Sundays are Certainly Godly...

Heya, guys!

First, a little update on a new fishing video that I made. You can download it here. It's stored in the 4shared domain, which means you have to sign up (for free) in order to download it. After you sign up, all you need to do is to download it.

It's a very interesting video portraying different fishing locations around Philadelphia, and also fishing quotes that show my Philosophy in the sport. The pictures were all collected in these past 2 years that I've been fishing. There are pictures of Mike, me, my father, my nephew, Rob, Nadir, Steve, etc. It's definitely a video that is worth to watch, and something for you to think about! After all, what is fishing to you? Is fishing just catching the fish?! =) 

Well...the video is Copyright © 2012, all right reserved to me. The music has its own copyrights, and that's the reason I can't publish it on Youtube yet. I've sent the composer an e-mail requesting written permission to use his music. Therefore, keep the video for yourselves for now, guys.

So, I've mentioned on my previous post that Sundays are really godly for me. After all, that's the one day of the week that I have a whole day availability, not to mention that I usually have company for fishing. Particularly, Jay and I have been having some wonderful fishing experiences in the past weeks (excluding one day that Jay got very frustrated for getting skunked for the whole day).

Therefore, I'm bringing you guys a report of our fishing session on Sunday, August 5th.

We started early morning at Haddon Lake in New Jersey. Jay decided to work a jig while I chose Senkos for Largemouth Bass. We went separate ways, and started covering a lot of water. I did poor on the Senko, not to mention that I covered a lot of water - half of the Lake. I didn't see a lot of Bass around, but Jay saw LOTS of them! He caught 2-3 Largemouth Bass while I shifted my fishing from Largemouth to Trout. One of them was a 2lber - he spotted the fish before casting the jig. He slowly approached it, gave a smooth cast, and hopped the jig in front of the fish. BOOM! 

Meanwhile, I saw the Brook Trouts that Mike caught a while ago! It's great to see that they are healthy, and still swimming around. I tried to entice them to bite, but failed. Also, I saw some left-over Rainbow Trout at the end of the Lake (3-4 of them), and decided to try for them! I hooked one on an in-line Spinner, but lost it during a splash. After that, the action on the spinner died. It was then that I spotted a Largemouth Bass, and switched to a Senko. When I threw it, a Rainbow Trout decided to chew on my 6 inch Senko, scaring the Largemouth Bass away. Epic failure! Then, I switched to natural bait (bread), and tried to catch a Trout on it. They were very INTERESTED in the bait, but the Sunfish would always pick up the bait before the Trout. Epic failure²! Haha.

Jay showed up at that moment, and we walked back to the other side of the Lake. I don't remember the fish order because this trip was nearly a month ago. Haha. But I do know that Jay got a 3.5lber (first picture), and a couple more on his sacred jig (second and third pics), after we left the Trout spot. 

After spending a couple more hours on Bass fishing, Jay and I decided to move somewhere else - try new spots! We decided to hit Martin Lake, especially after I had a great fishing conversation with a local angler. 

We arrived at Martin after 5 minutes of driving. When we got there, one guy was fishing at the site with a Spinner blade. He wasn't the conversationalist type of person; therefore, we didn't get much information from him. Also, he left when we arrived (Hmm...hah maybe that's a hint?). We saw a bunch of Bullfrogs around, and some lily pads available for cover. I tried a Spro frog without success, and Jay tried his Spinner blade, also without success. After 5 minutes fishing there, we kind of realized that we should stop wasting our time there and move on. Luckily, we knew that there was another Lake just minutes away from us. 

The new Lake looked much more promising (fourth picture), not to mention that the environment was GREAT! I don't know exactly who made that Lake, but the ambient was really nice. Half of the lake is private, the other half is public. On the public side of the Lake, there are tables, chairs, and trash cans available - it's a perfect spot for a nice lunch, a fishing session with other people, or even just hanging out with friends. The Lake had enough cover (lilypads, weeds) for Bass, and we spotted a great population of HUGE Sunnies right away!

Jay set one of his rods with a "Sunnie under the bobber" (sounds like a dish, doesn't it? Hahaha), fishing actively with his other rod. I set one of my rods with a piece of American Eel, for the carnivores. Jay was hungry for some Bass, especially after he located a couple around. Note: Jay missed a nice bite on his Sunnie - the float was ALL THE WAY down! Meanwhile, I was having my fun with the Sunnies. They were all kind of big (ranging around 6-7 inches), and they were biting good on Trout Magnets, bread, and Gulp! Minnows. It was then that I had a great surprise...

I moved a little bit to the right, trying to catch a couple Sunnies on the Gulp! Minnow. I located a school next to a water inlet, and decided to give it a try. As soon as I put the little minnow in the water, a nice Bass came out and swallowed the thing like it was a piece of corn. Hahaha. I fought it for a while on my 4lb test, carefully, since the fish was wrapped around A LOT of weed. Well...a nice Largemouth Bass (fifth picture) on a 1/32oz jig (like a size 10 hook) with a Gulp! Minnow. Awesome, isn't it?

After that, we spent the next couple hours exploring new locations. We ended disappointed at Absecon Lake, after we found out that it was a private Lake. We tried the Big Timber Creek, but we couldn't find a lot of access from the shore. We gave a try at Steward Lake, where people were fishing mainly for Sunnies (I did see some Carp, but we ended up skunked).

