Carp Fishing in Drainage Canals

I have long lamented the lack of quality fishing close to my house, but in the past few weeks I have come to realize a plethora of large carp that reside in a drainage canal behind my house.

The canal is named Matadero "Creek", and is essentially an avenue for excess storm water in Palo Alto. Because the the creek feeds into San Francisco Bay, it is subject to the ebb and flow of the ocean tides.

The banks of the canal are steep, and made out of pavement — limiting access and making it difficult to cast. Additionally the carp are only present during certain tides, when water levels allow the carp to move into the upper reaches of the stream to feed. 

I have found sporadic success with a six-weight fly rod, 6-pound test and a #4 crayfish fly. The fly is a very dark red, and composed more of plastic than of feathers. If I ever find where I bought it from I'll post a link. 

The trick is to visit the creek often and scan for fish. If fish are present a well-placed fly will almost certainly result in a hit. If the fish don't hit within the first 10 minutes, the chance of getting a carp to hit are greatly diminished. 

Landing the carp is extremely difficult, since the steep concrete banks coupled with the size of these fish make it near impossible to land the fish without a net. The logical solution? Bring a net with a long handle. 

Finally, if you ever land these mighty fish I would advise catch and release. From an ethical standpoint it is always better to release fish so that others have an opportunity to share in the excitement. From a health-oriented perspective it is probably unsafe to eat the carp. They feed off the sediment at the bottom of the creek, accumulating parasites and toxins over their long lifespans. 

So locate the nearest drainage canal and start fishing!

My biggest carp from the stream (I think I was 13)

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Kid's Catch and Release Fishing

September 27, 2009
This beautiful cutthroat trout was caught and released back into Fallen Leaf Lake.

So you may be wondering, what is Kid Fish Release? Well, in essence the blog will consist of a happy kid with a fish that he releases after the photo was taken. However, I do have some goals I hope this blog will help me accomplish. Here's the problem. Kids these days have problems pulling themselves away from high-priced electronics. They need to get outside, to live life with all the opportunities it has to offer. Without knowledge of how amazing nature can be, children miss out on the beauty of the world. Beauty makes life worth living, and breaks us out of the boring cycle of studying and homework. For me, fishing inspired me to leave the house and journey to faraway places that I never would have gone to before. In time, my passion for the sport spread throughout my entire family, causing us to travel far and wide in search of fish. The result was one of the happiest times I can remember having with my dad and mom. I hope that this blog inspires you or your child to travel down a similar path that shows you the amazing surprises the world has to offer.

You know what this blog is about, but to accomplish my goal I need support. All you have to do is to go fishing with your son or daughter, or mom or dad (if you're a kid) and catch a fish. Take a picture of the kid and his/her fish. Then release the fish back into the body of water you caught it from. Give me the picture at KidFishRelease@gmail.com, and your done! You can help me make a difference in the world by enjoying yourself, and enjoying nature.

Me and my carp at Matadero Creek

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