Here’s what the local news outlets are saying about the Derby. Check it out!
Philly Striped Bass Derby lures residents to the
rivers
Over the last few years, the city has spent plenty of time and money trying to figure out a way to reconnect Philly neighborhoods with the rivers that flow past them.
Len Albright has a novel approach: lure residents to the shores of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers with a big-time fishing tournament featuring the city’s rebounding striped bass population.
A South Jersey native and avid fisherman who moved to West Philadelphia about five years ago, Albright said the idea hit him last spring like a 30-pound bass might hit a line cast into the Schuylkill.
“I was walking behind the Art Museum, and all of a sudden, I saw this guy pull this huge striped bass right out of the river,” recalled Albright. “I ran right up to the guy and started talking to him, and I found out there are stripers all over Philly during the spring.”
For Albright, who was used to making an hour-and-a-half long trek to the Jersey Shore to fish, the discovery was a revelation. This spring, that revelation has blossomed into the inaugural Philadelphia Striped Bass Derby, a competitive catch-and-release tournament that runs from May 1 to June 4. [more]
Pair behind monthlong fishing derby hope to spur river stewardship
Two local fishing enthusiasts are out to prove that the “dirty Delaware” isn’t so dirty after all by organizing Philadelphia’s first Striped Bass Fishing Derby.
The derby – from Sunday through June 5 on the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers – is the brainchild of local anglers Len Albright, 30, and Jason Strohl, 32 – longtime friends who bonded over their shared love of fishing.
“We learned about the striped bass in the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers and realized that most people don’t even know there are fish in those rivers,” Albright said. “People drive down to the beach to fish for striped bass, but there are striped bass right here.”
Albright and Strohl said that getting locals acquainted with the beautiful bass – which pass through Philadelphia rivers in April and May on their way to the Trenton area to spawn – will help increase environmental stewardship. [more]
Catch as Catch Can
Philadelphia is, if nothing else, a city of dreamers. And of fish. And of those whose dreams revolve around fish.
Last weekend the city celebrated Shadfest, an event with two humble purposes: having a great time at Penn Treaty Park and honoring the great shad fish, once pivotal to the region, now all but gone from the Delaware’s raunchy waters. In just three years, the offbeat festival has become a Philly institution.
And dreams, it seems, beget more dreams. Among the tables at Shadfest was one manned by Len Albright and Jason Strohl, two men with a single mission: to organize a striped bass fishing derby.[more]
Striped Bass Derby
Typically flocking to the Jersey Shore to fish, many city dwellers may not realize that the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers are actually home to an array of sea creatures (along with God only knows what else). The rules of this inaugural catch and release tournament are simple: Catch a striped bass then take a photo or video of it next to the special measuring tape provided when you register. The migratory fish only spend two months in our rivers each spring and, apparently, there are certain hot spots along the coastline where they’re most prevalent. The derby was organized by three local fishing enthusiasts in hopes of bringing together diverse members of the community while raising awareness about the importance of keeping our urban waters clean. More than $1,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, including trophies for the top three spots. Should you snag a large catfish or blue crab, you may also be eligible for a prize.