You find most important over all the lessons, tricks, techniques et al you have learned in your striper fishing.

What is your personal "one most important thing"?

retrieve slow then slower

BELIEVE in whats on the end of your line. You will fish it more effectively and by extension, pay attention 100% of the time.

It is only a fish.

Never ever take you eyes off the surf if your rock hopping somewhere dangerous.

2nd is putting something in front of a fish is more important that what plug color/style/ live bait, etc...or in other words whats inside your head that tells you where to go is more important than your gear.

Patience is my #1 Perseverance #2

Learn from your mistakes. Keep an open mind!

time

Striped Bass eat eels.

Remember to have fun. We would all love to catch a 40 or 50 # ever time we go out. But if you put the time in it will come.

The right people can help you greatly.

Remember, every minute out there is a gift, aye, SteveCat?!?:kewl::cheers:

current + structure = fish

Networking......

think like a fish

Lessons learned about eels

Don't let them get loose inside the kayak!:D:D

Save any dead eels. They can be usefull if you run out of live ones

On a night I couldn't make it to the bait shop in time, I remembered throwing a few dead eels on the ground under a tree in my yard a few days before. I used them that night and they worked.

On nights when the blues are ripping them to pieces, half a dozen eels wont last long. Use the pieces or a least save the pieces for when you run out and the stripers eventually show up.

Check all knots is first, sharp hooks second...not a very deep answer. That would be...Patience young Jedi

Confidence in what you're doing.

1st: It's the time on the water that I love, regardless of how many fish I catch.
2nd: Just cause a spot was hot last year at a certain time does not mean it will be hot next year....ever!

Attaching that hidden GPS system to the frame of your 4 x 4 Flap. It might have cost $6000.00 but I saved that much in gas last year.

More seriously time=success. Sometimes that are 100 cast fish, sometimes there is 200 cast fish, and sometimes there is less.

Retreive slowly and pay attention

Learn more about your craft on every outing regardless of the results.

If you are serious and I mean really serious....two things.

Concentrate on what you are doing all the time and pay attention to every detail.

Ask Back Beach what makes Tony C and the late Lanny G so successful. They don't and didn't make mistakes....at all because they concentrated on what they were doing and payed attention to evey detail.

I would have to say it's the piece of equipment between my ears..:grins:
There are times I even surprise myself.
Some might argue to differ..

You don't have to kill a fish to prove you are "The Man".

Concentrate on what you are doing all the time and pay attention to every detail a accident can happen in a moment and a rouge wave can will take you ! i know from experience:rollem:..

make sure its wet before i stick it inthehole of the hook.

The number of nights you put in is the most important factor regardless of your skill level. If you compare fishing to baseball, the following applies:

Say a .500 hitter(fisher) puts in 10 nights and a .250 hitter(fisher) puts in 20 nights....do the math. They would be thoeretically equal in terms of "hits". A .100 hitter would need 50 nights, but would likely exceed the "better" fishermen as his skills would presumably improve with the increased participation level. Keep in mind over the short term these numbers can be misleading, but over many seasons they will prove to be quite true.

When you hear the old addage "put your time in", take homage as its the best advice you could ever receive.There's too many factors involved to pinpoint what will happen and when, thus you need plenty of failures(outs) in order to get the occasional success.

In my mind, if you can catch a good fish from shore once every three trips and thus bat .333, you're doing extraordinarily well.

Good topic Flap. Good to read everyones responses on a cold wintery day.
Probably one or two things for me;

Just when you think you've got Striped Bass all figured out, you really don't.

Get and use the best gear you can afford and go overgunned if anything, because your gear will fail you at the worst possible time.

"the most importent thing" make friends who have planes..lobster boats and comm. fish for bass...they'll tell you when the schools of fish are close enough to shore when your shore fishing.Then hit those spots at nite.

come back in one piece...

It is only a fish.

:exp: are you Insane ? only ?

Live eels produce better quantity and quality bass over plugs 99.999% of the time.

Keep hook in water--long time

be confident in yourself and your methods

Proper preparation prevents poor performance by instilling self confidence.

