Big mirror carp in Central Park Lake (Loeb Lake)

Wow and double wow!  I caught this big mirror carp this afternoon.  My effort to

fish for and catch carp is a huge success.

The mirror carp fought long and hard but I've learned to be patient when fishing for carp.

There were lots of head shaking and long runs in several directions.  I hold the rod loosely

to protect the tippet.  You must have "soft hands". I fished my 11 foot, 6 weight with a Skagit

fly line (300 gr), ATP 37 semi automatic fly reel.

This was a great day of fishing. I caught several fish and the last fish,  the mirror, was the largest.

 

I need to buy a bigger net.

 

Fall Fishing in Central Park

I've been fishing my annual carp campaign, in NYC's Central Park. For me, it is a lot of fun

to be out catching carp.  fishing picks up in the waneing hours of the afternoon.  

I caught only one carp, a rare fantail.  But it made my day to catch one.

 

Loeb Lake fishing for carp NYC

And on the fourth day, he caught another big carp.  This fish was hooked within six feet of the shore.

 In addition,the lake surface was covered with fall leaves.  I literally plopped my bait

into a space opening about the size of a manhole cover. 

  

 

Carp Campaign update for Loeb Lake NYC

As you can see my annual carp campaign is in full swing.  This fish took me well into my backing, which for me is a rarity.  I used a 7 wt fiberglass fly rod and for most of the fight, the rod was completely bent.

Here is another view of me and the carp

and a view of the carp exceeding the length of my net.

 

Carp fishing in Central Park

It is time for my annual Carp Campaign in Central Park, at Loeb  Lake.  It is held every year in November when I dump ground bait in Loeb Lake every day at the same time and place until there is a temperature drop below 50F.

 

Olympic Peninsula Skagit fishing for Blue gills

I've had this skagit fly line for a few months and I'm trying to get the hang of casting my 6 wt,11'

rod.

I fished the water near Duck Island in Prospect Park Lake.  It is an area shielded from the wind,

most of the time.

 I fished a small hornsberg fly, and a BH woolly bugger I think it is a number 12 fly.  This is a fly I've fished for a number of years at this time of year.

 

Sunfish and Crappie Management in New York

Sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, and redbreast sunfish) and crappie (black crappie and white crappie) are widespread and abundant throughout New York and are very popular with anglers. These species generally provide harvest-based fisheries and there is concern that current harvest regulations could result in overharvest and lead to less than ideal size structures and lower quality fishing.

Draft New York Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan Assessment of Public Comments

A draft New York Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan was released for public review in January 2021. The draft plan included proposals for statewide fishing regulation adjustments as well as experimental fishing regulations for both species groups to manage select waters for larger fish (i.e., the Big Panfish Initiative (BPI)). A total of 180 public comments were received. An Assessment of Public Comments (PDF) was developed and summarized as follows:

Based on the feedback received, the Bureau of Fisheries feels that the statewide proposals for both sunfish (daily limit 25) and crappie (10 inches minimum size and daily limit of 25) are acceptable to the angling public at large and, although some anglers disapproved of the proposals, no information was provided to justifiably refute a shift to a more conservative approach. The comments associated with the experimental BPI for sunfish were similar and there appears to be fairly wide acceptance of trying to create some special opportunities to catch larger sunfish in select waters across the state. Although the overall feedback on the BPI crappie proposal was also positive, it was viewed less favorably than the other elements of the plan. The primary concern was it would unacceptably restrict the opportunity to harvest desirable size crappie, effectively turning these fisheries into primarily catch and release or "trophy" fisheries.

Next steps

Based on feedback received during the Public Comment on the Draft NY Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan, the Department is rescinding both the draft New York Sunfish and Crappie Management Plan and the BPI crappie proposal (12 inches minimum size and daily limit of 10) and moving forward with the following:

• Statewide proposals for both sunfish (daily limit of 25) and crappie (10 inches minimum size and daily limit of 25). Justification Brief for Statewide Sunfish and Crappie Harvest Regulation Proposals
  
  
• The BPI proposal for sunfish (8 inches minimum size and daily limit of 15) on the following 11 waters: Blydenburgh Lake (DEC Region 1), Lake Welch (Region 3), Canadarago Lake and Goodyear Lake (Region 4), Saratoga Lake (Region 5), Sixtown Pond and Red Lake (Region 6), Cazenovia Lake and Otisco Lake (Region 7), Honeoye Lake (Region 8), and Silver Lake (Region 9).
  
  
  • This 5-year experimental program will be evaluated according to the Big Panfish Initiative Study Plan (PDF) if proposed regulations are adopted.

• An assessment of crappie population age and growth characteristics to determine the potential of more conservative regulations to yield larger fish in the following 10 waters: Blydenburgh Lake (Region 1), Muscoot Reservoir (Region 3), Saratoga Lake (Region 5), Delta Lake (Region 6), Cazenovia Lake and Otisco Lake (Region 7), Waneta/Lamoka lakes and Honeoye Lake (Region 8), and Bear Lake (Region 9).