How does one acquire respect in the “Angling Society?”

What is the single most important thing in your eyes, that merits someone in the fishing community? I know many die-hards, some of which have caught monster-fish, and some who are still playing the game as hard as they’ve always played it, cow or not. I know I have a certain respect for certain fisherman and was wondering what makes me respect them. Like I said, there are some who haven’t caught that 50, but yet…they still sit high on my podium of great fishermen. Which brings me to the question, WHY?

I ask myself, is it the quantity of fish they’ve caught, is it the stories they’ve told, is it the stories I’ve heard from others about them, is it the amount of time they spend in the surf/water, is it the knowledge they seem to possess, is it because they’ve written an article or book that I can relate to, is it the size of they’re largest catch, is it the diversity they seem to possess in catching many different species, is it tips or comments they’ve made while fishing with me, is it because I always tend to see them near the water, is it because they’re always in the bait shop…I’m sure there are many more reasons to list. I am curious as to how ‘most’ measure their fishermen.

I thought this would make an interesting topic-


Ladies, your included in the term "Fishermen"....so speak up!!

Thats a tough question Bloo. I think that anyone who gives the best effort they can gets my respect.

...Bill, I'm not talking about "respect" as a person. I respect anyone who tries their best too....but it doesn't mean, I merit them a Great Fisherman. It's not an easy question...you really have to look inside yourself...:cool:

Good question.

I respect a lot of fishermen that have put their time in - that's big in my opinion. Honest time at what we do. And have respect for more than a few up & comers but I think with this question I would really need to seperate my respect for the person from the respect for pure fishability.

What's that fishability? Probably the 10% that can practically ALWAYS find good fish. Those that tend to catch more & better consistently than their peers. Not only those with one 50 or more under their belts. Those that are tenacious at this. Those that treat what we do with respect and honor. I would also need to add a little extra for the tenacious, top 10, big fish finding Surfcaster because in my opinion it is FAR more difficult and FAR more challenging to have theat top level of success from the water's edge than from boat.

"I go fishing, I catch nothing. I go to orgies, I catch everything."

I tell ya, I just can't get no respect.

Rodney

squid lips, im very sorry to hear that. im sort of freaked out now.
well anyways i do have my own way of measuring fisherman. first on my list to determining the "respectability" of a fisherman is by looking at his reel. the first thing i look for is too see if its a conventional. if it is they have my respect. this is not true in every case . one evening at plum island i saw a guy cast out his offering with his penn international matched up with a nice lami rod. he then flipped the reel over and began reeling the conventional upside down and backwards. i almost screamed, how much did that guy pay for that reel to use it wrong? not to say that i dont respect people who fish spinners, because i do too when you cant to cast conventional due to weather or other factors.
this is just one of the ways i think that i measure fishermen.

Christian,

Respect is something that is earned, certainly not bought off the shelf of either the local tackle shop, nor Walmart. Lotta dingbats out there with the fat wallet to buy the "right reel" that I wouldn't want to be caught out on the water with. (Though I've had my share on charter).

And when I come to think of it, I have great respect for a couple of people who couldn't catch a fish at the Aquarium!!!

I gotta think on this a bit for a response, but to judge one by their equipment and how they use it might be better positioned a little lower on the priority list.

Just what I see in the rear view mirror. (I made dat mistake before......)

Bloo you picked a tough one , & named many reasons to respect a Fisherman ==Verus REspect because of the kind or quality of the person
myself I like to respect the person & if he fishes all the better ,but that doesn,t answer your question..
respect fisherman==,. by skill? teck? numbers?
I know great fisherman ,but for reasons don,t respect them or maybe the way the fish//
or a great flyrodder/ skill, ties his own flies, etc, is he respected ===to some , not ////all the same with bait fisherman , all his secrets about when ,where, how, yet others feel bait is cheating////
plugging =the same deal
and so on=============
what about the guy that always smoke the fish //but hes a @#$%^&^%, hes a good fisherman but does he have respect//// how about the guys that has paid his dues & no matter what kind of fishing he does/// he knows the when where and hows///
I know tautog fisherman that I respect more than many Striper fisherman // or is it the guy thats willing to go all night in any weather ??
me==its the guy you feel like he earned what he knows the hard way, can adjust to any condition, you wouldn,t want to fish against him // yet would enjoy the opportunity to fish with him if possible// the kind you just KNOW that knowledge bubbles inside of him// & he doesn,t have to open his mouth//////////////// this can continue Saturday //////////////

By the wayI might need some help when I do get a conventional;)

Chrisitan - judging the book by its cover - I wouldn't hold that thinking about the conventional too dear. Granted a lot of good & top anglers use them and they offer a lot of advantage to the surf angler, I do know a lot of top gus that fish spinning and I know a lot of guys on conventional that couldn't catch a cold standing outside in underoos all this week.