Then, finally, I proposed the idea of traveling far awayyyyy to Hopkins Pond in Haddonfield. My idea was to fish the Driscoll Pond (which is right next to it) for Common Carp and Largemouth Bass, and call it a day! For our luck, the Carp were biting that day. Haha. We got 2 Carps (last picture) right after we chummed the place up with corn, and right before the big storm moved in (It stormed really bad that day)!

It was pretty funny...Jay called me over, and showed me his phone with the weather report. I saw some green and yellow stuff, and I was like: "Okay? So?" He looked at me with a surprised face, and said: "Dude...there's a storm moving our way. Like...RIGHT NOW." I kind of noticed that the day got darker before dusk, and the wind was pretty strong...

We looked at each other, and started packing up like crazy. When we hit the car at Hopkins Pond, it started to rain. Hahaha. Perfect timing!       

Awesome day of fishing with all the elements of fishing involved. If you watched the video, wouldn't you say that all quotes applied to a single day? Beautiful, isn't it? That's why fishing is a beautiful sport...

Pictures are below:

 

"The finest gift you can give to any fisherman is to put a good fish back, and who knows if the fish that you caught isn’t someone else’s gift to you? –Lee Wulff" Support catch and release, guys!

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.

Reports (Mike H.): Lake Elkhorn, MD.

Mike's report on Lake Elkhorn, MD - August 4th, 5th.

For previous reports from Mike H.'s:

Crystal, Olympia Lake, NJ - July 29th, 2012.

FDR Park - July 27th, 2012.

Different locations across PA - July 4th - July 22nd.
A Lake in Abington - July 4th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - July 1st, 2012.
ABA Tournament (North East River) - June 24th, 2012.
Multiple Lakes (PA and MD) - May 30th - June 6th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - May 25th, 2012.
FDR Park and Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 20th & 24th, 2012. 
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 18th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 12th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 3rd, 2012.
Font Hill Pond, MD - April 29th & May 4th, 2012.
Schuylkill River - April 26th, 2012. 

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Written by Mike H. - edited by Leo S.

 

Hey guys! Late report, but here is it. I fished Lake Elkhorn in Maryland for an hour on Saturday - August 4th. Due to my limited time, I chose to fish a very small drainage pond and threw only a frog. I managed to catch a solid 3 lb bass (first picture) using the frog in the shallow area of water behind me. The water was only 3 inches deep and I have no idea how that bass was hanging in water that shallow.

The second picture was a 1.5 lb Bass caught on a Popper in a small pond 5 minutes from my house. The only other fish I caught that day was a dink, on a soft plastic.

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A short report from Mike H.! At the beginning, I was reluctant about putting this report on the Blog, since it's not really in Philadelphia. Later, I noticed that it didn't matter a lot - people want to know about how Mike fishes, and location is just part of it. Plus, different environments and pictures are always nice to read about...

Nailing the Largemouth Bass in Maryland! I'm actually surprised he didn't snag anything this time! Hahaha

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.

Reports (Mike H./Leo S.): Lakes around New Jersey

Hello, guys! It's been a while, huh? I've been a little bit busy with college now that classes started, not to mention that the FishAThon is coming up this FRIDAY (very busy!). But anyways...I'm bringing you a couple posts today!

Mike H.'s report on different Lakes around New Jersey - July 29th.

For previous reports from Mike H.'s:

FDR Park - July 27th, 2012.

Different locations across PA - July 4th - July 22nd.
A Lake in Abington - July 4th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - July 1st, 2012.
ABA Tournament (North East River) - June 24th, 2012.
Multiple Lakes (PA and MD) - May 30th - June 6th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - May 25th, 2012.
FDR Park and Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 20th & 24th, 2012. 
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 18th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 12th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 3rd, 2012.
Font Hill Pond, MD - April 29th & May 4th, 2012.
Schuylkill River - April 26th, 2012. 

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Written by Mike H. - edited by Leo S.

Hey guys, went out with my friends Leo and Jay today for a solid 4 hour fishing session. Our trip began at Olympia and Crystal Lakes in NJ. The interesting thing about these lakes is that they're literally right next to each other, separated by a small divider of land - approximately 25 feet in length - between the lakes. Each lake was unique: Crystal lake, despite its name, had a good amount of weed growth - a perfect condition for frogging; Olympia lake was very clear, with no weeds or structure, ideal towards finesse presentations such as the drop shot and shakeyhead. Leo, Jay, and I bounced between both lakes for two hours straight without a single hit. The locals there complained that "today was a slow day," and that they usually averaged between "8-10 Bass on regular days." Due to the lack of fishing success, the three of us decided to change locations to a pond that connects to the Delaware River, close to the two lakes (Swedes Lake).

For the first hour and a half, I tried various plastics and hardbaits in the pond again with no luck. At the very end of the pond, I located a small creek that fed into the pond from the Delaware. The creek was separated by a grated pipe, and on the side of the pipe connecting to the Delaware was a small pool that was relatively deep (~3 ft). As soon as I looked into the pool, I spotted four Bass, ranging from 1-3 pounds. I spent the rest of my time in that pool, throwing various plastics. It took about 20 minutes to finally entice my first and only bite of the day. I pitched a twin tailed grub on a jighead right next to the pipe, and a feisty 2 lber inhaled it on the fall (Picture 2 and 3). The Bass appeared to me to be a Spotted Bass due to its jawline not extending past its eye, but strangely, it didn't have the trademark spot on its tongue that spotted bass are supposed to have.

