek, I ended up getting the skunk...And I even tried the 1/24 oz. Johnson Min-O-Spin and the 2 1/2 inches Rebel Floater jerkbait. 

The sad part of this fishing trip was that I chose my fishing spots very carefully. In other words, they were the most productive spots in that entire section of the Creek. Thus, after the skunk today, I can only presume that the Pennypack Creek right now has very very few Trout in it! As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire number of Trout in the entire Creek didn't pass two dozen in total!  

Skunk or not, I had a wonderful time outdoors. And this fishing session reminded me of how harsh this particular Creek can be during the colder months of the year. Heh.

Best of luck to all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights!

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing

My First Fish of 2018 + Testing my New "Thunderfury" Ice Fishing Rod (01/11/18, Gloucester, NJ)

This Winter weather has been crazy, hasn't it, folks?!

Here is my fishing report for January 11th, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well.

Location: Nameless Pond

Time: 10:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Fishes caught:

- 7 Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

- 1 Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Video:

Below are the highlights for this fishing session:

My 2nd outing of 2018: ice fishing a nameless pond in Gloucester, NJ. 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:

Taking the upcoming warm weather in consideration (32F/0ºC to 45F/7ºC), my friend Jacob Korbel (a.k.a. Jacob Korbel Fishing) and I decided to hit a nameless little pond in Gloucester, NJ for one last attempt at ice fishing!  

According to Jacob, who had fished the Pond for the previous three days or so, the pond had a combination of Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie. Thus, our hopes for catching any Species of fish were pretty high!

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EPF's tip of the day:
As every angler should be aware of, reconnaissance is a fundamental strategy and step when it comes to fishing. That is when knowing your local watersheds really pays off. Recall: knowing where the structure and deep areas are in a specific lake or pond is the key to success during the colder months of the year!
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We arrived at the spot around 10:00 a.m.. After checking the thickness of the ice around the edges of the pond, we were astonished to find out that even with the rise in temperatures, we still had 5-6 inches of solid ice! We dug a few holes with our Friday the 13th axe (old style) and got the jigging started!

Jacob stands on top of the little unnamed pond in Gloucester, NJ. Funny how even the smaller bodies of water by the roads can sometimes hold fish!

The primary objective of this fishing session was for me to catch my first fish of 2018. The secondary goal was to test my new Fiblink "Thunderfury" ML ice fishing rod. Therefore, instead of the traditional tip-up  and "still-fishing" approach, Jacob and I decided to use our rods for active jigging. I paired the rod with a Shimano Sedona 500 FD, which is -- as a matter of fact -- the lightest reel that I have in my arsenal. For line, I used the KastKing Fluorokote, 4lbs test; and for my jig, I used a 3 mm, size #16 hook Kenders Outdoors Ice Fishing jig.

I baited my jigs with half pieces of super-worm and jigged them 2-4 inches above the bottom, giving short stops in-between jigs. I favored locations with dying vegetation on the bottom. Five minutes into the fishing session, I landed my first Species and first fish of this year:

A Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). The "purplish" hue is an indicator of low water temperatures. 

And after a few more Bluegill here and there, I ended up landing my second Species of the day: 
    

A Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides). The red in their upper lips is a common indicator of low water temperatures.

My friend Jacob didn't fall short either. After jigging multiple holes, he finally found a productive one. He landed this nice fella after an intense fight on 2lbs test line (hehe):

Jacob with his biggest fish of the day.

In the end, even though the pond was rumored to have a few fish in the range of 4-5lbs, Jacob and I weren't really able to land any fish bigger than a mere pound. After jigging in many different holes, we were also unable to catch any Black Crappie. Taking all the negatives aside, I did accomplish my main quests for the day...and, of course, I had a wonderful day outdoors with a friend who I didn't see for quite a while!    

Fishing sessions like these always remind me of how the most trivial things in life can make us happy. Remember, folks...sometimes it is not so much about the size of the fish that you catch, or its rarity. Sometimes, it is just about enjoying the outdoors and having a good time doing the things that you love to do. :)

Best of luck to all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights!

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing

My First Skunk of 2018!!! (01/08/18, Clinton, NJ)

I hope you folks all had a wonderful holiday season! 

Here is my fishing report for January 8th, 2018. The 2018 Statistical Fishing Chart was updated as well. 

Location: Spruce Run 

Time: 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Fishes caught:

- None 

Video:

Below are the highlights for this fishing session:

My 1st outing of 2018. Multi-Species fishing at the Spruce Run Reservoir in Clinton, NJ. 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:

Despite having a lingering cough for almost five weeks, I finally decided to go out with my friends for some ice fishing in north New Jersey! Thus, my friends David Ho (a.k.a. Symplex Fishing), Zach Merchant (a.k.a. Zach Merchant Fishing), Jimmy Ly (a.k.a. RaWr Fishing), and I decided to hop on the Spruce Run Reservoir for some Multi-Species ice fishing.

Upon arrival, I was quite shocked to see that we had 8-12 inches of ice on the Reservoir!!! Compared to the previous years in Philadelphia and surroundings, that was definitely the thickest ice that I had seen in a while.

Almost half way through with the auger, and the ice was already in the range of 4 inches

We ended up setting fourteen tip-ups among the four of us. All of them were baited with small to medium sized live shiners, on small 2-4 Gamakatsu hooks, with a small split-shot 6-10 inches above it. We were fishing from 6 inches to 2 feet off the bottom.

Considering the fact that we were going for quality over quantity, we expected the day to be quite rough! And our expectations were right on the money. Heh. After six hours of fishing, only one Northern Pike (Esox lucius) was landed. It was a small 25 incher that Zach landed on the farthest tip up on the Reservoir!

Zach Merchant from Zach Merchant Fishing with a "small" Northern Pike. Photo Credit: RaWr Fishing

Other than that, Symplex Fishing and I tried jigging a few holes with our new ice fishing rods: the Fiblink Graphite Ice Fishing Rod, ML. We paired it up with small 500 model reels, 4-6lbs KastKing Fluotokote line, and 4 mm Kender Outdoors ice fishing tungsten jigs. We used a combination of superworms and nightcrawlers, but to avail. In the end, we weren't able to find the fish in that huge Reservoir.

So there you have it, folks...the first skunk of 2018! One of many to come, of course. But the bottom line is -- even with the brutal weather and the lack of fish, wonderful memories were still created that day! Let's be frank here: nothing beats a good day on the water with your fishing buddies, right? Heh.

From left to right, RaWr Fishing, Symplex Fish, Extreme Philly Fishing, & Zach Merchant Fishing

Best of luck to all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights! 

Sincerely,

Leo S. a.k.a. Extreme Philly Fishing