Coming Through in Waves

The forecast called for a pleasant Palm Sunday. So I decided to go fishing. During the late morning, I fell asleep watching Alien (1979). After waking up in mid-afternoon, I left the house. I didn't know whether to try Hudson Park in New Rochelle or the Hudson River in Riverdale.

I went to Jack's and bought one frozen bunker, two frozen herring, and two dozen blood worms. I decided to go to Hudson Park. When I got there, however, I saw how bone-dry the area was at low tide. Since I didn't think I would have any luck, I immediately headed to Riverdale. I got there around 4:20 or so. I intended to stay until dark or until someone with a badge kicked me out in order to lock up the area.

I brought two poles with me and went to the last viewing area on the promenade. There was a couple sitting on one of the two park benches. I politely said hello and began to bait my lines. The bunker needed more time to thaw out. So I used one blood worm and one herring. I carefully cast my lines, making sure to avoid snagging my line on the nearby bush or hitting the couple on the bench. I took out my camera, and I noticed it wasn't charged. So I had to use my Blackberry Pearl to take pictures.

Conditions were near perfect. It was a bright, sunny day with a slight breeze. (By contrast, we practically got a wind storm yesterday.) I didn't need my jacket.

As I waited for a bite, I listened to my iPod. The couple eventually left. I then prayed my novenas for the day (including for a friend who is seriously ill). Not too long ago, I prayed a novena to St. Jude, asking to catch a lot of fish this season. He delivered.

I got a couple of bites in the first hour with the blood worm, which raised my hopes that I would not leave here disappointed. A man showed up, said hello, sat down on the bench, and began reading.

After about an hour, I had another bite. I reeled it in and lifted a striped bass out of the water. It didn't weigh much but measured nine inches. I threw it back. This turned out to be the first of seven fish I caught today. I haven't caught this many in one day since starting this blog.

I then caught a fat, little perch, which measured eight inches. I returned him to the water. After the bunker thawed, I attached a piece on my second line. I kept using blood worms on the first, which caught the striper and the perch. I didn't have any luck (meaning bites) with the bunker or herring. But with blood worms, I kept getting hits, so I soon switched my second line to them. Since I bought two dozen of them, it seemed like the smart thing to do.

As the evening set in, I kept getting hits, occasionally on both lines at once. I caught one more perch and then four more stripers. The the second striper I caught (and the fourth fish of the day) measured 11 inches. It was the longest fish I caught today. (There others were about the same size.) I threw them all back.

I gave up around 8 PM. I dumped the rest of the bait and went home.

What puzzles me is why I never had much luck with blood worms when I fished the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry. But the two of three times I've fished here in Riverdale, the fish (and not just the perch) went for the blood worms. (Time will tell if I catch a catfish here.)

I know I'll be back here frequently, but I'll try not to get too complacent.

This is what a broken-down, washed-up loser like me needed... a good day.