FISHING STORIES: Winter Flounder Tournament Time! (May 21, 2016)

On Saturday May 21st, we participated in our first-ever fishing tournament, the 4th Annual Iron Bill Winter Flounder Tournament at Jones Beach Pier! 

(Photo Credit: Ed Wagner)

Thank you Ed Walsh of Jones Beach Fishing Station for inviting us! Although a flounder we did not catch, we still had a blast! 
 
Kuan, Nyack College Fishing Club member, caught this stunning Northern Sea Robin (Prionotus carolinus). This unique local orange-colored species has wing-like pectoral fins and little walking legs (which are actually modified pectoral fin rays) that it uses to feel around and taste the ocean bottom! This species is also famous for making intriguing croaking noises.

Here is Hector, Nyack College Fishing Club member, with a Northern Pufferfish (a.k.a. Blowfish) (Sphoeroides maculatus). Although the fish was caught by a neighboring angler, we just had to take a photo (with permission, of course) of this oddball local fish species! The Northern Pufferfish is a teardrop-shaped fish that can inflate ("puff up") into a ball on its own will. Their expandable stomach allows them to swallow either air or water! It does this as a self-defense strategy, making it nearly impossible to be swallowed by a predator!

We also caught a fair number of Common Spider Crabs (Libinia emarginata). Although this local species is not edible, its close cousin is the Alaskan King Crab, of the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" fame.

And some Atlantic Rock Crabs (Cancer irroratus) made their presence known...

One notable rock crab had a miniature right claw, probably being regenerated after having lost the previous one in the recent past. Every animal has a story. We wonder how this guy lost a claw....? :)

  
We also saw a crab that is not really a crab. A big Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) made it on the pier, caught by another neighbor. This invertebrate is actually not a true crab. It does not have the following: the right number of legs and claws (True crabs are "decapods," meaning ten feet!), an abdomen tucked under the body, internal gills, or biramous appendages (paired appendages attached at a common base). The Horseshoe Crab does have pincer-like chelicerae (mouthparts also found in scorpion and spiders) and book gills (very similar to the book lungs of scorpions). Thus, the Horseshoe Crab's closest cousins are actually spiders and scorpions, altogether comprising a group that biologists call Chelicerata! Other neat facts about Horseshoe Crabs: 1) Their mouth is located between their shoulders; 2) They have four eyes: two simple eyes (for detecting light and dark) + two compound eyes (for visualizing our images); 3) Their tail (called a telson) is NOT poisonous and NOT used intentionally to inflict harm to other animals; it is used only to right itself when the animal is flipped. That said however, the telson was possibly used by Native Americans as tips for spears; 4) They have blue-colored blood with such amazing anti-bacterial properties that it is studied by biomed researchers for potential human medical benefits.

While reeling in some seaweed, we also caught a glimpse of small peculiar, often overlooked, invertebrates - Amphipods and Skeleton Shrimp!

Amphipod

Skeleton Shrimp

We did not catch a flounder, and so, we didn't make the scoreboard this year. Overall though, we still had a great time learning a bit more about Long Island's precious south shore waters. Amazing invertebrates and a neat Sea Robin was our tournament haul. :)

Oh the anticipation! Not to worry - We will be back next year to catch the elusive Winter Flounder!


Quotes of the Day

- "I caught a fish! First fish on my new fishing rod!" - Kuan

- "This pier is really cool!" - Hector

- "I wanna catch a fish in the crab trap!" - Zachary  

FISHING STORIES: Nyack College Fishing with R&G Fishing Charters (2013-2016)!

Thank you to one of the best fishing charters we know - R&G Fishing Charters! From fishing knots to fishing stories, you taught us a lot about fishing and friendships! Thank you for the unforgettable and unbelievable fishing experiences over the years. We wanted to commemorate those good ole’ times with this short video! As always, we look forward to fishing with you soon!

