Once Upon A Googan!

[BigFish]

I was waiting for someone to put this thread up and he seems to have dropped the ball......so I stole the concept! I was talking with another S-B'er about all the Googan talk going on lately and we started laughing about what "Googan-Type" stuff we used to do when we first started out surf fishing for stripers! So this thread is here for us all to share some of the "Googan-Esque" things we all did early on.......so lets have some fun, share a few funny stories and remember there was a time when we didn't know it all!

My Googan story is about myself and one of my buddies and how we would go down the backside with all our gear......including an ultra-bright Coleman lantern.........and park our butts at the waters edge at night and fish for stripers with plugs and chunk bait! Well.....how the hell else were we going to see what the hell we were doing??? We found out however that the fish liked the light......cause' we used to pound fish beside that lantern! What a couple of "Googs"!

[johnny ducketts]

i know, showing up to go fishing for bass and only bringing your light tackle albie rod, complete with 12 lb test leader, and then crying when you lose your 1st hoed plug. Yes, I'll admit it, not my finest moment, but for a minute, I had a chance at that one

[crash]

Definitly brought a 10' ugly stick on the boat

To this day, my only neopreme waders are camo for duck hunting, so yeah this spring when it was too cold for brethables, I was wearing camo. Not a fasion contest, go ahead mock me, I don't care.

I usually laugh at the googin talk, I'll even joke around about it, but I don't need to make myself feel better about my own life by bashing someone who is trying to learn. I still have googan moments, I probably always will. I'm the type of guy who would rather take five minutes to show somebody what I know, than spend a tide making them feel like crap, life is too short. People have helped me is the past, a knot here, a techniqe here, these people will always stick out in my mind as great people.

One of my best friends is someone who was just getting into the game, I taugh him what I know, learned a lot in the process, and ended up with an awesome fishing buddy. I guess that puts me out of the "cool crowd" huh? just like high school

[Notaro]

When I was a googan, I asked too many dumb questions to bait dealers and sharpies. Also, I blew my money on party boats because I couldn't catch a large bass.

When I began fishing at Rockport, I used my grandpa's supermarket mini-cart and rigged up gears. Lol. I looked like a hobo because I didn't have a car. Now I do own one. So I can travel and fish and improve.

[WadingWill]

I've only been hardcore surf-fishing for a few years, I still learn lessons every time I got out fishing. Some of my best moments were when I got my new reel at the begining of last season. I coudln't wait to try it. Well I went to a spot that required about a 1 mile walk 1 way. I was just about to cast out when I realized I forgot to put the crank on the reel. I did alot of walking and cursing that night. Got skunked as well.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Ask Ross about the 1st time he met me...walking down by Devereaux with my 8' Ugly stick 30 lb. mono with a 3/4 oz. crystal minnow hanging from it....yeah I was going long with that setup.

[Duke41]

I have made so many mistakes fishing that I am going to change the name of my boat to The Googan.

[Slingah]

you stole my thread title!!!
we were having a good yuk on this.....
I fished with my 2-piece telephone pole and Ahab 20, lugging 5 gallon buckets full of eels and ice for miles on the sand wearing 5mm noeprene waders in the summer......before that fishing freshwater tackle in my hiking boots and steet clothes not caring about getting wet....I saw a guy doing this the other day he didnt care either...he was having fun and had no idea what a googan was

[JohnR]

12 Foot Daiwa Eliminator with a Penn 8500 SS. After all, every sharpie knows you need a really big stick to fish for big stripers.

Size = Experience

[numbskull]

About 15 years ago there was a run of incredible nocturnal fly fishing along Lobsterville beach on MV in early June. Night after night thousands of 30"-36+" bass would wallow on sandeel soup at your feet. They were VERY hard to fool, however. After a lot of tortured nights of frustrated fishing and hours of obsessed fly tying, I finally learned how to catch them and greedily guarded that knowledge.

A night, soon thereafter, a young guy in shorts approached me while I was unhooking a nice fish and asked advice. He was visiting from the west coast, had an 8 wt fly rod and a Loop reel (the earliest wide spool reel that had no drag except your hand pressure on the spool), and little else for tackle. I covered my fly with my hand, gave him some useless pleasant brush off and smiled smugly as he walked off.

A short distance away he met an older man walking off the beach. The older guy I think was named Souza and worked in a lumber yard on the Vineyard. He had been flyfishing there as his primary mode of fishing for 30+ years. The young guy asked him for advice and I listened while he freely explained how to time the tide, what retrieve to use, and then cut the fly off his line and gave it to the young guy.

The young guy set up shop nearby and began catching fish as efficiently as I. Eventually he hooked a freight train of a fish that took him up and down Dogfish bar several times until he landed a 46" fork length striped bass that must have weighed 35-40 pounds.
Fought and caught in 3 feet of water with a 3oz rod, and a reel with no drag. An incredibly skilled angling feat. All possible because of the kindness and generosity of experienced fisherman. I, in comparison, felt ashamed, petty, and small.

