The City Teenager vs. the Monstrous Snakehead

Keep it going my man!

Twain would have liked this boy... Sorry, just a thought...

So the old timers all speak Mandarin but the sign is in Korean?

Good luck to Morgan! He has the independent spirit that is characteristic of our great naturalists.

Our species has been around for about 300,000 years. Agriculture started about 12,000 years ago. Before that our ancestors survived by hunting and gathering. It is likely certain genes developed to help our ancestors to be proficient hunter/gatherers. I have known several people who seemed to hard wired to master the natural world. It appears Morgan won the genetic lottery and is himself neurologically equipped to be an alpha predator. Snakeheads beware, Morgan's headed your way.

Thoroughly Enjoyable! learning about this fine young man. Morgan. And to think at 17 all I wanted to do at NYC waterfronts was watch submarine races.

Great! Congrats to this fellow Bronx Science Alum (many years my Junior!) whose obsession is a healthy one....

Keep at it, Morgan. This is one of my favorite spot (as disgusting as it is) and I’ve landed quite a few close to that 20# range. I’ve also seen lots more that would dwarf my personal best. They are addicting to chase, as elusive as they can be at times, but great fighters. Definitely my favorite freshwater game. It’s too bad those other guys are always there with their surf rods and snag hooks. Maybe I’ll run into you in the spring. Tight lines.

Like Morgan, as a kid growing up in Brooklyn 45 years ago, my friends and I were obsessed with fishing. We would head out on our bicycles at daylight with some sandwiches and our fishing rods tied to our bicycles and fish off the Marine Park Bridge (now called the Gil Hodges Bridge in honor of the Manager of the Miracle '69 Mets). We'd stop for bait at a marina along the way and then fish off the bridge (right next to the sign that said to keep off the bridge) or sometimes under the bridge. All the while telling jokes and stories, and discussing all aspects of fishing theory and gear. We usually stayed until it got dark. We'd catch fluke, porgies and snappers in the summer and bluefish, flounder, blackfish and sea bass in the spring and fall. Plus the hated bergalls, sea robins and dog fish (aka sand shark) which we always threw back. Occasionally, we would catch some kind of fish we did not recognize, but I am pretty sure we never saw a snakehead. Whatever we caught, if they were edible, we'd take them home and cook them up. It was a real Huck Finn experience, right smack in the middle of Brooklyn; simpler times before smart phones and computers. Fish on Morgan and with your fly rod and your frog, you will catch that snakehead yet!

Great story. Interesting kid. With his own mind - imagine that. What I don't get is: "he seemed accustomed to passengers scowling at his gear and fishing rod"v Huh ? Why would that be ?

The picture of Morgan on the 7 train with rod in hand and a far off look on his face imagining his prey is nothing less than wonderful. No ears covered by headphones. No face buried in a smart phone. No thumbs madly texting. Just a young man with a dream and determination. I love this story.

As an angler and a graduate of Bronx Science, I am thrilled to read about Morgan. Unfortunately it took me 20 years after graduating from high school to discover fly fishing in the Catskills. I’m sorry I didn’t start earlier like Morgan who found the joys and excitement of fly fishing in his own backyard. It’s anglers like Morgan who do so much to teach future generations about the sport of fly fishing and the importance of protecting our environment. Tight lines Morgan!

Morgan, I appreciate and share your passion. It drove me in the same way at your age and led me to a degree in fisheries biology. Freshwater ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers reflect the health of the land. We need dedicated people like you to safeguard these freshwater environments. The health and well being of future generations depends on them. Good luck and tight lines!

Good luck Morgan. Our fisheries need more passionate people like you to manage them. Man vs. fish -- the snakeheads may yet win...

Snakeheads can survive dirty water because they have an internal lung that allows them to breathe air - one of the best indicators of a snakehead - that little swirl at the surface as they come up to breathe. You should not kill the snakehead immediately on capture. Keep it moist preferably covered with sackcloth. Leaves and grass will also do. Then bring it home and have fresh fish for dinner. Good luck killing it. First you have to hold it, similar to holding a baseball bat covered with grease and squirming away. If your parents are from the old school, they will cook the head and eat it. A favored Chinese dish. Happy fishing.

yes, this is excellent.

I love fishing, great to read about it in the five boroughs. Morgan, thanks for your story, reminds me of the fun I've had fishing. Good luck!

Great story. Although I'm from Brooklyn, I never thought of NYC having places to fish like what mentioned in the story.

This is really awesome! My degree is in Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology with an emphasis in Fisheries Biology! The program at the University of California Davis is the best in the country and would be s great school I look at for Morgan! Keep up the great work!

Really well done. A nice day in the life story of someone who is not purported to be a child prodigy, and who is not the next hot shot company founder. Please do more stories like this to lift me from the doldrums of the daily disgrace of our democracy.

Great story !

What a cool little story! Thank you & good luck to the kid!