Why haven't you landed a #50 yet ??

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&

Its hard in a thread like this to tread lightly...I certainly do not think It was all luck with any of the fish I have caught..For someone to call it just lucky is an insult to me or just plain ignorance..but again, why go though all the arguing of the point? its just that pointless..Anyone who consistantly puts fish on the beach or in the boat is definatly doing something right...simple as that

Dz, I agree..no matter what you say especially in my case will be twisted...I have no problem with someone calling it luck...it is what it is!

I put myself in positions to get "lucky"

I mention I was lucky or fortunate to catch the fish I have..What else would I say? If I didnt say that I would sound like an ahole, If I say I am good at what I do it would be taken out of context somehow...so its best to be safe and call it luck..However I am no idiot and I certainly know what it took for me to get the fish I have...Lots of personal sacrafice..and lots of learning and obsorbing..Its a journey to be sure...

I consider a 50lb fish a huge acheivement, Putting my personal success aside, It is absolutly something a striper fisherman wants..Just look at this thread??

But again, calling yourself good any invites attacks....so If using the word luck keeps that at bay...fine by me...However I know the work it takes and I am very proud of what I have caught on a personal level....

My absolute best moment was not catching a 60lb fish it was my first 50 from the beach after years of 7 nights a week trying and learning and phyiscally exhausting myself to achevie it..The other fish came from the knowledge I learned leading up to that fish, That one will always be very special to me...The others are awesome but a little more relaxad as to how I felt when I got the first...

If You have a goal it drives you to work harder to get it! Simple as that..My point is , the more you fish the better your odds are because the more you fish the more you learn, the better you get at identifying situations and opertunities that present themselves.

There is no answer to the question "why" for anyone...The mindset should be "when"....Be ready at any moment for it to happen!

Bill, that last sentence should be the close of this thread, that was perfectly said.

[zimmy]

I fish with 2 guys here in CT that are as good as just about anyone. They both have been on the water for a couple of decades. Both fish pretty much here in CT with an occasional trip to RI or Cape. One of the guys in particular kicks my arsh regularly. However, the pb of both is around 43 or 44". I think its gotta be mostly because they fish 98% of the time from shore here in western ct. One exclusively uses plugs. Between the 6 or 7 guys I fish with regularly that are what I would consider very good, I know of 5 fish total over 40" from shore locally this past year. One guy whacked a 47" and another dropped one at his feet and it slid back in the water so they didn't get to measure it. According to the 3 guys who saw it it was in the upper 40" range. I had 1 40" fish in Ct this year from shore in maybe 75 trips or so. In 4 trips to the canal I had 3 nights with fish over 40". I think location has alot to do with it. When I lived in mass and fished the canal regularly, the bigger fish were much more common (Not saying 50's...). Location does matter when all else that has been said is equal. I haven't caught em cause I don't have a boat

[bloocrab]

My absolute best moment was not catching a 60lb fish it was my first 50 from the beach after years of 7 nights a week trying and learning and phyiscally exhausting myself to achevie it...

Before you say I'm picking on you, I'M NOT. I am going to use your statement about "achieving" something though. In regards to that day that you caught your first 50...... Since your an experienced 50lb. fish catcher (meaning you experienced it, no pun intended),.... did you do something different that night from the previous year that you think added to you hooking that fish? Or were you just confident about your spot/technique/etc and assumed that someday a big fish would swim by there and if you were there that night, you might have a chance at hooking it? The bottom line is being THERE. This isn't rocket science, ..You guys are missing the point, fishing isn't like weightlifting.....sure you can start off bench pressing 100lbs, slowly you gain strength, next thing you know you're benching 200lbs, and then 300lbs, THIS IS NOT LIKE FISHING. You don't start catching schoolies, then catch high teens, then 20#ers, 30#ers..until you reach 50. There is no achieving anything.

Time on the water increases your odds/luck/chances/karma/whatevertheheCKyouwanttocallit/ -

[bloocrab]

Here's a question for the board -

Who's odds are better at hooking a 50lb. fish?

A. Some new guy who finds this site, does some DEEP research...buys what he thinks he needs according to his research, heads out to any number of places that have given up large fish in the past, places that are already recorded in history/internet/books...and fishes them 7 nights a week for the entire season.

B. #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& who has decided to only fish on weekends.


Who has a better chance at hooking a 50lb. fish? Keep in mind, I'm using the work "hooking"....not catching, that's where experience comes in.

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

no but I questions the source. knowing BDs posts on this site and the "other" site make it very hard for me to believe he has landed several 30s.

Finally went back to work today and this thread has generated
grandchildren since yesterday......................Good Stuff, everyone!

Hello, RIJIMMY!
This is true, you don't know me nor do i know you.
So why should you believe me?

More improtantly, and I think more inline with zimmy's previous post,
the question i would ask you is, do you know the SPOT of which i speak? Doood, this spot is stacked! It is very difficult to access, and i am 95% sure that i'm the only one who fishes it from it's rocks. i've seen a few boat guys approach their nooks and crannies that are on its outside, but they cain't get to the honeyholes that lie within. And as often and as HARD as i fish this place, you'd think i would've bumped into somebody in two and 1/2 years????