Capt. Rich Tenreiro and Natalie Roseberry-Tenreiro are the core of R&G Fishing Charters! This angling power couple and duo truly are the king and queen of inshore fishing in NY. Natalie has landed many a behemoth bass, with her personal best being a whopping 47 pounder!
 

Capt. Rich was co-host on the hit TV Show "Northeast Angling" (Angling Productions, Inc.), which aired on northeast regional sports TV channels from 2003 to 2011:

Capt. Rich is a licensed charter captain and owner of R&G Fishing Charters (Port Washington, NY). He has been featured in numerous premiere fishing magazines such as Saltwater Sportsman and The Fisherman. He is a member of Team Triton/Mercury the 2008 FLW Striper Series champions, and a renown expert of catching all kinds of east coast inshore gamefish.

It's always a blast to fish with R&G! Here are just some of the many "Memorable Catches" by Nyack College faculty, students, and friends while fishing aboard R&G Fishing Charters:

FISHING STORIES: Nyack College Fishing Club Meets Carp Anglers Group (April 30, 2016)

On Saturday April 30, 2016, we attended our first-ever Carp Anglers Group (CAG) Fish-In! The Carp Anglers Group is a diverse network of dedicated catch-and-release fishermen who recognize and respect carp to be an exciting and challenging sportfish. Thank you Mark Lowrie, CAG NJ State Chairman, for inviting us to this great event! Our club even got in on the action and landed a big carp!!! 

FISH FACT:  The Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) belongs to the Family Cyprinidae (The Carps and Minnows) which also includes local species such as Common Goldfish (Cyprinus auratus), Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), Creek Chub Minnow (Semotilus atromaculatus), and Common Shiner Minnow (Luxilus cornutus).  Common Carp are native to Eastern Europe and Asia. They can be found in three beautiful body variants: leather (no scales), mirror (few, very large scales with areas of no scales), or fully scaled, and two natural color morphs: red (also called ‘golden’) or brown. In Asia, a red carp is considered a rare, highly prized trophy catch. Common carp can be found in slow-moving fresh- and slightly brackish waters across the United States. They are an opportunistic scavenger.  As omnivores, carp consume various aquatic plants, vertebrates (e.g., small fishes), and invertebrates (e.g., insects, crustaceans, worms). 

During the Fish-In, we saw it all - European-Style Carp Tackle, Sophisticated Hand-Lining, all sorts of Electronic Fish Alarms, Landing Mats, Hair Rigs, Tripod Scales, and a Diverse Array of Hand-Made Carp Baits!

Upon arrival, there was a competition in progress, with first, second, and third largest fish honored with authentic Carp Anglers Group medals!

Cherished Carp Anglers Group Gold!

We met so many elite carp fishermen. Indeed, we learned a lot by observing their craft. From electronic bite indicators to bait runner reels, we saw carp after carp landed, weighed, and released. The variety of carp baits we saw was mind-blowing! It really was a sight to see the very efficient operation in real time and in person!

 

There we also met Mr. Woo Kim who is well-known in carp fishing circles for his highly specialized Korean hand-lining technique. We were all mesmerized by the approach. It was highly unique, skillfully hands-on, and very effective! Not to mention - it was also very cool-looking!

More info about this approach can be found in Mr. Kim's very famous YouTube video:

The day was non-stop catch-and-release, and we even got in on the action.

Angel, club member and graduating senior, landed a hefty 8lber - his first-ever carp!

Angel (club member) and Mark (event organizer) both with a healthy carp.

So, who won? Mark took 1st Place with the biggest carp of the day, an 18lb giant! Way to go Mark!

Overall, it was a truly memorable day! It's looking like catch-and-release carp fishing may quickly become a regular pursuit of ours from now on!

How did we do as a group? To quote Mark: "It was a lot of work but it was all worth it. In total 22 fish totaling 291 pounds were successfully landed, weighed, photographed, and released."  Enough said? Enough said.

Thank you Mark Lowrie and the rest of NJ Carp Anglers Group for inviting us and showing us an amazing time!!!!

Follow-Up:
This NJ Carp Anglers Group Fish-In was featured on a recent episode of the "Chasin' Tail TV" TV Show! (Our club members can be seen in the background of the later scenes!):

More Info:

1. Carp Anglers Group: http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/cag/

2. Our Blog: http://nyackfishingclub.blogspot.com/2011/01/species-bio-common-carp-cyprinus-carpio.html

FISHING STORIES: Our First Student Boat Fishing Trip! Thank You Sound Bound Charters! (April 15, 2016)

Friday April 15, 2016 was our first-ever club boat fishing excursion! We chartered a trip with Sound Bound Fishing Charters. Thank you to Capt. Brendan, Capt. Dave and mate Taylor for helping us organize and bring to life this memorable trip.

From lessons on fish biology to fishing rigs and tips, the Hudson River crew - Dave and Taylor - kept everyone engaged! We had lots of bites - we landed keeper bass and plenty of smaller bass.

We also caught a lot of White Perch and the biggest White Catfish we've ever seen! There was lots of catch-and-release throughout the day.

One of the highlights of the morning was definitely that GIGANTIC White Catfish (Ameiurus catus) caught by Pamila. Way to go!

Fish Fact: The White Catfish (Ameiurus catus) is a freshwater catfish that can tolerate brackish water, which is characteristic to this part of the Hudson River. These fish have eight barbels, a forked tail, and a paler complexion than other local catfish species (e.g., bullhead, channel catfish). Like other catfish, white catfish are scaleless with specialized "taste" receptors on their skin. These fish breed in the Spring, and females lay eggs encased in a gelatinous mass that is attached to burrows or crevices. Males guard and care for the eggs, by fanning them and removing debris.



Another highlight was watching Sung catch his first-ever Striped Bass.

Then, Angel and Russel caught their first-ever "keeper" Striped Bass (north of George Washington Bridge)

Fish Fact: The Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) is a local species with an epic backstory. They are an "anadromous fish," meaning they live most of their lives in the ocean but breed in freshwater (yes, just like salmon).  Read more about the Striped Bass (which is featured on the back of our club t-shirt - yes!) here.


Overall, it was an awesome outing! Our members were in awe of the fantastic fishing and the beautiful scenery along the river. Our Hudson River is truly an amazing body of water.

Video summary of our trip:

Thank you Sound Bound Fishing Charters for supporting our club! We're looking forward to scheduling another club trip with you very soon!

FISHING STORIES: Fish Bit Still Despite the Weather Chill! (April 8, 2016)

Friday April 8, 2016 was our second fishing trip of the year! A few of us (Tyric, Joshua, Russel, and Dr. Park) got to fish local waters yesterday. We fished a couple of spots in Nyack and Piermont. In total, we landed a big White Catfish, a few decent-sized White Perch, and several small Striped Bass. All fish were caught and released. We are hoping to see some big Striped Bass soon!
 

Congrats to Tyric, club member, for catching (and releasing) the biggest fish thus far of our 2016 trips! He landed this hefty White Catfish (Ameirus catus) at Nyack Memorial Park. The fish pushed 3.5lbs!

Fish Fact: The White Catfish (Ameiurus catus) is a freshwater catfish that can tolerate brackish water, which is characteristic to this part of the Hudson River. These fish have eight barbels, a forked tail, and a paler complexion than other local catfish species (e.g., bullhead, channel catfish). Like other catfish, white catfish are scaleless with specialized "taste" receptors on their skin. These fish breed in the Spring, and females lay eggs encased in a gelatinous mass that is attached to burrows or crevices. Males guard and care for the eggs, by fanning them and removing debris. 

Quotes of the Day
- "I learn something new every time I go fishing." -Russel

- "Fishing is cool." - Joshua

- "That's a Big fish!" -Tyric