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.

The Catch of the Day

This is definitely the longest thing I ever caught. This eel, which is lying on its back in this shot, is well over two feet, maybe 27 inches. An exact measurement wasn't possible because it refused to stay still. After unhooking it, I threw the eel back.

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.

A Visitor

As I was fishing, I saw something swimming in the water on the surface. It looked more like a snake than an eel. (That white thing in the lower lefthand corner is my fishing line.)

Stretched to the Point of No Turning Back

Yesterday, I had Friday off, so I decided to spend the day at Kensico.

My first task was to find Wade's Bait & Tackle in North White Plains. It's on North Broadway in North White Plains, a little south of the reservoir on Route 22. I found it easily. I bought a dozen sawbellies, which are widely considered an effective live bait for trout. I also picked up two Krocodile lures. The young gentleman at Wade's was very helpful. He advised that I use a very small hook and hook the sawbelly through the lips.

I chose a spot I had visited 10 years ago, about a mile or so north of the dam. I caught my very first bass there. It's a bit of a climb from the side of the road and then maybe a five-minute walk. It's a big flat rock area and more open. In some spots, trees on or near the shore often interfere with proper casting.

I started fishing around 1:30. I had one line with a sawbelly. I also tried a Krocodile with the other. It was cloudy. The forecast called for a storm, but I was told by the gentleman at Wade's that it moved north. I did get a slight drizzle. By 5 PM, it cleared up, and the sun came out.

On Thursday, I went to church for the Feast of the Ascension. I asked God to help me to catch some fish up at Kensico. I also lit a votive candle to Christ and sought the intercession of St. Peter, one of the patron saint of fishermen. Yesterday, they answered my prayers.

In the first few hours, I had a few bites on the line with the live bait. I caught two perch (which I incorrectly thought were smallmouth bass), which were both 11 inches. I think they are the first fish I caught at Kensico since 1999. So thank you, God, Jesus, and St. Peter.

I didn't catch any trout. I had no luck with the Krocodile. But I'm grateful I caught something.

By the late afternoon, I stopped getting hits. Was because of the time of day or the fact that the sun came out? I had one hit in the late evening, but nothing else.

By late evening, I still had lots of sawbellies left. So I was replacing the bait more frequently. Sawbellies are quite fragile, and they seem to die faster than minnows, which are tougher.

In the water, which is clear, I could see very small fish swimming. I guess the trout and bass feed on them.

As I waited, I took a few pictures, glanced at a couple of newspapers, and smoked my pipe.

I learned one of life's joys is lying back on a big, flat rock, resting my head on my tackle box, and looking up at the sky. I listened to the sounds of the area such as a distant siren, a car, an airplane, birds, small fish jumping out of the water, and wind blowing through leaves.

I packed it in around 8:30 when daylight was nearly exhausted.

Now that I know where to shop for bait and have a favorite spot, I think I will visit Kensico more often in search of the elusive trout.

The Unlucky Bait

These are sawbellies, which I used for bait. They are quite fragile and need oxygen. An aerator attached to the bucket pumps air into the water.

Wade's Bait and Tackle (North White Plains, New York)

Since Wade's Bait & Tackle doesn't have a Web site, I thought the least I could do is post pictures of its store and business card.

UPDATE: I just learned that Wade's Bait and Tackle moved. It is now located at 36 Broadway in Valhalla. The telephone number is still the same: 914-948-7364. I apologize for any inconvenience this caused anyone.

UPDATE II: Wade's Bait and Tackle is now located at 7 W. Stevens Avenue in Hawthorne, New York. The new phone number is (914)-747-0762.

Yesterday's Catch

This is one of two perch I caught at Kensico yesterday. They were both 11 inches and returned to the reservoir. (For a long time, I mistook them for smallmouth bass.)

Mother, Should I Build The Wall?

This is the Kensico Dam. It's holding back an estimated 30 billion gallons of freshwater (and a few fish).

Blue Skies From Pain

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.

Comfortably Numb

Some to many fishermen often bring beer with them. Although I love Sam Adams, Bass Ale, Theakston's Old Peculiar, which I discovered during my three-months in London and was able to find over here, I rarely drink when I fish.

I usually fish alone, frequently in spots where if you take a wrong step, you can get hurt. I've been seriously injured several times during my life, and I don't need another hospital visit and more pain. So I need my senses working at 100 percent.

Since I have to drive myself home, sometimes after the sun goes down, I prefer not to drink.

Instead of beer, I usually bring bottled water with me. It's always refreshing.


Tomorrow, I will return to Dobbs Ferry. High tide is at 5:41 PM. Playing it safe? Perhaps, but I'm also going to experiment with different baits.

Top 15 Joe Pedulla Facts

1. Joe Pedulla uses hunks of his own bloody flesh for bait.

2. Joe Pedulla once went fishing in the Dead Sea in Israel and caught three striped bass, 11 smallmouth bass, seven lake trout, two pickerel, and 147 perch.

3. A waiter was found clutching his groin in the back alley of a seafood restaurant. The police determined that the waiter attempted to place a lobster bib on Joe Pedulla. Nobody places a lobster bib on Joe Pedulla! The police declined to file charges because this was case was deemed a legitimate use of limited force.

4. Only Mrs. Pedulla tells Joe Pedulla when he can fish, not the government.

5. Infinity is too small a number to count the number of perch caught by Joe Pedulla during his lifetime.

6. Joe Pedulla is the only person ever to catch nine catfish, six striped bass, and 96 perch in the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.

