Some of the best fishing in recent years is bringing fisherman of all backgrounds down to the West Side’s Broderick Park.
Anglers are catching a plentiful supply of perch, bass, and walleye on the shores of the Niagara River despite the heavy presence of the invasive and prolific Round Goby.
“ Since the Goby has been here fishing hasn’t been that great.“ said Buffalo fisherman Perry Rutledge, “But this has been the best year in about three or four years.”
The Goby is thought to have come to America through the ballast water of a freighter plying the St. Claire River on the border of the United States and Canada. The invasion started in about 1990 and the species has spread throughout the Great Lakes. The little bottom dwelling fish is a voracious eater and competes heavily with native game species
“When they(anglers) catch them they give them to the seagulls,” Rutledge said “ The DEC guys say not to release them back in the water.”
Immigrant Vieng Khan has also enjoyed the season of plenty at the park. She came to Buffalo from Laos in 1988, and fishes the banks of the Niagara regularly. She said the angling in her home country was not very good, but that fishing here, in her new neighborhood has been very different.
“ Its fun, “ she said “ I come down here every morning.”
As she worked the river with her rod on a sunny day she pulled in perch after perch into the shore It wasn’t long before the little white bucket beside her was full of flipping White Perch.
Before she left she added one Yellow Perch to her haul.
Broderick Park has brought fisherman Mario Santuz from Italy to its banks for about ten years. The 80-year-old retiree is originally from Italy but now calls Buffalo home. He puts in many hours at a time fishing the waters off Squaw Island
“ I like to fish,” he said “ I come almost every day and catch Perch and Bullhead. Then I go back home and cook up the fish.”
Khan also enjoys bringing her catch home. The DEC warns against eating too many fish from the contaminated waters of the Great Lakes but it hasn’t stopped the Broderick Park anglers.
“ You can do a lot of things, “ Khan said “ You can make soup, you can fry them.”
The hardy anglers of Broderick Park have taken advantage of this bountiful season but the outcome of their battle with the Round Goby remains uncertain. Only time will tell if it is the anglers or the invader that are the most resilient.
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