Quote:
Originally Posted by Canalman
Um what? 
Fishing the Canal is easy, no one needs a map... all you need is a tide chart and a pencil popper. There are articles detailing how to read the Canal chart dating back to the 1970s and there were probably many more before that.
No one person or one service made the Canal what it is...
WE DID IT... these message boards did it (They do a lot of great things too don't get me wrong  ) but I know several guys in New Jersey who have Canal bikes... and I know they didn't buy a map, they read the boards, got hungry, read an article or two and went to take their piece of the pie. It's fisherman ego that ruins every spot because too many people can't quietly enjoy a good day of fishing--they have to shout it from the rooftops, puff out their chests at every tackle shop they see on the way home, post it on Facebook and, amid the flames and daggers, post it on a board like this one. It's one of the markers of our times. And when you look it, of course the Canal is a good place to fish, it's the biggest fish funnel on the east coast...
-Dave |
I agree 99%. The canal is probably structurally the best location on the east coast to target bass. Anyone can fish it with basic gear and knowledge and have a great time. There is a wealth of "general" information out there, from bike building to reading the water, when the big spring and fall push usually takes place, etc. As you mention, it's all been around for years.
My reply had nothing to do with the link to the story being posted here. I have no issue with comm fishing. As may others have said, it's legal and helps offset the cost of fishing, etc. It was certainly a epic haul and something to be proud of, if that was what they set out to do.
My reply was directed at the amount of information for sale on the other site. Fishing the canal can be easy and fun, if you catch it at the right time. Producing consistent results all season requires putting in lots of time and lots of $$ worth of donated jigs learning the nuances of the place. Exactly how far ahead of the hole to stand or cast at the particular stage of the tide. Knowing how many bounces your jig will make before you have to dump line so it slides down into the hole where the fish really are. I've not come across any book or post that gives up that detail. Seems like from the infomercial I watched, that's what you get, for a fee, from the other site. Maybe not that much detail but that's what it sounded like. There was a quick glimpse of a GGE map with pole numbers and shaded areas in front of it, etc. That's what I don't agree with.
I don't believe the forums are responsible for making the canal what it is, the information posted has done the deed. Kind of like guns don't kill, people do...”Spot Burns” are definitely not cool on most sites. I don’t think anyone here would have wanted you to post where you got your recent 50 (nice fish BTW), but we would all love to know.
If everyone who fished the canal had the information to focus their efforts only on the most productive water, things would be much worse down there. Nothing is more frustrating than watching someone stand on the best spot to fish a hole and have no clue how to do it. I’ve tried to offer help and most often, get an Ahole response like “ I don’t need a guide, thank you”. 10 years ago, you could just move to another spot, but now there’s most likely another guy there doing the same thing.
This is all I was getting at. I can tell from the accolades sent from many members here on your 50, that you too have put in your time. No disrespect meant here - just frustrated that it’s all out there for sale and surprised that more people aren't. #^&#^&#^&#^& hole was a poor choice of words on my part....
Mark