On Thursday (May 28), I went fishing in Riverdale. (I know it's been a few days, so my recollections may not be as fresh.)
After buying two dozen bloodworms, I got there around 2:15. I made a couple of changes. First, I fished in the first viewing area on the promenade instead of my usual last. Second, I brought three rods with me instead of two. The second time I fished in Riverdale, I got two lines tangled. This time, I figured that if I carefully cast them, I would avoid getting them tangled.
It was cool and extremely cloudy. There was also a lot of fog, which got thicker as the day went on. The one good thing about fishing on a weekday, especially when the weather is bad, is that there is no else around.
I had a couple of hits early on, but I didn't catch anything. I read a little more of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. (Did I ever mention that I'm a slow reader?) I listened to my iPod. I said my novenas and a rosary. (Yes, St. Jude and St. Peter delivered once again.)
After about two hours, I caught a perch. It was nine inches long. I threw it back.
Bringing a third pole turned out to be a smart move. I didn't get my lines tangled. A short time later, a second fish got itself hooked. I reeled it in and brought to some rocks below. The fish then got unhooked and disappeared into the rocks. To me, catching a fish means gaining power over it--keeping it or releasing it. I carefully climbed down on the rocks to see if I could get it, but I didn't see it.
I lost a second fish in those same rocks. My line just snapped, and the fish fell off. It wasn't that big. Determined to get it, I climbed back down. The seaweed on the some of the rocks, which are covered by the water when the tide comes in, makes them slippery.
I managed to fish the fish, a small perch. I also found the other fish, a tiny perch. I put them on the viewing area and climbed back up. Since they were small, I didn't bother measuring them. After taking their picture, I returned them to the river. With a little effort, I managed to double the number of fish I caught today.
Yes, I caught one more fish, a striper. This one measured 11 inches, but didn't weigh back. Unfortunately, it swallowed the hook, and I couldn't get it out. So I threw it back with the hook stuck down its throat.
I don't remember when exactly, but the fog moved on the river from both the north and south. On the south side, the George Washington Bridge disappeared behind the thick fog. I also brought my binoculars to see what was on the New Jersey side of the Hudson. The Jersey side looks like a big wall. You can see some rocky areas as well as trees. Perhaps 45 degrees on my right side, I saw what I thought was a dock with boats. I also spotted what looked like a path, but I didn't see any cars.
I left around 6:30 or so even though I still had plenty of bait. The tide got low, and I didn't expect any more fish.
As always, I'm glad I caught something, but I found myself asking, "Where were the big fish today?"