Pictures are below:

Jay with his Largemouth Bass at Sweden Lake.

Mike and his Spotted (?) Bass.

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That was, indeed, and awesome day! The first picture is of Jay holding his Bass at Sweden Lake.

After Mike left us (Jay and I), we decided to hit another Lake around the corner - Lonnie Lake. It's a very small man made pond that gave us the creeps because of its "Arizona style." I recorded it on video, so, feel free to browse through it here. Interestingly enough, the little Lake has some Sunnies and Spotted Bass in it! Jay caught 2 little spotted Bass, but we failed to take pictures on them.

Until them, I was totally skunked! That's when Jay had this AWESOME idea to go to Haddon Lake. Therefore, we left little Lonnie Lake and headed to Haddon Lake. I have to say that I HAD A BLAST there! I finished the day with a collection of different Species of fish: Largemouth Bass, American Eel, Black Crappie, Sunnies, Channel Catfish, and errr....Turtles. This is really my fishing style - fishing for anything that bites! Challenging all! Hah. Pictures are below:

A big Largemouth Bass caught at Haddon Lake. It was the last fish of the day, and it was worth it. Both Jay and I were pumped when we saw this fish coming up! Haha. This fish was released safely, as were all the other ones.

A fat 5lb Channel Catfish at Haddon Lake. It couldn't resist my cut bait.

Snapping turtles are DANGEROUS. Let me emphasize here that nobody should every "play" with them. This one, particularly, tried to bite my fingers off while I was washing my hands. Thanks to my fast reflexes, I realized it just before the attack, getting my hands outside of the water. If you have kids, remember: never let them play around the water! These turtles are a menace to little kids.

For those who don't believe it, here's the proof. It took only one claw to chop half of this Bluegill off! The Turtle attacked the fish totally by surprise, and I felt a heavy weight at the end of my line. Scary, isn't it? I also recorded a video of it.

The sky will always calm my soul... It doesn't matter where am I in this World, I just have to look up. Next time you go fishing, don't forget to give a shy look at the sky. Heh.

A Black Crappie caught on a Crappie rig! Beautiful, isn't it? Gulp! Minnows are definitely my favorite bait for Crappies. They just love it!

An American Eel - a pretty big one, considering the size. Most people hate them, but I think of them as another challenge.

And, finally...a little secret spot right next to Sweden Lake. It's full of Bass and big Catfish! If you don't believe me, go find the place through this picture. Heh. Exploring is part of fishing!

Sunday trips are always fun, especially because I'm mostly fishing with someone (In particular, Jay), and I have the whole day available. This is actually the topic for my next post! I'll keep you guys updated on a WHOLE DAY of fishing with Jay.

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S. 

Donate for the FishAThon and Watch out for Prizes!

The Team Extreme Philly Fishing. Clockwise, starting at 12: Jay Daly, Leo Sheng, Rob Zito, and Mike Hsiao. 

Note: Last update - August 30th, 2012.

The Team Extreme Philly Fishing just passed $1000 dollars in fundraising for the FishAThon 2012, which will have its main event from September 7th to the 8th (24 hours of fishing! YEAH!). For more details on the event, and Team Extreme Philly Fishing's cause, click on the links below:

New press release on the FishAThon 2012, with Team Extreme Philly Fishing on it.

FishAThon 2012 - Team Extreme Philly Fishing needs your help!

Recycled Fish - the non-profit organization that runs the FishAThon and fundraising event.

Now...for new drawings and prizes!

1. Please, NOTE: Anyone who donates a minimum of 5 dollars in honor to "Team Extreme Philly Fishing" from now until September 14th will automatically have his/her name in for a Dragon Custom Rod drawing! This is a special from the Recycled Fish non-profit organization!

2. Team Extreme Philly Fishing is appreciating all the donations coming in! Therefore, there will be a guaranteed prize for ANYONE who donates (or donated) $50 dollars or more to the fundraising! Note: total amount - i.e., a person can donate 20, and then 30.

For anyone who donates a total of $50 or more, a 4 hour fishing trip is offered to the donator as a guaranteed reward. The package includes:

- A 5 hour fishing trip on a SUNDAY, scheduled 1 week in advance (starting after September 14th).
- A 2-on-1 coaching system: 2 members of  the team will teach the person how to fish. This includes the history of the body of water you will be fishing at, how to handle the equipment, good spots, good techniques for the place, etc. Even if the person is already knowledgeable about fishing, I can assure the donor that there will be new knowledge coming in.  
- A choice of a Specific target-species. The recommended choices are Channel Catfish, Common Carp, and Largemouth Bass. The location will be chosen depending on the target Species.
- Transportation is provided (car).
- Light snacks and drinks will be provided.
- Leo will personally purchase you a PA Boat and Commission fishing license BEFORE the trip, if the donor does not have one. Note that the license alone is 23 dollars that you will be saving! If the trip is scheduled for 2012, the license will last until December 31st, 2012. If the trip is scheduled for 2013, the license will last until December 31st, 2013. This is a VERY SMART MOVE, if you think about it - after all, nobody has a 2013 fishing license yet! Therefore, if you donate 50 bucks and schedule your trip for next year, you will get your license for free and be able to enjoy a good day with us!

