Just curious – How many of you are “fish counters”? There seems to be something about striper fishing (all types of fishing for that matter) that makes fishermen count their bass. I’m sure this started long ago when it was easy as all legal bass caught were kept – at the end of a session you could just count them. Not that numbers are important....
When catch and release became popular you had to keep a running tally in the back of your head. I’ve never had a problem not remembering what number I was on – it’s really uncanny. Some nights when I’m stuck on number 9 I may extend my effort for hours just to get number 10 (because I like double figures). I can remember how many bass I took on the November new moon in 1995 (6) but sometimes forget a significant birthday or non fishing event from last week. Selective memory I guess - just one of those funny surfcasting traits that I find amazing. Of course you always meet another counter who took 56 bass last night between 11 and 12. Really?, I say. Do the math buddy.
Do you count?
DZ
DZ
Recreational Surfcaster
"Limit Your Kill - Don't Kill Your Limit"
Bi + Ne = SB 2
If you haven't heard of the Snowstorm Blitz of 1987 - you someday will.
I usually tally the number of fish over 30# as a benchmark for my surf success. From the boat I used to track 40's when I boat fished a lot and there were many fish that size available. One season I had close to 30 fish over 40#'s from the boat back in the early 90's from the Truro area. All sold and weighed, not guesstimates.
What I track each season now is my single biggest fish and best night in terms of numbers of large fish. Everything else is really a blur and I couldn't recall anything accurately. This season has been the season of the 25# fish for me. I can't tell you how many fish I've gotten around that size, but its the most I've ever taken from shore up to this point in the season. 30# and up for me this year I can count on one hand. Still hunting a 40 plus for this season.
It's not the bait
At the end of your line
It's the fishing hole
Where all the fish is blind
Who was the guy who used to do seminars claiming he caught 3,000 bass a season? Can't remember his name now -
Of course, they were all 12" long or so...
"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.
Some nights I keep count most nights I reaslly don't care, as long as evebtually during that tide I fisgured out where and how to take them and actually do manage to land a few my night is made. I find it more satisfying now to go somewhere, try to figure out the best approach, do that and if that doesn't work tweek the plan a bit until the rod goes over with a take. That makes it for me. Don't care how big or how small long as I know I figured out what was what.
Simple minds like mine can't dwell on the numbers game anymore.
I usually keep a rough tally of what we did for the day. Most days though it's not about the fishing so whether it's one or 56 it's always a good day to be outside and enjoy the water.
JoeP counts for both of us.
Seriously, I tend to forget. I rely omn him to remember specifics. I just remember good nights anyways...
Bryan
Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
"For once I agree with Spence. UGH. I just hope I don't get the urge to go start buying armani suits to wear in my shop"
This season has been the season of the 25# fish for me. I can't tell you how many fish I've gotten around that size, but its the most I've ever taken from shore up to this point in the season. 30# and up for me this year I can count on one hand. Still hunting a 40 plus for this season.
That's been my year too, from the boat.....
“Americans have the right and advantage of being armed, unlike the people of other countries, whose leaders are afraid to trust them with arms.” – James Madison.
none
one
a couple
a few
got into some fish
got into some good fish
I can never figure out the exact number if it's over a few or gets busy
Frasier: Niles, I’ve just had the most marvelous idea for a website! People will post their opinions, cheeky bon mots, and insights, and others will reply in kind!
i have a dry erase Totals board in my Striper war room
that i use for a back-up to my basslawgs. i have a spot for
schoolies, keepers, and trophies........
arranged per month, and conditions details get entered
beside the catch info ~as room allows.
have yet to enter a Trophy ~ever,
there's waaaaaaay too many schoolies there,
and ONE flippin' keeper for 2008!!!
i lose track of the schoolies on sum nights,
mostly because they don't matter that much to me.
56 in ONE hour, or one night? if the former, that is just SICK!!
"The first condition of happiness is that the connection
between man and nature shall not be broken."~~ Leo Tolstoy
Who was the guy who used to do seminars claiming he caught 3,000 bass a season? Can't remember his name now -
Of course, they were all 12" long or so...
His initials were DP
I don't count. My log entries, when I bothered to keep one, were "one fish", "a handful", "several", "decent number of fish", or "blitz-like numbers". The last year that I could basically go fishing any time I wanted, 2006, I probably took over 500 fish but that included some fish-every-cast 6 hour Canal tides in October.
I also don't carry a hand scale, I don't measure fish I want to release, and I don't measure clear keeper fish I keep. I only measure the close ones when I'm looking for a meal.
Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools, because they have to say something.
In past years I would lose count however this year I've kept a count that are logged onto the calendar.
DP has given me tips that resulted in my biggest tally count YTD including large keepers.
To bad for me that I don't record the stunkings so that I don't repeat in the future. Well, maybe now I will.
Ditto, same with keeping a log. Try it every year, then loose steam and forget.
Same problem for years. This year I've just put up one of Sandman's calenders and an attached pen next to where I store my gear. When I get home and put stuff away it is just one last step to fill in a cryptic note on how I did. Been working pretty well.
I keep a log, and enter the following info after EVERY outing...
Date, location, tide, the hours I fished, wind, moon, # of fish caught, and length and weight of each keeper. With this info, i can tell how many nights I fished each year, my keepers, and I note patterns so That I can try to repeat it next year... I write down every fish. My top 3 this year from the surf are 43, 35, and 24 pounds... the boat keepers dont mean as much to me... everyone knows a surf bass is more fulfilling than a boat bass... nothing is better.
I do keep track but on some nights it is easier than others. I don't measure them all but if I get a nice one I will.
As far as keeping a log? This year I swore I would. I had one for freshwater and one for saltwater. The last entry for both is sometime in May. If I even knew where they were I would tell you an exact date.
I measure the keepers... Screw trying to lay it down on a rock and dig for the tape... I have a section of an adhesive backed ruler on my rod starting at 28" The butt being zero, so when I get a fish, I put rod to ground and tail of fish to ground... instant measurement. I can eyeball pretty well, but I like to have it... My fishing partners exaggerate so often they have a hard time believing that I dont... they'll catch a 27" bass, say it was 32" and release it quick... I dont like lying to myself. Its funny how easily people will round UP a half inch or pound, but if half a pound is no big deal, why doesnt anyone round DOWN?
Ditto, same with keeping a log. Try it every year, then loose steam and forget.
I stopped keeping a log for a similar reason. Got to be too much of a chore after a night's fishing. Plus I have a near-photographic memory, so I can keep a log in my head.
Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools, because they have to say something.
Counting fish is adding tension to a pleasurable time. Use to do that, by myself, and on vacation. Not anymore. Thew only time I still count them is in my sleep. Every night after I catch that 88 #' er I stop counting though.
Zeno nice blitz pic's.
Swimmer a.k.a. YO YO MA
Serial Mailbox Killer/Seal Fisherman
I never could understand people telling me they caught 40 fish or what ever crazy amount they got, Hell I can't keep count after 3 or 4 especially if I am letting them go. I usually say i got a bunch
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
I had a good biddy of mine yelled at me for not catching 60th one morning.He loves to count ,every single one....one morning we arrived at dawn and by breakfast I tallied up 59 bass on bucktails. He said ,you cant leave till you get 60! Said who? and I walked away... I think that day he had over 120 bass....
Probably a day like this weekend
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