The truth is most people have at least a mild case of a disease called 'excusitis'. The more common types are age, money, luck, health ect.

Personally I have no excuse. I go a lot, I use the right tackle, I fish with some of the best, I fish where I believe my odds are good and 95% bait...big fresh bait too.

Luck is not all that its cracked up to be, when you read books on success, positive thinking, and motivation.. luck is heads or tails not consistency. The law of cause and effect proves luck to be just that, people don't have success at any level through luck they're confused with fluke. What if I said I have bad luck, I guess that would explain why my line broke, its stupid to think that way.

If you caught your share of big bass that went over #40 that makes you a hell of a fisherman but that still doesn't explain why all the years under your belt hasn't produced a #50. By no means am I saying #50 makes you an elite fisherman, I don't believe that to be true, I'm just trying to catch a bigger fish like most of you's.

Im wondering why I havent broke 30 yet. I have no excuse. I fish nights, eels, all the right spots. I average 2 trips a week, the more time on the water, the more opportunities there are. I plan all my trips, and don't waste time bs'ing. My time will come.

I have not had one on my line yet!:fishin:

As stated by RIJimmy......my time will also come....and that right soon!

because everyone in the 60's took five home every night and I had yet to be born!!! still going after them every night though. they seem to really be having a great rebound and if more and more people are becoming educated about catch and release and only keeping a trophy here and there, I think the 50# club will have many more names on it shortly. I have caught a trophy just shy of 50#'s but I know if I were to catch a 50# right now, I would be more than happy to release her. I have one fish on my wall, I don't need two. no need to be greedy. my hope is that someone will have the same type of memorable experience as I had catching my trophy.... but if everyone takes several of these big girls home, that will not be the case. good luck to all this year.

mike

because everyone in the 60's took five home every night and I had yet to be born!!! still going after them every night though. they seem to really be having a great rebound and if more and more people are becoming educated about catch and release and only keeping a trophy here and there, I think the 50# club will have many more names on it shortly. I have caught a trophy just shy of 50#'s but I know if I were to catch a 50# right now, I would be more than happy to release her. I have one fish on my wall, I don't need two. no need to be greedy. my hope is that someone will have the same type of memorable experience as I had catching my trophy.... but if everyone takes several of these big girls home, that will not be the case. good luck to all this year.

mike

40 years in the surf. Never caught a 50. Lots of 40s. Never a 50.

My late friend Lanny Gazinni, one of the best commercial rod and reel guys ever. Fish the Back all season for 30 years. Never got a 50.

What the hell is the difference? Getting a 50 is luck more than skill.
No one can honestly tell me that they went out one night with the expressed purpose of catching a 50 and did so.

40 years in the surf. Never caught a 50. Lots of 40s. Never a 50.

My late friend Lanny Gazinni, one of the best commercial rod and reel guys ever. Fish the Back all season for 30 years. Never got a 50.

What the hell is the difference? Getting a 50 is luck more than skill.
No one can honestly tell me that they went out one night with the expressed purpose of catching a 50 and did so.

Piemma is right on.. If you do all the right things you still might not get a 50 so there has to be more luck involved than most will admit.

when I go out each time I'm looking for the 50 :drool:
I'm also just as happy with a day on the water.

BTW I need to fish more nights :grins:

Charlie Cinto never got a 60!:uhuh:




Thats one of Charlie's jokes......he says he got 40's, 50's and a 73 pounder.....but no 60's!

Luck presents you with a 50 in front of you.

Skill is what changes that fish from being the one that "Got Away" to the one going to the Taxidermist.

Knowledge puts you in the more likely place a 50 will be.

Dogged determination gets you out frequently enough to provide the OPPORTUNITY to have more LUCK.

I believe i Have the skill to land a 50, I believe I have the knowledge to increase my likelihood of a 50 (but not disciplined enough to use knowledge wisely enough), I know I don't get the opportunities enough to be out there for luck to be a factor.

Factor in how many 50's are caught in our region each season (10-15 that we know of on average) and how many people are fishing? Odds of being that lucky are slim......from shore anyway! Unless you are #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& aka Billy Boat last spring?!?!?! Man was he red hot or what for that 2 week span?

One time, I won a raffle, and the choice was a new rod and reel or a charter on the Early Bird out to the North Rip of Block Island. I took the rod - another guy took the trip and got a 53.....

in 2 years I will be 50 . then 50 years later I will be dead . I caught a boot once and a shopping cart and a tire . I even caught a cod on a PBJ once .

there are many things that factor in the capture of a "50"

Big fish, realy big fish tend to gather in certain locations along the coast, those locations historicly give up the largest fish, fishing those "spots" raises the odds..

You need to have a large enough survivor ratio of a year class to support enough "50's" to give you a shot....

you need to fish for large fish... big fish require alot of calories and are lazy, truth is, most anglers dont use large enough bait to put themselves in posistion to tempt a large fish, most, not all, are more concerned about getting "skunked" than truely hunting down a trophy, yes every once in awlie some boob fishing a tiny slice of herring latches on to and lands a monster.... thats fishing, but using outsized baits increase your odds...

And of coarse there's the age old addage of "putting in your time" again, it's all about the odds.....

you must always be ready, that one time you dont re-tie your leader or sharpen that dull hook could be your one shot in life..

lastly, it does require alot of luck, sometimes, it's just not meant to be, I know alot of damn good fisherman that have never, and will never get a "50", it's not because they did anything wrong, it just wasnt in the stars....:cheers:

Firstly, I don't think there are any 50s where I fish the majority of the time. That said, with a limited amount of 50s available, I think you have to be lucky to have a 50 in front of you. The skill necessary to catch that 50 includes the ability to catch that fish, having the proper equipment and having your equipment in well mantained conditon, and throwing the proper bait/plug.

40 years in the surf. Never caught a 50. Lots of 40s. Never a 50.

My late friend Lanny Gazinni, one of the best commercial rod and reel guys ever. Fish the Back all season for 30 years. Never got a 50.

What the hell is the difference? Getting a 50 is luck more than skill.
No one can honestly tell me that they went out one night with the expressed purpose of catching a 50 and did so.


very good point. i absolutely agree that a 50# is a "lucky" catch. yes you have to have done you hw, but no matter what, your still getting very lucky.

its only a number. If i catch one great. If i dont, I wont feel like my misison in life has failed.
I do fish with the right gear to handle such a beast though and I do feel like I wouldnt screw it up if i hooked into one..

I may have lost one... so my excuse is probably that I didn't know how to stop it in time to prevent it from getting where it shouldn'ta gone. So lack of skill or experience I guess with handling that kinda fight. I know of guys who have gotten em or real close and said they didn't have much in em. So who knows, maybe I lost a feisty forty under tough conditions. Maybe some night I'll take a 50 under mellow conditions and just reel her in without much ado. :devil2: Time on the water, luck, skill its all part of it

Getting a 50 is luck more than skill.
No one can honestly tell me that they went out one night with the expressed purpose of catching a 50 and did so.

I respectfully disagree. Most people are content either just getting a bite or just getting decent/quality fish but a lot of them are not willing nor do they have the determination to target big fish consistently. When they realize they just spent X amount on gas & time the 'excusitis' automatically kicks in and they tell themselves ' I should have went to x place at least I would have got a #20 or #30'. I know for a fact that some guys catch a lot more fish then others#50's included but the fish and the fisherman go under the radar. Bigfish...yeah 15 or 20 are recorded but a lot more are caught and them guys are doing something different. I've always believed some people just learn from their mistakes and move on while others don't, not just with fishing but with everything. People are habitual, they pound the same spots over and over while others think outside the box and eventually find what they're looking for.

I dont think you label a guy a great fisherman just because he has a 50 or two under his belt..

Luck however only goes so far, The skill is in placing yourself in the right situations and conditions that give you the opertunity and a better than average chance of your next hookup being the holy grail..

All the luck in the world will not get you a fifty pound fish if you consistantly fish the wrong places or the wrong tides the wrong time..Learning the structure those fish like and learning the bait patterns and food supply in the area puts you in the right places..It doesnt always mean the obvious.....

There are guys who catch a fifty doing the craziest of things...But for the most part the guys who do catch those fish are the ones who are students of striped bass in every single aspect...Its the guys who dont overlook the little things, its the guys who use whatever method gives them a chance and not being thick headed about sticking to one thing...

After all that, the most important thing is putting in your time and hoping for the best...Once you have located a big fish spot, then the size is luck, the difference betwen a 40 and 50 in those situations is luck....but its one of those things....sooner or later it happens and all the hard work pays off.

No one can honestly tell me that they went out one night with the expressed purpose of catching a 50 and did so.

spence did. he didnt tell you about it?:1poke:

spence did. he didnt tell you about it?:1poke:
That was Block Island Jeff, not spence...

I haven't caught one because I don't want to make PIemma or JoeP jealous...

Seriously; I think luck is having that particular fish decide to hit your offering. Skill is finding them, landing them, and having the gear/technique to do so. Luck is just opportunity combined with preparation... but last year several members of the site were consistently into 40+lb fish. was it bad luck that not one fish over 50 out of that school decided not to bite? I would wager there was one out there....

As for me; if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...

There is some combination of things that make the likelyhood of catching big fish go up.

If you fish a snoopy rod at a convenient spot with picnic tables and a refreshment stand and a grassy place for the girlfriend to sun herself , etc , your chance at a 50 is probably a billion to one.

If you are geared out and fish every Friday and listen and put things together , your odss are maybe 10,000 to one.

if you fish every night , have a good network of other fisherman who share info , are equiped to handle Moby #^&#^&#^&#^& , your odds might be 1000 to one.

Now one guy is a million times more likely to get one that another but its still a 1000 to 1 he'll get one. That is luck but its luck after the odds have ben graetly reduced by know how and time on the water. Now a guy who is on the water every day , does actually catch a 1000 fish a year if he wants so maybe he does get a fifty now and then.


the flip side is that i know 3 brothers who went on a chrater. One brother was learning disabled and he had never caught a striper before. That day , They caught 3 fish over 50 , one of which was caught by the guy who never caught one before and it was a high 60's fish and won the governers award in mass that year ofr the biggest fish. Now that is really lucky!!! :)

It's not for lack of trying I'll tell you that, for me personally.

I respectfully disagree. Most people are content either just getting a bite or just getting decent/quality fish but a lot of them are not willing nor do they have the determination to target big fish consistently. When they realize they just spent X amount on gas & time the 'excusitis' automatically kicks in and they tell themselves ' I should have went to x place at least I would have got a #20 or #30'. I know for a fact that some guys catch a lot more fish then others#50's included but the fish and the fisherman go under the radar. Bigfish...yeah 15 or 20 are recorded but a lot more are caught and them guys are doing something different. I've always believed some people just learn from their mistakes and move on while others don't, not just with fishing but with everything. People are habitual, they pound the same spots over and over while others think outside the box and eventually find what they're looking for.
I think some of what you say is true. In all the time I spent in the surf I never caught a 50 and never was in the company (except for Bill last year in the boats) of someone who landed a 50.
Did I fish the right places? You bet. I fished the Back when it was Striper heaven. I fished the Block in the 80s when big fish were there. I fish Napatree in the 70s and 80s when big fish were there. I never saw a 50 taken. Right places. Right tides. Right conditions. No 50.
I had nights on the Back when we had 10 or 12 high 40s between 3 of us. I fished the Block in the 80s when we had a lot of 40s up to 49. No 50s
It all comes down to luck hooking the fish. Now, it takes skill to land the fish and fight the good fight. But no one can tell me that they caught a 50 because they didn't want to hook the 48 swimming next to it. That's my only point. You don't know which fish will take the bait.

Luck, fate and pushing yourself to fish as hard and often as you can all play a part. It's a fornula really.

I detest golf but there is a saying in golf that I totally belive in it goes like this," your only as good as the people you play with" which translates into fishing as seek out the best fishermen, the ones who consistently produce. Choose your method, live bait, plugging, trolling whatever. Seek advice form the ones who highline more often than not and listen to them. If eventually invited to share time on the water with them keep your mouth shut and eyes and ears open. Most importantly don't betray thier trust in you.

Luck. I don't care what they say, no matter how good you are, having the biggest fish in the school take your plug or bait has a bit of luck to it. I had a guy with me by request of his father in 1978 on Nauset Beach. He had never caught a bass befiore in his life. He was a really skilled trout & Salmon angler but as far as saltwater surfcasting and Stripers he had never ever been there done that.

We headed out on to the the and track and just south of Pochet I saw fish in the curl illuminated by the seeting sun behind backs. I stopped the truck, puuled one of my rods out of the front rack and handed it to him while I snapped on a Pink 7 inch Super Windcheater Rebel for him to use as the lure.

On his very first cast he hooked and landed a 53 pound bass. I managed a 38 pound fish. Luck, pure and simple.

My biggest bass weighed in at 49 pounds and 9 oz. I caught the fish the night before at 7 in the evening on a sand eel rig off of a Dennis bay side beach. It was noon the next day when I weighed it at Old Harbor fish in Chatham with several others I was selling. It might have gone fifty but it is what it is when it is weighed.