The definiton of several is; "more than two, but not many". I should have been more clear and said 4, but did not intend to mislead or suggest any more than that. To me the intent of this thread was not what i've caught, or not caught, and it was not my intent to project myself as any "great" angler; but, to speak more about the mojo/luck factor as it applies to me.

It is not my nature to place my abilities above yours, your friends skills, or anyone else that you know have landed 30's and have seen land many 30's last year. i am more interested in offering my perspective and asking questions to improve my knowledge and hone what little skills i do possess . That being said, if i were to ever blindfold you and take you to this treasurecove , then i am certain that a surfcaster of your skills and abilities would have landed those that got away and would have surpassed my 4 by now, EASILY!!! This place is that LOADED.

Lastly, I do not own a Bogagrip scale and I do use the C&R formula.

Hey, if LXLXG/800 is good enough for OTW and their Striper Cup, then it's good enuff for me. Unless, of course you have a better way to guesstimate the weight of fish that allows for the girth variance. The place where these beetches hit gains obstacles as the tide drops, making my perch most precarious during the most frequent "bite times"; so, there have been many girls that i have released that have not even been measured and i've had to eyeball and feel their size. And with those fish, that i have not mentioned til now, i will not mention a weight or length since no measuring was done, but they are etched indellibly on the old noggin .

Also, just so you know i'm not going for "rock star cementment" as you so kindly assume, but i would like to know roughly the size of my bigger catches before I let them swim away to become my daughter's 50, 60, 70#'ers in the years to come, so that's why i like the C&R formula so well. It's quick, easy, and allows me to return our majestic quarry back to her ocean with good results.

THE ONE that i guessed to be a 60#'er, i only mentioned because we are talking about trophy sized fish. Here are some eyeballed, and I do use a tape everyday as a Journeyman Union Ironworker ~LOCAL #7~ Boston, numbers to consider.

From nose to 1st dorsal spike~~23"-25";
From dorsal to third stripe down, head on view/width~~12"-14";
From nose to tail, in a quick swoosh/a couple of jumps~~54"-66".
She snapped a 40# BGame mono shock to 30# PLine mono ~uni to uni knot like it was guitar string in one milisecond after i touched the leader with one tail to nose SWISH of her massive tail............and SHE was gone.

You ARE absolutely right, none of this is exact.
There is no picture, and why even mention it if
i can't PROVE it? I dunno, maybe cause she haunts me
STILL! The curse of a photographic memory!!

Maybe cause i'll "measure" all others by her until
i equal her, or land her MOMMA!!? in your vast experience,
how big do YOU think she was ~given those numbers and images?
i know i'll never forget her, and i know i'll land one bigger this year!

[Slingah]

Originally Posted by bloocrab

Who has a better chance at hooking a 50lb. fish? Keep in mind, I'm using the work "hooking"....not catching, that's where experience comes in.

"A"......and good point about the experience....there lies the separation....

[ProfessorM]

It is just a number. Be happy you get to go a lot and enjoy. IMO Really isn't that important. To some it is and it is a free country, have at it. I gave up obsessing about hooking only large fish. To be honest I enjoy a 15 lb fish on light tackle just as much. I am in it for the fun most of the time nowadays.

[Skitterpop]

Originally Posted by BassDawg

Finally went back to work today and this thread has generated
grandchildren since yesterday......................Good Stuff, everyone!

Hello, RIJIMMY!
This is true, you don't know me nor do i know you.
So why should you believe me?

More improtantly, and I think more inline with zimmy's previous post,
the question i would ask you is, do you know the SPOT of which i speak? Doood, this spot is stacked! It is very difficult to access, and i am 95% sure that i'm the only one who fishes it from it's rocks. i've seen a few boat guys approach their nooks and crannies that are on its outside, but they cain't get to the honeyholes that lie within. And as often and as HARD as i fish this place, you'd think i would've bumped into somebody in two and 1/2 years????

The definiton of several is; "more than two, but not many". I should have been more clear and said 4, but did not intend to mislead or suggest any more than that. To me the intent of this thread was not what i've caught, or not caught, and it was not my intent to project myself as any "great" angler; but, to speak more about the mojo/luck factor as it applies to me.

It is not my nature to place my abilities above yours, your friends skills, or anyone else that you know have landed 30's and have seen land many 30's last year. i am more interested in offering my perspective and asking questions to improve my knowledge and hone what little skills i do possess . That being said, if i were to ever blindfold you and take you to this treasurecove , then i am certain that a surfcaster of your skills and abilities would have landed those that got away and would have surpassed my 4 by now, EASILY!!! This place is that LOADED.

Lastly, I do not own a Bogagrip scale and I do use the C&R formula.

Hey, if LXLXG/800 is good enough for OTW and their Striper Cup, then it's good enuff for me. Unless, of course you have a better way to guesstimate the weight of fish that allows for the girth variance. The place where these beetches hit gains obstacles as the tide drops, so there have been many girls that i have released that have not even been measured, but i've had to eyeball and feel their size. And with those fish, that i have not mentioned til now, i will not mention a weight or length since no measuring was done, but they are etched indellibly on the old noggin .

