What is it about striped bass that has made us so passionate about them???

Someone asked me this the other day and I went into a long opus about the bass and their migration pattern, the facts that just when you think you've got them figured out, you get the skunk, etc...

So now I ask you, what is it about the bass that has you so worked up???

To me, its about 70% the fish and 30% the surroundings. I love the surf, the rocks, the sand bars, jetties, and the sea at night. The habitat of the bass is one aspect that draws me.
For the fish, its the challenge. They're not easy to catch and its a physical and mental challenge to go after them. Planning a strategy for the night, right tides, wind, lures, retrieve.
Bass are predators and I enjoy "how" they hit plugs and fight. Thats also why I enjoy blues (please don't ban me from the site).
Its the entire package, there are too many things for me to mention. I guess thats why I do it.

I dont sleep, and I only go blackfishing in Nov and Dec, what else am I gonna do from May thru Oct..

I like the solitude.. the challenge.. the fight... and as much as I like th solitude, I like the company too when it's with the right people...

To me, its about the finding of ones self, its not the fish but the relationship with nature and its majestic beauty. The sounds of sand and waves working in harmony, giving me greater understanding of the world we live in. Its the mystery of the creature, striped bass and all the oceans animals.
Being alone to think and wonderful things like the shooting stars and great colorful sunrises and having sex with horseshoe crabs in the dunes. :humpty:
Thats what makes SB great.



















Jeeesh, :rolleyes: its time to put down those wine coolers and get back to kickin ass in the surf soon

My perspective:

-Outdoor activity and surroundings 40%
-Challenge and the competetive aspect 30%
-Dream of joing the 50 lb club (or even bigger?) 20%
-Taste 10%

I have answwered this question at least a dozen times during various interviews. I thjink it is simple.

1...SB are the perfect fish. They attract all types of fishermen. they are good eating, they are good sport fish, they can be caught by many different sub groups of Rec angler (boat, shore, fly, light tackle, live bait, troll, plug, jig, etc. etc.). SB fit most anglers needs.

2...Most of the very active anglers grew up with the comeback of the sock. We have a built in passion for these fish that just doesn't apply to other species.

I have to agree with all the above replies :uhuh:

What's interesting is that I think there is an intriguing psychological component to striper fishing.

In Psych 101 they teach you that truly addicitive behavior tends to be reinforced by varying outcomes (like gambling).

In other words, you never know what you're gonna get on the end of your line - nothing's guaranteed but boy when you do hook into a biggun you NEVER forget it! :happy: :D

Fishweewee hit the nail on the head. Schedules of reinforcement. It's random variable or something like that.

Hmm...varying outcome theory.....
Very much like trying to pick up women.....
Sure, 99 times out a 100 you get told to blank yourself...but that 100th time....

But seriously.....if we lived in Montana it would be trout, if we lived in Florida, maybe tarpon. But we live in New England and the striper is our glamour fish.

Great replies!!

I like Joes comment on location makes sense...When I was in Texas everyone was obsessed with sea trout this and sea trout that..... I caught some and wasn't too impressed with the fight or the difficulty of catching them. But If i lived there and it was all I knew I'd praise the speckled sa trout like a god.

gambling and fishing:confused: never thought of that, but it makes sense.

come on ! the truth is they pull hard and taste really good . right Peta !

Im always one with my being ...................... cause Im not a Siamese twin and there are no other beings with in me .

LOL at Krisly .

gambling and fishing work hand in hand . Thats how I buy gear .

