...what happened ???....


...He quit or something??...or were "our" posts just too primitive for him??....;):err: :eek5: :hs:


....Speaketh, O Catcher of 50's.....De-slimer, of Eels....where art thou fore.. Eeleo??


....JohnR, why is that forum ........NO longer, a forum???....

http://striped-bass.com/images/bloo/zsnakecharmer.gif

...he does have a funny bone, NO?...

http://striped-bass.com/images/bloo/bloo_#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&.jpg

Bloo,

Turn him inside out....

And tie him to the outside of one of Tatoo's plugs ;)

I jest, but I do respect #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&'s accomplishments as a striperman.

Bloo - we started that forum when the site opened as a semi-humorous tug at stripersurf's "Ask Frank" forum...

He took last year off from fishing to start up his own business and we decided to close the forum. He actually asked me to take it off a week ago but I have not gotten to that yet.

Thanks for the “sincere” heartfelt post bloo.

IM sure no one is losing sleep over my absences from the boards or the suds!


John is right, that forum was started as a fun thing I did however post my strong opinions regarding surf fishing! It all seemed to revolve around the use of eels! I never liked plug fishing, as it never gave me the results I was after, Sure I caught some nice fish on plugs but never of the caliber that eels would bring.

I didn’t actually “quit fishing” I just had to prioritize. Before I jumped headfirst into marital bliss and fatherhood I was able to fish at will, morning noon and night! And, I did. I caught just about every size striper there is and using every method their Is. was fortunate to have that time to fish like that. For the better part of 10 years there I did nothing but fish 7 days a week, regardless of weather, cold, tide moon etc. just had to be on the water. Now, as I was told would happen, Things have drastically changed.

First and foremost I do not want to miss out on a single thing my daughter does and experiances, She will only be 4,5,6 once in a lifetime and, at her age now, I need all the energy I can get! I am much more content now just puttering around my yard on a Saturday and, heading to chuck-e-cheese on a Saturday night, or flying a kite with her in the park. These things are far more important to me than catching a few more fish to notch on my belt. For years I never saw daylight in the summer! I finally realize what I have missed! There are other things worth living for in life!

Next I need to make ends meet! I also enjoy working and making the extra money. Having my own business has also become a kind of hobby in itself. IM loving it! I am doing this with my father who is pushing 70yrs old; I am truly enjoying spending time with him as a friend, who knows how much time is left?

Also many of the guys I fished with have either quit or bought boats. They are all older than I am and simply cant put in those grueling hours on the beach anymore. Without them, things just are not the same realize that I am still very young and have plenty of time in the future to pick up where I left off! Joe pack is a prime example, At 56yrs old; He is not about to walk out to naps at 2 am for a couple of 20lb fish. Now he bought a boat so, he gets his 8hours of sleep, steams out to BI and gets all the fish he wants in an hour cant say as I blame him. I also saw myself slipping into the same pattern as others I have known very close friend and fishing partner of mine was divorced over the sport, That’s not a road I want to travel. I simply cannot fish just once or twice a week have an obsessive personality and I need all or nothing! It’s better for now I don’t get a taste again, or, I will certainly be in court! I knew it got way out of hand a couple of years ago when I went way overboard. This is a true story, One night I began at nappatree in the fall around 3pm, fished there a few hours with no success and the water was weeded up bad walked out and went to watch hill light also, with no success so, I walked out of there and drove to the westerly airport and made the last plane to Block Island, Here I am with nothing more than a rod and a bucket full of eels, Flying to the island, I fished there all night and caught the 8 am flight back to westerly. On the ride home I realized I had gone to far, this was crazy! Something had to give,I never even let my wife or anyone know I was on that island in november, If there were lots of big fish I may have never came home!

So it was time to scale way back. I Certainly do not have anything left to prove to myself regarding fishing skills or surf-fishing accomplishments am grateful that I did all I wanted to do goal wise with fishing wanted a 50lb fish before I was 35 off the beach and once I did that was content, The pressure I put on myself was gone! The rest was gravy. No I don’t care if I catch a micro bass or a 30lber,just don’t care. Been there done that.

I hope all you guys have a banner year this season! I plan on a few trips just to wet the line but, not much more than that may also head off with Joe in that new boat and try the easy route for a change. At anyrate, family right now is first.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, I HEAR YA!!!!
i have daughters 10 &12 now and now they love the beach and this year the have finally expressed real interest in fishing from it. last year my youngest caught her first bluefish(12#) she did it all cept for casting. wait to you see....

Been there and done that also #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& was out all hours day and night fishing till the kids came along 24 years ago. Thats when the wife said it was time to stop and help to raise the twins. I made a deal that she could stop work and stay with the children till she felt it was time to go back to work. She stayed home for 15 years and did a great job with my son and doughter as I worked 70 to 80 hour weeks to make it all happen. Then as the kids got in high school she needed to get out and work again for something to do I put up a big fight :laughs: but she won and has been hard at work since. Now the house is paid for the twins col. ed. is paid for and its time to start fishing agian. As most know she bought me a nice new boat and said its time for me to relax a bit it will be hard but I will give it my best. Glad we had the children young as now at 47 we are on our own again and doing all the things that you can't with young kids.

PS to all you dads love them now all you can as they do grow up all to fast.

Well said GB, iN 15 years when Im 50,I will again have the free time to pursue stripers at will.I just cant now,like I used to.My goals now are to grow my buisness,hire some employess down the road and sock all the money I can away! I just want to drive around all day doing estimates! anyway

I also feel guilty fishing knowing I have a wife and 4 year old at home alone all night while im out chasing fish.As soon as my daughter was born I felt this way.Fishing felt like a vice that neede to take a back seat.I dont know how all these guys fit in so much fishing time once they have a family to deal with and children.Something definatly has to suffer...