Note that WINTER is coming, so you may want to schedule your trip until the end of FALL, or after the beginning of SPRING. All donators that donated more than $50 for the FishAThon on behalf of Team Extreme Philly Fishing will receive an e-mail about this reward BEFORE September 14th.

3. Also, personally, Leo Sheng has been touched by the great generosity and humility from the Philadelphians and surrounding neighbors that donated. Times are tough at the moment, and every cent counts for everyone. I clearly understood since the first day of this fundraising that many wouldn't have the potential to donate; that many were going through hard times (and still are). The cost of living is increasing, while the rates of most salaries are staying the same. For this reason, I said it once that "it's a noble action in troubled times."

THEREFORE, apart from the Dragon Custom Rod drawing, one LUCKY DONATOR (excluding members of the Team who donated - sorry, Mike, Rob, Jay!) that donated [or donates (until September 14th!)] a $20 dollar minimum for the Team Extreme Philly Fishing will have the chance to win an AWESOME PRIZE. The winner of the drawing can choose between two great prizes that I've chosen:

Since I'm Brazilian...Choose to win a $100 dollar gift card for the famous Brazilian Steakhouse restaurant located on 12th and Chestnut - "Fogo de Chão," Center City, Philadelphia, PA,

OR

Since I'm a sportsman...Choose to win a $100 dollar Dick's Sporting Goods gift Card.

Since not all donators are fishermen, I've decided to include food option here. I'm sophisticated when it comes to food, so I wanted to share part of my own culture by offering a pleasant experience at an authentic Brazilian restaurant. Also, for non fisherman donators, Dick's also offers a good selection of branded clothes (I recommend Under Armour for any kind of physical activity). If you are not located in Philadelphia, or the restaurant is of difficult access to you, there's always the option of going to a Dick's around your house or even shop for it online! So, people that donated and people that will donate will be praised for their humility, generosity, and even have a chance to be extra rewarded for their noble action. Talk about throwing some spices in, huh? Heh.

To tell you the truth, the list of $20+ donors are pretty short! So, your chances of winning are actually pretty good. I'm a mathematician, so I calculated the odds. Although the prize is nothing SO EXCEPTIONAL, having people hoping for infinitesimal chances of winning is quite cruel! Heh.

The drawing for this extra prize will be performed on September 23rd, and the winner will have its name and picture announced on the Blog. The same will also receive an e-mail about its prize. The prize will very likely be handed by a Team member, followed by a free FishAThon T-shirt. A picture of the winner with the T-shirt and the prize will be taken. 

  

Now...for a couple updates on the FishAThon 2012 for Team Extreme Philly Fishing!

Problems... "Why are we so persistent on this Fundraising?"

--> The Team Extreme Philly fishing emphasizes on 3 main problems occurring by the Schuylkill River. First, a portion of the people in the city fails to realize that all run-off water and trash goes to the sewage system, and ends inside the Schuylkill River. Many people are lacking etiquette as well - they will throw trash outdoors, for example. Simply, this is the pollution side of the story. Another problem, this time focused on fishermen, is that they tend to overharvest Catfish and other Species from the River (which are not really edible due to Heavy Metals and Pcbs), hurting the river's aquatic ecosystem. Remember: more fishes taken from the River = less fishes to be fished. Finally, people also tend to harvest trophy fishes, and "rare" Species (i.e. Walleye) when they catch one. It's legal to do so under the law, but it should be common sense to release them, so they can reproduce in numbers and be present in the River for future generations. Therefore, respectively, we are focusing on Littering/Pollution; Overharvesting; and Selective Harvest.

Solutions... "What can we do to change the actual situation?"

--> As "cliché" as it can be, human awareness and social shaping is the best possible solution for the problems above. If it's an old theory, why do people keep doing what's wrong? Mostly because they are ignorant of the problems that we are facing nowadays. People's positive attitudes and behaviors towards fish and nature can change this whole scenario. Therefore, Team Extreme Philly Fishing is here to focus on a traditional "mouth-to-mouth" system, where people spread the word to their loved ones, and so on, creating a web of information. Also, it's good to remember that 50% of all funds raised will go to a local institution that will use the money to help the Schuylkill River in certain ways.

About the money... "What will happen to the 50% of money that is donated locally?"

--> After a litte Team discussion, I suggested that the 50% local money should go to the Schuylkill River Development Corporation (website here), since they are the ones taking care of the main portions of the River where we fish at. For example...wouldn't it be nice if the Team partnered up with them to create a "fishing post" project next to the trail? A post with main Species of fish in the River, and a brief explanation of Pcbs and Heavy metals and fish consumption? People that pass there everyday, fishermen or not, would be informed with it! But anyways...how the money will be used is still up to discussion.

For now, these are all the updates. If you can, donate for a good cause! Your name and e-mail will be in for the drawings as well!

Thank you very much, people! You are all supporting a good cause just by reading this. So, keep it in mind that you are doing a good deed.

Now...it's time to FISH! =)

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.

100 Likes on the Facebook Page

It starts slow, but starting is a beginning of something that may turn big! We got 100 likes on Facebook, which is much more than I expected since I've created the page. 100 likes means 100 people, very likely Philadelphians, following the page - and that is AWESOME! After all, isn't the Blog and the Facebook page about Philadelphia (and surroundings, heh) and fishing? OH YEAH!

Since I'm so happy with this progress, let me remind you guys of "why" the Facebook Page and this Blog were created...