Some very well known legendary bass anglers never broke fifty though they fished almost daily in season. Fate.

Keep positive thoughts, don't ever go by someone else's report of fishing the day or night before and spend as much time in locations at known times of the year where historically big fish are taken, then grasshoppers, you may find what you seek.

Then again, enjoy every fish you catch, they are all gifts and who knows how long you will have the chance to do so?

Indeed Flap. That's also the point I'm making. I could care less whether I get a 50. I love fishing pure and simple. Bass, be them schoolies or 40s. Blues, whatever. I just thank God that he continues to grant me the ability to fish.:humpty:

paul you dont know which fish takes the bait, but you can adapt your techniques to target the bigger fish in the school. You'll catch less, but you will cull out the smaller ones. Im happy with the mediums to larger ones, not the biggest. :D

Also, if your a dope like me and shun bait in any form now to pursue my goals with plugs only, your handicapping yourself. I know it but I accept it as I beleive the personal reward or feeling of accomplishment will be greater when and if it happens on a plug rather than bait.

Now, if only the fish would come back to the beach like they did in the 70' and 90's.

kill the seals. :devil:

Lots of good stuff here, gents. And though i've only got a couple of seasons under my belt, i'd like to chime in ~based upon what i've read, heard from seminars, talked to area sharpies about, and what the surf and the species have taught me in such a short time.

I believe that Trophy Hunting consists of three inextricable parts:

Part I:The Physical and Technical/Scientific Aspect of Landing Lahhhhge

Acquiring the skills sets and putting in the time to; learn the right conditions, the COW locations, the proper bait/lure, the habits and strategies of Large, and the ability to put in the time to get to that level of Trophy Hunter is the hardest part of this pursuit and requires the most work. This is the most critical aspect of Big Gurl success and requires the most knowledge and technique, since we all know that they don't get BIG without knowing some things about being hooked and getting themselves unhooked. I have lost 3 definite 50's and at least one 60, from the NShore surf, do to my own googanity. But each time i learned something i'll never repeat and I now know where and when to be where to put myself into the position for consistently LAHHHGE stripers.

Part II: The Mental and Psychological Aspect of Trophy Hunting

Once you've accomplished Part I, it's all about the mind set. Ask any of the area's sharpies or read their works and, to an angler, the response will be "Yes, I was targeting this 50, 60, 70#'er!" The drive to stay focused and driven to hunt Cows, FIRST AND FOREMOST, separates those of us who are out to catch anything from the anglers who land 50's and up often. This mental part of The GAME has everything to do with how you approach your time/window, spot/producer, plug/bait, striper/COW efforts in the surf.

In the infamous words of a Striper Coast legend "Are you content to just "catch" and will stay for 2 hours of schoolies to perhaps thirties or even forties '....until my arms could crank no more and it was a BLAST!!'? Or, do you want a 50lber plus bad enuff that you are willing to walk away from QUANTITY to land QUALITY?" Those aren't my words, but I subscribe to Crazy Al's Trophy Hunting Philosophy when it comes to putting yourself into the position to land lahhhge consistently, and not just once ~which could be counted as LUCK or happenstance!

Part III: The Sixth Sense or Artistic Aspect of the Big Gurl Dynamic

Ahhhh, yes.........................and the mystery ensues. This is my favorite part of the whole and just as important, imho, as the other two is the innate ability to find fish. It is probably my strongest suit and what drives me to the surf with a "perceived" advantage. Please don't misunderstand my point, i don't mean to sound arrogant or self-satisfied, but one thing that i've always been able to do is to ~find the fish, hence the moniker. And i know that i'm not alone! How many of us out there have that buddy that always hooks up? I've met several guys from the other site who share the same blessing.

Bill Nolan recently stated, "I'd rather be lucky than good, everytime I'm on the water."

Now, we all know that he has the skills (Part I), we all know that he targets BIG Stripers (Part II), and we've heard more than one person say that Billy Bunker/#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& has fishing in his blood (Part III). With some surfcasters it is luck, with still another set of them it is part of who they are and what they bring to the water within them combined with "preparation meeting opportunity".

Additionally, there is that sixth sense, or "feel", aspect to our pursuits that is intangible, yet very real for those who are "tapped in". In Pro Sports, they refer to being "in the zone". Why are TFB and RTM so freagin' GOOD? Hard work and preparation, YES! Unbelievably blessed, intangible abilities, that are perfectly suited to the supernatural performance of their position and the ability to draw on those intangibles and employ them at will, ABSOLUTELY!

The hardest part of this sport we love is to incorporate all three aspects into one, and to do so night in and night out. I think that it has far less to do with excuses, cannot be strictly managed by science, and no matter how often i hook a COW i still have to apply the right amounts of all three to take my level of experience to the next level of Sharpie, a consistent Trophy Hunter/Catcher.

Will multiple 50's be landed each year with our species in the midst of a resurgence? YES!!
More importantly, this year WILL be my year.......................will it be YOURS :heybaby: :heybaby: :heybaby: ???

Also, if your a dope like me and shun bait in any form now to pursue my goals with plugs only, your handicapping yourself. I know it but I accept it as I beleive the personal reward or feeling of accomplishment will be greater when and if it happens on a plug rather than bait.

Now, if only the fish would come back to the beach like they did in the 70' and 90's.

Boy, isn't that the truth. In some ways the early and mid-90s were even better than the 70s. maybe not for size but for quantity of big fish. We had some night at the Second Rip with George Calzone Chucky, Stevie Mills and some of the NY crew where I witnessed hundreds of 25 to 35# fish caught during one tide.

Lots of good stuff here, gents. And though i've only got a couple of seasons under my belt, i'd like to chime in ~based upon what i've read, heard from seminars, talked to area sharpies about, and what the surf and the species have taught me in such a short time.

I believe that Trophy Hunting consists of three inextricable parts:

Part I:The Physical and Technical/Scientific Aspect of Landing Lahhhhge

Acquiring the skills sets and putting in the time to; learn the right conditions, the COW locations, the proper bait/lure, the habits and strategies of Large, and the ability to put in the time to get to that level of Trophy Hunter is the hardest part of this pursuit and requires the most work. This is the most critical aspect of Big Gurl success and requires the most knowledge and technique, since we all know that they don't get BIG without knowing some things about being hooked and getting themselves unhooked. I have lost 3 definite 50's and at least one 60, from the NShore surf, do to my own googanity. But each time i learned something i'll never repeat and I now know where and when to be where to put myself into the position for consistently LAHHHGE stripers.

Part II: The Mental and Psychological Aspect of Trophy Hunting

Once you've accomplished Part I, it's all about the mind set. Ask any of the area's sharpies or read their works and, to an angler, the response will be "Yes, I was targeting this 50, 60, 70#'er!" The drive to stay focused and driven to hunt Cows, FIRST AND FOREMOST, separates those of us who are out to catch anything from the anglers who land 50's and up often. This mental part of The GAME has everything to do with how you approach your time/window, spot/producer, plug/bait, striper/COW efforts in the surf.

In the infamous words of a Striper Coast legend "Are you content to just "catch" and will stay for 2 hours of schoolies to perhaps thirties or even forties '....until my arms could crank no more and it was a BLAST!!'? Or, do you want a 50lber plus bad enuff that you are willing to walk away from QUANTITY to land QUALITY?" Those aren't my words, but I subscribe to Crazy Al's Trophy Hunting Philosophy when it comes to putting yourself into the position to land lahhhge consistently, and not just once ~which could be counted as LUCK or happenstance!

Part III: The Sixth Sense or Artistic Aspect of the Big Gurl Dynamic

Ahhhh, yes.........................and the mystery ensues. This is my favorite part of the whole and just as important, imho, as the other two is the innate ability to find fish. It is probably my strongest suit and what drives me to the surf with a "perceived" advantage. Please don't misunderstand my point, i don't mean to sound arrogant or self-satisfied, but one thing that i've always been able to do is to ~find the fish, hence the moniker. And i know that i'm not alone! How many of us out there have that buddy that always hooks up? I've met several guys from the other site who share the same blessing.

Bill Nolan recently stated, "I'd rather be lucky than good, everytime I'm on the water."

Now, we all know that he has the skills (Part I), we all know that he targets BIG Stripers (Part II), and we've heard more than one person say that Billy Bunker/#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& has fishing in his blood (Part III). With some surfcasters it is luck, with still another set of them it is part of who they are and what they bring to the water within them combined with "preparation meeting opportunity".

Additionally, there is that sixth sense, or "feel", aspect to our pursuits that is intangible, yet very real for those who are "tapped in". In Pro Sports, they refer to being "in the zone". Why are TFB and RTM so freagin' GOOD? Hard work and preparation, YES! Unbelievably blessed, intangible abilities, that are perfectly suited to the supernatural performance of their position and the ability to draw on those intangibles and employ them at will, ABSOLUTELY!

The hardest part of this sport we love is to incorporate all three aspects into one, and to do so night in and night out. I think that it has far less to do with excuses, cannot be strictly managed by science, and no matter how often i hook a COW i still have to apply the right amounts of all three to take my level of experience to the next level of Sharpie, a consistent Trophy Hunter/Catcher.

Will multiple 50's be landed each year with our species in the midst of a resurgence? YES!!
More importantly, this year WILL be my year.......................will it be YOURS :heybaby: :heybaby: :heybaby: ???

GREAT POST!!!!!!

Forget all the over anaylizing...Just fish hard, fish right, and let the chips fall where they may....Like paul said it should be first and foremost fun, thats why we do it , because we love to fish plain and simple...You can never force it to happen.....it will happen when it happens if it happens..First however is the enjoyment of fishing..:cheers2:

We all have opinions and are strong advocates for our ways and aproaches to fishing...I enjoy the back and forth...But in the end...I guess everyone seeks something different from the sport...Fishing is what you make it..Big small whatever....fishing is fun. To each his own..

Dont dwell on getting a fifty...wont get you anywhere....just concentrate on constantly honing your skills and opening new doors...eventually it will pay off:lama:

Listen to each guys advice an use it to your advantage, putting it all together to what works for you....make your own observations...Never be afraid to take chances or try something you may otherwise not....Strive for consistancy first....concentrate on large later

50 lb striped bass. Thats a lifetime fish.

Think I woulda gotten a few last year, but I took Eddy out and he jinxed me.

If luck is involved I say "Always put yourself in the best position to be lucky". It can happen anyplace - anytime. I may have been lucky to have a few take my plugs but after the take there was little luck involved.

I recently had a conversation with a Block regular who in 1982 had a 2500 lb night between two guys - 14 of the bass were better than 50 - from the beach. Even with a possible exageration factor thrown into this account it would still be an epic catch. These guys put themselves into position for this event - right plugs, heavy gear.
Luck? No way.

DZ

Thanks, Paul. I still have many moons to learn from, God Willing and the Good Lord providing, that my health will allow me to do so and take my game to the next level. Right now, I'm just an eager HUNGRY, trying to learn and get better with each and every moon God gives me.

With a huge THANKS, beyond words, that goes directly to the fine legends and sharpies of these very pages. Because of youse guys and yer willingness to share your insights and experiences ~both here and in print~ many of us "lowliners" are on a much faster track to LAHHHGE!!! For that, I will always be grateful, attentive, and :jump: blessed!

If luck is involved I say "Always put yourself in the best position to be lucky". It can happen anyplace - anytime. I may have been lucky to have a few take my plugs but after the take there was little luck involved.

I recently had a conversation with a Block regular who in 1982 had a 2500 lb night between two guys - 14 of the bass were better than 50 - from the beach. Even with a possible exageration factor thrown into this account it would still be an epic catch. These guys put themselves into position for this event - right plugs, heavy gear.
Luck? No way.

DZ

The luck was finding them, then the knowledge to see that something was about to happen in a big way and be ready for it kicked in and that was from expertise and the overwheleming factor of making money. Making money made most of the highliners thier reputation for without the incentive of dollar signs many of these "legenday" nights of 14 bass over fifty would never have happened Never say never to luck as part of it.

I have lost 3 definite 50's and at least one 60, from the NShore surf, do to my own googanity.

while i do not question you, i do question how you are saying they were definate 50's and a 60.. how can you be sure if you never had them on the rocks?

I have had fish on that i thougth were in the high 40's that ended up to be 15 lb blue fish. I had a 50 lb bass on the line once that ended up to be a bath mat :hihi:

Not to sound repetitive but judging by the majority it seems like Luck is the key. The reason why I asked in this thread is because of certain non-fishing related books that I've read one being the 'Power of Positive Thinking'(powerful Faith book) the other 'Think Big'(by Schwartz Ph.D.)

I'm sure there are many more that prove with countless examples of why LUCK isn't all that its cracked up to be, I mean just by reading all of these posts gives you the how to's but that does mean we apply them. I'm not talkin about stepping in chit. We can all agree if we study & work hard we can live better but we don't, instead we bitch that its never enough and work sux...its called excuses. I know there's dam good surf guys who haven't broke #50 and I know some of the same guys who realize this and take to the next level its like listening to an old man say 'wish I could go back 30 years and know what I know now'. If we are decisive about what we want we'll put the odds in our favor where its beating your personal best or reaching reasonable mark.

