FISHING STORIES: Leap of Faith - My Fondest Memories of the Nyack College Fishing Club

By Zach Hammond [Nyack College alum and former Nyack College Fishing Club member]

In my four years at Nyack College I have many fond memories of people I have met, adventures I have undertaken, and classes I have attended. In addition to these things, my very last semester of senior year was topped off with cherished time in the Nyack College Fishing Club. The inviting atmosphere and countless adventures that Dr. Park created this past year was the perfect concoction to create a senior year that no one could or would want to ever forget. Although our Fishing Club met in the same classroom that had Dr. Park’s tough Human Biology course, he also had a way to create in us fishing excitement and enthusiasm in the same room whenever our beloved club came together. Even though I have been fishing ever since I was young, little did I know that the Nyack College Fishing Club had many pleasant surprises to offer!

Over the winter months when it was too cold to go fishing, we sat in this very classroom learning fishing knots, becoming familiar in identifying amazing different species, and even playing fishing simulation video games to learn about lure motions.  We also learned how to cast fishing rods. When it got warmer, we tried casting into the deep depths of the waters of the Hudson River at Piermont Pier, hoping for a countless bounty of fish. With every fish caught, Dr. Park explained the backstory of each species with his seemingly endless stream of interesting fish facts and knowledge. 

The highlight of the club for me during the semester began with the club t-shirt selling contest. The member who sold the most shirts would get the chance to go fishing with Dr. Park for the elusive but famous striped bass. This was a fish that I had read about, written about, and thought about but never before actually seen with my eyes - I definitely never expected to catch one during college! I won the contest and near the end of my senior year, I had an experience that I can only hope to recreate. So as was promised, one night in May, I met with Dr. Park and his fishing friends in Queens, New York to embark on a fishing expedition that I had only dreamt about. We went with a fishing charter company named “Never Enuff Fishing Charters” under the direction of Capt. Anthony Romeo and we fished a southern part of the Hudson River that mixed with the ocean in hopes of catching a behemoth striped bass. 

After several hours of being in the beautiful brisk night and enjoying the great company of the several other fishermen on the boat, I was hoping for a fish to bite my line. The night wildlife was memorable. There were loud splashes in the water of fish that were about a foot long, and I was shocked to learn that these fish, called “bunker,” were actually the BAIT for the fish we were hoping to catch! On some occasions, we even saw huge swirls and bunker getting scattered, and Capt. Romeo told me that those bunker were being chased by giant striped bass, and this was happening in front of my eyes! 

Bunker swimming on the surface (Photo Credit: www.noreast.com)

From time to time, I felt small taps and got really excited only to learn that those taps were NOT striped bass bites but just the bunker swimming into my line. Some of these taps were even stronger than real bites by fish that I am used to catching back home! The other fishermen told me that when a striped bass bites, “you know it!”  Afterwards, a shiver went from my fingers to my spine as I felt an unforgettable strong tug and I yelled to Dr. Park, “I have a bite!” Dr. Park, in disbelief, checked the fishing line, waited a second, and with an excited shout instructed me to “yank up as hard as you can to set the hook!” I did and hooked a beast of a fish that fought with unmatched ferocity I had ever experienced. 

The fish took line from the reel with its amazing first run away from the boat. After several minutes and after having had to go around the front of the boat, Capt. Romeo quickly, in what seemed like seconds, used a massive net to trap the fish. He then showed me the fish – the largest fish I had ever hoped to catch in my life. I was starstruck. The fish was an amazing 32 inches and weighed 18 pounds! This amazing striped bass seemed to make every fish I had ever caught in my life look like a minnow. It lived up to its reputation that I had only read about. This striped bass that I caught was in my hands, and I will never forget how I was shaking in disbelief. Unexpectedly, this fishing memory came with new friendships - friends who were just as happy for me as if they caught the fish themselves. These friendships were bonded over just a few hours of fishing and a lot of fun conversations, and it is funny to think that all this never would have happened without the Nyack College Fishing Club! Even Capt. Romeo joked and said that I wouldn’t soon forget this fish even after I move to Texas (where I was going to be headed for grad school)!

What was even more amazing was that I was able to take the fish back to Nyack, where I cooked a fish dinner for my cherished school buddies. This memorable feast capped an amazing fishing experience. 

This is my Nyack College fishing story - if you haven’t fished before, I encourage you to take a chance at something you have an opportunity to do as a student at Nyack College. Give the Nyack College Fishing Club a try. Who knows - you may never again get a chance to experience this hobby. Take a leap of faith by trying it and see why ever since I was young, I fell in love with fishing. I continue to make new amazing friendships through it - like with the club members, NYC fishermen, and Dr. Park!