Check the drag, sharpen the hooks, tie on a new leader, choose the right plugs for the conditions, know what conditions you will encounter, etc..

I always do better and have more fun when I am confident.
Selfdoubt and worry have never lead to a good catch or a good time.

If live pogies are available. get them and fish them.

reliable information.the ocean and bays we fish are huge in size. by knowing charter captians, commercial fishermen, divers,surfers, life guards and anybody else who is on the water on a consistant basis,your odds of finding fish are greatly increased.

Surfcasting has been around a long time, follow in the footsteps of better fishermen :boots:

Have fun and enjoy being alive. Don't get frustrated.

I agree with "putting in your time". Another important thing I did learn the hard way as I was starting out is that daybreak is much earlier than sunrise :o, after missing the bite a couple of days in a row :wall:.

Wind is the most underrated of natural conditions!!!!!!

Its the have the drag set right and how you play the fish to bring them in.

Curly

have a good friend thats a "know it all"that talks, and has a boat..aka flaptail....

Something an old-timer told me years ago that changed my perception in the beginning - rocks are game trails for fish - and they haven't changed very much in hundreds of years...;)

Approach (between the ears).....think (decide/prepare), observe (conditions when you get there), think again, then fish. Kind of like measure twice, cut once. Repeat often!

Just have fun and be glad you're not at work

1. CONFIDENCE
2. learn a handful of spots and fish the piss out of them

It's not all about the catching.

1. A boat.
2. A fishing partner whose company you enjoy.

Have fun and enjoy it.

If you can't enjoy it - find something else to do :alien:

That said - time on the water, time to learn, law of averages, opportunities....

If i could have one thing it would be more & better time on the water...

Think like a fish, it's not like they're all that smart.

That may sound obvious, but I find one of my biggest problems is doing things that don't make a lot of sense simply because of habbit or being lazy.

I'm sure Laptew would agree :uhuh:

-spence

Shut up, listen, and do as your told when in the company of better fisherman.

Breathe in, breathe out, everything else is gravy. Patience and Pay attention.

all serious fishing methods aside, when im out there, i always remember how lucky i am to be doing what i am doing and having a great time

:Dlearning all the right stuff knots/ line /rod/ reels/plugs and how to work them...the fish will come.....with time....being ready was a big step learning how to fish:D

Time on the water and the ability to adjust, not be a one way player.

Enthusiasm only gets you so far.

I asked this question because I don't think there is really "one thing". I have tried over and over in moments of reflection on how and why certain things have or not happened while involved in my favorite recreational activity.

If I had to list the top three though it would be :

a. Confidence in your ability and what you know.
b. Experience you have have had in many differing fishing situations.
c. The determination to succeed, as in life in general, you won't succeed unless you will yourself to do so.

Thanks for all your input and answers, tight lines and many fish in your season ahead.:btu:

Flap

Any time of day is a good bet to catch......as long as its Dark.

"Stay curious" is a saying that you may have heard on the public television commercial. You need to have the inner desire to think about the situation in front of you and come up with a better solution to reach a higher level of success or knowledge. Curiosity is a natural trait and is beneficial in all professions and many areas of life.

The most talented people I have met in the science and engineering fields all have a natural curiosity that motivates them to look around the next corner to uncover the mystery and figure out a solution.

The best fisherman I have met all have an active mind that motivates them to assess the conditions to increase the probability of success. All kept open minds and could engage in conversation with a natural desire to contribute and learn at every oportunity. Without that natural curiosity you will hit a plateau very quickly and become just another grunt fisherman going through the motions that somebody else showed you. The goods ones are always cutting new trail combining knowledge, experience and desire to figure out a better way to get a fish.

"Curiosity killed the cat" is one we've all heard but it also makes for a better and more successful fisherman who will be catching when noone else is.

Ed

Any time of day is a good bet to catch......as long as its Dark.

Experienced anglers realize the "dark" side is over rated.

Experienced anglers realize the "dark" side is over rated.

In my Experience the only time that has worked well for me is 1 hour before Sundown to 1 hour after sunrise....after that I've gotten nada....

and the thread is, after all, what have I learned.