Also, just so you know i'm not going for "rock star cementment" as you so kindly assume, but i would like to know roughly the size of my bigger catches before I let them swim away to become my daughter's 50, 60, 70#'ers in the years to come, so that's why i like the C&R formula so well. It's quick, easy, and allows me to return our majestic quarry back to her ocean with good results.

THE ONE that i guessed to be a 60#'er, i only mentioned because we are talking about trophy sized fish. Here are some eyeballed, and I do use a tape everyday as a Journeyman Union Ironworker ~LOCAL #7~ Boston, numbers to consider.

From nose to 1st dorsal spike~~23"-25";
From dorsal to third stripe down, head on view/width~~12"-14";
From nose to tail, in a quick swoosh/a couple of jumps~~54"-66".
She snapped a 40# BGame mono shock to 30# PLine mono ~uni to uni knot like it was piano string in one milisecond after i touched the leader with one tail to nose SWISH of her massive tail............and SHE was gone.

You ARE absolutely right, none of this is exact.
There is no picture, and why even mention it if
i can't PROVE it? I dunno, maybe cause she haunts me
STILL! The curse of a photographic memory!!

Maybe cause i'll "measure" all others by her until
i equal her, or land her MOMMA!!? in your vast experience,
how big do YOU think she was ~given those numbers and images?
i know i'll never forget her, and i know i'll land one bigger this year!

[In The Surf]

Originally Posted by BassDawg

Lots of good stuff here, gents. And though i've only got a couple of seasons under my belt, i'd like to chime in ~based upon what i've read, heard from seminars, talked to area sharpies about, and what the surf and the species have taught me in such a short time.

I believe that Trophy Hunting consists of three inextricable parts:

Part I:The Physical and Technical/Scientific Aspect of Landing Lahhhhge

Acquiring the skills sets and putting in the time to; learn the right conditions, the COW locations, the proper bait/lure, the habits and strategies of Large, and the ability to put in the time to get to that level of Trophy Hunter is the hardest part of this pursuit and requires the most work. This is the most critical aspect of Big Gurl success and requires the most knowledge and technique, since we all know that they don't get BIG without knowing some things about being hooked and getting themselves unhooked. I have lost 3 definite 50's and at least one 60, from the NShore surf, do to my own googanity. But each time i learned something i'll never repeat and I now know where and when to be where to put myself into the position for consistently LAHHHGE stripers.

Part II: The Mental and Psychological Aspect of Trophy Hunting

Once you've accomplished Part I, it's all about the mind set. Ask any of the area's sharpies or read their works and, to an angler, the response will be "Yes, I was targeting this 50, 60, 70#'er!" The drive to stay focused and driven to hunt Cows, FIRST AND FOREMOST, separates those of us who are out to catch anything from the anglers who land 50's and up often. This mental part of The GAME has everything to do with how you approach your time/window, spot/producer, plug/bait, striper/COW efforts in the surf.

In the infamous words of a Striper Coast legend "Are you content to just "catch" and will stay for 2 hours of schoolies to perhaps thirties or even forties '....until my arms could crank no more and it was a BLAST!!'? Or, do you want a 50lber plus bad enuff that you are willing to walk away from QUANTITY to land QUALITY?" Those aren't my words, but I subscribe to Crazy Al's Trophy Hunting Philosophy when it comes to putting yourself into the position to land lahhhge consistently, and not just once ~which could be counted as LUCK or happenstance!

Part III: The Sixth Sense or Artistic Aspect of the Big Gurl Dynamic

Ahhhh, yes.........................and the mystery ensues. This is my favorite part of the whole and just as important, imho, as the other two is the innate ability to find fish. It is probably my strongest suit and what drives me to the surf with a "perceived" advantage. Please don't misunderstand my point, i don't mean to sound arrogant or self-satisfied, but one thing that i've always been able to do is to ~find the fish, hence the moniker. And i know that i'm not alone! How many of us out there have that buddy that always hooks up? I've met several guys from the other site who share the same blessing.

Bill Nolan recently stated, "I'd rather be lucky than good, everytime I'm on the water."

Now, we all know that he has the skills (Part I), we all know that he targets BIG Stripers (Part II), and we've heard more than one person say that Billy Bunker/#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& has fishing in his blood (Part III). With some surfcasters it is luck, with still another set of them it is part of who they are and what they bring to the water within them combined with "preparation meeting opportunity".

Additionally, there is that sixth sense, or "feel", aspect to our pursuits that is intangible, yet very real for those who are "tapped in". In Pro Sports, they refer to being "in the zone". Why are TFB and RTM so freagin' GOOD? Hard work and preparation, YES! Unbelievably blessed, intangible abilities, that are perfectly suited to the supernatural performance of their position and the ability to draw on those intangibles and employ them at will, ABSOLUTELY!

