On the Turning Away

This is a vehicle bridge that leads to some waterfront area, on the Hudson River, in Dobbs Ferry. (The address of the property may be 145 Palisade Street.) I fished there for 14 years from 1992 to 2006. Now the area is closed, which means no more fishing.

Perhaps the owner, whoever he is, got tired of all the garbage people left in the area and carried out his threat to seal off access. Last year, however, I heard a rumor that the owner was looking to sell the property. It seems that this is what happened. There were other businesses and people who also used the area for years. I guess they got evicted.

Over the years, I have enjoyed some great fishing at the dock. I will certainly miss it. Maybe the situation is temporary, and fishermen will be welcome back there one day.

Then again, nothing lasts forever.

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.

Down This Road We've Been So Many Times

I'm officially on vacation this week. I have lots of free time to go fishing.

On Sunday, I went up to Dobbs Ferry with my new tackle box filled with the new stuff I bought recently. I was hoping to try a few different techniques for the purporse of catching different fish besides the usual catfish.

I got there around 1:30 PM or so, a couple of hours before high tide on the Hudson. It was windy and sunny but tolerable.

I picked up three fresh bunker, three frozen herring, and one dozen bloodworms from Jack's.

I upgraded to 17-pound test.

For one line, I used something (I forget the exact name) I bought at the Sports Authority. It has two bobbers with hooks and a swivel to attach a sinker. The advantage, when using a sinker, is that it keeps the hooks off the bottom and getting snagged. I used bunker, herring, and a bloodworm at different times. I didn't catch anything with this.

A couple of times, I tried a bobber on another line with a bloodworm and some herring, but I couldn't cast it far enough.

Early on, I caught an eel. It was about a foot long. Eels secrete some type of residue that makes them slipperly. The stuff, which I understand is a type of mucous, got on my hands and clothes. When it dries on the skin, it becomes flaky. It was tough to wash off. I threw the eel back.

In the late afternoon, the wind died down, and the water calmed.

Later in the day, I caught another eel. This one was well over two feet and looked exactly like the one I caught in late May.

I didn't catch any fish. I had only a few bites.

Was my line too heavy? Or was it just an unlucky day? A woman fishing a few rocks away from caught a couple of perch.

The only other eventful thing that happened was that I was visited by a beaver. I saw him earlier crawling on some rocks. Later, I caught a glimpse of him in the corner of my eye and was startled out of my chair. He disappeared into a hole in the dock. I then saw him in the lot standing a few feet away from me. He was about a foot long. He disappeared before I got a chance to photograph him.

Around 7:30, some thick, black colds rolled in. The wind returned, and it started to drizzle. Since the tide was going out, I gave up and went home so I could catch the Yankee game.

The Only Thing I Managed to Catch

This catfish is about 15 inches. I caught it with a piece of thawed-out herring rather than fresh bunker.

I threw it back.

I believe that the rickety picnic table was left by local teens who saw me fish several weeks ago.

There's a Hunger Still Unsatisfied

With my back healed, I took myself off the disabled list to fish this weekend. (I already gave dad his present for Father’s Day, and he prefers to relax rather than go out or have a big celebration.)

Yesterday, at Jack’s, I stocked up on supplies such as two-ounce sinkers, fish finders, snap swivels, and bait-holding hooks. I also picked up three fresh bunker and six frozen herring. Once again, I ventured up to Dobbs Ferry.

The dock was deserted.

I had three lines in the water by 1:50 PM, about two-and-a-half hours before high tide. It was hot, sunny, and windy. But conditions weren’t unbearable as they were almost a month ago.
The day was often frustrating. I caught only one catfish, which measured about 15 inches.

I had a few other bites, but the fish managed to avoid getting hooked. Once again, the bait kept slipping off the hooks. What was I doing wrong? I was using the bait-holding hooks. Maybe I should use slightly larger ones next time. My line got caught frequently, and I lost a lot of supplies.

The only eventful part of the day was seeing a deer. There are deer in the area. I spotted him near the garage in the unpaved parking lot. I followed him, bringing my digital camera. But he got away. Later, I managed to spot him on a nearby beach, and I took his picture from a distance.

Around 7:30, with the tide going out, I gradually packed it in. But I managed to hook something, probably another catfish. As I was reeling it in, the line broke.

Catfish are typically bottom-feeders. I’ve been keeping all three lines on the bottom with two-ounce sinkers. Since I’m using three lines, I should experiment with keeping at least one line near the surface, maybe with a bobber, and see what happens. Maybe I could try a lure next time as well. There are other types of fish in the Hudson besides catfish, perch, and striped bass.