All that has been said. If I wrote poetry I'd surely have a bassy sonnet in my notebooks, and a lyric or two. But I don't write verse, but even so, when I go out fishing at night, the night--fair weather or foul-- tends to bring out the romantic in me. For I love catching these fish, but I love huntin' them even more.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm in it for the chicks!
Oh, wait a minute, I think that guy told me that chicks dig guitar players...29 years of practice down the drain!!!
Rick

what krispy said......except im not down with horseshoe crab sex:laughs:

I'd hafta split it 50/50.
I love the ocean and have always been around it except for my military time. I love the solitude, the unobstructed view of the stars at nite, shooting stars, false dawn, bass slurping bait off the top at sunrise on glass calm water, the other 50 is I love the rush of having a big fish slam your plug or eel or herring and take it for a ride
allow me to express my feelings in the form of Haiku

I love to bass fish
it is my reason for being
fried or in chowder

chris

I get passionate about all the fish I fish for. :smash:

the shoreline and hunt for striper is my church, The sunrise each morning and standing on the shore allows me to reflect on what is important in my life, my wife and 2 sons.

Originally posted by blackeye

I love to bass fish
it is my reason for being
fried or in chowder

chris

Thats some strong stuff-

Bass here

bass there

bass are everywhere-

are you ?

Man against nature

for me it's that first wack on the bait then the line strippi'n out setting the hook then the battle, you know turning it when its heading down looking to rip that hook out, and if it's a cow hang on then the first sight of it WOAH BABY !!!!!!!! I can't type any more to excited later LINK:cool:

I live on an isalnd where fishing is never more than a 2 minute drive away. I work, surf, golf, fish all with NO commute.

Fishing for bass seems like the right thing to do.

I agree with rick. I am in it for the chicks :)

hehe

Originally posted by Striperhound
the shoreline and hunt for striper is my church

I feel the same as Striperhound...
Let's not forget about the history---the places and the people who fished places like newport - watch hill - narragansett - colt park - harold's meadow - i could go on and on, but you know what i mean. ;)

the night

Striperhound hit it, i've always said where the sand meets the sea is my altar and the time I spend there is cleansing my soul.When I am there I don't worry about the hassles of life and all the bad news that is thrown at us everyday.I take in all that is around me and often find myself in awe from the wonders of nature and the beauty of the sea.It gives me time to think of life and what is important to me and when the fish are cooperating then that makes it even better... :) johnny "tRB"

well said RB

When I'm out there I feel ALIVE one with nature.....nothing is more gratifying then the adrenaline rush of a big fish. To me its all about landing the biggest bass I can.

Originally posted by beachwalker
I live on an isalnd where fishing is never more than a 2 minute drive away. I work, surf, golf, fish all with NO commute.

Fishing for bass seems like the right thing to do.

I agree with rick. I am in it for the chicks :)

hehe
So much true. Cape Ann cuties will drop you a holler from the next pier where I was fishing in Rockport. She looked at me and waved to me while I was waiting for the herring to get eaten by a striper. I was eating a half lbs of cooked lobster and one fish cake. And drinking a botle of ginger ale....

I find stripers a challenging gamefish to catch. I prefer saltwater fishing over freshwater because of the species and their fighting abilities. They are exotic in some ways to me. And I love the salty scent of the water. And also I love the stink of the blues, stripers, scups, etc on my body and make my parents, aunt, and my sister complain about me being dirty and odorious...:D :happy: :smash:

Notaro,

It is 2 am. I am on the beach. The ONLY chicks within 5 miles of me are friggin plovers.

so thrilled to hear you are scoring babes.........

:laughs: :laughs:

I love the hunt and the thrill of not knowing whay's on the other end of your line.

It gets me away from my wife!!! :laughs:

I know I would love to pursue other types of fishing but because of the difficulty of traveling, I really can't. I have world class striper fishing at my doorstep so that is what I do.

Originally posted by beachwalker
Notaro,

It is 2 am. I am on the beach. The ONLY chicks within 5 miles of me are friggin plovers.

so thrilled to hear you are scoring babes.........

:laughs: :laughs:

I didn't quite score them. Damn, I am such a shy person...
About the plovers, that comes to one thing in my mind, a place where clammer loves to go for wings, oysters, and beers is Hooters.:D ;)

It's the thrill of the hunt for that biggest fish.
I love the ocean, always have always will. There is nothing in the world that is better than being on the beach on a hot summer night working up a sweat from catching fish. the beach is about the only place i can go to leave all the BS behind and get back to reality...it is good for my mind and soul.