The hardest part of this sport we love is to incorporate all three aspects into one, and to do so night in and night out. I think that it has far less to do with excuses, cannot be strictly managed by science, and no matter how often i hook a COW i still have to apply the right amounts of all three to take my level of experience to the next level of Sharpie, a consistent Trophy Hunter/Catcher.

Will multiple 50's be landed each year with our species in the midst of a resurgence? YES!!
More importantly, this year WILL be my year.......................will it be YOURS ???

Originally Posted by BassDawg

Good question, Nebe!

I am referring to the last two and 1/2 seasons that i spent in the NE surf, from when I first began until last year when i did get to within a foot or so of the biggest striper i've ever hooked and did see her from head to dorsal/from dorsal to 4th stripe ~head on view/from swish of tail to head and gone to snap my shock leader and be gone, She was massive. i was using big eeeels, right tide and time, and would put her at 60#+.

Same spot previous year, '06, and in the middle of a new moon bite landing 20's to 30's with schoolies, came a lunge in and back under take and hunker down while chunking a pogie head. She did not move, and I did not know how to move her then, or to wait her out, and she shook her shoulders a little bit then opened her big maw and spit my noobily "set" hook having stolen her morsel.

Same spot same year, '06, chunking again big head chunks about a month later. only fiftty or so yards away on the covered side of a huge boulder, new moon the second biggest take and hunker i've ever had in those NSore waters. She took it, shook it, I set up, she hunkered down beneath said boulder, then she began to rub away at the leader....................I kept pressure, that is until my worn leader gave way and i got back the last foot before my spool line started.

The other spot was MBLHD HBR, fall '06, do you remember me asking about using culls for bait or not? Just so happens i caught one chunking macks one nite at the harbour. so i chunked up the tail for chum, thru out the claws for more chum, and saved the head for something hopefully "good" on yer typical chunking set-up. I took a chance, I mean i HAD read "On the Run" .

Within two-three minutes the biggest and most powerful KAWHAM/take i have yet to experience inhaled that head and swam about three feet and hunkered down to an immovable position. the place where i was is loaded with boulders, but it wouldn't have mattered as i hooked the head with supreme googanity and she coughed my offering up once she was aware of the hook. I had rigged the hook in a way that it never would have stuck in her maw.

The only reason I guesstimate the above sizes to be that big, and these are all guesses since I landed neither of them, is i compare them to the monstah i did see this year, and to the several over 30's that i did land this year. the 43''er that i C&R in Sept was dwarfed by the ??60?? that got away that night in the same honey cove about a month earlier. Seriously, they looked like rats compared to the size of this cow. i've also landed bull reds and trophy tarpon in FL and those tugs on body and drag, you never forget!

I have no reason to exagerrate, Nebe, as this place produces BIG fish, often. While our minds in the surf can play incredible tricks, this BIG BEETCH is indelibly etched into my cereberal cortex and will be until i land her twin or her Momma this coming season. And I do know where, when, what, and why she's gonna be there. I just have to remember to let her swim a bit instead of trying to horse her in like some 25#'er. That was my biggest goog with her, i brought her in waaaay, way too green, like me during that fight .

Anyways, yer prolly right and i could be way off, but that's what they felt like then and i tend to remember the ones I didn't land moreso than the ones that i bested, because the "ones that got away" have taught me the most .

Originally Posted by BassDawg

Thanks for your viewpoints nightfighter, i just share what i saw and felt from my limited view. I think that the most impressive "LOSS" for me was the big gurl from the MBLHD area. Because she HIT so Heavy and so Hard and moved with such deliberate strength to her hunkering down spot. She was definitely in no hurry and am not quite sure she even knew that she was hooked/not hooked .

Originally Posted by BassDawg

Finally went back to work today and this thread has generated
grandchildren since yesterday......................Good Stuff, everyone!

Hello, RIJIMMY!
This is true, you don't know me nor do i know you.
So why should you believe me?

More improtantly, and I think more inline with zimmy's previous post,
the question i would ask you is, do you know the SPOT of which i speak? Doood, this spot is stacked! It is very difficult to access, and i am 95% sure that i'm the only one who fishes it from it's rocks. i've seen a few boat guys approach their nooks and crannies that are on its outside, but they cain't get to the honeyholes that lie within. And as often and as HARD as i fish this place, you'd think i would've bumped into somebody in two and 1/2 years????

The definiton of several is; "more than two, but not many". I should have been more clear and said 4, but did not intend to mislead or suggest any more than that. To me the intent of this thread was not what i've caught, or not caught, and it was not my intent to project myself as any "great" angler; but, to speak more about the mojo/luck factor as it applies to me.

It is not my nature to place my abilities above yours, your friends skills, or anyone else that you know have landed 30's and have seen land many 30's last year. i am more interested in offering my perspective and asking questions to improve my knowledge and hone what little skills i do possess . That being said, if i were to ever blindfold you and take you to this treasurecove , then i am certain that a surfcaster of your skills and abilities would have landed those that got away and would have surpassed my 4 by now, EASILY!!! This place is that LOADED.

Lastly, I do not own a Bogagrip scale and I do use the C&R formula.