--> Fishing is a wonderful sport, and its image should be positive. However, most of the times, fishermen are stereotyped as "destructive" people: people that litter (leaving trash and blood behind), destroys the environment (flips the ground for bait, overharvests fish), etc etc etc... Of course, some of it IS TRUE - this stereotype is not biased. There were fishermen practicing it, and there are still some fishermen out there that don't really care about nature, or don't have the etiquette to maintain a clean, safe, and sustainable environment. Therefore, one of the reasons (and the MAIN reason) for creating the Blog and the Facebook page is to raise our reputation by doing what is right and good for future generations to come. Like my friend Teeg (Executive manager of Recycledfish.org) would say: it all boils down to human awareness and social shaping!

How should we do this? Simple: don't litter, harvest only what is edible (be careful with Pcbs and Heavy metals); harvest only what you are going to eat (don't OVERharvest!); harvest a limited amount of fish, so the River can sustain itself; harvest only Species that are legal and common in the River; take good care of your equipment - don't leave unattended hooks or other dangerous materials on the floor; and so on! By doing these and much more, we will hopefully be admired one day, instead of being hated.

--> Fishing can be frustrating sometimes. Exploring is a part of fishing - finding spots, big fish, and so on. It's certainly part of the challenge. However, gathering knowledge before a fishing session is also certainly a smart move! The thing is: the amount of information present on the Internet is very limited. Some websites are available to tell you if certain body of water is public or private, but will not tell you what's really swimming in it. The Forums are very protective of their content, and usually end up in small groups of "trust," never releasing information for newcomers or outsiders. Why? Because people don't want to "burn their spots," "give their secret places away," etc. Why? Because SOMEONE is certainly going to go there, destroy the environment, harvest all the big fish, and the conclusion? A place without good Gamefish. And sincerely? People that think this way are not at fault - they have all reasons to think this way! Who would like to see a wonderful TROPHY fish taken away from his favorite spot? Who would like to see his spot trashed with beer cans, bait containers, etc, every time he arrives there? Nobody...right?

However, my point of view is very optimistic, and I believe that people can change for things that they love. If one truly has the passion for fishing, the same should be thinking about how to preserve the environment at the moment, so future generations will have the same joy, feelings, and the adrenaline pump that we have when we catch the big one! If everyone followed the "sustainability rules," and the laws, burning spots would be a thing of the past!

The Blog and the Facebook page are here to reveal information to a certain point, so we promote fishing and its locations while still giving the fisherman the opportunity to explore. We don't want fishermen to be demotivated by lack of spots, which is a problem that has been happening recently: a lot of spots are getting privatized. Also, not to mention, the Boat and Commission will probably NEVER make a list of all public and private waterways. I can't count how many times I've wasted a trip because I arrived at a private property, and there was ABSOLUTELY not enough information available online. Some websites even indicated it as public! Lesson of the day: trust some, but trust yourself above all. It's truly a shame that this list will never come out. And guys...don't ask me why, or I'll be even more frustrated! Instead, we should all go DEMAND the Boat and Commission to create a list. Don't forget: we are the ones buying the licenses (some of us, although EVERYONE should buy one to support the fishing economy), tackle, and bait; we are the ones supporting this whole fishing business. Without us, what is the Boat and Commission?!

Note: I'll not get into politics here, but a hint: I could easily throw this at everyone in this country: "Without us, what is USA?" And yet, a HUGE part of the population is never willing to do anything for changes. A huge part of the population does not want to stand. A huge part of the population is not interested in politics whatsoever. A huge part of the population cannot even unite together and act as one. Anyways...Haha...I'm glad that fishermen are usually activists, and they will stand for what they love because, otherwise, their joy will slowly fade away.

--> Fishing is a joy - it's a healthy sport if practiced right. It can be shaped with other aspects of life, resulting in better attitudes and behaviors towards oneself and others. It boosts companionship, environmental awareness, common etiquette, humility, love for animals (fish! heh), and can even stronger relationships (i.e. father-son). It's an awesome sport for a good family time, it's an outdoors activity (watch out for the sun!), and it's a NEVER ENDING CHALLENGE. It's trying to learn and understand how fish behave - it's trying to understand a Species that is completely different from us; that lives in another realm. And every little bit of that knowledge and experience contributes for our own wisdom. It's not only a physical sport (muscles are required for dexterity and finesse), but also psychological (like playing battleship!).

I'm here to show people that fishing is a hobby as good as golfing, skiing, snowboarding, etc. Also, I want  to show that this is a sport that is not only for the rich! Anyone can start at any time, and it's enjoyable and worth the experience. I always say it: adrenaline is the BEST DRUG! For people that shakes after a huge or rare catch - you guys know what I'm talking about! For those who never felt this way, I encourage it - it's a feeling of intense bliss. For those who say that fishing is boring, try active fishing and take it as a good physical exercise! Later, after seeing a fish surface to get a lure, the feeling of enticing a fish for a top-water bite will definitely get a person hooked. For those who love nature and like being outdoors with family, or with a couple beers (heh. THROW THEM IN THE TRASH!), and just chill...try passive fishing - leave your rod there, and go for it once the drag burns!