It is without a doubt my happy place!!:happy: :happy: :happy:

love the happy Place :musc:

In a word...ADVENTURE.

Striped bass bring adventure into our lives. You visit wild places (in an otherwise all to developed and crowded world) hunting a wild creature. Fishing for stripers evokes a primal hunter/gather emotional response...no matter what PETA says, as humans it is very satisfying to catch, keep, cook and provide for others.

Stripers are faithful (as long as we don't kill them all) they return each year and before you can take them for granted, they're gone!

Striper magic, plain and simple.

Mike

its hard to put into words lets just say thay are the best.being in the surf at nite.not knowing if the next one you catch will be 10lbs or 50lbs.the history.if you have to explaine it to someone they wouldnt understand.

what rattboy said.there is nothing like standing in the salt watching the sun come up casting for the striped and never knowing when the hit will come and the size of the fish.you leave your care and problems of the world behind you.total solitude puts you in a zone that puts you where god and nature meant you to be.

Being there.

Amen to that

I've always loved fishing since I was a youngster.I've always loved outdoors.Always up for a good challenge.Stripers give me all three.Couldn't ask for more.Well I could but it would do me any good.More porta johns at more spots would be a major bonus.

The passion and the challenge. The fact that at the time out there, with the noise of the surf, the salt air, the letting go of all stress, it is relief. This thing we do is a gift, given only to us, and with this gift, we are given the passion and ability to enjoy this gift. Others don't enjoy it as we do, because they are not blessed with this precius passion for this thing we do.:kewl:

Bass are regal fish, and the quest to catch them provides an interesting challenge. Fishing the rocks, an outflow, or a pristine beach also puts me in an environment I enjoy. The other day I stopped to check the waters around India Point and I just did not get excited.

this is what we do Bass Fishin it is the quest the challenge besides what the hell r we gonna do with all the expensive gear we buy :laugha:

for me, Eben, it IS all THAT and MORE!!!
excellent thread, oh wise and Nebullous One.

being linked to the generations before us, as surfcasters,
and those that will follow is the quintessential NE experience.

truly, it is the last bastion of hunting and gathering for REEL Men.
i CRAVE the challenge of solving the Striper Puzzle in all its facets!!
the pelagics are sexy; but for fibreglass jocks ONLY, same for trophy tarpon.

the whole addictive behavior and obsessiveness thang is HUGE,
once you start landing sum LAHHGE with any regularity.

then, for me, there is the competition factor~~~~
aren't we ALL in this for the glory of the IGFA 80#'er,
our personal bests, and restoring The Cup to its rightful perch???

i also LOVE the danger/adrenaline factor, or pitting my strengths and weaknesses against rocks, weather, and surf; mastering the fear of the DARK; taming the beasts within; and pushing myself as hard as is possible~~~leaving it all out there in the pursuit of the Striper of a Lifetime~~~guess i've always been an adrenaline junkie!!! nevermind that each and every fish over 40#'s has its own unique and individual way of fighting(runners, hunkerers, jumpers, immoveables, rock-wrapper-arounders and reef-wrapper-unders, linerubberers, spoolers, feet-zoomers, etc......) :kewl: :kewl: :kewl:

it keeps me humble. whether skunking or catching~~ being able to commune with God, nature, and beast on such high levels is what keeps me SANE and grounded within this CRAZINESS we call Life. or, is that the other way around? either way, without this surfcraziness i WOULD GO insane. and thanks be to God for the Blessing of His Glorious Bounty and the ability to appreciate and partake of His Creation as it is manifest before us.

our backyards are some of the MOST BEAUTIFUL shorelines in the world, they are loaded with a quarry that keeps you guessin', and a prey that ARE as majestic as they ARE prolific. when we put ALL THAT together with the colors, smells, and sounds of a Striper Dawn~~~it just doan get ANY BETTER than that for my recreational investments of time, energy, and monies. and the rewards/benefits of our endeavors are priceless :uhuh: :uhuh: :uhuh: :uhuh:

Thats some strong stuff-

Bass here

bass there

bass are everywhere-

are you ?

