To Delve a Little Deeeeper..............

[BassDawg]

within the unending debate,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

let's just say that i do agree (which I don't) that using meat
IS cheating. whether live, fresh, or frozen ~for the purposes of this
discussion~ i'll concede that it takes more angling proficiency to work a LURE,
as opposed to offering our quarry bait.

so, within that side of the equation who's the better angler?

sorry for the two cop-out choices (6 & 7), but they do seem
to figure in. just curious gents, what say you?

[Back Beach]

[fishaholic18]

See, I think it's just the opposite, throwing plugs is easy. Pull one out of the plug bag, tie it on, cast it out, twitch it, pop it, let it sit, retrieve it ect. I've caught many, many good fish on plugs. I think live bait is much, much more of a challenge. Find the bait, catch the bait, transport the bait, in my case, keep it alive, wrestle with the bait to get a hook in it. Cast the bait trying not to let it rip off the hook, work the bait trying to prevent it from tangling in your line. Then there is the patience or touch some call it, of letting the fish inhale the bait before setting the hook. There is a lot more to it than people think. Having been at it for many, many years on both sides, believe me, I have a clue about it. I'm not knocking plugs, I use them too and own a few.....hundred..LOL.. But when there is live bait around, I rather have that challenge.. Carry on and flame away...

[boot man]

Oh Boy! Another opportunity to tell the world my way is the right way and whoever disagrees must be stupid.

It's like everything else to me, "WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT" is the right way to it, whether it's politics, religion, fishing, sports, everything....

I must be getting old and grumpy because I can't take people pushing their OPINION as being the right one anymore. I am not smart enough to talk somene into changing their opinion, so I don't want to play. I'm taking my balls and I'm going home.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

Im a AYC guy most of the time followed by eels. I think the eels give me a bit of advantage. I usually start with the pluggage then try the eels. I think plggin takes a bit more of fine tuning. However just knowing where to fish and how to fish the spot is the part of the equasion that equals the most success. A person can know how to fish all of the above methods very proficienty but if they dont go to where the fish are its gunna be a tough night on the water.

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by boot man

Oh Boy! Another opportunity to tell the world my way is the right way and whoever disagrees must be stupid.

It's like everything else to me, "WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT" is the right way to it, whether it's politics, religion, fishing, sports, everything....

I must be getting old and grumpy because I can't take people pushing their OPINION as being the right one anymore. I am not smart enough to talk somene into changing their opinion, so I don't want to play. I'm taking my balls and I'm going home.

[BigFish]

It comes down to personal preference really. I enjoy using just plugs...wooden ones! Its just what I enjoy!! I have fished eels....did great with them! I have done the cut bait thing....still do on occasion....just a little boring for me! I just get a kick out of fooling a fish into taking a piece of wood! I will disagree with F-18 though...catching fish is not always as easy as just ch#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g the plug in the water! If you have no clue how to work it, how to vary your retrieve speed and to use the action of the rod tip to breath life into the plug....you may catch a fish or two but you will catch alot less than someone who knows how to work a plug! Thats the part I enjoy...foolin' fish with fakes!

Addendum: F-18 knows how to work a plug.....thats my point! Go get um' Dave!

[vanstaal]

[JohnR]

Do what makes you happy, do what challenges you, mix it up every now and then to keep yourself honest.

[Swimmer]

Some nights I like sitting in a comfortable beach chair w/beer in hand after I have cast my bait upon the waters. I like sitting back and looking up at my rod tips, beer in hand, and at the moon at the same time. This type of fishing generally goes well or even better when I am with my brother, because we say the stoopidist god damn things to each other and get a laugh out of it.

Most other times I throw just about anything that I think will catch a fish. More often than not what I am heaving forth into the briny blue is made of wood.

But lets not forget, I go both ways. I flyfish also.........

I fish this way because it floats my boat.

[Tagger]

Do what intterest you .. Not down with the fishing snob tude.. If you chunk ? learn your craft well ,,learn bait patterns,, where,, when you can jig your own,, dig your own snot .. If you become bored move on to something eles.. How about chunking to fly rod . there's a strech ,, I did that ..

[Pete F.]

Whatever smokes your shorts, it's all called fishing. If you're only interested in catchin use dynamite.

[Flaptail]

In conversation one day in a small cluttered fly/tackle shop on Green Street in Worcester many many moons ago, I, as a youngster, asked a gentleman named Frank Woolner what makes the best striper fisherman in his eyes and he told me, "to be really good at Striper fishing you have to know how to do it all, trolling, surfcasting, jigging, leives eels, mackerel, everything, then your a good striped bass fisherman.

[likwid]

noodling

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

In conversation one day in a small cluttered fly/tackle shop on Green Street in Worcester many many moons ago, I, as a youngster, asked a gentleman named Frank Woolner what makes the best striper fisherman in his eyes and he told me, "to be really good at Striper fishing you have to know how to do it all, trolling, surfcasting, jigging, leives eels, mackerel, everything, then your a good striped bass fisherman.

Yup, I agree//

[The Dad Fisherman]

Whatever the Fish Want....

[BassDawg]

PRECISELY!!!

not trying to start anything, no flammage here!

but i do agree with that angle, that the guys who are the best
and the most proficient anglers CAN DO it ALL!!

from meat, to wood, to flies, to dynamite

and, btw, there isn't a wrong answer here, just opinions and thoughts
based on one's perspective. i relish and welcome any and ALL answers.

it's what makes us a diverse and informative community;
not just sum boring clique of single-minded fishbototrons

[Rockport24]

totally agree with the idea that the best guys know how to do it all.
Bottom line though, the BEST guys know how to FIND the fish consistantly, THAT'S what makes a good striperman IMO.
I don't care if you catch them with french fries!