In a sense we think like kids. My kids will say 'Brady is lucky' we say Iron Mike or Bill N. is lucky. They may be gifted but they did what they had to do to to obtain their goal. If that meant making a deal with the devil than I wouldn't wanna be in their shoes.

Forget all the over anaylizing...Just fish hard, fish right, and let the chips fall where they may....Like paul said it should be first and foremost fun, thats why we do it , because we love to fish plain and simple...You can never force it to happen.....it will happen when it happens if it happens..First however is the enjoyment of fishing..:cheers2:

We all have opinions and are strong advocates for our ways and aproaches to fishing...I enjoy the back and forth...But in the end...I guess everyone seeks something different from the sport...Fishing is what you make it..Big small whatever....fishing is fun. To each his own..

Dont dwell on getting a fifty...wont get you anywhere....just concentrate on constantly honing your skills and opening new doors...eventually it will pay off:lama:

Listen to each guys advice an use it to your advantage, putting it all together to what works for you....make your own observations...Never be afraid to take chances or try something you may otherwise not....Strive for consistancy first....concentrate on large later

Wise words, Bill! Thanks as always. The first part is true, too. I LOVE to fish and have always been appreciative of what winds up at the end of my line. For me the thrill is more in the chase and the hunt, than in the landing of our vaunted prey. Although that is verrrry sweeeet, as you well know! I was directing my post more towards the thread's opening question.

Be that as it may, I do have a question for you. Until you landed your first, of many, 50's weren't you also deeply driven? Your reputation precedes you as one of the hardest rock hoppers of your day. I absolutely agree, that when it is your time, it will be your time. But I also believe, that that FATE/TIME can be influenced by the amount of focus, determination, skills, and opportunity you avail for yourself. The Big Gurls ARE there, and somebody's gonna land them, right?

Not trying to stretch yer stitiches, Bill, it's just that once you've reached the mountain top it's much easier to see the valley below and look across to the other peaks, while helping others in their climb ~as you do/have done to be sure. I do stop to enjoy the climb, I bring my daughter and nephew's to the suds, and love to fish and share the craziness that is this recreation that keeps me sane with fellow anglers; but at this point, individually speaking, i'm still clawing, digging, rigging, and scratching it out on my way to that goal.

And unless i stay focused on the prize, the consistent C&R of multiple BIG-arsed Surftastic FATTIES, and make the sacrifices necessary to reach that lofty pinnacle, then i don't see how else to attain that prize in due time or land the New IGFA World Record Striper, which are just a couple of peaks i've set my sights on................

i know i need more time and better skills, but ya cain't get one without the other and hopefully all three will fall into place, and the climb will reach its summit, soon enuff and with God's speed and wisdom.

Thanks as always for your words and your advice. You sound good, although i doan think riding green, seal-looking llamas was part of your rehab process. Take it easy, bro :bl: :bl:.

[QUOTE=Goose;560974]Not to sound repetitive but judging by the majority it seems like Luck is the key. The reason why I asked in this thread is because of certain non-fishing related books that I've read one being the 'Power of Positive Thinking'(powerful Faith book) the other 'Think Big'(by Schwartz Ph.D.)

I have to ask, "Don't all of you leave the dock, or go to your spot, knowing in your heart and soul that this fishing experience is going to be
absolutely awesome?" I do. My wife, who knows me better than anyone, can not understand how day after day I can spend hours on the water, yet not sleep at night full of excitement, and constantly believe the next trip will be better than the last. If you answered "No" maybe you might want to skip that day of fishing.

I`ve lost many Striped Bass in the 40 to 90lb range. :smash:

If luck is involved I say "Always put yourself in the best position to be lucky". It can happen anyplace - anytime. I may have been lucky to have a few take my plugs but after the take there was little luck involved.

I recently had a conversation with a Block regular who in 1982 had a 2500 lb night between two guys - 14 of the bass were better than 50 - from the beach. Even with a possible exageration factor thrown into this account it would still be an epic catch. These guys put themselves into position for this event - right plugs, heavy gear.
Luck? No way.

DZ

I agree for the most part DZ. The key thing with guys taking multiple 50's at once is obviously the availability of such fish, regardless of the other factors. In order to get numbers of 50's you need a combination of skill, luck, and available fish. The fact that those big catches don't happen with regularity from the surf is proof that you need the availability. In reality, anyone, and I mean anyone, can catch one 50 and it proves nothing. Guys I know that have taken multiple 50's over a long time span are more than just lucky though.

while i do not question you, i do question how you are saying they were definate 50's and a 60.. how can you be sure if you never had them on the rocks?

I have had fish on that i thougth were in the high 40's that ended up to be 15 lb blue fish. I had a 50 lb bass on the line once that ended up to be a bath mat :hihi:

Good question, Nebe!

I am referring to the last two and 1/2 seasons that i spent in the NE surf, from when I first began until last year when i did get to within a foot or so of the biggest striper i've ever hooked and did see her from head to dorsal/from dorsal to 4th stripe ~head on view/from swish of tail to head and gone to snap my shock leader and be gone, She was massive. i was using big eeeels, right tide and time, and would put her at 60#+.

Same spot previous year, '06, and in the middle of a new moon bite landing 20's to 30's with schoolies, came a lunge in and back under take and hunker down while chunking a pogie head. She did not move, and I did not know how to move her then, or to wait her out, and she shook her shoulders a little bit then opened her big maw and spit my noobily "set" hook having stolen her morsel.

Same spot same year, '06, chunking again big head chunks about a month later. only fiftty or so yards away on the covered side of a huge boulder, new moon the second biggest take and hunker i've ever had in those NSore waters. She took it, shook it, I set up, she hunkered down beneath said boulder, then she began to rub away at the leader....................I kept pressure, that is until my worn leader gave way and i got back the last foot before my spool line started.

The other spot was MBLHD HBR, fall '06, do you remember me asking about using culls for bait or not? Just so happens i caught one chunking macks one nite at the harbour. so i chunked up the tail for chum, thru out the claws for more chum, and saved the head for something hopefully "good" on yer typical chunking set-up. I took a chance, I mean i HAD read "On the Run" ;).

Within two-three minutes the biggest and most powerful KAWHAM/take i have yet to experience inhaled that head and swam about three feet and hunkered down to an immovable position. the place where i was is loaded with boulders, but it wouldn't have mattered as i hooked the head with supreme googanity and she coughed my offering up once she was aware of the hook. I had rigged the hook in a way that it never would have stuck in her maw.

The only reason I guesstimate the above sizes to be that big, and these are all guesses since I landed neither of them, is i compare them to the monstah i did see this year, and to the several over 30's that i did land this year. the 43''er that i C&R in Sept was dwarfed by the ??60?? that got away that night in the same honey cove about a month earlier. Seriously, they looked like rats compared to the size of this cow. i've also landed bull reds and trophy tarpon in FL and those tugs on body and drag, you never forget!

I have no reason to exagerrate, Nebe, as this place produces BIG fish, often. While our minds in the surf can play incredible tricks, this BIG BEETCH is indelibly etched into my cereberal cortex and will be until i land her twin or her Momma this coming season. And I do know where, when, what, and why she's gonna be there. I just have to remember to let her swim a bit instead of trying to horse her in like some 25#'er. That was my biggest goog with her, i brought her in waaaay, way too green, like me during that fight :fishin:.

Anyways, yer prolly right and i could be way off, but that's what they felt like then and i tend to remember the ones I didn't land moreso than the ones that i bested, because the "ones that got away" have taught me the most :fishslap: :fishslap:.

I'm not that good
I've only been fishing for 5 years
The 40's I've caught have all had empty stomachs
Last year was the first year I seriously fished eels. Prior to that I only used them once or twice a year.
I only fish the surf.
I don't get to fish as often as I would like to.


There are many more reasons but that's all for now.

I'm not that good
I've only been fishing for 5 years
The 40's I've caught have all had empty stomachs
Last year was the first year I seriously fished eels. Prior to that I only used them once or twice a year.
I only fish the surf.
I don't get to fish as often as I would like to.


There are many more reasons but that's all for now.


Accept for the 1st one, Dude you ain't never lied:claps:

When the moment of glory arrives, I would do myself the justice of having the fish weighed on a certified scale. I’ve heard of many guys C and R so called "50's" and I think most, if not all of them are completely full of %$%$%$%$. Many are just looking to seal the deal by using the “formula” or hand scales to cement their rock star status. Show me the slips.:rtfm:

Oh yeah, catch them first and weigh them later is also a good creed to live by. :banano:

A. big lures will take 50s
B. the right gear to put the brakes on the fat girl.
C. Fish at night and know what the heck your doing.
D.Keep a log and fish hard.
E. luck has nothing to do with it. You are a surfcaster and its all skill.

E. luck has nothing to do with it. You are a surfcaster and its all skill.

i think alot of people may disagree on that one......

I`ve lost many Striped Bass in the 40 to 90lb range. :smash:

:hihi:

I have caught and it was luck.

That being said:
Right place right time.
Right bait right presentation
Confidence Confidence Confidence
Right skill level and skill set; not getting "bass" fever and resorting to poor technique(s) rushing the process or taking shortcuts
Being obessesive about your gear being in perfect shape.
Having a place to land it
Knowing what moon phases, places, and tides have produced in the past etc

all these help in the pursuit of the "50"

shy away from boats

closed out of areas that had produced their share of 50s

didn't fish enough in the 80s

gave up using eels

when bunker used to be within snagging distance, I did not know then what I know now

shhhhh......I have seen Luds out on a boat before.....


BassDawg,
first off, fishing with a cull as bait is totally illegal.
Second, while there have been 50 and even 60# class fish taken in or just outside MBLHD harbor, we haven't had that class around for a while.
Me, I am not convinced that I've ever been around a school with 50 or 60s in the mix, certainly not from shore. This is of course excluding any fish caught in the EEZ ie. Stellwagen, where I have had some bruisers brought to the boat an released.

This year, my goal is to locate fish, catch fish, and hopefully keeping pushing personal bests.

Im wondering why I havent broke 30 yet. I have no excuse. I fish nights, eels, all the right spots. I average 2 trips a week, the more time on the water, the more opportunities there are. I plan all my trips, and don't waste time bs'ing. My time will come.

Me too.26 is the best I can do so far.

Had 40+ fish on but just couldn't make it happen.But you are right,the time will come.

E. luck has nothing to do with it. You are a surfcaster and its all skill.

:smash: :spin:

There just are not many available.

shhhhh......I have seen Luds out on a boat before.....


BassDawg,
first off, fishing with a cull as bait is totally illegal.
that was before I knew any better, and i would NEVER do that now, besides it was thrown in my lap that night.
Second, while there have been 50 and even 60# class fish taken in or just outside MBLHD harbor, we haven't had that class around for a while.
We, meaning YOU and all the people you fish with? This fish damn near took the rod out of my hands and she knew right where to hide and was all over that cull head, bro. Just because you haven't seen them, does that mean that one or two cannot be there? It wasn't exactly the inner harbour as i have never/nor would i fish there ~i was being general with location and it was an outside facing set of reefs and ledges in that general area.
Me, I am not convinced that I've ever been around a school with 50 or 60s in the mix, certainly not from shore. This is of course excluding any fish caught in the EEZ ie. Stellwagen, where I have had some bruisers brought to the boat an released.
Yup, and that is the one that sort of freaked me out tha most, because the rest of the stripers I had caught were runners, sounders, and then they were done. This one was completely different and tucked behind a rock that creates a trough between an outer island type promentory and itself and has a bowl that feeds a sweet dump of water with each set right into the trough that is totally hidden
This year, my goal is to locate fish, catch fish, and hopefully keeping pushing personal bests.
You and me BOTH, my brother!!

Thanks for your viewpoints nightfighter, i just share what i saw and felt from my limited view. I think that the most impressive "LOSS" for me was the big gurl from the MBLHD area. Because she HIT so Heavy and so Hard and moved with such deliberate strength to her hunkering down spot. She was definitely in no hurry and am not quite sure she even knew that she was hooked/not hooked :kewl: :kewl:.

I havent got a fifty because it hasnt been my turn....and may never be...and I could care less. Not that I wouldnt be happy to be so lucky or I dont get pissed when Ive dropped large..... but it is just a number. I manage to get enough big bass to keep me fairly content.

:hihi:


It just does not get any better than this :wave:.

I am really looking forward to doing the seminar at the SW Edge show a week from Saturday...it is all relative to this topic. The talk and chatter here gets me pumped up for this next year and my next oppurtunity to cross paths with a substantial bass.

God I love this fishery!!!!

Because I don't think that it's fish that I'm after.