Have fun and make it fun for those with you, it's just fishing and if you get too twisted up about doing it ... why do it?

Fish with mental intensity. be aware of you offering and anything that touches it at all time. no cast and daydream.

Put in your time,as much as possible, persever I guess. Also, patience. If you go, you will learn and you will catch fish in time. Thomcat, you are absolutley correct. Don't ever take fishing for granted if you love it!

"Stay curious" is a saying that you may have heard on the public television commercial. You need to have the inner desire to think about the situation in front of you and come up with a better solution to reach a higher level of success or knowledge. Curiosity is a natural trait and is beneficial in all professions and many areas of life.

The most talented people I have met in the science and engineering fields all have a natural curiosity that motivates them to look around the next corner to uncover the mystery and figure out a solution.

The best fisherman I have met all have an active mind that motivates them to assess the conditions to increase the probability of success. All kept open minds and could engage in conversation with a natural desire to contribute and learn at every oportunity. Without that natural curiosity you will hit a plateau very quickly and become just another grunt fisherman going through the motions that somebody else showed you. The goods ones are always cutting new trail combining knowledge, experience and desire to figure out a better way to get a fish.

"Curiosity killed the cat" is one we've all heard but it also makes for a better and more successful fisherman who will be catching when noone else is.

Ed

Well said, Ed - :kewl:

Staying curious and intellectually active is also a great anti-aging device, too - although some might argue that the difference in my case has been negligible...:hihi:

Well said, Ed - :kewl:

Staying curious and intellectually active is also a great anti-aging device, too - although some might argue that the difference in my case has been negligible...:hihi:

Crafty... being Bi-curious dont count :rude::laughs:

In my Experience the only time that has worked well for me is 1 hour before Sundown to 1 hour after sunrise....after that I've gotten nada....

and the thread is, after all, what have I learned.

Let go of the dark side Luke. Look into the light.

don't just fish, hunt 'em.

Crafty... being Bi-curious dont count :rude::laughs:

Jeeeeeez....this from a guy posting pictures of sea-monkeys wearing lipstick, homo-erotic horses and suspected of having latent flyfishing tendencies...:hs:

Hey, listen, Nebe - with any luck you too will have to address aging issues. I've got several friends who will never have to worry about being a day older than they once were.

Knowing my limits.

Listen to the voices in my head - they know more than I do:spin:

waking up. the rest is gravy

"Stay curious" is a saying that you may have heard on the public television commercial. You need to have the inner desire to think about the situation in front of you and come up with a better solution to reach a higher level of success or knowledge. Curiosity is a natural trait and is beneficial in all professions and many areas of life.

The most talented people I have met in the science and engineering fields all have a natural curiosity that motivates them to look around the next corner to uncover the mystery and figure out a solution.

The best fisherman I have met all have an active mind that motivates them to assess the conditions to increase the probability of success. All kept open minds and could engage in conversation with a natural desire to contribute and learn at every oportunity. Without that natural curiosity you will hit a plateau very quickly and become just another grunt fisherman going through the motions that somebody else showed you. The goods ones are always cutting new trail combining knowledge, experience and desire to figure out a better way to get a fish.

"Curiosity killed the cat" is one we've all heard but it also makes for a better and more successful fisherman who will be catching when noone else is.

Ed

149 posts and I bet most of those are every bit informative as this one. That is why I read or have read all of Ed's posts. He makes sense to me. :btu:
Great post ED!


Flap, I can't think of just one thing either, but I do know this, the fish have to be within casting distance in order to catch them, so you better know where they'll be and when.

Patience!

Patience and the ability to enjoy fishing even when skunked.:fishin:

i agree with alot of you guys but by far the best technique i learned striper fishing is (drifting).

You find most important over all the lessons, tricks, techniques et al you have learned in your striper fishing.

What is your personal "one most important thing"?