Hey, if LXLXG/800 is good enough for OTW and their Striper Cup, then it's good enuff for me. Unless, of course you have a better way to guesstimate the weight of fish that allows for the girth variance. The place where these beetches hit gains obstacles as the tide drops, so there have been many girls that i have released that have not even been measured, but i've had to eyeball and feel their size. And with those fish, that i have not mentioned til now, i will not mention a weight or length since no measuring was done, but they are etched indellibly on the old noggin .

Also, just so you know i'm not going for "rock star cementment" as you so kindly assume, but i would like to know roughly the size of my bigger catches before I let them swim away to become my daughter's 50, 60, 70#'ers in the years to come, so that's why i like the C&R formula so well. It's quick, easy, and allows me to return our majestic quarry back to her ocean with good results.

THE ONE that i guessed to be a 60#'er, i only mentioned because we are talking about trophy sized fish. Here are some eyeballed, and I do use a tape everyday as a Journeyman Union Ironworker ~LOCAL #7~ Boston, numbers to consider.

From nose to 1st dorsal spike~~23"-25";
From dorsal to third stripe down, head on view/width~~12"-14";
From nose to tail, in a quick swoosh/a couple of jumps~~54"-66".
She snapped a 40# BGame mono shock to 30# PLine mono ~uni to uni knot like it was guitar string in one milisecond after i touched the leader with one tail to nose SWISH of her massive tail............and SHE was gone.

You ARE absolutely right, none of this is exact.
There is no picture, and why even mention it if
i can't PROVE it? I dunno, maybe cause she haunts me
STILL! The curse of a photographic memory!!

Maybe cause i'll "measure" all others by her until
i equal her, or land her MOMMA!!? in your vast experience,
how big do YOU think she was ~given those numbers and images?
i know i'll never forget her, and i know i'll land one bigger this year!

And the winner of OTW's latest fictional story "The One That Got Away" is.........

I think it goes with out stating I'm a non believer of anything you say/post.

You stated to everyone you were too exciteed and forgot to photo your 30 from earlier last year. Now you want all to believe there were others that were measured L and G. So where are the photo's? You of all people knew you'd be called into question to say it was acomplished again, especially if stated it was done multiple times.

It also amazes me that you of all people continue to bash Mike. He may ezagerate while you fabricate.

As far as your keen/accurate eye and photographic memory based on your measurements that would give that fish a conservative girth of 36-40 inches (actually much more) and that's taking into account an erect dorsal. Do the math, coservatively your're in the mid 100's.

My goal for the winter was to stay off radar and out of stuff like this but your posts are like a train wreck, it can't be helped.

I'll give you this, every year your stories get better and tougher to believe.

[eastendlu]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

It is just a number. Be happy you get to go a lot and enjoy. IMO Really isn't that important. To some it is and it is a free country, have at it. I gave up obsessing about hooking only large fish. To be honest I enjoy a 15 lb fish on light tackle just as much. I am in it for the fun most of the time nowadays.

I'm with the Proffessor

[LeCounts1099]

Ahem...

Why haven't I gotten my 50 yet? In my mind mostly because I couldn't fish hard enough my first 28 years on this planet, due to college away from the Ocean, career building, relationships, etc. And now that for the last 14 years I CAN finally fish hard enough... there are less big girls (on the beach my choice at least) than before the early/ mid '90s it seems! (They gotta be there, to fool them!)


As for the "luck" thing, here's my answer:


There are those in the running for a "50" (from the surf I speak... but most goes for boats too)... & there are those that fish often that yet aren't at all! (Freaky silly big- fish catches aside...)


Those IN the possible "50" game:

1) Choose spots & times & tides & methods & offerings carefully with a "50" in mind only-- never for "action," or schoolies, or Weaks or Blues...

2) Are super- meticulous about their gear in general as been said before often, yes: BUT specifically:

-- they tie impeccable knots... & rigs... & leaders... & hooks... never store- bought for them!! Always the appropriate lb. test for the mission... in new or near- new condition... reliable brands they tested only!

-- they cut back line or leader at the slightest nick (or suspicion of a nick) until no more exists (no matter how far down the spool the "bad" line goes. This is where line capacity of your spool becomes important...)

-- they discard without thinking about it still useable snaps & leaders & hooks that 98% of other fishers would keep on using...

-- they are OBSESSIVE about their hook- sharpening & re- sharpening! (I'm the only one in a line- up catching fish I ever see that takes time to check & resharpen hooks after every fish always! After a hit that didn't hook up even! Doesn't take much to ruin the point on these lessening-in-quality yearly VMCs!)... they know a dull point (esp. on plug trebles) has almost NO chance penetrating the maw of a "50" (or even a 35)... They have a file or hook- hone in easy but dry reach at all times while fishing!

