Catching bass on fly rod

Flyfishing for Catfish

BIG ASS CATFISH

Meet Alex, a new fly fisher. Alex has been fishing in Prospect Park lake for a few years now.
This year after fishing in the annual Macy's fishing contest; Alex got some fly fishing equipment.
If his success as a young bass fisher is any indication of his potential as a fly fisher, watch out.



Alex has become a member of my " If its Friday its Carp" group. Due to the heat wave here in the New York area on Fridays I head to a river and fish for carp or whatever is active.
So today Alex, the new kid, Dennis, the new carper and myself headed out for some carp on a fly. First stop was Central Park, home of the whoppers. A recent restoration of the main lake, located at 72nd street, revealed that this body of water has a large number of 30 LB carp.
We started near the Bethesda Fountain. This area is usually a slam dunk but not this morning.
Water levels were down due to more restoration work being performed on the plumbing ( this is a man made lake). We packed up and headed to New Jersey to carp there. First stop was the town of Passaic. There is a pond that has a large number of carp. It was hot and sunny. To increase our odds we chummed the carp to the surface to cloop. The result was two LDR (long distance release) and me see my backing for the first time on my ATP 37 fly reel! After twenty minutes or so the boca grip was placed in the mouth of the carp pictured below.




Mid afternoon saw us pack up and head to the mighty Passaic River for some carpin on the river. When we arrived carp were feeding on the surface (clooping). Dennis and Alex tied on some deer hair flies and set to work. My job was to boca grip any carp brought to shore. Alex managed to hook and release his first carp unintentionally. It seems Alex reverted to his technique for setting the hook on Bass and snapped his leader. Oh well we all make mistakes.




Dennis stalking the golden ghosts of the Passaic River

First Blood!

This morning I met my friend Dennis at New York Port Authority's Bus Terminal. Dennis is an urban fly fisher who ties some unusual flies for city fishing. We planned to fish some spots on the Passaic river, near Garfield, New Jersey. It took us awhile to find a fishable access point. Dennis and I fished the west side of the river and only had one blue gill between us. So we walked to another access point. Just as we arrived it started to rain lightly but we could see carp clooping(eating things on the water's surface) about 70 feet away. Dennis looked excited. I made the decision to help him to catch a carp with a fly rod.

Dennis set up his 6 wt rod. I gave him a deer hair #10 fly. His first cast was short. Second cast was better but the carp missed the fly. On the third cast the fly landed softly in the "feeding zone" of several carps. We could see when the mouth surroundrd the fly and the mouth disappear under the water. Words can not fully describe what it feels like to hook your first carp with a fly. It is cool. It is electric. The pull of the carp, the power, the endurance and the speed of the carp all make the carp a true game fish. I sat on the shore and watched Dennis as he tried to bring in his first. I could see the smile that covered his face. All fly fishers get that same smile, ear to ear. The rain had begun to fall heavier but Dennis was not going to stop with one carp. After he discharged the fish, Dennis began to false cast. His fly landed where several open mouths waited. The carp actually leaped after taking the fly; something I had not seen before. More than ten minutes later he had landed a big bellied carp and was still smiling. But it was raining harder and the bite had stopped due to low tide. We packed up and left.

Fly fishing for carp is my favorite fishing activity. It requires stealth, patience, and accuracy. If you are not quiet you will not catch a carp. If you rush, carp will flee the area. If you can not put your fly in the carp's feeding zone, the carp will ignore it. The Carp's feeding zone is an imaginary triangle with the carp's mouth forming the apex of the triangle. The base of the triangle is the area 2 feet in front of the carp's mouth. place your fly in this area and the carp may take your fly.
















Early morning on the Passaic river.


Dennis with his first carp on a fly rod.


A while later the carp is held for pictures


Carp resisting


Second carp


Look at Dennis grin as he shows off a big carp.