7. Since 1986, Joe Pedulla has written 1,175 poems, 247 short stories, 201 book reviews, five novels, 12 novellas, four plays, 124 power ballads, and two screenplays while fishing. None of them have ever seen the light of day because the public just isn't ready for them.

8. Joe Pedulla once caught a 212 lbs. catfish by pointing to the deck of his boat and saying, "Up here, boy."

9. A school of Chilean sea bass once migrated to the Hudson River for the sole privilege of being caught by Joe Pedulla.

10. Joe Pedulla once threatened to sue the estate of the author Herman Melville, alleging that Moby-Dick (1851) plagriaizes his real life. Pedulla agreed not to sue after it was pointed out to him that Moby-Dick predates his birth by 111 years, and that Captain Ahab dies in the novel.

11. Joe Pedulla once caught a 25-pound catfish using only elastic from his underwear, a used toothpick, and his own spit as bait.

12. Joe Pedulla is able to eat 10 lbs. of fish a day he catches from the Hudson River because his unique body chemistry is able to convert PCBs into carbon dioxide.

13. A grizzly bear once interrupted Joe Pedulla when he was fishing. Joe Pedulla easily subdued the bear with a sleeper hold. After that, Joe Pedulla and the grizzly became good friends, and their story formed the basis of the beloved 1970s TV-show, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams.

14. Joe Pedulla once performed William Shakespeare's Hamlet in its entirety by himself while fishing. After he finished, Joe Pedulla received a non-stop, 15-minute standing ovation from all the fishermen, kayakers, boaters, and on-lookers who were lucky enough to be in the area.

15. Joe Pedulla missed the gunfight at the O.K. Corral because he was too busy fishing.

New Links

If you remember from my first post, I wrote that I still have a lot to learn about fishing.

I also have a lot to learn about blogging. Today, I finally got rid of the default links on the lower right-hand side and added many new ones.

You'll notice that I include two cigar stores. When I fish, I usually like to smoke a cigar or a pipe. Both places, the Georgetown Tobacco Shop in Washington, D.C. and Mom's Cigars in Scarsdale, NY, have great stuff. I also shop at Hispaniola Cigars on City Island, but I couldn't find a Web site for them.

Standing Alone My Senses Reeled

Today, I made my long-awaited return to the Kensico Reservoir. I picked up two dozen trout worms from Jack's Bait and Tackle Shop on City Island. (I'm glad I beat the Mother's Day gridlock.)

I fished by Rye Bridge, Boat Area 8. It was cloudy and overcast. A couple of times, I felt a few drops of rain, but the expected shower never materialized. I started fishing around 2:30 PM. I didn't catch anything. In fact, I didn't have a single bite all day. I changed my location, moving nearer the bridge. I packed it in around 6:30.

I used a trout worm on one line, fishing it near the surface with a bobber and then on the bottom with an egg sinker. Nothing.

I also cast a Krocodile and a Blue Fox silver Vibrax Mid. No interest.

I asked one fisherman who was leaving the reservoir with two friends if they had any luck. He smiled and shook his head.

One gentleman who was out on the water with a boat reported that he snagged several bass but no trout. (The tone of his voice suggested they were small bass and not "keepers.")

I could see someone fishing across the water from shore. He looked like he caught something.

Next time I visit Kensico, I'll be sure to pick some up sawbellies and maybe try the other side of the bridge.

I have no idea when I will try again. Next weekend, I may try my luck elsewhere.

Despite my lack of success, I'm glad I went. The area is beautiful. The water is still. To quote an old Eagles song, Kensico gives me a "peaceful, easy feeling."

Is There Anybody in There?

I took a drive to Westchester to buy mom her Mother's Day gift. I took a quick side trip up to the Kensico Reservoir. I haven't been up there since last year.

I was pleased to see that the repairs on Rye Bridge were finished, and you can now access those areas, including the spot where I broke my ankle 10 years ago.

There were few cars parked by entrances into the reservoir. No idea if they fished from shore or went out on a boat.

Having a boat in a reservoir is useful. It lets you go out further and cast in deeper water and reach places where you can't reach from shore. I thought about getting a boat for Kensico, but I gradually lost interest in it. I don't visit the area that much, and it would seem like a hassle keeping up with the permits and worrying if someone will steal it.

Driving back, I noticed a sign that reads that the Bronx River Parkway will be closed on Sunday between 10 AM and 2 PM for bicycle traffic. So I have to plan my visit accordingly.

A Return to Kensico

After last Sunday's triumph, I will return to the Kensico Reservoir this weekend. This will be an exploratory trip, scouting out areas to fish.

Last year, I bought two smaller poles for trout fishing. I'll be using one to cast trout worms, and the other with lures. (I'll try sawbellies and minnows in a few weeks.)

The Kensico Reservoir supplies fresh water to NYC. To access the area and fish, you need (1) a fishing license and (2) an access permit, which you can request here from the DEP. After 9/11, the DEP added another requirement. You also need to register your vehicle with the DEP so you can park by the reservoir.

I remember the week after 9/11, I went up there to fish. It was immediately closed to fishing and boating. The Kensico Sportsman, a bait and tackle shop in Thornwood, was forced out of business by the security changes. I felt sorry for him. The man was a nice guy and always helpful. I'm sure he landed on his feet and is doing well today.

Obviously, they are afraid of terrorists trying to blow up the Kensico dam, which would send an estimated 30 billion gallons of water southward and destroying everything in its path. They're also afraid of poisoning the water supply. (Yes, that's the plot of the great blaxploitation film, Three the Hard Way (1974) or an episode of the old Cold War, 1950s television series, I Led 3 Lives.)

It should take me about 30-45 minutes to get up there.

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.