I learned something that night. I learned that freely helping someone less experienced than you is the real measure of your worth as a fisherman, and as a person. Ultimately, that is what we are fishing for. If you are out there still, Mr Souza, thank you, you helped me too.

[JoeBass]

Numbskull, that's a great story and so true.

Reading these posts I realize I'm a googan a good amount of the time. lol.

[FishermanTim]

I am always willing to help someone who is unprepared to fish effectively where ever I am fishing. Since someone else (including my father) helped me appreciate fishing so much, I feel compelled to "share the wealth". That doesn't mean giving away your favorite plug, lure or secret spot, but more like sharing your knowledge of a particular spot in regards to time, tide and weather. I will readily pass on a pre-rigged slug-go to someone who lost their only lure, and if there is a child involved, I will make the effort to give the kid as much info as I have (and they can absorb). I have a number of neices and nephews that LOVE to fish, and they're approaching that age when stripers are not out of the question.

[Circlehook]

I think its funny how white buckets are associated with the Googs. I actually saw two bucket incidents last weekend. The first was the prototypical white bucket, only this fella had made notches around the top rim with a utility knife so he could hang his rusty Gibbs poppers, so they wouldn't have to lay on top of the rotting pogy in the bottom of the bucket. This guy was one step away from an actual plug bag I think.

The second was a couple doods who had set up a nice lineup of 5 or 6, 6' freshwater rods, with chunks and used an over-turned Orange Home Depot bucket as a coffee table with which they could safely sit thier bud-lights.

These are the guys that really don't want help-they are what they are.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Honestly...there's really nothing wrong with Spiking a couple of rods and sipping on a few brews....sometimes its just about relaxing with your buds.

[Circlehook]

Oh, I have no problem at all with spiking some rods. I just thought the different uses for buckets, especially the modifications of them where funny.

I have no patience for dead sticking, I am always pulling it in to check the bait.

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Honestly...there's really nothing wrong with Spiking a couple of rods and sipping on a few brews....sometimes its just about relaxing with your buds.

I once saw a couple of guys soaking clams with spiked rods while drinking and goofing off. I walked past them down to my spot all the while thinking about how ignorant they were. I caught a couple af small fish and headed back to the car to try a different spot. As I passed them, I saw a huge tail sticking out of their big cooler. My curiosity got the best of me and I went over to see the fish. They didn't have a scale, but it measured out at 46" with my tape. I ended up talking with them for a bit and it turned out they were nice guys who were just blowing off some steam after getting out of work late that night. And they knew a lot more than I thought they would have by their appearance.

[wheresmy50]

A few good ones from my first few dozen striper trips:
- Backlashing a Shimano baitrunner because I set the hook without disengaging the baitrunner. As far as I know, I'm the only person to ever backlash a spinning reel.
- Using a lantern, then wondering why it took the fish 10 minutes to start biting again when I walked in front of it.
- Using 17lb test in the boulders with eels. Leaving with about 30 yards of line left on the reel and no hooks.
- Owning no waders or wading shoes. Freezing in mesh shorts and a tee shirt, and sliding on the Jamestown rocks in sneakers.
- Going kayaking in a maze of islands with only a compass at night. Couldn't find my launching point when the pea soup rolled in.
- Buying 4 of a plug that I read about on the internet, then realizing they suck.
- Wading out on Penfield Reef on an incoming tide and forgetting my flashlight (at dusk). Getting back was a blast in water up to my chest with my surf bag and rod held above my head because the current was treating the bag as a drift sock.
- Trying to fish the east wall with no gaff.

[RIJIMMY]

I fished a bar area, white water for a few season and wondering why I never got a hit. My Dad, who was in Florida, had caught many large bass there. Then early one morning at dawn, two guys walk right past me, and out into the water. The continue for about 100 yards straight out. I was amazed. I then realized that I had been fishing in a foot or so of water for the last 2 years. I didnt know I was supposed to wade out on the bar! Bought waders the next day. Started catching fish immediatley after that. Not my brighttest moment.

[Rockport24]

Originally Posted by fishbones

I once saw a couple of guys soaking clams with spiked rods while drinking and goofing off. I walked past them down to my spot all the while thinking about how ignorant they were. I caught a couple af small fish and headed back to the car to try a different spot. As I passed them, I saw a huge tail sticking out of their big cooler. My curiosity got the best of me and I went over to see the fish. They didn't have a scale, but it measured out at 46" with my tape. I ended up talking with them for a bit and it turned out they were nice guys who were just blowing off some steam after getting out of work late that night. And they knew a lot more than I thought they would have by their appearance.

this is so damn true, I think most of us would be surprised how much the "white bucket brigade" actually catches. sure, some of them don't have a clue, but there are some realy sharpies mixed in there who ONLY fish chunk bait or worms. I've run into a few of them up on PI in the dead of night.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by wheresmy50

- Backlashing a Shimano baitrunner because I set the hook without disengaging the baitrunner. As far as I know, I'm the only person to ever backlash a spinning reel.

