I posted this a few years ago but felt with the heat of the season upon us thought you might enjoy it again. :)

From "Night Tides."

The Striped Bass
---- "no other species evokes the mystique of this extraordinary handsome silver-gold black striped fish.
None is more demanding of both accurate and intimate knowledge of the natural environment.
None is more directly driven by the wind and the tide, by the currents and moon phases by the infinite and subtle mysteries of the sea.
No fish is more challenging to catch. None is more frustrating to pursue.
Striped Bass, most notably the biggest solitary member of the species do whatever they want,whenever they want to.
Consequently few fishermen will sacrifice the countless hours and endless effort that it takes to uncover their secrets and catch them with any degree of consistency.
To do so demands taking a giant step beyond mere commitment, into the realm of obsession. It is a realm that places the quest for striped bass before work, before sleep, beyond warmth, before food, before comfort, before family*, before all."

* personally don't agree.