Hey JohnR, since I'm new to this board, maybe you can clue me in on something. Is #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& the official board ball buster? Is this his frat house and he is in charge of the new pledges and this is the initiation ritual that all newcomers must go through? Is this his message board Ask #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& mislabeled? Seems to me it should read ASK GOD. I haven't used that board, because I know I have broken at least 2 or 3 of his GOLDEN RULES and for that I feel I must ask his forgiveness.

I fish from a boat and for that I ask forgiveness ooooohhhhh great one. I have strayed from your teachings and made the grave mistake of catching school bass and #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& forbid, even been happy about it. I fish the morning and into the forbidden light of day, what can I say I should be stoned and banished for my sins. I favor plastics over live eels and once again ignore your teachings, the words of #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&. Worse yet and I bow my head in shame, is the fact that long before the stripers have come and gone, I switch back to freshwater bass fishing and feel that offense will doom me to eternal damnation.

Oh great one, please forgive me. I have strayed from your teachings and promise to repeat 1000 times 3 of your golden rules, which are the basis of your teachings;

1. Striper fishing is the only fishing.
2. One must always fish in the darkness of night.
3. Anything less than a large striper should be cast aside and never spoken of again.

Hopefully I will see the light and come back to the DARK SIDE of the force. You are the master; I am but the learner. I am humble in shadow of your greatness, but I submit this tweak as evidence I strive to mold myself in the image of the master, LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL.

One part of your little thread rings truth!! I am the best.You always say."I only wish they were 30lbers" well,there not going to instantly get big with some majic dust,If you want big bass you have too make it happen, you have to go at the right time in the right conditions and, you have to sacrifice sleep and other things,you have to drag your ass all day from being tierd,you have to know when to walk away from the schoolies.

You constantly speak of your outlandish numbers of bass,"I got 250" today I got"196" yesterday,Its not impresive because it lacks skill.I could do that everyday!! In the spring I have days like that,when the fish in your beloved "Hull" dry up,they will be on the south shore of rhode island just like they are every fall from october 1st until thanksgiving,I could go everyday and land hundreds of bass tormenting bait against the shore!! Im not saying it isnt fun because I admit it is fun!! It just gets old,I want something that will pull my drag and ,I want a challenge.you think those jerkbaits of yours are something special.Dont you know,that when bass are feeding like you describe,that they will hit anything!!!!!! you could put a hook on a pencil and catch fish.

Not to mention the fact that its always your show!! brag till the cows come home and never give advice!! Why not offer a trip to a guy from the board? you go so much,someone may enjoy the opertunity to fish with you on your boat?? The top guns dont brag ,they quetly hawk the doors off of big fish and you would never know it! The only guy who would be jealous of your exploits would be one dave pickering,the schoolie god himself!! But, dave does admit at least, that schoolie fishing in the daytime is all he can do with 5 kids!! He would much rather prowl the shore in the deep of night.

I also think,fisherwoman might do the same thing,take someone from the board fishing and show them a good time,I have nothing against her at all but, it might be nice.I took wendy fishing and the gal landed a 34lb fish!! she was happy and thankfull and, I felt good putting her on some nice fish.I didnt charge her anything either,she wanted to learn and I showed her.On occasion I do take new people fishing once I learn to trust them.In stead of braging all the time, try taking someone fishing,you have already caught hundreds of little bass,why not share!!!!!!

In my ask the #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& board I tried to answer every question asked honestly,what people did with that info, I dont know,if they were wise,they put it to good use!!! go back and look at that board and tell me when I was rude or didnt answer a question.The only person who did listen to me was wendy, she took what she learned and turned it into a nice score of big bass at night!! she was wise indeed!! She also works 12hours a day and still manages to go fishing at night and do well, I respect that! I have not heard from her in a while,but Im sure she would tell you I was nothing but nice when she met me and I helped her out all I could.She could definatly outfish half the guys on this board!!

As far as the internet side of things?? who gives a ####?? Its all in fun and an escape from the real world,I like tweaking people!! I dont know you and never will so,I dont lose much sleep from it.As far as accolades,I get plenty of those from my close friends and thats enough,they are the only ones I try to impress.The only other fishing "GOD"I know is tim coleman,now, when he talks,I listen!! He says im the best,I listen!!!! He is the only other fisherman I look up too!!

Its fall guys! Time for the "hunt for big bass" and Im ready,are you????????????????????

Ahem, er, uh, um, excuse me. Uh, Mi... uh, Mis... uh, M-M-M-Mister E-E-#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&. D-D-D-Did you notice over on SOL that I plan on spending some time in RI next year. <img src="/Images/Happy_Face.gif"><!--e1--> <img src="/Images/Wink.gif"><!--e3--> <img src="/Images/Tounge_Face.gif"><!--e4-->

" There must be always two, a master and an apprentice " to the sound of Yoda's voice... Welcome to the dark side Got Stripers... This Dark Side brings the chase of the two-handed bass at night in an Estuary far, far away...