I've done the exact same thing....so.....No you aren't the only person to backlash a spinning reel

[Blitzseeker]

I've done more idiotic things than I can count, many more recently than I'd like to admit. The bottom line is that sometimes I just get real excited about the fishing and forget basic things. In any significant blitz I'm virtually guaranteed to do something stupid. For example, a few years back I was in a classic bluefish blitz and hauled in an absolute alligator...a big thick fish that was probably around 35 inches. The hook was just barely in his mouth, and I had dropped my pliers a few paces away unhooking the previous fish. Eager to get the plug back in the fray, I figured I'd just quick unhook him by hand. Happy to show any of you the nice permanent scar on my thumb from that decision.

Whenever I see someone who is clueless, I always try to remember that I was lucky enough to learn the ropes from guys who had been doing it for 30 years. If asked, I always try to help. But I've learned that volunteering information without being asked usually meets with an "f you" look back rather than any thanks.

[Biteme]

George great story. Sometimes I think we forget what it's all about.

[partsjay]

I'm the type of guy who would rather take five minutes to show somebody what I know, than spend a tide making them feel like crap, life is too short. People have helped me is the past, a knot here, a techniqe here, these people will always stick out in my mind as great people.

One of my best friends is someone who was just getting into the game, I taugh him what I know, learned a lot in the process, and ended up with an awesome fishing buddy. I guess that puts me out of the "cool crowd" huh? just like high school

I wish there were more people who thought like that.....I find the internet to be alot like High School.....if your in the crowd...your in...if not.....your just wasting time......some people can post that they just farted....and they get 400 responses about how awesome they or that was.....other guys have a legit question....and get 2 responses out of 500 looks.....kinda sad when you think about it....but it will never change.....it all about clicks.....funny....you rarely see people offering to fish with new guys.....or show them a trick or two...it's always the same answer...." Do your homework.....pay your dues....put in your time..." You know, I find it hard to believe that ALL these great fisherman on this site learned everything they know on there own.....but they are unwilling to show other newcombers some tricks of the trade.....afraid of giving up that Perfect spot that they have apparently found out about all by themselves.....if I was a newcomber trying to find out about this sport.....and the internet was the place I looked.....not sure I would have fallen in love with the sport the way I did.....it doesn't seem like a very friendly sport to a newcomber if you just take a step back and think about it.

So.......Who wants to fish?

[planter]

Many times the Googan is really the guy who thinks he knows what a Googan is but in reality is a Googan himself.

I see lot's of guys carrying just the right Pole/Rod/Stick matched with a perfect reel and all the right stuff but will be Googans forever. There are know nothing Googans and Googans who know a ton. Internet hero or a Googan?? It just depends on the day.....

[missing link]

All us guy's put our pants on one leg at a time but I bet half of ya still squat to pee
God Bless all you Great fisherman you all started out like the other guy ya you put your time in , what ya want a MEDAL look in the mirror your the same POS as me no better and your gonna end up the same place as me . IN A F'N HOLE covered with dirt with worms eating youg fish loving bones
LINK SR

[Jenn]

I am STILL a googan thats why I fish alone or with only those I am close enough with to show my true self.....

I used to be way to serious about fishing.....I have learned from my ways and enjoy it way more now. Sometimes I like to do googan things in the presence of what appear to be sharpies just to piss them off. Thats when you can tell they dont get the same joy from fishing as you do.....

[Joe]

Originally Posted by numbskull

I learned something that night. I learned that freely helping someone less experienced than you is the real measure of your worth as a fisherman, and as a person.

Whoa - you've exceeded my expectations....

[Joe]

Jenn: Sometimes, early in a game with two outs or late in a game that was not competitive, Willie Mays would purposely strike out and look bad at pitch he could have hit easily. He'd give up an out when it did not matter so the pitcher would try the same thing at another time when it did. Predictabilty is a weakness few people realize they have.

[Slingah]

still one too...
I have not even come close to graduating from googanhood
I know how to catch one species of fish by a couple different methods, half decently.....with ALOT of effort thrown in....

[BigFish]

This thread is not about who is a "Googan" or who is a "Sharpie".....gawd that word is stupid! This thread was intended to remind us all that at one time....we were all a blank canvas, and even now no matter who you are.....there is still room for a few more brush strokes! This thread was intended for us all to give a humorous example of something funny, silly or stupid that you might have done when you first started out!

Oh.....there are cliques.....but I do not belong, nor do I care......I like everyone and will fish with anyone....and I have!