Of course, a major disadvantage is that I don’t have a boat and can’t troll for fish or cast into deeper areas of the river.

Still, I learned a couple of things this weekend. I’ll do some research during the week and see what else I can learn about fishing the Hudson River from shore.

There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.

A Soul in Tension That's Learning to Fly

I got to Dobbs Ferry around 3:20 PM.

Conditions were ideal to perfect. The skies were cloudy. There was little or wind. The water was calm. I got there about two hours before high tide.

I expected a productive day. Unfortunately, I came up short.

At Jack's Bait and Tackle, I got three fresh bunker, five live eels, and six frozen herring.

I had difficulty hooking an eel to my line. They're so slippery that they're difficult to hold on to even with gloves. I finally got him hooked. I didn't get a single bite with the eel line. About two hours later, it was still alive. I figured I wouldn't get anything with eels. Maybe it was too late for striped bass. So I released the eel and the other four waiting in the bucket.

I got a bite or two with the herring (after it thawed out).

I had the best results with the fresh bunker. I managed to get two catfish, which were both 16 inches. I did hook a third, but the line snapped as I was about to pull it out of the water. I watched it swim away. It looked no bigger than the other two.

I actually had a lot of bites today. Either the fish let go of the bait or managed to remove it from the hook. At this time, I don't know if I was using "baitholding" hooks with an extra jag to keep the bait in place.

I also noticed that I was low on supplies. Next time, I have to stock up on two-ounce sinkers and some bait-holding hooks.

As I was fishing, this kid in a red Honda pulled up in front of the river. He didn't get out of his car. I saw his head sink on the steering wheel. He looked really distressed. What could have been troubling him? Work? School? Parents? Girlfiend? It crossed my mind that he might drive his car into the river. I thought about approaching him, knocking on the glass, and asking if he was all right. Maybe he needed someone to talk to. But I never did. That might be too intrusive. Sometimes to clear your head, you need to be alone. Had he got out and come over, I might have asked. I said a brief prayer for him, asking God to help him.

Lord knows I've done things I'm ashamed of and regret. I've gone through my share of pain and disappointments. But I survived, learned a thing or two, and managed to move on.

I later saw him talking on his cell phone. He eventually left. I hope he's all right.

As for me, I left at 8:30. I also took a garbage bag full of litter I picked up in the area. Too many visitors often use the area as a dumping ground. I cleaned what I could.

Fishing-wise, this weekend has been a bit of a letdown.

But there's always next time.

Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

After last week's washout, I made my return to Dobbs Ferry today. Unfortunately, I woke up late, and I didn't make it up there for high tide, which was around 11:18 AM.

I got three bunker and six frozen herring from Jack's. Unfortunately, they were out of live eels.

By 1:30 PM, I had my lines in the water. The water was calm, and there was no wind. The sun was bright in the sky, and it was hot. Since the tide was going out, I didn't expect much action today.

I got lucky pretty early. I caught a 16-inch catfish and showed it off to a few young people who showed up for a barbeque. One of them was really impressed with the fish's size. I advised him to use fresh bunker rather than worms for bait. Worms usually attract perch.

A rather large barbeque party formed behind me. They were all young people, probably college-age or beyond. They were very pleasant. They asked if I wanted a beer or a hamburger, but I politely declined since I wasn't hungry.

I didn't have any luck with the herring. As they melted in the plastic shopping bag, the herring deterioriated.

I didn't catch anything else for hours. I finally had action on my middle rod. It wasn't behaving like a fish. I caught a rather long eel. I pulled in on shore. I held it up and asked the kids if they wanted to grill it up. They all jumped out of their seats and rushed it to see it. One kid took a picture with his camera phone. I put on my gloves to pick it up off the ground. I gave one of the kids my tape measure. He estimated that it was 27 inches. But it wasn't possible to get an exact measurement since it wouldn't stay still. I threw it back.

When I fish, I usually like my privacy. But today, it was fun to succeed in front of an audience.

I stayed until 7:30. I wanted to stay later, but my regular glasses broke. The screw came out of the temple, and the right lense popped out. It didn't present an immediate problem since I had my prescription sunglasses. However, I had to get to a store and buy one of those eyeglass repair kits or at least drive back home while it was still daylight.

It was another decent day of fishing for which I thank God.

I'm off tomorrow for Memorial Day. I don't think I'll go fishing. I have a few things to do before I go back to work on Tuesday.

