Maybe I have become jaded

[piemma]

Originally Posted by bassballer

I get my fishing socialization by just hanging out at a local shop, BS'in.

Seems to be less of that these days. Use to hear about ol timers always haging at shops, is that not the norm anymore? Not enough shops anymore?

There will never be another Murats.

We use to sit around with Dave Hammock in the back room. He had an old wood stove that he would put orange peels on and burn the mis-turned pine bodies of his plugs in. He had a dart board and we spent lots of hours talking Stripers and throwing darts. Sometimes I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes.

I was working for IBM and local all the time. I'd plan my appointments so I ended up in Northern RI around 3 to 4 PM. Grab a coffee for Dave and head for the shop. Some legends were there at the time. Lanny Grazini, Larry Tremblay, George Heavey, Tony C stopped in occasionally, Jack Linton, #^&#^&#^&#^&y C, Bob Vanas, and way back it was the Pergo Brothers, Top Knot, Frank Daignault.

Dave could remember the day, time and weight of every fish over 40 he ever caught. He could not, however, remember what color you asked him to wrap the new 10' S-Glass you ordered last week, so he would wrap it red and yellow.

It was a time that I will always remember but, sadly, will never return. I just don't see that kind of shop anymore. None of the new shops want people hanging around and, it seems, no one has the time anymore. To bad. Some great memories.