Too many people by this gear or that gear trying to look the part then someone strolls up with an old squidder or a green coffee can and put's the high end geared people to shame - happens...

Bloo good - debate. And I don't think it's meant to disrespect anyone, just showing respect of the fisherman not the individual...

Still key to me above all else - putting one's time in and improving as you go along.

I usually Hide from these posts, cuz they make it look all Me Me .Me...
Now Im going to tell You something, I fished My whole life.
cod flounder mostly in single years and then on to more cod and Bass/Blues.
some are born into it. and at some point in time all the time put in will click and then You will boost from there.
I spent a long time fishing the islands as welll as the sands and the canal.
to Me respect is not Jumping on the other Guy when He or she is into fish.
reading maps taking winter road trips and trying new spots when You know damn well that a place You fish is holding.
understanding the Moon and the rise and set of the moon along with the son. as well as when the moon is close or far.
all this stuff takes time and it aint nothing You are going to learn over night.
knowing when to be where and what to throw.
and when the Bass change up, well being able to tell when they do...
I live on the Cape and some nights I will run 70 miles easy and Be into fish all night long. or atleast I will find them.
learning the art of live lining, NOT GUT HOOKING WITH 94150s
eeling is an art and I fair very well at that, Made the doe.
Plugging is another art that will take years to learn.
Being quiet when a beach is hot so it doesnt get worked to death.
and respecting distance on the surf 25 feet next to Me is to close if I dont know You.
respecting others turf.
learning how to hit and run on the sands to keep the numbers going. and for a few older Buds, We still talk the code another art.
keeping Your ears open and becomoing a detective. bait shop is tabboo.
I earned My respect here and know the "crews" in certain areas.
being respectfull and maybe helping a few Guys on the suds to hook up, who sit in the lime light in betwean tides.
keeping an open mind and always on the Hunt for new info.
it took Me a very long time to become consistant through the whole year and when others see that then the respect is there.
Being quiet about the catch is another and sharing Your info in Your circle is always a good thing. if the trust is there.
there will always Be a few that are a cut above the rest. and I strive to be the best that i can.
The eldridge should Be Your Bible and You should have may and june tides and Moon info in Your head and plan of attack.
this Year is going to be a very good Year.....
My 2 Bits
sorry if I sound Like a know it all. But I got My Mind right when Im on the sands, other wise I wouldnt Be a guide....
My 2 Bits
Dave Manzi Cape Cod Guide>)))'>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P.S. You got to Be a little head strong to be good I think, Just dont rub it in.......

phew!!! little tough to answer... but a lotta fun too! good question!!!

first of all...yes, a BIG part comes from whether I respect them as a person...I will admit....there are a few I admire , but dont really "like". ( I guess thats called giving credit where credits due??)

next I would have to say how they treat other fishermen (and I could give a million examples...but I will keep it simple...are they fair? are they considerate???etc..) and I KNOW I am not an expert...I cant and dont expect that..but one thing I cant stand is being treated as inferior because I am female!!! (being "babied" also has its issues too) oh geez! God knows I TRY to be all tough and not let it bother me.....but once in a while one slips through the cracks!!....so yeah...if you respect me that way...I respect you!!!


But the thing that really counts...isnt a name, experience, a history of "the big one"....its PASSION! I have fished with plenty of people....and I have seen lots of excitement or enthusiasm, but only a few have been put in the "passion" Category!! :D when you just look at them and see nothing but grace! totally in their element. Thats when I know they really love to fish..I think they even HAVE to fish or they would surely die!

that kind of commitment , definately gets my respect!

There is an unwritten code of conduct and its interpretation is not fixed. There is no paint-by-numbers explanation for anything in this game – it’s part of the mystique.

With some notable exceptions, most of those who have reputations as big fish catchers fished the pre-moratorium era. And while big fish have never been easy to catch, there are younger surfcasters out there who are great - yet they have they not gotten a 50, simply because there are even fewer now.

Jenny wrote of the passion, and Bassmaster broke it down with respect to technique and fishing protocol.... both are correct. I think a person should have the respect of their fellow anglers simply by being a good sportsman/woman. That should be enough.

i think all i was trying to say was that i think conventional is cooler and I like it better.im bias in that subject.

BTW- i would never -ever- judge someone by the cost of the gear they use. i hope thats not what you guys thought. as long as they catch fish they are high in my book.
im thinking of a better response. this is such a hard question. :)

Not sure. I think a great fisherman is somone who has put in the time and is willing to help someone else learn the techniques that you need to become a good fisherman. I have met quite a few people here who have taken the time to school me on interpreting the conditions, how to present the bait/lure. I have picked up where to go from them as well, but more importantly they have taken the time to teach why to go there tide/current/wind..........

