Karl .. .we've never met but I'm sure we'd be good company, I'm glad you enjoy my posts...most don't
On the respect thing...
I understand what you're talking about TLap/...
Just to re-iterate, Respect is a touchy subject. I don't respect a guy because he caught a 50, 60, or 70lb striper......I respect the guy who knows what he's doing and isn't afraid to do what-ever it takes to follow through with his confidence in technique and performance (follow his OWN gut feeling). The guy who still heads out when his normal partner can't. I don't fish to impress anyone, it isn't for merit, it isn't for respect...it's personal full-fillment FOR ME, I actually "jonez" when I don't fish.....I was explaining this to Goose last week when he called me up to fish, with the personal things going on in my life right now I can't just head out for 1 night and be "all set", especially if the fish cooperated....but everyone's different. Goose once made the statement, "you make time for what you want"...unfortunately "what I want" and
what has to happen are 2 different things..it's definately a "state of mind" thing for me.
Also - - - //There are a hand-ful of GREAT fishermen that I highly respect that have not caught a 50..and I'm sure there are a couple of lucky dumm-asses who have caught 50's that I don't think of as great fishermen...and again, there are those who DO know what they're doing, have caught a 50, and I STILL don't respect them, (different kind of respect- I can't stand "show-boaters")...I think someone mentioned somewhere in this 40 page thread (consistency)///that's pretty important too, but some GREAT fisherman still aren't that lucky but I wouldn't take anything away from them. You can't decide what size fish is going to bite your hook, it's as simple as that. You can only put yourself in places where you
think they'll be.
Classifications???///??? Old Guard/New Guard/??/Sharpie/??// Someone's always looking for a title.........fishing wasn't discovered when you or I started doing it. It's been around for a long time.......LLLLOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGG before the internet and WMI dayz. The internet is a good way to bring fishermen together, but what a mixed bunch we are...
