Sunday, May 27, 2007

Wade's Bait and Tackle (Valhalla)


This is Wade's Bait and Tackle new location in Valhalla. It is on 36 Broadway, not too far from the Kensico Dam.

UPDATE: Wade's Bait and Tackle is now located at 7 W. Stevens Avenue in Hawthorne, New York. The new phone number is (914)-747-0762.

No Navigator To Find My Way Home


This afternoon, I went up to Kensico. I haven't been there since last July. I left my home around 3 PM. The challenge was to find Wade's Bait and Tackle at its now not-so-new location in Valhalla. Wade's closes at 4 PM on Sundays.

I managed to find it easily, near the Kensico Dam, and got there at 3:50. I bought a dozen sawbellies. The lady at the shop gave me a receipt for the sawbellies and told me to keep it to show any DEP personnel. Apparently, there has been some health problem with some types of sawbellies.

Before going to my usual spot, I saw in my car, listening to the end of the Yankee game. I couldn't believe they got swept and are now 12 1/2 games behind the first place Boston Red Sox.

I got to the rock at 4:30. At first, I couldn't my little bait net. So I had to reach into the bucket and get the sawbelly by hand. I had two poles in the water.

The sun was shining bright. It was warm. There was little or no wind. The water was still. I lost about four or five sawbellies while casting. They just flew off the hook.

I later developed a problem with one my poles. When I tried to cast my line, it just dropped after about 10 feet like it got stuck or tangled. The line in the reel didn't seem tangled. I tried several times, but the same thing kept happening. I then put the pole aside. I just didn't feel like respooling the whole thing.

I stuck with live bait, and I never used Krocodiles or other lures. I just laid back on the rock, resting my head on my tackle box.
I had a couple of bites, but I didn't catch anything.

By 8:15 PM, I was winding down. I actually had one more bite. I held my fishing rod in anticipation, but nothing. I dumped the sawbellies that were left in the water.

It was disappointing that I didn't catch anything. Still, the experience relaxed me.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

I Knew the Waiting Had Begun


After last week's success, I decided to try Hudson Park again. It was overcast, and the temperature was in the low 50s.

The bait shop didn't have any fresh bunker. I got two frozen bunker instead. The nice lady told me that they would thaw quicky if I put them in salt water while they were still in the bags. I also got a dozen worms.

I started fishing around 12:45, about 90 minutes or so before high tide. It started to drizzle. It was cold. I wished I brought my jacket. At times, the wind blew hard, knocking over my poles several times.

I tried the worms first but had no luck. At 1:15, I was able to switch to bunker.

When the rain got worse, I took refuge in the car.

I had three bites but nothing hooked. I recast the lines several times and changed the bait once, but I didn't catch anything.

I asked an old fisherman who was on the other side of the lot if he had any luck. He said no.

I guess it wasn't our day. Around 4 PM, I gave up.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

The (Only) Catch of the Day


This was the only fish I managed to catch today. This striper measured 17 inches. I threw him back into the Long Island Sound.

(Thank you St. Peter.)

Low Tide/High Tide

I took this shot around 3:30 PM. You can see how low the tide was.

By 8 PM, it was almost high tide.

Coming Back to Life


Today, I went fishing for the first time in 2007. The weather, personal issues, work, and a family emergency (that was favorably resolved) delayed the start of my fishing season.

I went up to Hudson Park in New Rochelle. Around 2 PM, I was napping, and I came close to canceling the trip. But I really needed to start fishing. I got a large coffee at the gas station to wake me up.

I picked up two bunker at Hudson Park Bait & Tackle. The gentleman told me they didn't have "fresh" bunker. I forget the exact term he used. I was grateful it wasn't frozen.

I started fishing around 3:15 PM, not too long after low tide. It was sunny and a little windy. A couple of times, the wind blew my fishing rods over.

I had no action the first couple of hours. I attributed it to low tide and the wind. As the tide came in, I start getting a couple of bites. The gentleman at the bait shop told me that "evening fishing" was excellent.

At one point, I prayed to St. Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, to allow me to catch at least one fish. He delivered. Perhaps around 5:30 PM, I finally had a big bite. It nearly pulled my rod in the water. As I was reeling it in, it was clear that it was a big fish. I managed to pull it up into the parking lot. I'm lucky my line didn't snap.

I caught a striped bass. It measured 17 inches. It's the largest one I've caught since 2004, when I caught a 22-inch one out of the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry. I threw it back.

I had a few more bites, but didn't catch anything else. I left at 8:15 PM.

For me, just catching one relatively big fish always makes a fishing trip a success.