Bass Dawg - I have no reason to doubt you personally, except that I doubt everyone. I know some very good fisherman. My Dad was one of the best, fished 4 + nights a week for years and has a few 50s , 40s etc . Which were weighed, blessed and photographed.
For you to say "and to the several over 30's that i did land this year. " I can't buy it, unless you are talking inches. Please post some pics to prove me wrong, The best fisherman I know, i know many, would never say they lost 50s and 60s, those are fish of a lifetime and very hard to come by.
I've posted this on here before and I'll say it again. For the average angler -
A 12-18lb bass is 25lbs, a 25-32lb bass is over 40, etc. I've seen it a 100 times.
I've spent 1000s of nights at some of the best spots and I've seen a handful of 30s over the last 8 years. SOme of the absolute BEST fsiherman on this site, caught "several" 30s this year. The very, very, very good ones, MAY have caught 2 30s this year. Sorry man, I can't buy you caught several 30s.

opportunity and or the $Cash$ available to go usually! which isn't to often' but i remain Hopeful as thats all gonna be changing one day
so i have learned to be patient ..................very patient :jester:

i am a Member of S-B to help keep the Dream "ALIVE " :cheers:

Bass Dawg - I have no reason to doubt you personally, except that I doubt everyone. I know some very good fisherman. My Dad was one of the best, fished 4 + nights a week for years and has a few 50s , 40s etc . Which were weighed, blessed and photographed.
For you to say "and to the several over 30's that i did land this year. " I can't buy it, unless you are talking inches. Please post some pics to prove me wrong, The best fisherman I know, i know many, would never say they lost 50s and 60s, those are fish of a lifetime and very hard to come by.
I've posted this on here before and I'll say it again. For the average angler -
A 12-18lb bass is 25lbs, a 25-32lb bass is over 40, etc. I've seen it a 100 times.
I've spent 1000s of nights at some of the best spots and I've seen a handful of 30s over the last 8 years. SOme of the absolute BEST fsiherman on this site, caught "several" 30s this year. The very, very, very good ones, MAY have caught 2 30s this year. Sorry man, I can't buy you caught several 30s.


Jimmy, I agree with some of what you say, especially about guys not knowing what a fish weighs. Years ago I bet a guy $50 at the Charlestown breachway (what a zoo!!) that his "40lb" was 22 or 23#. We took it to Capt. Don's when he was in the old building and it weighed 21. The guy issues a string of profanities you would not believe told Don his scale was off and left without paying up on the bet. As my old and departed friend Lanny use to say "show me the slips".

This is not directed at anyone other than myself.
There's a sad truth to face when you realize that you're not as good, nor do you fish enough spots, when compared to most of the people who have gotten fifties.
I have not gotten a 50 because I have not fished as much as I needed to once I knew what I was doing, and because my methods and repertoire of spots are inferior when compared to most of the people who have caught a fifty.

Buy a boga or similar lipper/weighing tool. Test it for accuracy before using it. That way, even if you want to release your fish you can get a fairly accurate measurment. :kewl:

And why havent I caught a 50: Not enough years of surfcasting (3) and just not good enough yet.

RIJ,
Amen!
I always try and round down when estimating, but am usually within a handful of pounds on fish actually weighed, because without our honor out there we don't DESERVE a 50... hooking and landing a fish of that size wouldn't be lucky, or skillful, it would be a privilege! .

As far as losing 2 50's and a 60... I've dropped a handful of 'big' fish. But how big? Who knows... I remember thinking I was north of 40 at Q one night, and it was a foul hooked bluefish, and a second time at a UDL with PIemma when I snagged 14 lbs of angry blue behind the dorsal... my curse echoed back to gansett from there! :smash:

BackBeach
"I’ve heard of many guys C and R so called "50's" and I think most, if not all of them are completely full of %$%$%$%$. Many are just looking to seal the deal by using the “formula” or hand scales to cement their rock star status. Show me the slips."

I agree; I think the exception is people who have already caught/seen a 50 before, weighed it, and released it (i.e. DZ). Otherwise you're just in RHM status...
show me the slips is right!

Goose, in answering your original question....I don't know why I haven't. I honestly don't think there's a specific nor a cumulative reason why. I don't really believe in luck, but I do believe in God, and if and when He chooses to bless me with a fish of that size, I will be grateful. If I never get blessed with a fish that big, I'll consider myself blessed in many other ways fishing related. I'm sure you know personally, that I'm perfectly content with my time on the water, whether I'm catching or just fishing. Do I dream of catching a 50? :rotflmao:...OF COURSE I DO, who doesn't? Can "Positive thinking" help me reach some goals in my life? ABSOLUTELY! Can "Positive thinking" put a 50 on the end of my line? :hs: If I wish hard enough, will the fish be there? :hs:

How many people on this board have only been fishing 1/2 dozen years or so and already have BIG fish under their belts? Should I be discouraged, jealous, MAD? Are they fishing harder than I have? Are they using a secret lure? Is there a method to this madness?

You can target large and you cannot target large. If you know what you're doing, you know what I mean by that. Putting yourself in the right condition(s), (time/place/tide/bait/etc/etc) will definately increase your odds of catching bigger fish, but that 50#er not only HAS to be there, but also has to choose your offering, once that happens, your skill along with your gear...will help with the rest. That being said, I personally do not always target large. Based on your post, that alone could be the reason why I have not caught my 50. Your opinion - like mine, means nothing. That guy chunking mooshy mackerel on the beach casting 40 feet out in 4 feet of water eating his lunch under the high Sun landing a 50lb. fish tells me more than both our opinions combined.

We all have our favorite spots. There are many reasons why we favor them, whether we've caught our biggest there or because we've caught a lot of fish there or maybe it's a spot that the skunk rarely visits, again...there are a LOT of reasons why we favor spots. However, no matter how much you like that spot, you still can't wish a 50 to be there. If you feel confident that this spot should be a BIG fish spot, fish it hard, fish it often, fish it confidently. Don't let someone tell you that you'll never catch a BIG fish there. Is catching a 50# fish something one wants for himself OR is it the status that one inherits once he has it? Not a question that gets answered honestly I think -

Riddle me this Batman, I went fishing with a friend on his boat. HE researched the spot, put in HIS time, and shared HIS spot with me :love:. One night while we were fishing, the action heated up. My friend landed BIG fish, ALL of his fish dwarfed my fish. I mean he caught fish from 25#s to the HIGH 40# mark, while I caught nothing larger than 30 inches. Let's weigh in the varialbles. He was using eels - I was using eels. He was spot casting to a certain hole - I was casting in the SAME exact hole. Almost like jetty currents, he would cast, get his fish out of the hole and then I would cast and get my fish out of the hole. We were both consistently "hooking up". Technique was almost out of the question as the fish were hitting a specific part of the water column so as the eel sank it got blasted. I believe we were both using braid. How was this possible? How could 2 completely different class fish be in the same hole, and beyond that...why would the larger ones inhale his eel while the smaller ones dined on mine? He joked about picking the larger eels, which I also used ??? Was he reaping the rewards of doing the homework, did the fish Gods know who really deserved the bigger fish versus who was tagging along?? Karma?? It is what it is...and like my friend Clammer says....."Enjoy what you have".

.

The harder you fish , the "luckier" you get....

Goose, in answering your original question....I don't know why I haven't. I honestly don't think there's a specific nor a cumulative reason why. I don't really believe in luck, but I do believe in God, and if and when He chooses to bless me with a fish of that size, I will be grateful. If I never get blessed with a fish that big, I'll consider myself blessed in many other ways fishing related. I'm sure you know personally, that I'm perfectly content with my time on the water, whether I'm catching or just fishing. Do I dream of catching a 50? :rotflmao:...OF COURSE I DO, who doesn't? Can "Positive thinking" help me reach some goals in my life? ABSOLUTELY! Can "Positive thinking" put a 50 on the end of my line? :hs: If I wish hard enough, will the fish be there? :hs:

How many people on this board have only been fishing 1/2 dozen years or so and already have BIG fish under their belts? Should I be discouraged, jealous, MAD? Are they fishing harder than I have? Are they using a secret lure? Is there a method to this madness?

You can target large and you cannot target large. If you know what you're doing, you know what I mean by that. Putting yourself in the right condition(s), (time/place/tide/bait/etc/etc) will definately increase your odds of catching bigger fish, but that 50#er not only HAS to be there, but also has to choose your offering, once that happens, your skill along with your gear...will help with the rest. That being said, I personally do not always target large. Based on your post, that alone could be the reason why I have not caught my 50. Your opinion - like mine, means nothing. That guy chunking mooshy mackerel on the beach casting 40 feet out in 4 feet of water eating his lunch under the high Sun landing a 50lb. fish tells me more than both our opinions combined.

We all have our favorite spots. There are many reasons why we favor them, whether we've caught our biggest there or because we've caught a lot of fish there or maybe it's a spot that the skunk rarely visits, again...there are a LOT of reasons why we favor spots. However, no matter how much you like that spot, you still can't wish a 50 to be there. If you feel confident that this spot should be a BIG fish spot, fish it hard, fish it often, fish it confidently. Don't let someone tell you that you'll never catch a BIG fish there. Is catching a 50# fish something one wants for himself OR is it the status that one inherits once he has it? Not a question that gets answered honestly I think -

Riddle me this Batman, I went fishing with a friend on his boat. HE researched the spot, put in HIS time, and shared HIS spot with me :love:. One night while we were fishing, the action heated up. My friend landed BIG fish, ALL of his fish dwarfed my fish. I mean he caught fish from 25#s to the HIGH 40# mark, while I caught nothing larger than 30 inches. Let's weigh in the varialbles. He was using eels - I was using eels. He was spot casting to a certain hole - I was casting in the SAME exact hole. Almost like jetty currents, he would cast, get his fish out of the hole and then I would cast and get my fish out of the hole. We were both consistently "hooking up". Technique was almost out of the question as the fish were hitting a specific part of the water column so as the eel sank it got blasted. I believe we were both using braid. How was this possible? How could 2 completely different class fish be in the same hole, and beyond that...why would the larger ones inhale his eel while the smaller ones dined on mine? He joked about picking the larger eels, which I also used ??? Was he reaping the rewards of doing the homework, did the fish Gods know who really deserved the bigger fish versus who was tagging along?? Karma?? It is what it is...and like my friend Clammer says....."Enjoy what you have".

.


...and so back to my original premise, there is luck involved. Same spot same bait same line same everything.
I don't care what anyone says. i've done this longer than most of the members of this board have been on this planet. There is luck involved in hooking a 50. The skill in being in the right place at the right time with the right equipment and fighting the fish so you win. The luck is having that one 50 take your plug or eel or bunker or whatever. You cannot determine what size large fish is going to take. You can scale up so you are not targeting schoolies but you can't have a positive effect on a fish at 48 taking and a fish at 50 not taking.

Bass Dawg - I have no reason to doubt you personally, except that I doubt everyone. I know some very good fisherman. My Dad was one of the best, fished 4 + nights a week for years and has a few 50s , 40s etc . Which were weighed, blessed and photographed.
For you to say "and to the several over 30's that i did land this year. " I can't buy it, unless you are talking inches. Please post some pics to prove me wrong, The best fisherman I know, i know many, would never say they lost 50s and 60s, those are fish of a lifetime and very hard to come by.
I've posted this on here before and I'll say it again. For the average angler -
A 12-18lb bass is 25lbs, a 25-32lb bass is over 40, etc. I've seen it a 100 times.
I've spent 1000s of nights at some of the best spots and I've seen a handful of 30s over the last 8 years. SOme of the absolute BEST fsiherman on this site, caught "several" 30s this year. The very, very, very good ones, MAY have caught 2 30s this year. Sorry man, I can't buy you caught several 30s.

last sept when we pulled this one in, I could have swore it was going to be my first 30. 42+ inches and such a great fight!!!. Turned out to be only 25ish. BUT, no way did i think it was 40 according to this logic. When it was posted on here that night I said exactly what the scale read.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/attachment.php?attachmentid=23378&d=1190586579


why havent i caught a 50??? :huh:
don't know...
but i know i love to fish.

I didndt say everyone uses that logic, but many do. Drag that fish out of a beachway and the guys around you will be saying some guy got a forty.
Its not that people intentionally lie, its just that many have not seen 30, 40, 50 lb fish, so they really have no clue.

I agree with you completely on your fish size post, RI Jimmy. In the pantheon of those on this board I'm a slightly below average fisherman who has fished the surf (less frequently than I'd like) for about a dozen years. I have one fish 45 inches, 36#, next biggest probably only about 26-28#. Thats with a lot of hours in over a long time, far from a sharpie but knowing at least reasonably what I'm doing. 35# + fish do not grow on trees, even for the best of fishermen, except for some very special and very infrequent runs of fish that most will look back on as a "lifetime experience."

In my humble opinion, those catching fish regularly above 35#, like more than a couple a season, are the best of the best of the best striper fishermen on the coast. (Congrats to the many of you on this site that are at that level.) Once you make that club, getting a 40 vs a 50 vs the world record is pretty much luck of the draw.

A guy I fish with regularly with has been fishing MA and RI regularly for 30+ years. He catches fish when no one, and I mean no one, is catching. One of those guys who has fishing in his blood, could haul fish out of a bathtub. Best fish ever is 44#.

40 years in the surf. Never caught a 50. Lots of 40s. Never a 50.