[Raven]

the guy that tries A STRIP of meat on a plug..............

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

In conversation one day in a small cluttered fly/tackle shop on Green Street in Worcester many many moons ago, I, as a youngster, asked a gentleman named Frank Woolner what makes the best striper fisherman in his eyes and he told me, "to be really good at Striper fishing you have to know how to do it all, trolling, surfcasting, jigging, leives eels, mackerel, everything, then your a good striped bass fisherman.

That is the true answer right there. In my profession, there are many people who I call one trick ponies- or in other words, they are only good at making one type of thing- the true master of his craft can make anything-

I wish you lived closer flaptail.. we think alike.

[BigFish]

I am not looking to be the best striper fisherman.......I just want to enjoy it! And I do!

[steve]

When I go striper fishing I like to make the most out of my time on the water which like most everyone out there includes catching a fish or two. That's why I use something that works most of the time. For me live eels, rigged eels and 9" black sluggos work night in and nnight out. All else , particularly artificals, don't work well all the time. It's as simple as that!

[Slipknot]

Jack of all trades, master of none.
That might be me fishing wise, I fish for the thrill of the hunt, the anticipation that on each and every cast I make there could be a cow biting at the end on my line. If I catch fish, it makes it even better. Getting fish from shore is rewarding, getting them on plugs,jigs, or flies is challenging also, even if it's from a boat with live bait or dead, it is still fun trying and better when you find fish and catch them. Different spots, different conditions, time of year, weather all have to do with which method may work to your advantage to give you a better chance at success. I like variety, that is why I don't just fish one way over all others.
The better anglers are the guys who can catch consistently, even when others are not catching, they somehow are able to pull fish out, even if the others are using the same plug or bait. Some guys just have it, if you want to be like that, you'd have to work a lot harder.

[Grapenuts]

One who can and has done it all..I like calling them a "handyman"one who can switch from one method to another and not lose a beat.when one type of fishing gets turned off by zipper lipped fish they turn to another style of fishing...I know a few of these guys and they never ever thought of it as a big deal...learn the trade inside out or get stuck going home skunked more times then catching....what stikes me odd is how many can't read the water...like little dips in beach...one gull at nite alone standing in the wash..a skunk or red fox at the edge of the water...which end of a bar to stand at when the tide is outgoing..a suttle trough in a flat on the incoming....it goes on an on.. gps map on a boat pick a place anywhere..find the underwater bars.points.channels.in any bay.sound or offshore...and you'll find the fish once you learn where they like to hang .. it doesn't change when you change locations....I will agree it won't happen overnite..it'll take countless nites which turns into countless years of hunting to be a good all round fisher... it comes to some naturally..don't dwell on these folks cause it'll drive you hen chitt.

[spence]

Why no option for the fly?

Clearly saltwater fly fishing is much more refined than the techniques mentioned above. In contrast, methods like eels and live pogies are simply gross and plastic and wood lures quite, well, artificial.

I'd say the fly fisherman has this one down for sure. I'm dreaming of the day when we get a Tiverton Orvis.

-spence

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by spence

Why no option for the fly?

Clearly saltwater fly fishing is much more refined than the techniques mentioned above. In contrast, methods like eels and live pogies are simply gross and plastic and wood lures quite, well, artificial.

I'd say the fly fisherman has this one down for sure. I'm dreaming of the day when we get a Tiverton Orvis.

-spence

Oh now just stop it you...

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by spence

Why no option for the fly?

Clearly saltwater fly fishing is much more refined than the techniques mentioned above.

-spence

because most of us are under 80yrs old and hetero??


i knew that you would be able to see the technical side, spence,
and offer a valuable point. mostly i left out saltwater fly fishing because IT IS so much more technically advanced that it would have negated all of the others. also, i consider fly fishermen in a leauge of their own, whether salt or sweet water officianados. them cats are the "creme de la creme", imho.

when i'm MUCH, MUCH older i'll have the fly-tying bench; tons of feathers, hackles, and hooks; and all the time in the world to make clousers dance.....................

THANKS everyone, for taking the time to respond and vote.
Verrrrrry interesting takes on this piece of what we do.
Good Stuff, gentlemen! Sea ya in the surf,,,,,,,,,,,

[chris L]

the only thing hard about fly fishing is setting the hook on the fly in midair flight . everything else is just fishing . some catch better than others but its still just fishing .

best fisherman , no such creature . some catch better than others .

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by BassDawg

mostly i left out saltwater fly fishing because IT IS so much more technically advanced that it would have negated all of the others. also, i consider fly fishermen in a leauge of their own, whether salt or sweet water officianados. them cats are the "creme de la creme", imho.

OK, I'll bite....but what makes a fly fisherman so much more technically advanced than the plug fisherman.

A plug guy is taking a chunk of wood, shaping it, weighting it, testing it, adjusting it, making it dance, and then finally taking large on it.

Not trying to slam fly-guys but I don't see why the perception is that their craft is always considered the creme-de-la creme when it comes to fishing and everything else is "Just throwing something out there"

Its a different method....thats all.

A great fisherman is one that works the hardest at it, knows where to find the fish, and knows what to give them......no matter what the method used is.....and catches consistently

[Saltheart]

Do it all or keep learning until you can.

The fish are out there , each day it takes a little twist to get them. Each week and month maybe something really different but they are there from march to dec and there is a way to catch them each time.