...MUCH APPLAUSE TO YOU #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, AND ALL OTHERS WHO REALIZE WHAT LIFE IS REALLY ABOUT......(NOT OURSELVES!!)...BUT THE PEOPLE WE LOVE....

...sometimes its hard to step back and look at the "Grand" picture...and unfortunately, sometimes it takes the death of someone or some other extremity to remind us..... Fortunately, some of us realize this while there is still time..and we ACT on it....



Quoting #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&:

...."Thanks for the “sincere” heartfelt post bloo. "....


...I hope you didn't think I was poking fun at you Eeler....when I tried to see what was up in your forum, it didn't exist!!!...so I knew if I lit a fire...I'd see some smoke...

...my apologies if you took it to heart...:cool:

No offense taken at all bloo! I just didnt feel like putting in all those smiles and whatever else is needed to be politically correct!

No need for the "FONT POLICE":happy: :happy:

The first sentence was a poor attempt at humor:smash:

Good thread and good thoughts, gentlemen.....:)

Originally posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
The first sentence was a poor attempt at humor:smash:

...I never claimed to be a comedian......JUST A CLOWN at best...:jester: :beat: ...


...My father infected me with this dicease years ago...and he too, has stopped fishing. He warns me time and time again not to let this obsession get in the way of life...he seems to think he missed out on a lot of years...but I also feel that I'm on that "mission" you described as well #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, and sometimes, I don't think my "sickness" is cureable....but then again I don't have any children...I try to stay as close as I can to dad, because like you said...."who knows how much time is left"...for either of us. One should treat everyday like its our last, if this were done...the world would be a great place to live...:)

STOP THE INSANITY.....YOUR SCARING ME!:eek:

Originally posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
.....Also many of the guys I fished with have either quit or bought boats. They are all older than I am and simply cant put in those grueling hours on the beach anymore. Without them, things just are not the same.....

as i said earlier, you mean "no one left to lead you to the fish". just how did you "find" that fifty??????? coincidence? luck? skill? or follow the leader......

...to fish, is normal......


....to fish the way we fish..........IZ INSANE!!!!......


.....THANKS DAD!

http://striped-bass.com/images/bloo/charlie_fishing_with_grandson_md_wht.gif

Well, there is always one in a crowd:af:

Quint It was the other way around , I found the fish.And my 50 found me!

What I was talking about was being with friends,good friends.Fishing without my pals just aint fun.

I can remember standing at Quonny one night and you asked me with living 1-1/2 hours away from RI how often I got to fish. When I said 1 or 2 nights a week you said that would make you crazy and didn't see how you could ever be married with kids. Well, the next year you were married and the rest is history. At that time my daughters were about 2 and 4 years old and I cherished those 1 or 2 nights I got to fish and probably enjoyed fishing more then than I do now. Those couple of trips a week were my time to relax and I thought about my next trip 5 minutes after I left the Quonny parking lot, I just couldn't wait to get back.

My kids are now 9 and 11 and I can fish far more often if I choose but somehow I don't enjoy it nearly as much as I did. Be it the fact that I can go whenever I want or that it is more fun when your trying to get your first 36" fish then your first 20lb fish, 30lb fish and so on, it was just more fun.

I just got in from my first trip of the season on the CT River. It was a great morning, cold with fog rising off the water. I took two fish one 30" and one 32" lost two others. But I have to coach my daughters softball team tonight then we have the Little League parade tomorrow and so on. Maybe I'll fish Sunday night, maybe Monday morning, the fish will always be there..........

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&,
I'm with you. I put the kids as the top priority, in a normal week I'm at home with the kids or at work. Giving up a few hours of sleep for one night of fishing a week through the summer helps keep me sane :smash:.

For a while I felt like there was something wrong with me because I wasn't out there every night. I look back to my first house, my I had two neighbors who were both divorced over fishing and hunting.....That gets me back to reality.

Jeff! Good to hear from you! We had some fantastic nights at that place called Quanny!! That place isnt even close to what it once was! You were one of the truly fine gentelman I met in kmy fishing exploits! Again, good to hear from you! Remember those nights! Literally dozens of stripers!!

At that time I had the nickname "Quanny Bill" Its still painted on my rod that I had built in 1993.Anyway, we will hook up again one day!

Bill,
Good to hear you on the board. When you talk about your daughter it reminds me of the "Take Me Fishing Commercial" where the little girl asks her dad to "Take me fishing - because before you know it I'll be planning my wedding". Cherish your time with her and by all means take her fishing.
Whatever you do don't go to "the other side" and get a boat!
I'll keep your favorite rocks company for you. Hope we can hook up at least once this season.
DZ

Hey Jeff - long time....

Quint - he'd been fishing there for years before that fish happened...

Bill - if you want me to watch your 965 for a couple months :D ...

Ask John about the young lady he extended a fishing invintion to last night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:p :p :p :p :p :p :p

Clammer - don't take that out of context - I encourage and invite all to share the experience :p

Besides what else would she want with a gray fat guy like me, hehehe...

Just kidding John!!!!!!!!!!1
BUT
I,d take her anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p ;) :p ;) :p

uh oh......


hey cuteeee.....wanna fish with me???......;)

http://striped-bass.com/images/bloo/guy_giving_valentines_flower_and_candy_md_wht.gif

i hear ya #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&. it's tough to find time to fish when you have priorities, such as yours. i was lucky, i was still able to fish 4-5 nights a week last fall.

"quanny bill"...i remember the guys asking about you there last year. i think you should come back for a few reunions this year. it's just not the same anymore. some there need a lesson.

from my readings of the posts...
i surmise......... who would be better to write a book on striper fishing than #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&.... the fifty pounder club guru!