My late friend Lanny Gazinni, one of the best commercial rod and reel guys ever. Fish the Back all season for 30 years. Never got a 50.

What the hell is the difference? Getting a 50 is luck more than skill.
No one can honestly tell me that they went out one night with the expressed purpose of catching a 50 and did so.


There's obviously a lot of different types of skill required (finding, catching, and landing) - however Paul's post evidences the fact that a lot of luck is involved as well. If you all knew how often & how hard Paul fished over those 40 years in all the "big-fish" spots without getting a 50 you'd see how much luck is needed. The 50 just never swam by & took his offering ;).

The harder you fish , the "luckier" you get....

ain't that the truth.

These days, at least here on Cape Cod, we have had no real big bait for bigger fish to be enticed to stay here. The herring were plundered by the live line hordes and until last season we only saw peanut bunker each year. So no big bait no big fish to speak of. Yeah occasionally someone will take a fifty but mostly trolling bunker spoons or big tubes but not like the days past. Nothing to hold the big girls here these past ten years or so.

When I was a mate on a charter boat out of Barnstable in 74 we had a blitz on 4th of July where all the boats on Billingsgate went to drifting and casting reverse Atoms because of the vast schools of squid. We had a trip where we took 26 bass, five of which bested fifty pounds. I was gaffing fish and spooling reels left and right for the sports. No squid like back then anymore and no blitzes of big giant bass either. A 30-35 pounder will chase sand eels but bigger than that you need big bait like herring, squid and large bunker.

Maybe with the big bunker returning (hopefully it will continue to increase in numbers of large bunker each year) we may see the chances of hooking up with bigger fish increase as well.

They see the results in Rhode Island, maybe we will see that too here on Cape Cod and your chances will increase as well at a shot at a fifty.

This is a very interesting thread... seems like those that have taken 50s don't consider it luck - and those that have not taken a 50 would like to get lucky.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& has taken many great fish CONSISTANTLY from shore and boat. I consider him one of the very best out there but I'm a little disappointed to find out he's just lucky. In my opinion he'd only be lucky if a 60 hit his empty pogy snagger while trying to catch bait.

Maybe we all have a different definition of luck?

Could we be mistaking luck to meaning:
Good fortune
Fate
Destiny
Accident
Chance
a fluke
good break

DZ

These days, at least here on Cape Cod, we have had no real big bait for bigger fish to be enticed to stay here. The herring were plundered by the live line hordes and until last season we only saw peanut bunker each year.

Don't be surprised if you don't see many macks this year either.

Heres a part of Gloucester Im not proud of.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=182977&start=1

I take luck to mean "being in the right place at the right time". After that, it's up to the person fishing to be able to make the fish bite, set the hook, and then fight it to get it in. Not much luck involved in those things. Being prepared is probably the most important thing to bringing in a huge fish. If I was targeting 50#ers, I would make sure I had the right gear (including checking knots nad checking line frequently), the right bait or lure, and the right mindset to handle a fish like that. I wouldn't fish for a big fish without having a plan as to how to get it to the shore or into the boat, either. I think with the rush to get our lines into the water when the fish are biting, many of us fail to prepare or plan correctly to handle the "big one" if she crosses our path. And above all else, the more time you put in, the better your chance of being in the right place at the right time.

This is a very interesting thread... seems like those that have taken 50s don't consider it luck - and those that have not taken a 50 would like to get lucky.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& has taken many great fish CONSISTANTLY from shore and boat. I consider him one of the very best out there but I'm a little disappointed to find out he's just lucky. In my opinion he'd only be lucky if a 60 hit his empty pogy snagger while trying to catch bait.

Maybe we all have a different definition of luck?

Could we be mistaking luck to meaning:
Good fortune
Fate
Destiny
Accident
Chance
a fluke
good break

DZ

Dennis:
You are missing my point. I didn't say Bill was lucky...you did. I find your post to be condescending.

So perhaps I will put it in simpler terms:

2 guys are fishing side by side with the same everything. No difference with gear, eel, technique and they are 3 feet apart.

2 bass swim by. One is 50# the other is 35#. One guy hook the 50 the other guy hook the 35.

So you tell me. For the guy who hooked the 50 is that Good fortune, Fate, Destiny, Accident, Chance, a fluke, good break or LUCK????

You can call it whatever you want. I call it a good fortune, fate, destiny, chance.....LUCKY BREAK!!!!

What about Karma?

"My name is Jim"

The very, very, very good ones, MAY have caught 2 30s this year. Sorry man, I can't buy you caught several 30s.

That doesn't sound so far fetched to me, to catch several 30's in one night is not that big of a deal...it doesn't happen that often but it does happen sometimes the #er's are far better then that and all the fish went back, do you really believe everyone is lying when it comes that? same goes with exaggerating the pounds or they released 50's...depends on who's saying it. plenty guys release BIG bass, know who your talking to.

Bloo, your riddle..... that is a case of stepping in chit! Although its impossible to predict, had you or your Buddie been there alone and fished the same exact way I believe some of those same big & small fish would have come over the side .
Here's a riddle 4 you...Two poker players get dealt a hand with equal strengths with equal chips with eqaul players, situation is the same. Why does one reach the final table the other doesn't? One's relying on cards to reach the final table the other has game without cards, in other words he understood the game better.
I was on a deer drive a few years go, I would stand and wait for deer and sometimes I would drive,, I never did very well, why, the group I was with knew the woods and I didn't, I relied on luck they knew when to drive and when & where to stand.
Why is it usually the guy who fishes the front in fresh water bass boat catches the most fish? If there's a good spot on a point of rocks why is there a guy always on that spot? In both cases that guy wants to catch more. Those guys are lucky?

That doesn't sound so far fetched to me, to catch several 30's in one night is not that big of a deal...it doesn't happen that often but it does happen sometimes the #er's are far better then that and all the fish went back, do you really believe everyone is lying when it comes that?

no but I questions the source. knowing BDs posts on this site and the "other" site make it very hard for me to believe he has landed several 30s.

RIJ, one thing is certian, there a lot of 'My's' and 'I' in there and that ain't good.:hang::)

http://www.virtualrealityfishing.com/what-is.html





:bs: All fishermen are liars. Some are just better at it than others :uhuh:

Dennis:
You are missing my point. I didn't say Bill was lucky...you did. I find your post to be condescending.

So perhaps I will put it in simpler terms:

2 guys are fishing side by side with the same everything. No difference with gear, eel, technique and they are 3 feet apart.

2 bass swim by. One is 50# the other is 35#. One guy hook the 50 the other guy hook the 35.

So you tell me. For the guy who hooked the 50 is that Good fortune, Fate, Destiny, Accident, Chance, a fluke, good break or LUCK????

You can call it whatever you want. I call it a good fortune, fate, destiny, chance.....LUCKY BREAK!!!!

Paul,
It was not my intent to be condescending and the post was not directed anyone in particular. The problem on these boards is a compliment like I just gave #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& can be turned into a criticism by others.

To answer your question:
The guy who took the 50 may have been doing something diffrent than the guy who took the 35.

I'll give you another example: Say you're an accomplished fisherman. You're on a bridge and bucktailing the shadow lines. You see a monster bass in the shadow and cast your offering at her - she takes - you land her - over 50. I just don't consider that being lucky.

Consider someone has fished for many years and put their time in and has seen 50's caught all around him - but hasn't caught one yet. I may consider them unfortunate but I don't consider the other guys lucky. Maybe they were doing something different.

Paul - please don't consider this personal. It's just how I view things.

DZ

The luck vs skill argument is pretty silly.

Certainly one can catch a large fish with little skill simply because they're lucky. And certainly a skilled fisherman can go home empty because they didn't have enough luck even though they did everything "right".

But the more times you apply your skills, you dramatically increase the number of opportunities to get lucky, as well as have a better chance to leverage that luck into results. So skill or luck can be good, but skill times luck is even better. Regardless it still takes luck.

-spence

OK, I give up. Arguing on the internet is like pissing into the wind: nothing good ever comes out of it and you always end up wet and smelly.

I'll give you another example: Say you're an accomplished fisherman. You're on a bridge and bucktailing the shadow lines. You see a monster bass in the shadow and cast your offering at her - she takes - you land her - over 50. I just don't consider that being lucky.
Wouldn't you be lucky that the bass was there to be seen? Even if someone is highly skilled in selecting where to fish the fish may not always be there.

-spence

Its hard in a thread like this to tread lightly...I certainly do not think It was all luck with any of the fish I have caught..For someone to call it just lucky is an insult to me or just plain ignorance..but again, why go though all the arguing of the point? its just that pointless..Anyone who consistantly puts fish on the beach or in the boat is definatly doing something right...simple as that

Dz, I agree..no matter what you say especially in my case will be twisted...I have no problem with someone calling it luck...it is what it is!

I put myself in positions to get "lucky"

I mention I was lucky or fortunate to catch the fish I have..What else would I say? If I didnt say that I would sound like an ahole, If I say I am good at what I do it would be taken out of context somehow...so its best to be safe and call it luck..However I am no idiot and I certainly know what it took for me to get the fish I have...Lots of personal sacrafice..and lots of learning and obsorbing..Its a journey to be sure...

I consider a 50lb fish a huge acheivement, Putting my personal success aside, It is absolutly something a striper fisherman wants..Just look at this thread??

But again, calling yourself good any invites attacks....so If using the word luck keeps that at bay...fine by me...However I know the work it takes and I am very proud of what I have caught on a personal level....

My absolute best moment was not catching a 60lb fish it was my first 50 from the beach after years of 7 nights a week trying and learning and phyiscally exhausting myself to achevie it..The other fish came from the knowledge I learned leading up to that fish, That one will always be very special to me...The others are awesome but a little more relaxad as to how I felt when I got the first...

If You have a goal it drives you to work harder to get it! Simple as that..My point is , the more you fish the better your odds are because the more you fish the more you learn, the better you get at identifying situations and opertunities that present themselves.

There is no answer to the question "why" for anyone...The mindset should be "when"....Be ready at any moment for it to happen!

Its hard in a thread like this to tread lightly...I certainly do not think It was all luck with any of the fish I have caught..For someone to call it just lucky is an insult to me or just plain ignorance..but again, why go though all the arguing of the point? its just that pointless..Anyone who consistantly puts fish on the beach or in the boat is definatly doing something right...simple as that

Dz, I agree..no matter what you say especially in my case will be twisted...I have no problem with someone calling it luck...it is what it is!

I put myself in positions to get "lucky"

I mention I was lucky or fortunate to catch the fish I have..What else would I say? If I didnt say that I would sound like an ahole, If I say I am good at what I do it would be taken out of context somehow...so its best to be safe and call it luck..However I am no idiot and I certainly know what it took for me to get the fish I have...Lots of personal sacrafice..and lots of learning and obsorbing..Its a journey to be sure...

I consider a 50lb fish a huge acheivement, Putting my personal success aside, It is absolutly something a striper fisherman wants..Just look at this thread??

But again, calling yourself good any invites attacks....so If using the word luck keeps that at bay...fine by me...However I know the work it takes and I am very proud of what I have caught on a personal level....

My absolute best moment was not catching a 60lb fish it was my first 50 from the beach after years of 7 nights a week trying and learning and phyiscally exhausting myself to achevie it..The other fish came from the knowledge I learned leading up to that fish, That one will always be very special to me...The others are awesome but a little more relaxad as to how I felt when I got the first...

If You have a goal it drives you to work harder to get it! Simple as that..My point is , the more you fish the better your odds are because the more you fish the more you learn, the better you get at identifying situations and opertunities that present themselves.

There is no answer to the question "why" for anyone...The mindset should be "when"....Be ready at any moment for it to happen!

Bill, that last sentence should be the close of this thread, that was perfectly said.

I fish with 2 guys here in CT that are as good as just about anyone. They both have been on the water for a couple of decades. Both fish pretty much here in CT with an occasional trip to RI or Cape. One of the guys in particular kicks my arsh regularly. However, the pb of both is around 43 or 44". I think its gotta be mostly because they fish 98% of the time from shore here in western ct. One exclusively uses plugs. Between the 6 or 7 guys I fish with regularly that are what I would consider very good, I know of 5 fish total over 40" from shore locally this past year. One guy whacked a 47" and another dropped one at his feet and it slid back in the water so they didn't get to measure it. According to the 3 guys who saw it it was in the upper 40" range. I had 1 40" fish in Ct this year from shore in maybe 75 trips or so. In 4 trips to the canal I had 3 nights with fish over 40". I think location has alot to do with it. When I lived in mass and fished the canal regularly, the bigger fish were much more common (Not saying 50's...). Location does matter when all else that has been said is equal. I haven't caught em cause I don't have a boat :hihi:

My absolute best moment was not catching a 60lb fish it was my first 50 from the beach after years of 7 nights a week trying and learning and phyiscally exhausting myself to achevie it...


