Cows and a few bites vs schoolies and numbers

[Got Stripers]

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, I read your response to bragging thread and it got me thinking about different priorities, goals, weight vs numbers, that kind of thing. Maybe it's my age, the fact that I've caught my share of cows over the years, or that my 48 year old body sometimes acts like it's 60, but I much prefer going after numbers these days with lighter tackle. I certainly agree with the saying "night time is the right time", when it comes to putting cows in the boat or on the beach. It's been probably 8 years since I pulled an all-nighter and I just don't have any burning desire to burn the midnight oil waiting for the one or two big bites.

I'm also fishing waters that will not only give up good numbers consistantly, but also give up the occassional cow, even during the day. I try to have my cake and eat it too however, so I typically try to be heading out of the harbor at around 4:30 am, so I at least up my odds on hitting a big one early. That paid off two weeks ago, with a 30 lber on a live eel just before sunup. Once I can actually see (yeah my eyes aren't what they used to be anymore either, lol) my lures at the tail end of a cast, I switch back to my hand poured plastic jerkbaits and go have some fun. I do passively drag the eel in an aft rod holder for the first couple hours just in case, lol. To me catching numbers of nice chunky 5-10 lb schoolies on light gear is a blast and the occassional keeper makes it even more interesting.

I'm just curious how many striper nuts are just that, striper nuts; living and dying for the big bite, schoolies and a good nights sleep be damned. As the saying goes "been there, done that", but I just don't have the mental and physical stamina to go for it these days. I wish I did, because there's nothing more thrilling than tackling a big cow striper in the dark. Something almost surreal about drifting a live eel as the boat slowly drifts in the current, watching the stars, smiling after to odd shooting star, gazing at the moon, thumb on the spool, knowing any second that thump and run could and probably will happen. Man, I've almost talked myself into getting out there one night this week, lol.

Well, I was just curious who the true nuts are and those of us who are comfortable with just some good fishing. Tight lines.