-- they choose their plugs not for pretty looks or even "catching" reputation... rather they choose plugs first & foremost for extra- rugged hardware that will hold up to the vice- jaws of a "50"-- THEN for the other factors like action, color, type & size are considered... (NEVER would they use Storm Shads... or Spro Bucktails for ex... or Mustad 3x Trebles or lesser hooks even... 5" Mambos even scare me-- ever take apart or break a Mambo & see their inside hook- hangers? )

3) They will drive great distances when smart/ plugged- in to up the odds of intercepting a "50" at any given week of the season... they will forgo comfort & sleep & other types of "fun"... WHEN they think it's the right time to be on the water...

4) They have "Striper sense..." They seem to have Striper premonitions... They have careful logs or great memories! They can smell good Bass or bait (or not) in the water front of them... or in a general area or not! (Sometimes casting there for hours without a hit still hoping... other times deciding to leave after only a dozen casts!)

No, not literally of course-- just seemingly! This is confidence mostly, as discussed! -- and it's supremely necessary to keeping you going... driving... fishing... to eventually make that meeting with a "50!" Lack of confidence makes staying home comfy & getting a good nights' sleep (& maybe more from the significant other?) seem more inviting! Fact though: some guys just ARE right more often than others when guessing/ making "when & where & how" fishing calls! Knowing that motivates them to stay confident & keep pushing!

5) They will forgo silly TV shows & stupid movies & stupid clubs & night- spots, just to make sure they're on the water when they should be-- when that "50" might well swoop in! They try their best not to make plans/ social engagements during the "right" Months/ Moons, etc.!

6) (I could go on... but you get the profile by now?)


The 98.5% of guys who fish a lot but aren't in the possible "50" game (i.e., the ones that don't do pretty much all of the above)... still manage to catch maybe 10% of the "50's" brought in each year-- simply by being "lucky!" (& yes, on the water that day...) That's still a lot of "50s" caught doing everything wrong!

The guys IN the "50" game though, number at least in the hundreds... & yet only a handful of "50's" (from shore at least... a dozen + total?) are caught every year!

That's one in 300+ odds or more these "in- game" guys are needing to beat, hoping the "luck" factor helps get them get their "50" finally! The best ones then may well fail just because those odds are still so high! That's why lack of a "50," hardly means you're not a great Bass- fisher!

The other 98.5% though, are looking at approx. 1 in 100,000 odds to beat! THIS is the role luck plays-- for both groups, & to what extent-- in everyones' goal of landing that elusive "50!"

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by In The Surf

And the winner of OTW's latest fictional story "The One That Got Away" is.........
Just three questions ~oh most pompous one!
I think it goes with out stating I'm a non believer of anything you say/post.
What makes you think that i place any value in your opinions of me?
You stated to everyone you were too exciteed and forgot to photo your 30 from earlier last year. Now you want all to believe there were others that were measured L and G. So where are the photo's? You of all people knew you'd be called into question to say it was acomplished again, especially if stated it was done multiple times.
Do you take a picture of every single fish YOU catch large or small, Dave?
And contrary to your belief about my "ones that got away" i don't talk about ALL the fish i catch throughout the year. Nor did i always have a camera with me last year. This year will be different though, as me and my bride, for Christmas, went in on a Stylus790SW by Olympus!!!
It also amazes me that you of all people continue to bash Mike. He may ezagerate while you fabricate.
Once again, unfounded opinion ~unless you were there on any of the nights in question; questionable for you that is, because I was there, i know what i caught, and am in no need of your validation. It does sound like you are in serious need of...........???
As far as your keen/accurate eye and photographic memory based on your measurements that would give that fish a conservative girth of 36-40 inches (actually much more) and that's taking into account an erect dorsal. Do the math, coservatively your're in the mid 100's.
Unless you have a photographic memory, Davey, i wouldn't expect you to understand just how much of a blessing it is. I simply stated that it was a monstah, the biggest striper i've ever hooked, and that those #'s are my best guesses ~you are the person using words like accurate and keen. And i would never presume her to be that big, but anything's possible in this Power Spot!!! And in yer rush to smear and spew, i don't think your following my description to well to come up with a girth that HUGE. I'm talking about 12"-14" across when looking at her face to face, from third stripe to third stripe. NOT, from the dorsal down to the third stripe, there, slipshod!
My goal for the winter was to stay off radar and out of stuff like this but your posts are like a train wreck, it can't be helped.
Did you have a tough year ~in the smurf~ last year, Dave? OOOOPS, is that 4 questions, now 5? Damn, i am such a liar! I really gotta work on that, huh Saint Dave of AZZZZIS,HE!??!
I'll give you this, every year your stories get better and tougher to believe.

WOW, nice hearing from you too, Scooby Doo!
Now...........get back in the Van and get yerself
some more Scooby snacks, will ya!!!

[Skitterpop]

The real secrets to catching 50# stripers are:

Always fish alone and don`t take any photos. Plus always release your trophies.

Go to a few seminars and jaw with some real fishermen then insinuate you are their friends and they are your mentors.

Draw up detailed diagrams of an imaginary area you fish complete with detailed structure you could never see unless you scuba dived. Make sure to make a few marks here and there denoting where the fifties and sixties spend their summers with you.

Always use a catch and release method of measuring imaginary fish.

More to come later in other imaginary installments.

[BassDawg]

Well said, Le Counts.

