A Weekend of Rest

No fishing this weekend. It was bright and sunny both days although less hot. I had some personal business to attend to, and I also needed some rest.

We'll see what next weekend brings.

"I Don't Know If It Was Divine Intervention or the Kinship of all Living Things, But I Tell You, Jerry, At That Moment, I Was a Marine Biologist"

A manatee, a large aquatic mammal, has been spotted several times in the Hudson River. It was seen off the coast of lower Manhattan and as far north as Westchester.

Manatees, which are classified as an endangered species, usually eat plants, so they pose no threats to swimmers, boaters, or fishermen.

Still, given the manatee's enormous size, I wonder if it's spooking the fish in the Hudson River.

Something Else I Never Thought I'd See While Fishing

At one point, I turned my head left and noticed a seaplane on the river. I never saw it land.

It headed to shore and disappeared from view.

Maybe a half an hour later, it came back out and took off. (My fishing line is clearly visible in both photos.)

Condition Grounded But Determined to Try

Today, I returned to Dobbs Ferry for the first time in over a month.

I picked up three fresh bunker at Jack's. I got to the dock around 1:30 or so. I was shocked to see how dirty the area has become. Beer boxes, plastic bottles, and other garbage were strewn nearly everywhere. A few months ago, the individual who owns the property nailed a metal sign to a tree warning visitors not to litter or access to the area would be closed. (Some dumbass wrote, "You're Bluffing," on the sign with a magic marker.) I don't think it's too much to ask to make an effort to keep the area clean. Also, garbage attracts rats and other animals that can disrupt the joy of fishing.

It was past low tide. It was a little hot but not unbearable. There were a few clouds in the sky, but the sun was shining bright. There was no wind, and the water was calm.

A few seconds after I put my first line in the water and set the rod down in place, I noticed it tipping back and forth, indicating that a fish was attacking the bait. I thought this was going to be a very good day for fishing.

It wasn't.

Early on, I had a lot of bites, but nothing got hooked. I kept losing the bait. I got my line caught several times. Unlike yesterday, I went through the bunker fast. I also noticed that the bunker gradually deteriorated in the heat. My last one got mushy, and it was difficult to attach to the hook. Next time, I should keep it in water to keep it fresh longer.

A short time after I started, a couple of other fishermen showed up. One of them caught about four small perch using bloodworms. (The other guy just sat down and watched his friend.) They left after about an hour.

The only exciting thing that happened was that a seaplane landed in the water downriver and went to shore. It later came back out and took off.

By 4 PM, the bites stopped. I was nearly out of bait.

I finished very early around 5 PM. I guess this just wasn't my day or my weekend. (Maybe I am deservedly punished for many recent sins.)

I packed up and drove home, reeking of bunker.

Unladen, Empty, and Turned to Stone

After a two week layoff, I went fishing today. I went up to Hudson Park in New Rochelle, where I caught five fish two weeks ago.

I picked up three fresh bunker at Jack's. I had some personal business to take care on City Island, so I went to Jack's top pick up bait. Unfortunately, they were out of frozen herring.

I started fishing around 5:20. The tide was coming in. The sun was out. Temperature-wise, it was quite pleasant. The heatwave passed. A slight breeze made it feel cooler.

I had three lines in the water, all with fresh bunker. I waited for a bite. And waited.

I didn't get a single bite all day. I passed the time perusing Toby Young's memoir, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2002).

I was fishing in the same spot I was when I first tried Hudson Park one month ago and had only one bite. Two weeks ago, when I caught five fish, I was fishing no more than 30-40 feet away. Today, that spot was occupied when I got there.

I didn't notice anyone else catching anything.

What went wrong today but right two weeks ago? Was it the rain and clouds? Is there some sort of structure under the water where I cast my lines two weeks ago and where fish congregate? Was it cooler? Was it because I fished in the late morning? Did the fish happen to be very hungry?

I recast my lines several times. I changed the bait on each line once. I didn't even get through one bunker.

I gave up at 8:20 PM. I packed up and went back to City Island, where I had some dinner.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.