Hanging and banging

Due to the heat wave in New York, I have put down my fly rods and picked up the weights this week. This was my second time visiting my gym this week. I try to change my routine as often as possible so that my body is kept under stress. Change and growth occurs when the body is forced to adjust. So instead of doing a warm up and a long cardio session I lifted weights first. I did super sets for legs, moving quickly from one machine to the next without a rest in between sets. Nothing heavy but lots of reps; no need to bulk up. By the time I finished the weights, I was beginning to feel tired. A few gulps of cold water and I climbed onto the stairmaster for a forty five minute session. After the cardio,I went to the Stretching area and cooled down. I hope to fish the Passaic River sometime this weekend.

carp tactics

http://www.northwestcarp.co.uk/forum...hing-carp.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mf3BuCzNvw

Polarized Glasses (Video Inlcuded) | MyOutdoorTV.com

Polarized Glasses (Video Inlcuded) | MyOutdoorTV.com

Fly Max Episode 3 - Esnagami Pike fishing

Fly Max Episode 3 - Esnagami

Kayaking

It is a little after 10 o'clock in the evening and I'm still trying to replace the fluids I lost this afternoon. Andy, a longtime friend, invited me to his Canoe club for a day on the water using a borrowed Hobie cat. I took the Hobie cat For a test run at about 10 o'clock this morning. Just an easy run up the Paerdegat basin to the bridge for the Belt Parkway and back. I made some minor adjustments to the pedals and waited for this first group of paddlers to leave. I found out later that the first group scheduled to leave was going to kayak about twenty miles. As a first timer that was too much for me to do. The second group intended to kayak about 5 miles so I signed up for that group.

All week temperatures have been in the 90° range, so it was very hot. I loaded my boat with drinks, mostly water, and my group headed for the largest island in Jamaica Bay, the Canarsie col. There were single and double kayaks in my group; some beginners like myself and others with more experience. I had two problems the rudder control was on my left side and the ninety plus degree heat. But I was able to keep up with my group. If it had not been for the occasional breeze of cool air the trip would've been very difficult. As we neared the Canarsie pier, on the return leg, I could feel that I was very very tired. the heat was taking all of my energy away. However, the Hobie cat allowed me to keep pace with the leader of the group. The Hobie cat allows the user to pedal rather than paddle.

Paerdegat Basin is a channel that connects to Jamaica Bay on the southern end of Brooklyn, New York. It is located on the west side of the Canarsie area. It connects to Jamaica Bay to the south, and the north end of the basin is adjacent to the intersection of Ralph Avenue and Flatlands Avenue.

This heatwave has all but stopped daytime fishing in the Great Lakes of New York City. So I expect to fish either in Jamaica Bay or in one of the nearby rivers located in New Jersey. I hope to be able to fish either the Passaic river or the Hackensack river at the end of the week.

Gefilte fish

I always look forward to fishing the new moon cycle during the month of July. The new moon, two days before and two days after the new moon means big fish will be active. So every July I take my 8 or 9 wt fly rod, some really big flies and I head for the river. In this case the Passaic River in New Jersey. Today I arrived late the tide had already started to go out. Normally, I like to get to my spot about three hours before low tide. I thought I had taken everything in my fanny pack but I forgot my big, six inches plus, flies. My supply of flies did include some surface saltwater flies but no big sub surface streamers. Until today, I had never tried to catch a pike on a surface fly but that was all I had in my box. So I tied on a big black gurgler with dangling legs; hoping it would resemble a rodent swimming in the river. I began to work the river, making casts. Cast retrieve, cast vary retrieve, slow first and then faster. After about twenty or so casts, I had moved about forty feet down the muddy slippery shore when I stopped stripping in the fly. A big black gurgler was still on the water. Suddenly the water looked like a toilet after it has been flushed. The big fly was no longer on the surface but the fly line had tightened and I knew I had hooked a pike. He went deep and across the river. I made sure I had set the hook and then put the fish on the reel. Several jumps and a few more runs across the river and the tiring pike came into shore. According to my watch, there was about an hour until low tide. I took a few pictures, released the pike and walked down the river towards a spot where carp like to feed on surface things.

At first I did not see any carp clooping ( eating from the surface) but as I got closer I could see carp lips and open mouths sucking in floating leaves and things. I quickly changed my leader and made it carp friendly. I tied on something that was brown in color and floated. Made a looping cast and waited, nothing. I made a longer cast to where the carp weer feeding, again nothing.
Another cast and this time a take, a solid take. The carp plowed under the water and across the river, full speed ahead! I always move down the river bank with the carp (I have no desire to see my backing) for about 50 feet or so. This guy was very very strong. Lots of strong head shakes. Deep dives to the river bottom, runs and more runs down the Passaic; a powerful fish.
For a moment I wondered if the fish was foul hooked. He fought almost like a salmon. Twenty minutes of man against beast, I know I was tiring but was this carp? I was using an 8 wt rod that seem to underwhelm this fish. Eventually, I got him in to shore, where I took a pre landing photo. I whipped out my new Boca grip, put it into the mouth of the gasping carp, and placed him on the river bank.