There is a confidence, that must accompany the skills sets involved, that does go together with the mojo/luck factor. Some of us have more of one or the other at that "GIVEN" moment, and still fewer of us are able to bring it all together every time. I would wager that even the sharpiest of all Sharpies had a point in their trophy hunting careers that they lost more than they landed??? And i think that it's safe to say, that if one is at the top of their game things could still go wrong, but more often than not those guys do everything right ~hence the term sharpie, consequently more 50+#'ers to their name.

Thanks, Le Counts, well done indeed!

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&

If You have a goal it drives you to work harder to get it! Simple as that..My point is , the more you fish the better your odds are because the more you fish the more you learn, the better you get at identifying situations and opertunities that present themselves.

There is no answer to the question "why" for anyone...The mindset should be "when"....Be ready at any moment for it to happen!

Spoken like a TRUE sharpie and seasoned veteran!
Thanks as always, Bill, your words never disappoint!

[bart]

Originally Posted by Skitterpop

The real secrets to catching 50# stripers are:

Always fish alone and don`t take any photos. Plus always release your trophies.

Go to a few seminars and jaw with some real fishermen then insinuate you are their friends and they are your mentors.

Draw up detailed diagrams of an imaginary area you fish complete with detailed structure you could never see unless you scuba dived. Make sure to make a few marks here and there denoting where the fifties and sixties spend their summers with you.

Always use a catch and release method of measuring imaginary fish.

More to come later in other imaginary installments.

this is just getting absolutely ridiculous.

[tlapinski]

I have always kind of wondered where/why the mystique of the 50 came from. Is it a personal goal you set on your own, or is it because others have made such a big deal of that mark? When you really look at it, 50 pounds is only about 64% of the world record. Who runs in a race only hoping to run faster than a bit over half of the other runners? Why set one's goal so "low"? Is it because it is the low end of what is really an obtainable "big" fish in the grand scheme of things? I think peer pressure has set this goal for others. 50+ pounds is a nice fish, but so is a 20, 30, or 40+. Landing one or two fish over 50 pounds does not make a person any better at this game than anyone else. Consistantly catching fish that are bigger than the local average sets one apart as doing something right. Consistancy is the name of the game here. Many guys on this board do just that, but MANY more do it without anyone even knowing they exist.

I can vividly remember each time I reached another milestone catch in my persuit of striped bass. My first 20+ pounder was huge for me at the time. My first multiple 30+ pound tide was an amazing experience. The first time I broke 40 pounds is forever etched in my memory. My "big girl" night is one that I will never forget, albeit one that some may not hold much stock in as she swam away. But, that was and is a part of what I have set for my personal goals. I am out on a nightly basis for myself and no one else. I don't need slips to make others think I am a great surf fisherman as it is only what I think of myself that matters to me. I have the respect of my peers as a person, and I respect the guys I fish with.

I am not in any way trying to belittle anone else's personal goals. It is not my place, or anyone else's for that matter, to decide what another angler should be shooting for. For me, 50 was never my goal. The different areas I fish have indiviual goals, but my personal goal is 80 or better, been saying that for years. Just remember, you should be out there to enjoy yourself and fill a certain need deep within yourself whether that be taking a break from the grind of life, getting some fresh air, or catching the next world record striped bass.

[BassDawg]

Awesome stuff, TLap!

And that is my ultimate goal as well, the New IGFA World Record 80#'er!!!! To offer an opinion as to why 50# is so vaunted or referred to, i think it boils down to this. In that, that mark/weight is just that a referrence point. I believe that it is similar to golf and its 0 handicap or becoming a "scratch golfer". In fact, I use that as an analogy frequently when talking to the non-fishing community.

It is only an indicator, to be sure, and does not a fisherman make. However don't we install these markers to somehow measure our selves against others and our own goals? Aren't we all competetive by nature ~in varying degrees? To me, like you, my biggest competitor is myself...............sheet i'm out there to beat me, myself, and eye everytime i set foot on our majestic shores .

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by Skitterpop

The real secrets to catching 50# stripers are:

Draw up detailed diagrams of an imaginary area you fish complete with detailed structure you could never see unless you scuba dived. Make sure to make a few marks here and there denoting where the fifties and sixties spend their summers with you.
Or many full and new moon's LOWS recon missions combined with me photographic memory and putting in over hundreds of haunts to burn such a prolific spot into said brain

Funny stuff, as always, Skitts!
Man i must really be getting anal, but
i thought everyone made maps
of their biggest producers and "x" marks the spot
types of stand-here-cast-here type of stuff ???

[Swimmer]

You know when you put your "tongue in cheek" the tongue gets bitten.


I think some of you guys are actually jealous of each other. See last ten or so posts. Either way, the guys who posted the last ten or so posts are.

[spence]

I plan to only target 50 and up fish this season, and I plan to only fish in my white Armani dinner jacket

It's going to be a great year.

Yes, I do really have one.