Bill has assumed the position of court stone buster on his own, not something bestowed upon him from this site and that’s why the disclaimer is displayed on "Ask #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&".

In addition to being the most intense and successful striped bass fisherman I've ever had the opportunity to regularly cast with, he is one of the most narrow-minded (some might say focused <img src="/Images/Tounge_Wink_Face.gif"><!--e5-->) arrogant, opinionated, and argumentative people that I have ever met. But he is also a good guy that does not translate well on these boards. As far as he is concerned, there is one fish to chase and one primary way to chase it. Everything else is immaterial or maybe second best to him. Most of his “bashing” is supposed to come out in a good natured way but there is certainly an undercurrent that the best way is of shore fishing for stripers, Korkers scratching the rocks, and casting the eel to the so’west even when you know he is playing. This isn't the first time. He was well known as "Get off my Rock, Nolan" back in the good days of another board... But it works and that’s why he does it. Many striper sharpies agree with him and tell him so. But he catches a ton of big fish. Much of what he does never makes it to these boards… Is he amongst the greatest ever? He may eventually be. He sure is pretty friekin’ good. He catches a ####load of large fish.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret, he did own a boat until a couple years ago which complemented his surf casting (not replacing it) when tides and times weren’t optimal from shore, much like Bill and Juls do. We have also talked of getting a boat in the future. Surf fishing is his desire, more so than boat fishing (It’s mine too, I love being out in a boat and I’ve missed it since selling it about 7-8 years ago but I much prefer fishing in the surf).

To sum things up? Bill will never be a diplomat. No call will ever come from the White House asking Bill to intercede in some distant conflict. When you find him out on the shore you’ll at least see him smile while he’s busting your balls, something that does not translate well on this board. But in the surf, you will often see his rod curled over to some large bass. And he is good enough that 80% of the time he is the high rod in both numbers and pounds and that is when fishing with some very accomplished anglers.

I've been fortunate to fish with some really excellent anglers like Fisherwoman and Baitcaster, Bill, Steve McKenna and others, well before this board started and he Bill is probably the most intense striper chaser I've ever met.

Got Stripers, don't get overly worked up about him and his tweak, fight fire with fire and all. Most that have gotten tired of him will just ignore him.... BTW, did I tell you that I've been catching decent bass, from the shore, at night, on live <font color="000000"> <b>BLACK EELS <img src="/Images/biggrin.gif"><!--e7--> </b> <font color="cccccc">

Plug... will this be frequent visits or is this a move coming????

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, for your information I have taken plenty of people fishing for nothing, I don't hide all of my secret spots!!!! I have no problem stopping to help a person get into as many fish as they can, even during tournaments, when points is what counts, I have stopped numerous times to help a guy who is getting frustrated and just not hooking up even if he is on the other team. Many of fishermen have walked these beaches over the years, and beleive me YOU ARE NOT THE BEST!!!!!. You need to get over yourself already!!!!!

What is the largest bass you have ever caught. Baitcaster has 2 fish over 60lbs and several over 50lbs and you don't see him up here busting on people just because they go fishing. My grandfather had fish in the high 60 lb class, do you?

I have always tried to help people get into fish, I enjoy seeing other people have just as much fun as I am, and I have ask people on this board to go fishing, or help them If I can.

We get an opportunity to fish from our boat, only 2 days a week, weather permitting, the rest of the time we spend it on shore, just like everyone else. If you think that the fish you are catching impress everyone you are sadley mistaken. Alot of people go out and are lucky if they get 1 or 2 fish a night and they are happy, no matter what the size. We would all like to catch the big ones, but that is not always what is important, its getting out on the water, enjoying nature at its best, its hoping that that big one will one day scream off that line. Its a sport that we all enjoy.

Its like this guy Jamie, everyone is busting on about the size of his fish, we all know what the average fish is running right now size wise, but does that mean that his fish doesn't weigh what the captain told him it weighed, NO.
Has anyone seen this fish yet, everyone is making assumptions without even seeing this fish, and why bring him down when he was so excited about this nice fish he got after putting in alot of time on the water and it finally paid off, give him a break aready.

I talk to many fisherman everyday, if they ask me what is happening, I tell them. If they ask me what we are catching them on I tell them. Nobody knows it all about fishing my friend, we learn something new every day on the water, and you learn from each experience. How much did you know when you first picked up a rod to go fishing? Well there are alot of people out there right now that don't have alot of experience, so you should try to give them a little more advice instead of just busting on people all the time about how
GREAT YOU ARE!!!! Alot of people need advice out there right now, no matter what size fish they are after, I have fished with alot of different people this year who have never even had a rod in there had, its enjoyable to see there face light up when they catch there 1st fish, do you think they care how big it is NO THEY DON'T!!!!!