While I respect someone who has the skills to go out and land fish of size on a routine basis, respecting a fisherman is more about people than the fish. I guess that is why we are HERE at Striped-Bass.

Tough question

Easy. Commitment & Knowledge.

Everything else falls in line

I feel that respect for a fisherman should not necessarily be correlated to the amount or size of the fish he catches. For me, it is based on a combination of the angler's respect and understanding of the fish, the environment, and fellow anglers.

I respect the fisherman that fishes for the fishing, not the catching. The catching is merely a reward for the effort. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that I admire any googan out there with a reverence for the beach. The person must catch fish, but it is the attitude that turns the corner for me.

Fishing can be a meditative activity. Standing all alone waist deep in the water in the middle of the night is very akin to some of the mediation techniques of Taoist monks. We've all been there. We start out a little jittery, anxious, maybe even nervous. However, two hours later, you've completely retreated within your mind, calmed, and have developed a link with your immediate environment. You have become part of your surroundings, just another cog in nature. I respect the fisherman that understands that this brush of enlightenment is the true reward of fishing; the fish are merely a by-product of this quest. What is more, the fisherman that has mastered the concept has bought this mastery with years of practice. These experiences have yielded an intense repect and understanding of fishing which, in turn, leads the angler to great success in the sport. Therefore, the fisherman will catch very well in the end, but he knows that it is not the entire justification for doing so. That is the fisherman I respect.

In addition to some of the stuff which has been posted, I really respect a guy with that natural ability to read water, understand structure, knows how to work either tide or current, understands how weather plays a factor, can quickly identify fish behavior and traits that affect feeding and

this is what I really respect, can take all of the above, put whatever gear in his hand is appropriate and start catching whatever is on the table for the day. Could be stripers on the Cape, Blues or Fluke in RI, Spanish Mackeral in the Gulf of Mexico, bonefish in the Keys, crappie in his local pond or smallmouth bass in a canada shield lake.

Yeah there are the guys that are a master of one, but I really admire those that are just plain naturals, who can get into the game quickly regardless of where that game is being played. Someone please pick me up with a spare ticket to the warmest fishiest spot on earth and I'll show you what I'm talking about...no seriously...really...I want warmth:(.

I have to agree with BM ON HIS TIME LEARNING and putting in his time.I LOVE TO FISH THE CAPE BECAUSE THER IS SO MUCH AREA TO FISH AND YOU CAN HAVE YOUR DISTANCE.I think people who respect other fishermen are very important.IF i have to rank fisherpersons then the fly people followed by the baitcasters then the spin surfcasters.regardless of their sucess rate the first 2 are the hardest.i spin so i am not in the fly or baitcast but i respect the degree of difficulty.i will pick up all trash i see and remove it if possible to dispose of it.i just bought a high end spinning reel,but i catch mainly schoolies,so a persons equip is not important to catching stripers to me.i'm older now and i see and look at all the younger guys and they put in the time and catch large.look at this site and see all the people making ther own plugs and rods,these are the people i would have to respect.just my .02

Every good fisherman I know shares certain traits:

They are students of tide, wind, moon and the world around them. Most could give you a better weather forecast than John Ghiorse ;)

They learn how to read water---not just beach structure, but current in places like the canal, inlets, tidal rivers and the like.

You take them to a strange beach they've never seen before, they still catch fish. Based on their being students of fishing.

They fish every chance they get.

They're willing to think outside the box when necessary--I remember #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& scoring big a few years ago by free-drifting fresh squid at the mouth of the narrow river, when eels weren't producing.

When i was a boy i lived closest house to brayton point power plant. Use to fish near the braga bridge (somerset side) for tog. Saw a guy with 3 large weak fish sitting in a lawn chair. Never saw a weak fish before so i asked him about it and he said he caught em on some squid strips. I was about 10 or so, but the guy hooked me up with some squid, large hooks and leaders. Soon I had three weaks myself. I will never forget that day. I remember the fishermen was named john, but i never saw him again. That to me is how you get to be a respected fisherman.

LennyR

when I was a kid I spent summers in South Swansea, ANd the area around the power plant was home, Chit too many great memories to post, add Coles to list//////////////
you live in Fairhaven & your not going tomorrow nite??

you musta fished lees river a few times? Ya many good times there. Pretty much dead there now though.

once they changed the discharge //it was never the same
made alot of $$ there//

that MUd was a/d in Quahogs & never mind between there and the s/e shore of the coles we had to easily dig a flat of clamworms a tide// never forget [the steamers use to be in our way]