Before you say I'm picking on you, I'M NOT. I am going to use your statement about "achieving" something though. In regards to that day that you caught your first 50...... Since your an experienced 50lb. fish catcher (meaning you experienced it, no pun intended),.... did you do something different that night from the previous year that you think added to you hooking that fish? Or were you just confident about your spot/technique/etc and assumed that someday a big fish would swim by there and if you were there that night, you might have a chance at hooking it? The bottom line is being THERE. This isn't rocket science, ..You guys are missing the point, fishing isn't like weightlifting.....sure you can start off bench pressing 100lbs, slowly you gain strength, next thing you know you're benching 200lbs, and then 300lbs, THIS IS NOT LIKE FISHING. You don't start catching schoolies, then catch high teens, then 20#ers, 30#ers..until you reach 50. There is no achieving anything.

Time on the water increases your odds/luck/chances/karma/whatevertheheCKyouwanttocallit/ -

Here's a question for the board -

Who's odds are better at hooking a 50lb. fish?

A. Some new guy who finds this site, does some DEEP research...buys what he thinks he needs according to his research, heads out to any number of places that have given up large fish in the past, places that are already recorded in history/internet/books...and fishes them 7 nights a week for the entire season.

B. #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& who has decided to only fish on weekends.


Who has a better chance at hooking a 50lb. fish? Keep in mind, I'm using the work "hooking"....not catching, that's where experience comes in.

no but I questions the source. knowing BDs posts on this site and the "other" site make it very hard for me to believe he has landed several 30s.

Finally went back to work today and this thread has generated
grandchildren since yesterday......................Good Stuff, everyone!

Hello, RIJIMMY!
This is true, you don't know me nor do i know you.
So why should you believe me?

More improtantly, and I think more inline with zimmy's previous post,
the question i would ask you is, do you know the SPOT of which i speak? Doood, this spot is stacked! It is very difficult to access, and i am 95% sure that i'm the only one who fishes it from it's rocks. i've seen a few boat guys approach their nooks and crannies that are on its outside, but they cain't get to the honeyholes that lie within. And as often and as HARD as i fish this place, you'd think i would've bumped into somebody in two and 1/2 years????

The definiton of several is; "more than two, but not many". I should have been more clear and said 4, but did not intend to mislead or suggest any more than that. To me the intent of this thread was not what i've caught, or not caught, and it was not my intent to project myself as any "great" angler; but, to speak more about the mojo/luck factor as it applies to me.

It is not my nature to place my abilities above yours, your friends skills, or anyone else that you know have landed 30's and have seen land many 30's last year. i am more interested in offering my perspective and asking questions to improve my knowledge and hone what little skills i do possess :heybaby:. That being said, if i were to ever blindfold you and take you to this treasurecove :spidey:, then i am certain that a surfcaster of your skills and abilities would have landed those that got away and would have surpassed my 4 by now, EASILY!!! This place is that LOADED.

Lastly, I do not own a Bogagrip scale and I do use the C&R formula.

Hey, if LXLXG/800 is good enough for OTW and their Striper Cup, then it's good enuff for me. Unless, of course you have a better way to guesstimate the weight of fish that allows for the girth variance. The place where these beetches hit gains obstacles as the tide drops, making my perch most precarious during the most frequent "bite times"; so, there have been many girls that i have released that have not even been measured and i've had to eyeball and feel their size. And with those fish, that i have not mentioned til now, i will not mention a weight or length since no measuring was done, but they are etched indellibly on the old noggin :D :D.

Also, just so you know i'm not going for "rock star cementment" as you so kindly assume, but i would like to know roughly the size of my bigger catches before I let them swim away to become my daughter's 50, 60, 70#'ers in the years to come, so that's why i like the C&R formula so well. It's quick, easy, and allows me to return our majestic quarry back to her ocean with good results.

THE ONE that i guessed to be a 60#'er, i only mentioned because we are talking about trophy sized fish. Here are some eyeballed, and I do use a tape everyday as a Journeyman Union Ironworker ~LOCAL #7~ Boston, numbers to consider.

From nose to 1st dorsal spike~~23"-25";
From dorsal to third stripe down, head on view/width~~12"-14";
From nose to tail, in a quick swoosh/a couple of jumps~~54"-66".
She snapped a 40# BGame mono shock to 30# PLine mono ~uni to uni knot like it was guitar string in one milisecond after i touched the leader with one tail to nose SWISH of her massive tail............and SHE was gone.

You ARE absolutely right, none of this is exact.
There is no picture, and why even mention it if
i can't PROVE it? I dunno, maybe cause she haunts me
STILL! The curse of a photographic memory!!

Maybe cause i'll "measure" all others by her until
i equal her, or land her MOMMA!!? in your vast experience,
how big do YOU think she was ~given those numbers and images?
i know i'll never forget her, and i know i'll land one bigger this year!

Who has a better chance at hooking a 50lb. fish? Keep in mind, I'm using the work "hooking"....not catching, that's where experience comes in.

"A"......and good point about the experience....there lies the separation....

It is just a number. Be happy you get to go a lot and enjoy. IMO Really isn't that important. To some it is and it is a free country, have at it. I gave up obsessing about hooking only large fish. To be honest I enjoy a 15 lb fish on light tackle just as much. I am in it for the fun most of the time nowadays.

Finally went back to work today and this thread has generated
grandchildren since yesterday......................Good Stuff, everyone!

Hello, RIJIMMY!
This is true, you don't know me nor do i know you.
So why should you believe me?

More improtantly, and I think more inline with zimmy's previous post,
the question i would ask you is, do you know the SPOT of which i speak? Doood, this spot is stacked! It is very difficult to access, and i am 95% sure that i'm the only one who fishes it from it's rocks. i've seen a few boat guys approach their nooks and crannies that are on its outside, but they cain't get to the honeyholes that lie within. And as often and as HARD as i fish this place, you'd think i would've bumped into somebody in two and 1/2 years????

The definiton of several is; "more than two, but not many". I should have been more clear and said 4, but did not intend to mislead or suggest any more than that. To me the intent of this thread was not what i've caught, or not caught, and it was not my intent to project myself as any "great" angler; but, to speak more about the mojo/luck factor as it applies to me.

It is not my nature to place my abilities above yours, your friends skills, or anyone else that you know have landed 30's and have seen land many 30's last year. i am more interested in offering my perspective and asking questions to improve my knowledge and hone what little skills i do possess :heybaby:. That being said, if i were to ever blindfold you and take you to this treasurecove :spidey:, then i am certain that a surfcaster of your skills and abilities would have landed those that got away and would have surpassed my 4 by now, EASILY!!! This place is that LOADED.

Lastly, I do not own a Bogagrip scale and I do use the C&R formula.

Hey, if LXLXG/800 is good enough for OTW and their Striper Cup, then it's good enuff for me. Unless, of course you have a better way to guesstimate the weight of fish that allows for the girth variance. The place where these beetches hit gains obstacles as the tide drops, so there have been many girls that i have released that have not even been measured, but i've had to eyeball and feel their size. And with those fish, that i have not mentioned til now, i will not mention a weight or length since no measuring was done, but they are etched indellibly on the old noggin :D :D.

Also, just so you know i'm not going for "rock star cementment" as you so kindly assume, but i would like to know roughly the size of my bigger catches before I let them swim away to become my daughter's 50, 60, 70#'ers in the years to come, so that's why i like the C&R formula so well. It's quick, easy, and allows me to return our majestic quarry back to her ocean with good results.

THE ONE that i guessed to be a 60#'er, i only mentioned because we are talking about trophy sized fish. Here are some eyeballed, and I do use a tape everyday as a Journeyman Union Ironworker ~LOCAL #7~ Boston, numbers to consider.

From nose to 1st dorsal spike~~23"-25";
From dorsal to third stripe down, head on view/width~~12"-14";
From nose to tail, in a quick swoosh/a couple of jumps~~54"-66".
She snapped a 40# BGame mono shock to 30# PLine mono ~uni to uni knot like it was piano string in one milisecond after i touched the leader with one tail to nose SWISH of her massive tail............and SHE was gone.

You ARE absolutely right, none of this is exact.
There is no picture, and why even mention it if
i can't PROVE it? I dunno, maybe cause she haunts me
STILL! The curse of a photographic memory!!

Maybe cause i'll "measure" all others by her until
i equal her, or land her MOMMA!!? in your vast experience,
how big do YOU think she was ~given those numbers and images?
i know i'll never forget her, and i know i'll land one bigger this year!


:laugha:

Lots of good stuff here, gents. And though i've only got a couple of seasons under my belt, i'd like to chime in ~based upon what i've read, heard from seminars, talked to area sharpies about, and what the surf and the species have taught me in such a short time.

I believe that Trophy Hunting consists of three inextricable parts:

Part I:The Physical and Technical/Scientific Aspect of Landing Lahhhhge

Acquiring the skills sets and putting in the time to; learn the right conditions, the COW locations, the proper bait/lure, the habits and strategies of Large, and the ability to put in the time to get to that level of Trophy Hunter is the hardest part of this pursuit and requires the most work. This is the most critical aspect of Big Gurl success and requires the most knowledge and technique, since we all know that they don't get BIG without knowing some things about being hooked and getting themselves unhooked. I have lost 3 definite 50's and at least one 60, from the NShore surf, do to my own googanity. But each time i learned something i'll never repeat and I now know where and when to be where to put myself into the position for consistently LAHHHGE stripers.

Part II: The Mental and Psychological Aspect of Trophy Hunting

Once you've accomplished Part I, it's all about the mind set. Ask any of the area's sharpies or read their works and, to an angler, the response will be "Yes, I was targeting this 50, 60, 70#'er!" The drive to stay focused and driven to hunt Cows, FIRST AND FOREMOST, separates those of us who are out to catch anything from the anglers who land 50's and up often. This mental part of The GAME has everything to do with how you approach your time/window, spot/producer, plug/bait, striper/COW efforts in the surf.

In the infamous words of a Striper Coast legend "Are you content to just "catch" and will stay for 2 hours of schoolies to perhaps thirties or even forties '....until my arms could crank no more and it was a BLAST!!'? Or, do you want a 50lber plus bad enuff that you are willing to walk away from QUANTITY to land QUALITY?" Those aren't my words, but I subscribe to Crazy Al's Trophy Hunting Philosophy when it comes to putting yourself into the position to land lahhhge consistently, and not just once ~which could be counted as LUCK or happenstance!

Part III: The Sixth Sense or Artistic Aspect of the Big Gurl Dynamic

Ahhhh, yes.........................and the mystery ensues. This is my favorite part of the whole and just as important, imho, as the other two is the innate ability to find fish. It is probably my strongest suit and what drives me to the surf with a "perceived" advantage. Please don't misunderstand my point, i don't mean to sound arrogant or self-satisfied, but one thing that i've always been able to do is to ~find the fish, hence the moniker. And i know that i'm not alone! How many of us out there have that buddy that always hooks up? I've met several guys from the other site who share the same blessing.

Bill Nolan recently stated, "I'd rather be lucky than good, everytime I'm on the water."

Now, we all know that he has the skills (Part I), we all know that he targets BIG Stripers (Part II), and we've heard more than one person say that Billy Bunker/#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& has fishing in his blood (Part III). With some surfcasters it is luck, with still another set of them it is part of who they are and what they bring to the water within them combined with "preparation meeting opportunity".

Additionally, there is that sixth sense, or "feel", aspect to our pursuits that is intangible, yet very real for those who are "tapped in". In Pro Sports, they refer to being "in the zone". Why are TFB and RTM so freagin' GOOD? Hard work and preparation, YES! Unbelievably blessed, intangible abilities, that are perfectly suited to the supernatural performance of their position and the ability to draw on those intangibles and employ them at will, ABSOLUTELY!

The hardest part of this sport we love is to incorporate all three aspects into one, and to do so night in and night out. I think that it has far less to do with excuses, cannot be strictly managed by science, and no matter how often i hook a COW i still have to apply the right amounts of all three to take my level of experience to the next level of Sharpie, a consistent Trophy Hunter/Catcher.

Will multiple 50's be landed each year with our species in the midst of a resurgence? YES!!
More importantly, this year WILL be my year.......................will it be YOURS :heybaby: :heybaby: :heybaby: ???

Good question, Nebe!

I am referring to the last two and 1/2 seasons that i spent in the NE surf, from when I first began until last year when i did get to within a foot or so of the biggest striper i've ever hooked and did see her from head to dorsal/from dorsal to 4th stripe ~head on view/from swish of tail to head and gone to snap my shock leader and be gone, She was massive. i was using big eeeels, right tide and time, and would put her at 60#+.

Same spot previous year, '06, and in the middle of a new moon bite landing 20's to 30's with schoolies, came a lunge in and back under take and hunker down while chunking a pogie head. She did not move, and I did not know how to move her then, or to wait her out, and she shook her shoulders a little bit then opened her big maw and spit my noobily "set" hook having stolen her morsel.

Same spot same year, '06, chunking again big head chunks about a month later. only fiftty or so yards away on the covered side of a huge boulder, new moon the second biggest take and hunker i've ever had in those NSore waters. She took it, shook it, I set up, she hunkered down beneath said boulder, then she began to rub away at the leader....................I kept pressure, that is until my worn leader gave way and i got back the last foot before my spool line started.

