[Fish_Eye]

Here's the latest scoop on Stripers Gone Wild.

I'm working around the clock to try and have the completed project ready for a world premiere on Cuttyhunk this coming Columbus Day.

I've gone through three software upgrades to finally get to an authoring platform that can deliver the best possible quality DVD.

Each upgrade has been a challenge and the new suite of products I'm using makes me feel like I'm working at DreamWorks -- with a learning curve equal to learning how to fly an Apache helicopter.

Couple this with an aggressive shooting schedule that has included filming: former world record holder Captain Bob Rocchetta revealing techniques that have yielded 10 bass over 50 pounds this year; Captain Gary Corsetti, 4-time American Striper Association tournament winner showing tips for chunking up big bass; Captain Skip Stritzinger, 2003 ASA Tournament Trail Winner with very interesting eel techniques in deep water; Captain Jim White put me onto a bluefish blitz that is simply amazing with blues chasing bait right onto the beach; I returned to Glouster and Rockport where I learned how to catch stripers in 180 feet of water with live pollack courtesy of Trevor Gowdy…we also revisited the site where I encountered a school of 75 pound stripers over 25 years ago and then chased bluefin off Provincetown. All this footage will be going into my new DVD presentation at the upcoming shows for 2005.

I even found time to do a shoot for 60 minutes where I documented the world’s only verified pirate treasure. It’s not as cool as seeing big stripers, but pulling up coins from the 16th century and finding cannon balls and musket balls is pretty interesting. Now, for every one of these fantastic shoots, imagine 6 times as many frustrating weather related blowouts. I’ve had the remnants of three hurricanes go nearly overhead – with two in 24 hours off Ptown alone.

I promise everyone it will be worth the wait. I want you folks to replay this DVD more times than a five year old would replay Shrek…and if you love stripers I think you just might burn out your DVD player.

I’m also returning to Cuttyhunk with an extraordinary new lens that is ultra wide angle and zero distortion. It should deliver images that will give you a fish-eye-view of stripers never before seen. Then I’m off to Costa Rica to do the same with roosters, sails, snappers and snook.

This job isn’t easy but it sure does have its moments.

Thanks for being so patient, but if all goes well the finished product should be on the shelves in early November…just in time for the holidays and a surefire way to ease the pain of striper withdrawal.

Mike