[Got Stripers]

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

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

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

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

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

Tight lines.