Fisherwoman

Visits John. My brother-in-law is career Navy. I've been waiting for him to get assigned somewhere with good fishing thats close. After Italy, Indianapolis???, Chicago and Memphis it is finally coming true. He should be in Newport by the end of next June.

The visits will be as often as I can talk my wife into visiting her sister. <img src="/Images/TooHappy.gif"><!--e13-->

I knew that would draw a response. You state you don’t know me, yet you pass judgement without the knowledge to back up that judgement. If you did know me, you wouldn’t be so quick to be so critical, of that much I am 100% certain. So let’s just set the record straight so we can move on. I have read enough of your posts to acknowledge you have the knowledge and experience to back up your strong opinions. Should those opinions necessary translate to me, I don’t think so. I too have some strong opinions and am not afraid to express them, as evidenced by my willingness to engage in this battle of wits. I also have no doubts, that if we were to fish together, we would get along swimmingly, all this cyber jousting would be meaningless after the first cast.

My success is a matter of record, I’ve caught countless large stripers and what would be considered trophy fish of almost every species of fish I go after. I’m happy hitting the water at 4am and fishing until early afternoon and catching numbers of what you would consider schoolies. It’s not coincidental the structure I target and the presentations I use, also produce what you consider large fish. My largest this year is around 34 lbs, and I have good numbers of 20# fish. Fall usually brings some 40 lbers, but I’m still catching primarily 20, 25 & 35 inch fish. Why you feel you should criticize this approach and results, is a mystery to me. My priorities are obviously different than yours, but seem to warrant a constant negative response from you. You seem to be on a mission to correct my thinking, even though I don’t seek a different approach or feel it necessary to fulfill my goals.

Put me into the same BOAT as fisherwoman if you like, because I enjoy posting about my success even if you don’t view it as such. As to your comments on sharing, I will go out of my way to help anyone who asks for advise. I’ve done so countless times on my own message board and several others I frequent. If you read my recent post, you might notice I took time out from my fishing Monday morning to go help a perfect stranger to better take advantage of the feeding frenzy. The swimmers they were throwing just weren’t doing it, most likely because the fish were keyed in on smaller bait and they weren’t working the baits aggressively enough to trigger the reaction bites. I rigged up my jerkbait on this mans teenage son’s rod, donated a few spare hooks and a handful of baits. Showed him how to rig them and present them. Enjoyed fishing beside them for a short while and got a big thrill out of watching his son hook up almost immediately using my bait. Gave him the name of a local tackle shop where he could pick up the same hooks and the screwlock bait holders. Done the same thing numerous other times on the water and through the mail when people ask me for some samples. I don’t sell my baits commercially, so this is something I do just to help out when asked. I’ve got what I consider some good how to articles on my Fishing Board about starting out pouring your own plastic baits, building your own rods and many specific presentation articles. I’ve exchanged countless emails with people that have taken that basic information, but needed some additional guidance. I’ve received more emails thanking me for the help than you could shake a stick at.

I’ve got standing invitations to a several friends I’ve made on one of my favorite boards to come fish with me and hope to finally get one of them out striper fishing this coming week. Am I going to open up my boat so everyone can come fish, certainly not? I’m a weekend warrior, one day a week is usually all I get and I’ve got family and friends that enjoy getting out with me. I have no doubts that as friendships develop on this board, that additional invites will go out here as well.

You may enjoy stirring the pot, but I do believe you take it to the extreme sometimes. Your “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY” attitude is a little counterproductive to what I see the real purpose of this and any other fishing board. It’s an open forum for exchanging ideas, tactics, tackle recommendations, fishing reports and locations, generally sharing a common passion for what we do and making some new fishing friends. If others on the board don’t want my reports, ideas, recommendations or advise then I will move on, but I seriously doubt that is the case. You may be very, very good at what you do, but when it comes to diplomacy, man you need some work. Maybe this is your style and others enjoy it or have gotten used to it. If so I guess I will take it with a grain of salt from now on, but until then don’t expect me to roll over and play dead. As John suggested in his response, this appears to be your way, so be it. Every board has one crotchety old fart, that can see the forest through the trees, but they also happen to be in their early 60’s. I shudder at the thought of what your posts might read like when you get that old, god help us all.

Tight lines.

Although I don't agree 100 percent with #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& on this one. I must say that he is right about the limited skill it takes tocatch schoolies. I see people at Plum I sland and other places where schollies are catching 50 fish in a single tide during the middle of the day. Anyone can do it and it is pretty fun, but I do get sick of it. The fight with a back fish is like no other, schoolies ofeten times annoy me as well as probally many other anglers. In my opinion the goal should be BIG fish. If you got a boat and a rod 200 schoolie days should be constant, it really takes no skill. Fishing from the shore lao makes things much harder. Surf fisherman, like #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& and John R, are the type of people I respect. They put in the long hours at night a nd go for the big ones. Buying a boat is like buying the fish, all the electronics put you right on em. Thanks for listening, Derek.