These are just a couple of the reasons why I - Leo Sheng - have created the Blog and Facebook page. I had wonderful experiences, explored new places, made new companions for life, and I'm still fighting for a better image of our sport! A better image for fishermen, overall. I want people to experience what I experienced; therefore, I pass on my thoughts through this Blog and the Facebook page. The fact that all information is FREE and open to anyone with Internet access is an extra plus. However, it doesn't end here: a lot of people don't have access to the Internet yet. That's when the "mouth-to-mouth" part comes in. We have to let those fishermen know what is good and what is bad - which actions will bring great consequences, and which actions will bring great progresses. So, let's spread the word around!

Thank you for joining me on this cause, people. Just spreading the goods around is an awesome way to represent union, and shape change in a slow, but gradual straightforward direction. We are all different and unique - we grew up upon different cultures and environments (melting pot, salad bowl, Big Mac...whatever...hah). But one thing is evident, and unites us together: our love for fishing. And that, guys, is beautiful enough in this time of corruption and great evil.

Slow, but gradual...

"There will be water if God wills it,"

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.

Reports (Mike H.): FDR Park (Franklin Delano Roosevelt)

Mike H.'s report on the FDR Park - July 27th.

For previous reports from Mike H.'s:
Different locations across PA - July 4th - July 22nd.
A Lake in Abington - July 4th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - July 1st, 2012.
ABA Tournament (North East River) - June 24th, 2012.
Multiple Lakes (PA and MD) - May 30th - June 6th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - May 25th, 2012.
FDR Park and Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 20th & 24th, 2012. 
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 18th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 12th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 3rd, 2012.
Font Hill Pond, MD - April 29th & May 4th, 2012.
Schuylkill River - April 26th, 2012. 

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Written by Mike H. - edited by Leo S.

Hey guys! I decided to hit up the FDR park a couple hours before work for the first time in two months or so. The reason why I haven't been going there is that the weekly fishing report that I receive mentioned each time that FDR park has been dead ever since its gotten so hot and that no one was catching any Bass or Snakeheads, and that people struggled to catch Bluegills. Going out, I expected to get skunked, but was pleasantly surprised at what I was able to catch. I started off by fishing a Frog in a week choke corner in about 1.5 feet of water, and within the first three minutes, had a small blow-up and connected with a nice little 1lb Bass (1st picture). The fish weighed like 3 lbs due to the salad that was dragged with it when I was reeling it in. The next spot I tried was my trusty "Snakehead bridge," which surprisingly didn't even yield a nibble. Fortunately, I managed to catch a solid 1lb, 11oz fish (2nd picture) near the bridge, fishing a Frog in another weed choked area. It happened about 10 feet from shore - I had a big blow up, and the fish missed the bait. I twitched it a couple more times, then the fish came back and nailed it again! 

After that second Bass, I fished the dock for a while without any luck. Then, I moved to the next bridge, where I noticed a strong current flowing in. I felt the water, and it felt chilled because it was moving - about 70 degrees or less - so, I knew there had to be some bass hanging around there. I threw a Tube near the opening of the bridge, and as soon as it hit the water, a solid, at least 2.5lb Bass jumped up and tried to nail it. The Bass missed, and I tried a couple different baits but was never able to entice it to bite again. I then moved to the other side of the bridge, threw a KVD Squarebilled Crankbait, and on the retrieve, had a solid hit and landed my third bass of the day, another 1 lber (3rd picture). My last bass for the day came when I positioned myself on the laydown, so I could cast under the next bridge. I didn't get any hits under that bridge, but my first cast away from that bridge yielded a solid strike, and a very acrobatic Bass that made a total of three complete jumps out of the water before I could land it. It weighed about 1.5 lbs, but I couldn't get an officially weight or picture because there was no way I was going to be able to balance myself, my pole, and a fish trying to climb back up the laydown to flat ground. Regardless, I still had a great day of fishing and it was good to see that there are still some active bass at FDR park.

Pictures are below:

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Fishing gets tough day-by-day at the FDR Park. The place itself was great in the past, having a huge diversity of fish: Bluegill, Gizzard Shad, Common Carp, American Eel, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Snakeheads.

However, as time passed, more and more fisherman started to fish there...and there's nothing wrong with that! The problem was that people started to harvest more than the Lake could sustain - thus, the definition of "overharvesting." For more information on it, you can click here. Roll down your screen, and you will see that we are fighting against this problem.

Therefore, I'll emphasize it here: guys, support catch and release! If you want to take fish home to eat, take fish that are EDIBLE (not the ones at FDR Park), and always follow the golden law of selective harvest (letting small ones go; returning trophy fish; releasing Species that are not common). Help us spread the word - talk to your fellow friends, fishermen, and so on. If you ate the fish from that park, or know someone that did, be aware that the person who consumed the fish (or fishes, for different types) was exposed to PCBs and Heavy Metals, which are both dangerous substances.

If everyone follows these rules (not overharvesting, selective harvest), we will have SO MUCH more fish to catch and to eat in the future. I've long forgotten how many times I've seen people harvesting 4 inch Bluegill from the FDR park; people poaching Largemouth Bass illegally during spawning season; grilling the fish right at the site without fishing licenses; etc. And the Boat and Commission cannot do all the law enforcement by themselves. Just like our neighborhoods, we have to set our own eyes on problems that surround us.

Once, I've read: "He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it." It's true that this quote is very extreme (just like us, hah), hence the author of it didn't take "fear" in consideration. Many people nowadays don't stop others from practicing crimes because they "fear" what may happen to them. They may have good hearts, but not have the guts to express themselves. I couldn't agree more - nowadays, you never know when someone is carrying a gun, and so on.