-spence

[NIB]

Well said Toby..
Fifty is just a number..
I do what I like, I do alright...Probably better than most.There was this gig a few yrs ago where Sitting on a bunker chunk for nights on end would have brought me one close to 50..I find that boring, sure I target large fish. I like to use lures.Perhaps thats my problem so to say..I really don't care that much about it.There's more to the true measure of a angler than the size of his largest fish..There are the guys who can go out an pull fish night in an night out those are the true anglers.Guys who produce fish larger than the most on a regular basis.Year in an year out.Those are your top anglers IMO...I truley believe my window of oppurtunity for fish 50 or better is very small in the area's available to me here in NJ.Surf caught 50's every year in The whole state only go maybe 1 or 2 per year.If I never land a 50, will my time as a surfcaster be a dissappointment??
No way, Not ever...

[leptar]

Who cares anymore....

How many guys that fished for scup nailed large bass along the Rhody shores...

It's all chit arse luck.... I caught 3 striped bass over 50lbs... and not one of them came from attempting to catch a striper...

One 53lber came off the Frances fleet back in 00 or 01 on a canceled trip for cod the captain decided due to the lack of anglers on ship to make it a scup/seabass trip... LOL... bait clam, gear 4/0 Penn Senator loaded with 80#fusion with a 60# leader, hooks were packacked 7/0 and 8/0 cod hooks with the rubber teaser on the shank, 16oz bank, CMS custom cod rod, 20' of water and i think Ron Arra could have hit us from the Galilee shore line. on clam belly...

Sakonnet tracks in 94 fishing for tog with clam necks I set the hook and thought i was stuck... 30# big game no leader 1/0 j-hook 5oz bank, 10' ugly stick and a Daiwa 7000C, Riverside Marine on the scale 51.5lbs...

Tiverton Bridge... snagging pogies in 92 using my dads boat rod and squidder with 45# squidding line a monster snagger... I hooked a pogie the ball opened and this monster bass inhaled it, pogie and hook deep when i set the hook i killed it because it was just dead weight and when i took it out of the water the tail was going spazzy... Weighted at Manchesters seafood @50lbs 4oz...

all of them Chit arse luck...

[In The Surf]

bAssDawg called me names.

As expected all sizzle and no steak. Seems history has a way of repeating itself. After all you are what you are and I say this from first hand account about his credibility and photographic memory.

No jealoussy here and no interest on dragging this out with him either.

[LeCounts1099]

Who was T. Lap & myself here jealous of exactly?


The topic here never was "is the dogged pursuit of a 50 the right way to fish?"...

Nor was it "do you pursue 50s when you fish, or just action/ fun?"

Nor was it, "Boy, many 50's landed are freaky/ lucky catches!"...

Nor was it, "are you not a great Bass Caster if you've not landed a 50?"... etc.


The topic was, "if you (& people generally) haven't yet landed your 50 yet... presuming you are trying/ would like to... what would the reasons be?


As far as the "inside," petty squabbling which I guess the "jealous" comment was directed at... serious guys like TL & I were ignoring it/ simply staying above the fray?

[Nebe]

put just as much preperation into what you do with the fish after you land it as you do into how to catch it.. You will be scrutinized.

The first thing i would do after catching the next world record would be to call a lawyer.

[NIB]

Originally Posted by LeCounts1099

Who was T. Lap & myself here jealous of exactly?


The topic here never was "is the dogged pursuit of a 50 the right way to fish?"...

Nor was it "do you pursue 50s when you fish, or just action/ fun?"

Nor was it, "Boy, many 50's landed are freaky/ lucky catches!"...

Nor was it, "are you not a great Bass Caster if you've not landed a 50?"... etc.


The topic was, "if you (& people generally) haven't yet landed your 50 yet... presuming you are trying/ would like to... what would the reasons be?


As far as the "inside," petty squabbling which I guess the "jealous" comment was directed at... serious guys like TL & I were ignoring it/ simply staying above the fray?

I have no problem saying I am jealous of one who has the golden horseshoe so far up their ....
U know what I mean...
I am a freak.Like U, I go over all the details.
I put in the time. 50 lbs just has not happened.For me yet....
Look at leptar's post that is Luck off the charts..
Good for him...Am I jealous, sure I am..
Nothin wrong witht that..

[Skitterpop]

Originally Posted by NIB

I have no problem saying I am jealous of one who has the golden horseshoe so far up their ....
U know what I mean...
I am a freak.Like U, I go over all the details.
I put in the time. 50 lbs just has not happened.For me yet....
Look at leptar's post that is Luck off the charts..
Good for him...Am I jealous, sure I am..
Nothin wrong witht that..

For you Tony its only a matter of time the way you fish to bump into a fifty or over

[BassDawg]

*********

[LeCounts1099]

Leptar that is insane luck! I've heard of Cows caught on bottom with clam before... but usually gobs & gobs, with big baitholder strong hooks! And usually it takes great effort (& a powerful hook- set) to snag a Cow on a live Bunker!-- not always that easy!


nib, you'll get yours! If not in Jersey in June... then at R.I./ Block or the CCC or M. or wherever! Maybe not the "50..." but the dream- Bass I'm seeking on a plug as well!