The other spot was MBLHD HBR, fall '06, do you remember me asking about using culls for bait or not? Just so happens i caught one chunking macks one nite at the harbour. so i chunked up the tail for chum, thru out the claws for more chum, and saved the head for something hopefully "good" on yer typical chunking set-up. I took a chance, I mean i HAD read "On the Run" ;).

Within two-three minutes the biggest and most powerful KAWHAM/take i have yet to experience inhaled that head and swam about three feet and hunkered down to an immovable position. the place where i was is loaded with boulders, but it wouldn't have mattered as i hooked the head with supreme googanity and she coughed my offering up once she was aware of the hook. I had rigged the hook in a way that it never would have stuck in her maw.

The only reason I guesstimate the above sizes to be that big, and these are all guesses since I landed neither of them, is i compare them to the monstah i did see this year, and to the several over 30's that i did land this year. the 43''er that i C&R in Sept was dwarfed by the ??60?? that got away that night in the same honey cove about a month earlier. Seriously, they looked like rats compared to the size of this cow. i've also landed bull reds and trophy tarpon in FL and those tugs on body and drag, you never forget!

I have no reason to exagerrate, Nebe, as this place produces BIG fish, often. While our minds in the surf can play incredible tricks, this BIG BEETCH is indelibly etched into my cereberal cortex and will be until i land her twin or her Momma this coming season. And I do know where, when, what, and why she's gonna be there. I just have to remember to let her swim a bit instead of trying to horse her in like some 25#'er. That was my biggest goog with her, i brought her in waaaay, way too green, like me during that fight :fishin:.

Anyways, yer prolly right and i could be way off, but that's what they felt like then and i tend to remember the ones I didn't land moreso than the ones that i bested, because the "ones that got away" have taught me the most :fishslap: :fishslap:.

Thanks for your viewpoints nightfighter, i just share what i saw and felt from my limited view. I think that the most impressive "LOSS" for me was the big gurl from the MBLHD area. Because she HIT so Heavy and so Hard and moved with such deliberate strength to her hunkering down spot. She was definitely in no hurry and am not quite sure she even knew that she was hooked/not hooked :kewl: :kewl:.

Finally went back to work today and this thread has generated
grandchildren since yesterday......................Good Stuff, everyone!

Hello, RIJIMMY!
This is true, you don't know me nor do i know you.
So why should you believe me?

More improtantly, and I think more inline with zimmy's previous post,
the question i would ask you is, do you know the SPOT of which i speak? Doood, this spot is stacked! It is very difficult to access, and i am 95% sure that i'm the only one who fishes it from it's rocks. i've seen a few boat guys approach their nooks and crannies that are on its outside, but they cain't get to the honeyholes that lie within. And as often and as HARD as i fish this place, you'd think i would've bumped into somebody in two and 1/2 years????

The definiton of several is; "more than two, but not many". I should have been more clear and said 4, but did not intend to mislead or suggest any more than that. To me the intent of this thread was not what i've caught, or not caught, and it was not my intent to project myself as any "great" angler; but, to speak more about the mojo/luck factor as it applies to me.

It is not my nature to place my abilities above yours, your friends skills, or anyone else that you know have landed 30's and have seen land many 30's last year. i am more interested in offering my perspective and asking questions to improve my knowledge and hone what little skills i do possess :heybaby:. That being said, if i were to ever blindfold you and take you to this treasurecove :spidey:, then i am certain that a surfcaster of your skills and abilities would have landed those that got away and would have surpassed my 4 by now, EASILY!!! This place is that LOADED.

Lastly, I do not own a Bogagrip scale and I do use the C&R formula.

Hey, if LXLXG/800 is good enough for OTW and their Striper Cup, then it's good enuff for me. Unless, of course you have a better way to guesstimate the weight of fish that allows for the girth variance. The place where these beetches hit gains obstacles as the tide drops, so there have been many girls that i have released that have not even been measured, but i've had to eyeball and feel their size. And with those fish, that i have not mentioned til now, i will not mention a weight or length since no measuring was done, but they are etched indellibly on the old noggin :D :D.

Also, just so you know i'm not going for "rock star cementment" as you so kindly assume, but i would like to know roughly the size of my bigger catches before I let them swim away to become my daughter's 50, 60, 70#'ers in the years to come, so that's why i like the C&R formula so well. It's quick, easy, and allows me to return our majestic quarry back to her ocean with good results.

THE ONE that i guessed to be a 60#'er, i only mentioned because we are talking about trophy sized fish. Here are some eyeballed, and I do use a tape everyday as a Journeyman Union Ironworker ~LOCAL #7~ Boston, numbers to consider.

From nose to 1st dorsal spike~~23"-25";
From dorsal to third stripe down, head on view/width~~12"-14";
From nose to tail, in a quick swoosh/a couple of jumps~~54"-66".
She snapped a 40# BGame mono shock to 30# PLine mono ~uni to uni knot like it was guitar string in one milisecond after i touched the leader with one tail to nose SWISH of her massive tail............and SHE was gone.

You ARE absolutely right, none of this is exact.
There is no picture, and why even mention it if
i can't PROVE it? I dunno, maybe cause she haunts me
STILL! The curse of a photographic memory!!

Maybe cause i'll "measure" all others by her until
i equal her, or land her MOMMA!!? in your vast experience,
how big do YOU think she was ~given those numbers and images?
i know i'll never forget her, and i know i'll land one bigger this year!

And the winner of OTW's latest fictional story "The One That Got Away" is.........

I think it goes with out stating I'm a non believer of anything you say/post.

You stated to everyone you were too exciteed and forgot to photo your 30 from earlier last year. Now you want all to believe there were others that were measured L and G. So where are the photo's? You of all people knew you'd be called into question to say it was acomplished again, especially if stated it was done multiple times.

It also amazes me that you of all people continue to bash Mike. He may ezagerate while you fabricate.

As far as your keen/accurate eye and photographic memory based on your measurements that would give that fish a conservative girth of 36-40 inches (actually much more) and that's taking into account an erect dorsal. Do the math, coservatively your're in the mid 100's.

My goal for the winter was to stay off radar and out of stuff like this but your posts are like a train wreck, it can't be helped.

I'll give you this, every year your stories get better and tougher to believe.

It is just a number. Be happy you get to go a lot and enjoy. IMO Really isn't that important. To some it is and it is a free country, have at it. I gave up obsessing about hooking only large fish. To be honest I enjoy a 15 lb fish on light tackle just as much. I am in it for the fun most of the time nowadays.

I'm with the Proffessor :cheers2:

:smokin: :gu: :usd: :huh: :faga:


Ahem...

Why haven't I gotten my 50 yet? In my mind mostly because I couldn't fish hard enough my first 28 years on this planet, due to college away from the Ocean, career building, relationships, etc. And now that for the last 14 years I CAN finally fish hard enough... there are less big girls (on the beach my choice at least) than before the early/ mid '90s it seems! (They gotta be there, to fool them!)


As for the "luck" thing, here's my answer:


There are those in the running for a "50" (from the surf I speak... but most goes for boats too)... & there are those that fish often that yet aren't at all! (Freaky silly big- fish catches aside...)


Those IN the possible "50" game:

1) Choose spots & times & tides & methods & offerings carefully with a "50" in mind only-- never for "action," or schoolies, or Weaks or Blues...

2) Are super- meticulous about their gear in general as been said before often, yes: BUT specifically:

-- they tie impeccable knots... & rigs... & leaders... & hooks... never store- bought for them!! Always the appropriate lb. test for the mission... in new or near- new condition... reliable brands they tested only!

-- they cut back line or leader at the slightest nick (or suspicion of a nick) until no more exists (no matter how far down the spool the "bad" line goes. This is where line capacity of your spool becomes important...)

-- they discard without thinking about it still useable snaps & leaders & hooks that 98% of other fishers would keep on using...

-- they are OBSESSIVE about their hook- sharpening & re- sharpening! (I'm the only one in a line- up catching fish I ever see that takes time to check & resharpen hooks after every fish always! After a hit that didn't hook up even! Doesn't take much to ruin the point on these lessening-in-quality yearly VMCs!)... they know a dull point (esp. on plug trebles) has almost NO chance penetrating the maw of a "50" (or even a 35)... They have a file or hook- hone in easy but dry reach at all times while fishing!

-- they choose their plugs not for pretty looks or even "catching" reputation... rather they choose plugs first & foremost for extra- rugged hardware that will hold up to the vice- jaws of a "50"-- THEN for the other factors like action, color, type & size are considered... (NEVER would they use Storm Shads... or Spro Bucktails for ex... or Mustad 3x Trebles or lesser hooks even... 5" Mambos even scare me-- ever take apart or break a Mambo & see their inside hook- hangers? :yawn: )

3) They will drive great distances when smart/ plugged- in to up the odds of intercepting a "50" at any given week of the season... they will forgo comfort & sleep & other types of "fun"... WHEN they think it's the right time to be on the water...

4) They have "Striper sense..." They seem to have Striper premonitions... They have careful logs or great memories! They can smell good Bass or bait (or not) in the water front of them... or in a general area or not! (Sometimes casting there for hours without a hit still hoping... other times deciding to leave after only a dozen casts!)

No, not literally of course-- just seemingly! This is confidence mostly, as discussed! -- and it's supremely necessary to keeping you going... driving... fishing... to eventually make that meeting with a "50!" Lack of confidence makes staying home comfy & getting a good nights' sleep (& maybe more from the significant other?) seem more inviting! Fact though: some guys just ARE right more often than others when guessing/ making "when & where & how" fishing calls! Knowing that motivates them to stay confident & keep pushing! :walk:

5) They will forgo silly TV shows & stupid movies & stupid clubs & night- spots, just to make sure they're on the water when they should be-- when that "50" might well swoop in! They try their best not to make plans/ social engagements during the "right" Months/ Moons, etc.!

6) (I could go on... but you get the profile by now?) :musc:


The 98.5% of guys who fish a lot but aren't in the possible "50" game (i.e., the ones that don't do pretty much all of the above)... still manage to catch maybe 10% of the "50's" brought in each year-- simply by being "lucky!" (& yes, on the water that day...) That's still a lot of "50s" caught doing everything wrong! :huh:

The guys IN the "50" game though, number at least in the hundreds... & yet only a handful of "50's" (from shore at least... a dozen + total?) are caught every year!

That's one in 300+ odds or more these "in- game" guys are needing to beat, hoping the "luck" factor helps get them get their "50" finally! The best ones then may well fail just because those odds are still so high! That's why lack of a "50," hardly means you're not a great Bass- fisher! :humpty:

The other 98.5% though, are looking at approx. 1 in 100,000 odds to beat! THIS is the role luck plays-- for both groups, & to what extent-- in everyones' goal of landing that elusive "50!" :wid:

And the winner of OTW's latest fictional story "The One That Got Away" is.........
Just three questions ~oh most pompous one!
I think it goes with out stating I'm a non believer of anything you say/post.
What makes you think that i place any value in your opinions of me?
You stated to everyone you were too exciteed and forgot to photo your 30 from earlier last year. Now you want all to believe there were others that were measured L and G. So where are the photo's? You of all people knew you'd be called into question to say it was acomplished again, especially if stated it was done multiple times.
Do you take a picture of every single fish YOU catch large or small, Dave?
And contrary to your belief about my "ones that got away" i don't talk about ALL the fish i catch throughout the year. Nor did i always have a camera with me last year. This year will be different though, as me and my bride, for Christmas, went in on a Stylus790SW by Olympus!!!
It also amazes me that you of all people continue to bash Mike. He may ezagerate while you fabricate.
Once again, unfounded opinion ~unless you were there on any of the nights in question; questionable for you that is, because I was there, i know what i caught, and am in no need of your validation. It does sound like you are in serious need of...........???
As far as your keen/accurate eye and photographic memory based on your measurements that would give that fish a conservative girth of 36-40 inches (actually much more) and that's taking into account an erect dorsal. Do the math, coservatively your're in the mid 100's.
Unless you have a photographic memory, Davey, i wouldn't expect you to understand just how much of a blessing it is. I simply stated that it was a monstah, the biggest striper i've ever hooked, and that those #'s are my best guesses ~you are the person using words like accurate and keen. And i would never presume her to be that big, but anything's possible in this Power Spot!!! And in yer rush to smear and spew, i don't think your following my description to well to come up with a girth that HUGE. I'm talking about 12"-14" across when looking at her face to face, from third stripe to third stripe. NOT, from the dorsal down to the third stripe, there, slipshod!
My goal for the winter was to stay off radar and out of stuff like this but your posts are like a train wreck, it can't be helped.
Did you have a tough year ~in the smurf~ last year, Dave? OOOOPS, is that 4 questions, now 5? Damn, i am such a liar! I really gotta work on that, huh Saint Dave of AZZZZIS,HE!??!
I'll give you this, every year your stories get better and tougher to believe.


WOW, nice hearing from you too, Scooby Doo!
Now...........get back in the Van and get yerself
some more Scooby snacks, will ya!!! :scatter: :gu:

The real secrets to catching 50# stripers are:

Always fish alone and don`t take any photos. Plus always release your trophies.