Therefore, if you don't have the guts to stop an environmental crime that happens right in front of you, even if your heart twists and hurts you so, at least help us in other ways: spread the word about selective harvest, overharvesting, and other common senses that are not so common for some people. 

The "it's not my business" type of excuse is no longer acceptable. When someone litters, the same is littering YOUR ENVIRONMENT, YOUR CITY, YOUR COUNTRY, YOUR CONTINENT...must I continue until I reach the "YOUR EARTH" part of it? Certain actions no longer bring consequences to only a single person (As a matter of fact, think about it: very FEW actions will bring consequences ONLY to yourself). 

A person that may have dumped gasoline down a drain is the same person that may have killed thousands of the fish that I could have fished for. A person that may have thrown fishing lines on the floor may be the same person responsible for a tangled bird or a dead turtle. And so on...

It's not JUST about YOU now. It's plural. It's about US. 

It's with these thoughts in mind that I wish fishermen would to be less selfish around the World, and work more as a community. If you do, I congratulate you and your efforts for making a better environment. If not, it's never too late to start. It's never too late to join.    

Support catch and release!

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S. 

Reports (Mike H.): Different Locations across PA

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Updated:
Youtube Channel
--> Added:
1. Mike H. catching a Largemouth Bass at Manayunk Canal.
2. Jay D. playing a Common Carp at Manayunk Canal - Part 1
3. Jay D. playing a Common Carp at Manayunk Canal - Part 2
4. Jay D. playing a Common Carp at Kelly Drive, Schuylkill River, on an ultralight
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Mike H.'s report on different places around PA, including the Schuylkill River, a Lake in Abington, and Delaware River - July 4th-22nd.

For previous reports from Mike H.'s:

A Lake in Abington - July 4th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - July 1st, 2012.
ABA Tournament (North East River) - June 24th, 2012.
Multiple Lakes (PA and MD) - May 30th - June 6th, 2012.
Haddon Lake, NJ - May 25th, 2012.
FDR Park and Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 20th & 24th, 2012. 
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 18th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 12th, 2012.
Fairmount Dam (Schuylkill River) - May 3rd, 2012.
Font Hill Pond, MD - April 29th & May 4th, 2012.
Schuylkill River - April 26th, 2012. 

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Written by Mike H. - edited by Leo S.

Hey guys, first off, I apologize on not writing any reports recently. Unfortunately, my catches haven't been that great and I haven't been fishing as often because I've been playing a lot of tennis.

July 4th: I fished in the morning right before work. My catches weren't anything special, only a Channel Catfish on a crankbait, lol (1st picture). However, what was hilarious and sad was what I saw on my way to the fish ladder: the sad part was that the place was littered with discarded trash, uneaten hotdogs, red cups, etc. What was hilarious was that I saw at least a dozen people passed out, drunk on benches and the grass - looks like they had quite a night, haha, most of the guys without shirts, and one without pants lol!

July 9th: Again, I fished in the morning for an hour and a half or so, before work, at the Schuylkill River fish ladder. I had a great day quantity wise, but not quality wise. I was nailing the baby Stripers, ending up with 11 total. I caught them mainly on a Tailspinner, but also caught a couple on a suspending Jerkbait. For the first half an hour while fishing with a Fluke, I was getting hits on every cast and was getting frustrated that I wasn't hooking up. When I finally realized that they were baby Stripers, I made the switch to a different lure

and started nailing em! I only took 1 pic of the 11 (2nd picture).

July 10th: My friend Kevin and I went to a lake in Abington in the afternoon and fished for about 3 hours. In the past, I had great success there. So, I was anticipating a superb day of fishing. Within the first five minutes, right after I made a cast or two by the dock, Kevin runs over to me with a solid 3.25 lb bass in hand (3rd picture). Right off the bat, he hooked into a solid fish using a unique ribbed shakey head Worm on a shakey head Jighead. Unfortunately, neither of us landed a fish for a long time after that, but I lost several good fish on Swimjigs and Kevin missed a couple of huge blow ups on Frogs. The pattern at that lake appears to be that you can get the fish to bite, but for some reason, it is very difficult to land them. Regardless, Kevin did a great job landing his second keeper near the end of the day, a nice 2.5 lb bass (4th picture), while I was utterly skunked!

July 11th: I fished at the porch at the Skuke in the morning, before work. I did alright, as I managed to land a nice 1.5 lb Smallmouth Bass (5th picture) on a Green Pumpkin Tube, as well as a dink Largemouth on a Spook (no picture). The Skuke gets very tricky to fish during the hot summer days and the best time to fish  for bass and the like is dawn or evening, when there are low levels of light.