~~okay, i'll play too~~

May the bait rise up to meet you,
The SURF; yer ready and faithful steed.
May a Fifty fare well to greet you,
The trophy; worthy of all thy deeds.
:kewl: :kewl: :kewl:

For me its about: The "Take"; Moon Set; Fire in the Water; Northern Lights; Finding a Flat Rock in a field of Round; The "Music" of Strained Mono; The Sound of Cobble in a Receding Wave; Korker Sparks; An Unexpected Saltwater Slap in the Face, Stale Coffee and Pepperidge Farm Cookies at 3am; Silent Conversations with myself; The"Release".

DZ

For me its about: The "Take"; Moon Set; Fire in the Water; Northern Lights; Finding a Flat Rock in a field of Round; The "Music" of Strained Mono; The Sound of Cobble in a Receding Wave; Korker Sparks; An Unexpected Saltwater Slap in the Face, Stale Coffee and Pepperidge Farm Cookies at 3am; Silent Conversations with myself; The"Release".

DZ

well SAID!!!
:claps: :claps: :claps:

spoken like a reel author, and
wily veteran of the Striper Coast!!

thanks for your cohesiveness, DZ
:bl: :bl: :bl: :bl:

What Snake Slinger said, if you have to eplain it to them they won't understand.
I notice a "LOOK" in the eyes of striper fishermen.
It is kind of a look that says I know where happiness is and I know where peace is.
You won't see this look everywhere. I am not sure if it is a sparkle or a glaze or even the dead zone from lack of sleep.

I fish for the memories it creates. They will be the only thing you can take with you when you die.

Im addicted to it, plain and simple. I have an addictive personality and have always jumped into things headfirst, and immersed myself until I got good at it. Plus its the only real chance to catch a truly big fish without having to buy a boat, and its a challenge to get a big one from shore. And I really love having no skin left on my thumbs from May to October.

In a word...ADVENTURE.

Striped bass bring adventure into our lives. You visit wild places (in an otherwise all to developed and crowded world) hunting a wild creature. Fishing for stripers evokes a primal hunter/gather emotional response...no matter what PETA says, as humans it is very satisfying to catch, keep, cook and provide for others.

Stripers are faithful (as long as we don't kill them all) they return each year and before you can take them for granted, they're gone!

Striper magic, plain and simple.

Mike



You said it Mike!:cheers2:

Interesting timing here.. Just today I was cleaning up a bunch of my gear for this season and was asking myself "WTF am I doing this for??"
thanks for the bump Raven

what rattboy said.there is nothing like standing in the salt watching the sun come up casting for the striped and never knowing when the hit will come and the size of the fish.you leave your care and problems of the world behind you.total solitude puts you in a zone that puts you where god and nature meant you to be.

Yup, puts everything in perspective. :)

Interesting timing here.. Just today I was cleaning up a bunch of my gear for this season and was asking myself "WTF am I doing this for??"
thanks for the bump Raven

I am going into my 4th season. I was taking stock and trying to get my stuff in order this weekend. I had plugs in rubbermaid boxes under my bed, Behind the couch, Rods and reels in two closets, box of ronz and sluggos in my liquor cabinet. The side of the fridge has a long filled in 2009 calender with days highlighted so my girl would know where I was if I was gone. My dining room table is littered with leader material/ziplocbags filled with tied leaders/ empty Gami hook boxes that have been refilled with epoxy sticks and zapagap--How the hell did this start, and why can't I stop?? And I don't even fish plugs, I fish eels 90% of the time and I still have 100's of plugs.

My girl is still waiting for her ring..:wid: