Finding the Largemouth Bass in Central Park

One bass said that "80% of the challenge in bass fishing is finding the fish." In Central Park they are in one of three main bodies of water: The Harlem Meer located at the northeast corner of the park near Central Park North and 5th Avenue; "The Lake" or "Boat House Pond" located between 68th Street and 72nd Street in the middle of the park; and "The Pond" which is in the southeast corner of the park at Central Park South and Fifth Avenue.

Bass move according to the season, and water temperature, oxygen levels and food supply all impact their movement. In the springtime movement of bass centers around spawning. In the weeks before the spawn, bass move from deep water to shallow water as it warms up. Males move in first, and on a warm spring day like today in NYC, they will be in the shallow spawning areas even though spawning is weeks away.

Bass will begin to feed when the water temperature hits 50 degrees F, but they're hard to catch until the water hits 55 degrees F. Then they begin a feeding binge that is unmatched to any other time of year. Spawning starts when the water gets into the mid-60s. After dropping their eggs, the females leave their nests and the males move in to guard them - and will strike lures that come to close. So the next six weeks are some of the most exciting to fish in Central Park!

What we'll fishing for this spring: Largemouth Bass

We will focusing on fishing for both fresh water and salt water fish this spring. At the top of the list for freshwater fish will largemouth bass.

Know for its explosive strikes and exciting leaps, this fish is sought after by millions of freshwater fishermen across the US, including those right here in New York City and the surrounding area.

The fish shown here was caught near New York City on Long Island in a relatively small pond - on a live night crawler worm at about 6:30 AM.

The largemouth bass is the largest member of a family of fish known as black bass, which also include smallmouth bass. Largemouth bass are distinguished from other species by a jaw that extends beyond the eye. All bass belong to the sunfish family, but are different because of their longer body.

Largemouths vary in color depending on the type of water they live in. Bass from clear waters are darker while those from murky water like the lakes in Central Park are pale. All bass have a black lateral band that runs from their head to tail. This lateral line can pick up underwater vibrations like those coming from swimming bait fish. This sense helps bass detect lures even in the murkiest water found in New York City.

Bass can see in all directions except directly below or behind them. They can also see objects that are above water. So in order to avoid spooking them - we recommend that when you fish you wear neutral colored clothes that will blend in with background in the park.

The start of Big Apple Angler

This week the weather is finally warming up and it's time to think about fishing.

The Big Apple Angler is all about fishing in and around New York City. Manhattan is after all an island, and there is amazing fresh and salt water fishing to be found just steps away from busy city streets of the Big Apple.

From fresh water large mouth bass and bluegills in Central Park and on Staten Island to striped bass in the East River, Hudson River, Jamaica Bay near JFK and out in Long Island Sound off Orchard Beach the fish are all around us.

And the focus of this blog will be helping to get kids fishing. My son has been fishing in and around NYC for over five years and has become quite the angler in his own right.

So get ready to learn more about fishing in the Big Apple!