July 18th: I almost had my best fishing day ever at the Skuke. I fished for two hours, and for the first hour I fished with Flukes and topwaters without a nibble. By this time, the tide was extremely low and the water was only a foot or two feet deep in certain areas. I decided to tie on a Squarebilled Crankbait and crash it off the rocks to see if I could elicit any reaction strikes. Right off the bat - first cast I nail a 1 lb catfish (no pic). After another 15 minutes or so, something incredible happened: while retrieving the bait in shallow water, I watched as a monster fish darted up from the deeper water and nailed my bait! I set the hook, felt the weight of the fish and prepared myself for a hell of a fight. Sadly, the monster immediately came up to the surface, shook its head, and bam - the fish was gone. I reeled in my line to see that it was cleanly cut, not snapped, and I knew what the fish was, since I saw it when it came to the surface and shook its head. It was the first ever Muskie I hooked into, and appeared to be at least three feet when I looked at its silhouette in the water. Well, at least I know that they're in there, and I'm sure I'll be able to hook into another one someday. After the Muskie went away, I hooked into what probably would have been my personal best Snakehead (2.5 lbs or so) while casting the same Crank Bait through some shallow current. The Snakehead fought tremendously, as it had the current on its side, and managed to throw the hook after a 30 second fight or so. On the last cast of the day, I hooked into my first ever Spotted Bass! (6th, 7th picture). A Spotted Bass resembles a Largemouth Bass exactly, except for two key features: (1) Its jawline does not extend past its mouth, and (2) it has a small dark patch on its tongue which I tried to photograph but failed. Oh well, you can tell from the pics its mouth is small like a Smallmouth Bass, and its nice to know that the Skuke is the king when it comes to diversity.

July 22nd: I fished my fifth tournament ever on the ABA Tournament Trail. The tournament was held on the Deleware River, and all of the anglers met at the Lightning Jacks Marina in New Jersey. Ironically, I am by far the youngest angler and was randomly paired with the oldest angler, a grumpy looking 80 year-old dude, haha. I wasn't intimated by his looks, but I was excited to fish with him because he just came off a win in the last tournament at the North East River with a 20+ bag of fish! Unfortunately, after meeting him, he told me up front that he wasn't familar with this River, which was a bad sign for me. However, at least he was a really nice guy, even though he couldn't understand a word I said unless I literally shouted it at him (hearing issues). We started the day making a long run out of the Marina to a different Marina to fish. We weren't actually allowed to fish in that marina, so we fished along the edges. He threw soft plastics while I threw topwater, neither of us had any luck.

The next spot we hit was a field of thick lily pads near the marina. I tried fishing a swim jig while he stuck to jigs and plastics. Again, no luck. We worked our way down the pad-field until we got to some docks. He stayed with the same baits while I switched to a drop shot rig.  After casting to a spot he just threw his lure at, I hooked into a solid 3 lb fish (Last picture) that put up a fight like a 5 lber. Since the current in the Deleware is so strong, the fish's muscles are more developed, making them superb fighters! We continued to fish the docks and got numerous hits, most likely from perch and bluegill. We made our way down the docks to another shoreline, littered with pads. The good news was that the shoreline was littered with Bass, we each caught at least 10 Bass with a variety of plastics and hardbaits. The bad news was that every single fish was under 12 inches, the legal size to keep for the tournament. We made one more run through that exact loop, starting outside the marina, and had a 30 minute detour because a cop pulled our boat over because the old guy was apparently making a wake in a no wake zone. It was completely bullshit because we were going slower than other boats on the water in that exact same area. The cop wasn't very nice, and checked for a fire extinguisher, whistle, extra PFD, throwable PFD, ect. The old guy ended up getting a 50 dollar ticket for making a wake, and an additional 33 dollar ticket for not having a whistle and not having a throwable PFD where it is easily accessible...

After that detour, we abandoned that spot and went to fish under a bridge. My partner was throwing a spinnerbait and hooked into a nice 4lb fish. The only problem was that it was the wrong species, he managed to catch a good sized Walleye haha. We worked our way down for a while without luck until we got to a small channel that, according to my partner, it held fish. When we were about to make our way in to the 1 foot channel (it was low tide), another boat sped past us and went in first - what an ass! The old guys had trouble with boat control, and it took about 15 minutes for him to get into the channel. We made our way down and the water was literally less than 2 feet deep and only 12 feet wide - I didn't see how there would be fish in there. Eventually we see the other boat parked in a spot on the channel making repeated casts to the same spot. My boater said that douchebag took the hole we were going to fish in - apparently, there was a 4 feett hole he said Bass stack into. He was right, as the other boater caught a 12 inch fish throwing plastics. As we passed by him, I threw my crankbait in his area and hooked into a solid 1.5 lb fish - take that, douchebag! That would be my only other keeper for the day, unfortunately.

For the remaining three hours or so we tried various padfields, structure, and shorelines. My boater said he made some errors and should have made a longer run initially to an area he knew held Bass. Oh well, it was still a fun tournament and I almost won a check for Big Bass. The big bass was 3.5 lbs, and I had second lunker with a 3.1 lb Bass. I ended up finished 11th out of 20 anglers, which was good enough to put me in second place for co-angler of the year, only 1 point behind that three time co-angler of the year for the past three years. In fact, that guy lives on the Delaware river, and has won several tournaments as a co-angler because he knows the river so well. So, at least, it appears that I'm fishing pretty decently during my first year of fishing tournaments, since I'm about even with the current co angler of the year holder.

Pictures are below:

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I hope everything is going well, Kevin! We will miss you here, around Philly. When you come back to visit, let us know - we will go for some extreme Bassing!

Hahaha...oh, man. I feel bad for that old dude! "+33 dollars for not having a whistle...," what a shame, man. "4lbs fish - a Wallaye" - he should have won the "rare fish" of the day, man! Catching a Walleye during day time at the Delaware is extremely rare, in my opinion.

Nice report as always, Mike! Sorry for the delay - I've been fishing a lot, and working on the FishAThon. =)

Best of luck for all of us,

Long Days and Pleasant Nights,

Sincerely,

Leo S.