carp on the rocks



closer view



carp on a fly



Pike safely returned to river



closer look



another view of a Northern pike



Beautiful pike



Big Black Gurgler fly

Automatic fly reels

Pfluegher 1195, Perrine automatic # 87

Bronson Royalmatic, Garcia Mitchell 710




Garcia Mitchell 710 automatic fly reel one of the few reels with an extracable spool.

These reels were popular decades ago and are still in use today.
My favorite of the old automatic fly reels is the 1195. It is a real work horse. I have caught panfish, carp, and even norhern pike with this fly reel. In my opinion its only draw back is the limited amount of backing it can hold.

Van Cortlandt Park Lake

Last April 2010

The Grand Slam

Dennis and I ended the week fishing in Queens for carp. Our first stop was at Golden Pond near the Little Neck Bay. We were unable to get any of the many carp in the water to take our flies.



I was able to hook my first crappie there on a #14 BH black woolie bugger.



Next we went to Oakland Lake, near Queensborough Community College. The shore of the lake was covered by lily pads and duck weed, it was unfishable.



We returned to the bus stop and boarded a bus headed to Kissena Lake. On our way there we passed Bowne Park, a little known park that has a pond. At Kissena park, we used chum to raise the carp but as soon as we were ready to fish a crowd gathered and frightened the carp away. We then fished on the less populated south shore and waited for the evening. As darkness covered the park, we chummed with dog biscuits and the big carp began to stick their mouths through the surface of the lake. It began to rain and it was a steady rain. We continued to fish. We were not wet ; we were determined to carp. Finally Dennis had one on his line. The rod was bent and the reel whined zzzzzzzz! I put my rod down and grab the Boca grip. I waited, it was a strong fish who eventually pulled the hook from its mouth. Aside from a runner doing laps around the lake, we were the only two there, fishing, carpin in the dark.




Bowne Park
It is named in honor of Walter Bowne (1770-1846), who served as a State Senator and as New York City Mayor. Mr. Bowne's summer residence stood on this property until March 1925, when fire destroyed the building.




This obscure pond has large mouth bass, BGs and big carp.

Views of Prospect Park Lake

A view from the bridge looking east in the early evening.


The Lullwater


The boat house


In front of the boat house


Looking west from the east side of Prospect Park lake


The upper pool (closed to fishing)


The source of the lake's water


View from the south shore of the lake

Fly fishing in Prospect Park Lake

A quiet morning on Prospect Park Lake


The last few days it has been so warm that I have not gone out to fish in any water. I have spent about six hours working out this week at my health club. I've done lots of cardio work and lifting. I've been thinking about getting ready to XC ski too. Once the weather is less humid I will begin to roller ski. In the mean time I plan to do some carp and pike fishing this weekend. The new moon cycle occurs this Sunday and usually it means big fish will be active. Two days before and two days after the new moon fishing should be good. Once I catch a pike I can concentrate on carp. There are several spots on the Hackensack and Passaic rivers that hold promise as alternative places to fish during the "dog days of summer".

Fishing in the Great Lakes of NYC is at it's best in the spring and fall when there is warmer weather but not hot weather; which causes the fish to be less active during the day. During the heat of summer I try to look for alternative fisheries, like rivers and the ocean. Not only does the hot summer weather affect the fly angler but it puts an enormous amount of stress on fish.

I'm posting pictures of some of the fish I have caught in Prospect Park.


My favorite fly rod, the March Brown , 9', 7 piece, 2 wt.



Golden shiner taken on an Orvis full flex fiberglass fly rod




A big bass from Prospect Park Lake caught by author and fly angler Randy Kadish.



Pumpkin seed



Golden shiner taken on a #14 nymph & a rare Fenwick 5'3" fiberglass fly rod



Bluegill on a 2 wt fly rod




Large mouth bass taken on a Dahlberg diver





Perch on a 2 wt fly rod


Yes I'm a fan of using ultra light fly fishing equipment whenever possible. I own several ultra light rods made from either fiberglass, graphite or cane. There are more than two dozen fly rods in my collection of various fly rods.