Fleet Week Isn't Over Yet

There was a lot of boat traffic on the river today. There are at least five boats of varying sizes in this shot. (How they keep from crashing into each other is beyond me.)

"Drop Your Reel and Let the Fish Go!"

This police boat went upriver at high speed.

Since their siren wasn't on, I guess they were trying to make it to the doughnut shop before it closed.

A Bridge Too Far

This is the Tappan Zee Bridge, as seen from Dobbs Ferry. I've crossed the bridge a few times on my way to the Esopus Creek in upstate New York.

Hot Air for a Cool Breeze

I went back to Dobbs Ferry today. By 3:30 PM, I had three lines in the water--one with fresh bunker, one with a live eel, and one with herring. I went in search of striped bass. It was raining slightly, but it eventually stopped. Within an hour, the sun came out. The problem was the wind. It was blowing hard. I was hoping it would calm down, but it seemed to get worse. As the tide was coming in, the water was crashing hard into the shore. I wisely moved my gear to higher ground. By high tide, two-three foot waves were violently attacking the shore. I was no longer able to stay on the dock, which was practically under water, as you can see from the two images above.

After fishing for about two hours and 20 minutes, I decided to pack it in early. I didn't get a single bite all day. I will definitely return when the wind and waters are calm and test out live eels and herring, which striped bass seem to prefer.

A Distant Ship's Smoke on the Horizon

Fishing on the Hudson, you often see the boats and ships that sail up and down the river. I've seen many of them. From the big flat barges that displace a lot of water to the tugboats, sailboats, small motor boats, speedboats, police vessels, and even kayaks, the river can be a busy place.

It's considered good manners to wait until kayakers pass before casting your line.

An Extraordinary Day

Yesterday at 5:30 PM Mass, during the special intenions, I asked God, among other things, to help me catch a lot of fish today.

God answered my prayer.

I got up to Dobbs Ferry around 4:15 or so. There was no one in my usual spot, so I had it all to myself. By 4:30, I had three lines in the water. I cast one to the left of the two poles you see in the above photograph. I cast one in the center between the two poles. I cast one to the right of the poles.

Yesterday, I bought a new Shimano reel at the Sports Authority at the Cross County Shopping Mall in Yonkers. I used an old rod I haven't used in years. Its reel broke.

I also made good use of my new folding camping chair which I recently purchased at the Sports Authority. For years, I had been using this old folding patio chair we had in the garage since the 1970s, but it finally broke.

The sun was bright in the sky. There was little or no wind. The water was calm. The tide was coming in.

For bait, I used fresh bunker, cut up fish, for all three lines. I used a two-once sinker for each and fished them off the bottom. I decided not to use nightcrawlers or bloodworms since they usually attract perch.

I didn't have a bite for about an hour. Then I hooked my first catfish. I reeled it in. I nearly lost it when the line broke. But I brought it by the rocks in very shallow water, so I reached down and picked it up. It measured 19 inches. The images of this monster are below. And to the water I returned it.

That catfish turned out to be the first of six I caught today, a personal record. One measured 17 inches. Another maybe 15. Two were smaller, no more than a foot each. I threw them all back.

Catfish typically feed on the bottom, so it's not surprising that I caught six of them. I also made good use of tide information. Had I got there earlier at low tide, I probably wouldn't have caught anything.

Four out of the six catfish I caught came from the right side in what seemed to be shallow water. As the tide comes in, fish venture closer to shore.

The other two fish I caught on the left side. The center line, which is usually my most reliable rod, didn't hook anything today. (It did get a few bites.) On the right and left rods, I used 12-pound test lines. The center one had a 14-pound test line. Maybe there's a connection. A thicker line is easier for the fish to see. (Way back when, I was trying to catch trout with a 14-pound test line in fresh water. Not very productive. For trout, I will use 4- or 6-pound test lines.)

I brought my pipe to pass the time. As I went to reel in my first catfish, I put my pipe down. It disappeared, but later I found it in a hole in the dock. It got all wet.

I passed the time perusing the Daily News and the New York Post. I was hoping to finish the Nobel Prize laureate Par Lagerkvist's classic novel, Barabbas (1950). By evening, I could hardly stay in my chair. I kept getting bites.

I did lose one big one. I almost had it, but the line broke.

I also succeeded in organizing my tackle box and throwing out some garbage and stuff I didn't need.

I gradually packed it in starting at 7:45. I put stuff back in my car. I stuffed the garbage into a big shopping bag. (An important rule of fishing is to always leave an area with everything you bring in.)

So today's total is six catfish. It was a great day for fishing.

Thank you, God.