Go to a few seminars and jaw with some real fishermen then insinuate you are their friends and they are your mentors.

Draw up detailed diagrams of an imaginary area you fish complete with detailed structure you could never see unless you scuba dived. Make sure to make a few marks here and there denoting where the fifties and sixties spend their summers with you.

Always use a catch and release method of measuring imaginary fish.

More to come later in other imaginary installments.

Well said, Le Counts.

There is a confidence, that must accompany the skills sets involved, that does go together with the mojo/luck factor. Some of us have more of one or the other at that "GIVEN" moment, and still fewer of us are able to bring it all together every time. I would wager that even the sharpiest of all Sharpies had a point in their trophy hunting careers that they lost more than they landed??? And i think that it's safe to say, that if one is at the top of their game things could still go wrong, but more often than not those guys do everything right ~hence the term sharpie, consequently more 50+#'ers to their name.

Thanks, Le Counts, well done indeed!

If You have a goal it drives you to work harder to get it! Simple as that..My point is , the more you fish the better your odds are because the more you fish the more you learn, the better you get at identifying situations and opertunities that present themselves.

There is no answer to the question "why" for anyone...The mindset should be "when"....Be ready at any moment for it to happen!

Spoken like a TRUE sharpie and seasoned veteran!
Thanks as always, Bill, your words never disappoint!

The real secrets to catching 50# stripers are:

Always fish alone and don`t take any photos. Plus always release your trophies.

Go to a few seminars and jaw with some real fishermen then insinuate you are their friends and they are your mentors.

Draw up detailed diagrams of an imaginary area you fish complete with detailed structure you could never see unless you scuba dived. Make sure to make a few marks here and there denoting where the fifties and sixties spend their summers with you.

Always use a catch and release method of measuring imaginary fish.

More to come later in other imaginary installments.

:laughs::laughs: this is just getting absolutely ridiculous.

I have always kind of wondered where/why the mystique of the 50 came from. Is it a personal goal you set on your own, or is it because others have made such a big deal of that mark? When you really look at it, 50 pounds is only about 64% of the world record. Who runs in a race only hoping to run faster than a bit over half of the other runners? Why set one's goal so "low"? Is it because it is the low end of what is really an obtainable "big" fish in the grand scheme of things? I think peer pressure has set this goal for others. 50+ pounds is a nice fish, but so is a 20, 30, or 40+. Landing one or two fish over 50 pounds does not make a person any better at this game than anyone else. Consistantly catching fish that are bigger than the local average sets one apart as doing something right. Consistancy is the name of the game here. Many guys on this board do just that, but MANY more do it without anyone even knowing they exist.

I can vividly remember each time I reached another milestone catch in my persuit of striped bass. My first 20+ pounder was huge for me at the time. My first multiple 30+ pound tide was an amazing experience. The first time I broke 40 pounds is forever etched in my memory. My "big girl" night is one that I will never forget, albeit one that some may not hold much stock in as she swam away. But, that was and is a part of what I have set for my personal goals. I am out on a nightly basis for myself and no one else. I don't need slips to make others think I am a great surf fisherman as it is only what I think of myself that matters to me. I have the respect of my peers as a person, and I respect the guys I fish with.

I am not in any way trying to belittle anone else's personal goals. It is not my place, or anyone else's for that matter, to decide what another angler should be shooting for. For me, 50 was never my goal. The different areas I fish have indiviual goals, but my personal goal is 80 or better, been saying that for years. Just remember, you should be out there to enjoy yourself and fill a certain need deep within yourself whether that be taking a break from the grind of life, getting some fresh air, or catching the next world record striped bass.

Awesome stuff, TLap!

And that is my ultimate goal as well, the New IGFA World Record 80#'er!!!! To offer an opinion as to why 50# is so vaunted or referred to, i think it boils down to this. In that, that mark/weight is just that a referrence point. I believe that it is similar to golf and its 0 handicap or becoming a "scratch golfer". In fact, I use that as an analogy frequently when talking to the non-fishing community.

It is only an indicator, to be sure, and does not a fisherman make. However don't we install these markers to somehow measure our selves against others and our own goals? Aren't we all competetive by nature ~in varying degrees? To me, like you, my biggest competitor is myself...............sheet i'm out there to beat me, myself, and eye everytime i set foot on our majestic shores :grins: :grins:.

The real secrets to catching 50# stripers are:

Draw up detailed diagrams of an imaginary area you fish complete with detailed structure you could never see unless you scuba dived. Make sure to make a few marks here and there denoting where the fifties and sixties spend their summers with you.
Or many full and new moon's LOWS recon missions combined with me photographic memory and putting in over hundreds of haunts to burn such a prolific spot into said brain

Funny stuff, as always, Skitts!
Man i must really be getting anal, but
i thought everyone made maps
of their biggest producers and "x" marks the spot
types of stand-here-cast-here type of stuff :cool: :cool: ???

You know when you put your "tongue in cheek" the tongue gets bitten.:humpty:


I think some of you guys are actually jealous of each other. See last ten or so posts. Either way, the guys who posted the last ten or so posts are:laugha:.

I plan to only target 50 and up fish this season, and I plan to only fish in my white Armani dinner jacket :smokin:

It's going to be a great year.

Yes, I do really have one.

-spence

Well said Toby..
Fifty is just a number..
I do what I like, I do alright...Probably better than most.There was this gig a few yrs ago where Sitting on a bunker chunk for nights on end would have brought me one close to 50..I find that boring, sure I target large fish. I like to use lures.Perhaps thats my problem so to say..I really don't care that much about it.There's more to the true measure of a angler than the size of his largest fish..There are the guys who can go out an pull fish night in an night out those are the true anglers.Guys who produce fish larger than the most on a regular basis.Year in an year out.Those are your top anglers IMO...I truley believe my window of oppurtunity for fish 50 or better is very small in the area's available to me here in NJ.Surf caught 50's every year in The whole state only go maybe 1 or 2 per year.If I never land a 50, will my time as a surfcaster be a dissappointment??
No way, Not ever...

Who cares anymore....

How many guys that fished for scup nailed large bass along the Rhody shores...

It's all chit arse luck.... I caught 3 striped bass over 50lbs... and not one of them came from attempting to catch a striper...

One 53lber came off the Frances fleet back in 00 or 01 on a canceled trip for cod the captain decided due to the lack of anglers on ship to make it a scup/seabass trip... LOL... bait clam, gear 4/0 Penn Senator loaded with 80#fusion with a 60# leader, hooks were packacked 7/0 and 8/0 cod hooks with the rubber teaser on the shank, 16oz bank, CMS custom cod rod, 20' of water and i think Ron Arra could have hit us from the Galilee shore line. on clam belly...

Sakonnet tracks in 94 fishing for tog with clam necks I set the hook and thought i was stuck... 30# big game no leader 1/0 j-hook 5oz bank, 10' ugly stick and a Daiwa 7000C, Riverside Marine on the scale 51.5lbs...

Tiverton Bridge... snagging pogies in 92 using my dads boat rod and squidder with 45# squidding line a monster snagger... I hooked a pogie the ball opened and this monster bass inhaled it, pogie and hook deep when i set the hook i killed it because it was just dead weight and when i took it out of the water the tail was going spazzy... Weighted at Manchesters seafood @50lbs 4oz...

all of them Chit arse luck...

:bc: bAssDawg called me names.

As expected all sizzle and no steak. Seems history has a way of repeating itself. After all you are what you are and I say this from first hand account about his credibility and photographic memory.

No jealoussy here and no interest on dragging this out with him either.

Who was T. Lap & myself here jealous of exactly? :confused:


The topic here never was "is the dogged pursuit of a 50 the right way to fish?"...

Nor was it "do you pursue 50s when you fish, or just action/ fun?"

Nor was it, "Boy, many 50's landed are freaky/ lucky catches!"...

Nor was it, "are you not a great Bass Caster if you've not landed a 50?"... etc.


The topic was, "if you (& people generally) haven't yet landed your 50 yet... presuming you are trying/ would like to... what would the reasons be? :btu:


As far as the "inside," petty squabbling which I guess the "jealous" comment was directed at... serious guys like TL & I were ignoring it/ simply staying above the fray? :rtfm: :grins:

put just as much preperation into what you do with the fish after you land it as you do into how to catch it.. You will be scrutinized.

The first thing i would do after catching the next world record would be to call a lawyer.

Who was T. Lap & myself here jealous of exactly? :confused:


The topic here never was "is the dogged pursuit of a 50 the right way to fish?"...

Nor was it "do you pursue 50s when you fish, or just action/ fun?"

Nor was it, "Boy, many 50's landed are freaky/ lucky catches!"...

Nor was it, "are you not a great Bass Caster if you've not landed a 50?"... etc.


The topic was, "if you (& people generally) haven't yet landed your 50 yet... presuming you are trying/ would like to... what would the reasons be? :btu:


As far as the "inside," petty squabbling which I guess the "jealous" comment was directed at... serious guys like TL & I were ignoring it/ simply staying above the fray? :rtfm: :grins:


I have no problem saying I am jealous of one who has the golden horseshoe so far up their ....
U know what I mean...
I am a freak.Like U, I go over all the details.
I put in the time. 50 lbs just has not happened.For me yet....
Look at leptar's post that is Luck off the charts..
Good for him...Am I jealous, sure I am..
Nothin wrong witht that..

I have no problem saying I am jealous of one who has the golden horseshoe so far up their ....
U know what I mean...
I am a freak.Like U, I go over all the details.
I put in the time. 50 lbs just has not happened.For me yet....
Look at leptar's post that is Luck off the charts..
Good for him...Am I jealous, sure I am..
Nothin wrong witht that..


For you Tony its only a matter of time the way you fish to bump into a fifty or over :rtfm:

*********

Leptar that is insane luck! I've heard of Cows caught on bottom with clam before... but usually gobs & gobs, with big baitholder strong hooks! And usually it takes great effort (& a powerful hook- set) to snag a Cow on a live Bunker!-- not always that easy! :humpty:


nib, you'll get yours! If not in Jersey in June... then at R.I./ Block or the CCC or M. or wherever! Maybe not the "50..." but the dream- Bass I'm seeking on a plug as well! :cool:

Because I seem to drop them all the time.

Most of these posts are valid in one way or another, eh? Yes you'd need some luck, but your chances increase exponentially if you're 1. Experienced 2. Right Bait 3. Right Place 4. Right Time/Conditions/weather 5. Right Technique 6. On the water a LOT. There are places that produce giant fish every year. One might want to spend more time there than not doing #'s 1-6. Especially #6.

I'm stuck at 48#. I hope to change that in May... I think doing a lot more of #'s 3 and 6 will help.

There is no answer to the question "why" for anyone...The mindset should be "when"....Be ready at any moment for it to happen!


Agreed.

Fortune favors the well prepared.:agree:

I know why I haven't.

Cuz I suck.

I have 3 over 50 so I dont really worry about it anymore:bounce::bounce::hidin:

50's are overrated anyway..:hidin:

Maybe from behind the :hidin:, they are!

From on the water and in the surf, they are


:jump: :jump: :jump:

I have 3 over 50 so I dont really worry about it anymore:bounce::bounce::hidin:

Remember the Hiddenburg!

Luck and skill, my first 50 is a good example. Hingham harbor, in by the 3A rotary, fishing live pogies just outside the moorings. The livewell as getting low on bait, so I picked up my light Penn spinner with 12 lb mono, snag hook with the barbs filed off and snagged a pogy first pull. Suddenly the line went slack, so I figured the pogy came loose, so I swept the rod to snag another, when I actually set the hook on a 52 lber. First run she stopped just short of the moorings and actually came a foot or more out of the water and shook her head like a largemouth, that was a sight to see I'll tell you.

Experience put me there to fish pogies, luck would have it a 52 decided she'd grab my pogy, luck would have it that she didn't throw that big arse snag hook without barbs when she cleared and shook or it could be argued skill at applying just enough pressure, skill enabled me to play that fish to the boat on an outfit ill equipped for the job.

Next year, same spot 55 lbs, same bait but on a conventional outfit, but it wasn't quite the same rush as the year before. Experience that following year put me their at a similar time, but again luck of the draw there were some big girls there that night.

Time on the water and being ready are key.

Frankly, I feel it is timing. Back in the late 70's and early '80s (thru 84 anyway) taking a 40+ from the surf was pretty common and if you fished half as hard as you did today I bet you could have landed several 50's back then. (looking at my records in 1981 my "average fish for that year was 36#, that is right, AVERAGE FISH from the shore.) Last season it was more like 18#. I am the same guy with better gear and fishing just as often now as then, perhaps more. We have gone thru a long cycle where there were just not that many 50's to catch. It is coming around again and the next 5-10 years look pretty good (again) for catching that trophy fish from the shore. Lets hope for the bait situation to improve coast wide that might help things along.
The problem is (again IMO) that these fish today are "different" fish with different migration paths then in past years. We need to adjust. The bite on Nauset today is nothing like it use to be. That said, I still think that within 5-10 years most guys that fish hard will take a 50 from the shore nearly every season.
Just keep doing what you are doing.