The Biggest HotHead!!

[BigFish]

I see alot of chatter about a spot, how incredibly crazy busy it can get and all the idiots and Googanoids that show up there to fish!!! Well......I am a confirmed "Hot Head".......quite possibly one of the biggest hotheads around and have had my share of run ins with some real Googanoids over the years! I seem to draw them like flies to both sides of me when I am fishing! Its so bad I have sworn to stay away from certain places on Holiday weekends as it is what is now being called..."The Show"! Well.....I broke my own rule this weekend and went to this particular spot against my own best judgement and I am now going to tell you how it went! I had one of the most pleasant experiences fishing that I have ever had! I showed up early and was the first one there and right at sunrise the people swooped down on me.....and I was fearing the worst! But as the morning moved along and we all got fishing.......I found that the guys on either side of me were very courteous and helpful if needed! We all took care in our casting so as not to cross each other, showed great patience in holding our casts if others were fighting a fish in, and we were helping each other land fish....(some did not have waders on and I for one....was helping others to carefully land their fish)! We were all laughing and cheering each other on and having a great time! The gentlemen to my right I came to find out was named Chris and was from northern California living locally now and it was his first time striper fishing......he was formerly a commercial salmon fisherman! He showed up and I invited him to fish beside me which he did! He had about an 8 foot rod which I thought upon looking at him was a bit small....and his lures were not really suited to fishing the ditch! I was doing well and thought he might be a veteran (it turns out he was not but I thought he might be and I thought it would be nice to give a little back regardless). I was hammering fish on one of my swimmers and he was not doing well on his offerings so I reached into my bag...and gave him 2 of my best plugs to keep and I explained to him how to fish them! On his 3rd cast with one of the plugs I gave him he was doubled over on a really nice fish.......he was laughing and so was I as he battled his first ever striper! I could not have been more happy for him as I watched him fight his fish and as he brought it to shore I offered to help him with it as he did not have waders on! The fish was about 20 pounds and he was just beside himself happy and I do not know which of us was happier for him but he caught 4 more fish at least as big if not bigger on that rod and I was having a ball as was he! I have to be honest with you I do not know what made me happier that morning......the fact that I set a new personal best......or the fact that I helped another fisherman new to the area have a memorable morning on the water! As great as my own success was I have to say it was equalled by watching this gentleman catch fish, after fish, after fish! The guys to my left were hooked up all morning and were alot of fun as well! We all fished together and enjoyed each others success! It was an inspiring morning for sure and one I will not forget for quite awhile! It can be done right......I guess not all the time but I guess if you set yourself aside and try to help the folks near you enjoy the same success....it can be a wonderful experience!

I am BigFish and I authorized this message......believe it or not!

[Jackbass]

Good for you, you made a fan for life.
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[Sea Dangles]

What Larry is trying to say is that he got his PB yesterday,I saw the corpse and it was a slammer! I took my 8 year old and the boy home from college today. Almost came to blows with a local legend who f bombed me on the opening salutation but he understood I was serious about throwing him in the river and regained his composure. Zero strikes,beautiful morning with the boys regardless.Fished the Taunton river this afternoon and I get a lesson from Niko tomorrow.

[tattoobob]

This is great Larry, Congrats on your PB
I call this Instant Karma

[BigFish]

Thanks Bob! Just a great day! Felt good to help others and share a good day! Everyone I came across was quite pleasant and I saw no issues! Also got some awesome GoPro video!!!

Chris....great seeing you as well!

[Poncho]

A gentalman indeed
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[Poncho]

Gentleman
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[Slingah]

Nice story. How big?
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[BigFish]

Shade over 33#.

[Slingah]

Congrats.
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[BigFish]

Thanks Matt! Remember when you met the hot head??

[Hookedagain]

A few years ago I was new to the Canal. Just started the whole surf fishing thing. I had no idea what I was doing down there and figured after reading as much as I could about it I would give it a shot. Guys like Larry do exist. I was not doing well and an older gentleman stopped riding his bike and offered me some help. Maybe no to the extent that Larry did, but nine the less he help get me on the right track. I wish I knew who he was, (Probably one of you guys) so I could thank him. Great story Bigfish. The world needs more people like you.

[Nebe]

When I was a total noob a guy took me under his wing one day and gave me the low down... Told me what ibeas doing wrong, what to use, when to go.. I never forgot him.
It's all about karma .....
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[Slingah]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Thanks Matt! Remember when you met the hot head??

How could I forget!!!!

