Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating - View Single Post

Crafty Angler · 03-17-2004, 05:45 AM

Hi Chowdahead

- welcome aboard with your first post!

You'll get a lot of info here, some of the guys who are S-B members and post here have been around the block more times than a Good Humor truck. And they're sometimes willing to help a newbie if they think he - or she - is a good person, so you may find a mentor.

That's the coolest part of the game - and this site in particular, guys who are willing to share a little (sometimes more) info with a newcomer who shares their passion for it. In other words, same as it's always been for generations, older guys passing on their knowledge to the next generation.

However, just as in any tackle shop or on the beach or rocks, ya gotta follow some protocols if you want to improve your skills. Be polite. Be respectful of your elders (some of these guys are even older than me and I'm gonna start pooping rust any day now.) Listen and learn and eventually with some exploration on your own you'll start doing okay - most of surfcasting is a lot like work, but the good kind.

The one thing that will turn off a potential mentor will be asking for a good spot right off the bat. That's the lazy man's way out - these guys have worked hard to find them or had it handed down to them from a trusted friend or an older mentor - or they themselves have worked hard and put in a lot of hours to find it on their own. So that's the only thing I'd recommend avoiding in your quest. They don't want to find their favorite spot filled butt to belly-button with others guys waiting for a spot that may only accommodate one or two guys at most. Besides, most of the sharpies you'll find will be loner types protecting the knowledge they earned the old-fashioned way. They worked hard for it.

All that being said, I'll give ya a couple of pointers based on my experience, although I'm not claiming to be a 'sharpie' - I'm just an old guy and I've been doing it for a while.

When fishing for strippers:

1 - Bring a lot of singles and fives, but more singles.

2 - Chum 'em up with the singles, but save the fives for when
you feel like you've got their attention - and don't overchum
with the small stuff either.

3 - If you have been given the spot by an older or wiser sharpie,
don't go and tell every living soul you run into about it.

Good luck, welcome to S-B and lemme know how you make out as the season progresses.

03-17-2004, 05:45 AM	#2
Crafty Angler Geezer Gone Wild iTrader: (2) Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3,397 Blog Entries: 2	Hi Chowdahead - welcome aboard with your first post! You'll get a lot of info here, some of the guys who are S-B members and post here have been around the block more times than a Good Humor truck. And they're sometimes willing to help a newbie if they think he - or she - is a good person, so you may find a mentor. That's the coolest part of the game - and this site in particular, guys who are willing to share a little (sometimes more) info with a newcomer who shares their passion for it. In other words, same as it's always been for generations, older guys passing on their knowledge to the next generation. However, just as in any tackle shop or on the beach or rocks, ya gotta follow some protocols if you want to improve your skills. Be polite. Be respectful of your elders (some of these guys are even older than me and I'm gonna start pooping rust any day now.) Listen and learn and eventually with some exploration on your own you'll start doing okay - most of surfcasting is a lot like work, but the good kind. The one thing that will turn off a potential mentor will be asking for a good spot right off the bat. That's the lazy man's way out - these guys have worked hard to find them or had it handed down to them from a trusted friend or an older mentor - or they themselves have worked hard and put in a lot of hours to find it on their own. So that's the only thing I'd recommend avoiding in your quest. They don't want to find their favorite spot filled butt to belly-button with others guys waiting for a spot that may only accommodate one or two guys at most. Besides, most of the sharpies you'll find will be loner types protecting the knowledge they earned the old-fashioned way. They worked hard for it. All that being said, I'll give ya a couple of pointers based on my experience, although I'm not claiming to be a 'sharpie' - I'm just an old guy and I've been doing it for a while. When fishing for strippers: 1 - Bring a lot of singles and fives, but more singles. 2 - Chum 'em up with the singles, but save the fives for when you feel like you've got their attention - and don't overchum with the small stuff either. 3 - If you have been given the spot by an older or wiser sharpie, don't go and tell every living soul you run into about it. Good luck, welcome to S-B and lemme know how you make out as the season progresses. Last edited by Crafty Angler; 03-17-2004 at 11:17 PM..
	"There is no royal road to this heavy surf-fishing. With all the appliances for comfort experience can suggest, there is a certain amount of hard work to be done and exposure to be bourne as a part of the price of success." From "Striped Bass," Scribner's Magazine, 1881.