Oh, I just had a brainstorm.Can I answer twice..??
Thats easy.Embrace the internet.Books have written off of what has been learned from AlGores wonderland.
:D
All kidding aside.There's ton's of good information here..Seems too much at times.I think the hard part can be weeding through the crap as everyone will have an opinion.After a while you will learn how to separate the sh!te from shinola.There are some really smart ,insightful people willing to share.Information available at the touch of the search button is equivalent to volumes and volumes of books or magazines.If I had this type of information readily available when I was a novice my learning curve would have been greatly abbreviated.Not sure it would have lead me to the same place I am now.
Then again, perhaps thats a message in itself.
So, what was I saying...:sleeps:
That mary jane never really leaves your system..:rotflmao:


What say you Mr.Flap, whats your take on this..??
What where YOU looking for when you started this thread..??

Let go of the dark side Luke. Look into the light.

Every time I "Look into the Light" My boss asks me why am I sitting at my desk day Dreaming.

Now If "The Light" would just give me the winning lottery numbers it would make things a little easier

Oh, I just had a brainstorm.Can I answer twice..??
Thats easy.Embrace the internet.Books have written off of what has been learned from AlGores wonderland.
:D
All kidding aside.There's ton's of good information here..Seems too much at times.I think the hard part can be weeding through the crap as everyone will have an opinion.After a while you will learn how to separate the sh!te from shinola.There are some really smart ,insightful people willing to share.Information available at the touch of the search button is equivalent to volumes and volumes of books or magazines.If I had this type of information readily available when I was a novice my learning curve would have been greatly abbreviated.Not sure it would have lead me to the same place I am now.
Then again, perhaps thats a message in itself.
So, what was I saying...:sleeps:
That mary jane never really leaves your system..:rotflmao:


What say you Mr.Flap, whats your take on this..??
What where YOU looking for when you started this thread..??


Tony, I answered that on page 2 of this thread.:uhuh:
Comin' to plugfest this year?:walk:

I asked this question because I don't think there is really "one thing". I have tried over and over in moments of reflection on how and why certain things have or not happened while involved in my favorite recreational activity.

If I had to list the top three though it would be :

a. Confidence in your ability and what you know.
b. Experience you have have had in many differing fishing situations.
c. The determination to succeed, as in life in general, you won't succeed unless you will yourself to do so.

Thanks for all your input and answers, tight lines and many fish in your season ahead.:btu:

Flap


Oops I must've missed it.Very Zen like,or even kung fu masterish.
Snatch the pebble from my hand.Wax Caa,Sand froor..
Only thing is,,You said one thing...
I think my answer is better.:hihi:

don't just fish, hunt 'em.

As one my mentors always said, "Find out where they aren't."

As one my mentors always said, "Find out where they aren't."

When did I say that?

Go, don't think about it, just go fish

Check the wind.

The most important thing or lesson I learned is get the kids involved early in their life and let them be active participants throughout the whole process/experience. Doing this will teach them respect for the sport and fishery and also engrain the skills in them at an early age. I look forward to this year fishing with my daughter. Although she won't go offshore this year she will be with me fishing for bass.

Pay attention to your surroundings:
Ex:
What's that bird looking at?
Where'd all the gulls go?
What's that smell? Rust?

Just a couple examples of things observed, questioned and acted upon; leading to some great fishing.

Old truths are not always true:

"Fishing sucks during a full moon" Surf fishing during a full bright moon can be great. Just need to adjust by fishing areas that are a little deeper and more current. Helps if the surf is up some. If there is food in the area a bright moon will not keep the fish away. The new moon might be the most productive time but don't miss out on the other times if you have the time to go.

"Other then the fall day time fishing sucks" Surf fishing on bright sunny days can produce nice fish at times other then the fall. Chunking in rocky areas with no people or boat traffic can be productive when the fish are moving North or have settled in for the summer in the Northern areas.

"Chunking is for newbees and old people, doesn't take any skill" Chunking can be extremely productive on big fish if you know what your doing. Walk the outer beaches on the cape at night and you will meet people who really know what chunking is all about.

"You got to hold the rod, miss to many fish with sandspikes and deep hook to many" If you know how to tie a hi/lo rig correctly you will not deep hook fish. While you may miss a few more fish using a sandspike they will mainly be the smaller fish and having two rods will make up for this.

One new one: "Sluggos are as good as real eels" Sluggos are good but as tony the tiger would say "eels are great"