[wdmso]

Good job bigfish 10 min of help prevented a potential disaster of fighting with the guy over crossed cast's.. and the likes .. But I still can't figure out how to help the guys who have the reel straight up and reel backwards

[johnny ducketts]

I got to fish next to you sometimes larry, nice job! I didn't even wet a line this weekend.
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[Slipknot]

I'm glad you had a good day Hothead.
It helps to have a good attitude to begin with, good for you helping someone out and everyone working together to have fun because that is what it's all about. Congrats on your PB.
It's easy to give up, it takes effort to man up and face the challenges, sometimes you have to approach things a bit different. Then again, sometimes the others messing up your fishing just cannot or will not budge and you wind up go someplace else. It happens.
Good to hear most had a good time.

After Friday and Sat. there for me not catching, I decided to try elsewhere Sunday before dawn as the tide was good, well no love there all I got was windburned, cold and wet. Left after a couple hours of flogging the water and headed to the big river, I got a message guys were bailing fish at a spot east end so I parked and got on my bike, never made it that far east as I saw rods bent and found enough room between guys at an outcropping to my left and a couple fishing to my right who turned out to be Charlie Cinto and his friend Janet who was fishing the canal for her first time, she was tied into a high 20's fish and landed her first canal bass. I managed 3 fish that I took pics of and entered in the gotight tourney, they swam away alive and well. Lost a monster that came unbuttoned on a sebile stik shad Got a couple other shorter fish but it was a good day for me too.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by Slingah

How could I forget!!!!

tell us more
inquiring minds want to know

[JohnR]

Congrats on the PB Larry

Hothead? You? Nahhhhh

[Mojo7]

Nice story Larry we should all take away a lesson from this!

[Raven]

Happy to hear you had a great Day !
congrats on your Personal best....
you deserve it gentle Giant...
as it takes a stronger man to quell
his anger than to embrace it.

[HanoverStriper]

Awesome Larry! A great experience for you and the other guy. Congrats again on the fish!
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[tysdad115]

Great story Larry. Congrats to you. My experience Sunday was the exact opposite, moved 3 times before I found an area where we could fish. I don't get worked up (when Tyler is with me anyways) when it happens, I just move. Some people just aren't willing to listen or learn, even when I was there before they got out of bed...

[BigFish]

I must just be getting old guys....mellowing with age you might say! I guess the lesson to take from this is always at least attempt to help those near you not only to maximize the experience for them....but also for yourself! It feels good when you can all work together! I will try to do this more going forward but as some have said.....some just don't want to listen or they are just pie eyed fish whores and can't work within the system! Thanks also for the kind words!

[tysdad115]

I will add Saturday Tyler and I hooked up at the exact same time, there is no better feeling than that for me. I love fishing with him. And yes he caught more than I did and I have absolutely no problem with that!!! And of course both fish were released.

[MAKAI]

Larry, sounds like you are now the Jedi master. Nice going, I've taken a lot of newbies under my wing, think I enjoy watching them catch more than me. Completing the circle I guess.
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[zimmy]

I made a resolution to not let crowds get to me to much this year. In past years I would often by-pass my spots just because of cars parked at them. Now I force myself to at least get out and check em out. Several times this spring I just joined the crowd and ended up having many good nights like that. In the past if guys showed up when I was already in a spot, I typically did not enjoy catching as much as I would worry about internet and cell phones. Now I sort of concede that there will be crowds no matter what. Figure I can adjust or let it ruin an important part of my life. Now I take it as a bonus to show up to a good spot on a good tide and have it all to myself. I have met some really nice people, shared some stuff, and learned some things as well. Ironically, the most annoying situation occurred a couple of nights ago in the middle of the night at an always busy spot. I fished next to this dh who did not appear to be a noob based on that he was all decked out w/ a custom rod, vs. In any case, he did not have the appearance of the typically much maligned white bucket white rod kind of guy. My gut told me he knew enough to wait for the guy downstream to cast first, but maybe felt too important. For some reason I was able to control myself and not say anything and didn't let it bother me too much. Caught some fish and moved on. It is supposed to be fun and relaxing, right?

[fcap60]

Great story BF. Nice to hear about those kinds of outings in today's world of fishing.

[ProfessorM]

Saw Lawrence and his fish on way out. Told me his story, nice.
IMO if you are going to go to the canal you have to expect crowded fishing, simple as that. If you don't like crowds don't go there I learned that a long time ago and I very rarely get pissed while there. I am nice to everyone I meet and 99% of the time I am treated the same. Got to have patience and you will still have fun. BTW there was only 5 cars in the rink parking lot this morn as I drove by to work. It was dead on top too. Plenty of room out there now for the claustrophobic guys.
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[Necker1]

Atta boy Larry, on the PB and also the kind treatment to the Californian.