Is the old guard losing it?

[spence]

You guys kill me...

I'm 34, raised in Iowa and before a few years ago had never seen a tide chart in my life. I got into surf fishing when I discovered you could catch stripers from shore...had no idea...although I had caught many from boat.

All my gear is new because I've only been at it a few years.

I try to get out 1-2 times per week...and know very few locals who fish the same waters where I live. As such it isn't easy to learn the nuances of the spots or even new techniques.

Granted, I've never known the shore access of old, but it takes only a few seconds to realize how prescious what we have today is, and what a few irresponsible keystokes could do.

People like Piemma, RIRockhound and Eben have shown me a lot, and never asked for anything in return...except for Eben

These issues of burning spots, not respecting locations or people etc...have everything to do with immaturity and a lack of class...and nothing with the new guard of surfcasters...

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go polish my Versace wading belt.

-spence

[cheferson]

Originally Posted by spence

These issues of burning spots, not respecting locations or people etc...have everything to do with immaturity and a lack of class...and nothing with the new guard of surfcasters...-spence

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by spence

People like Piemma, RIRockhound and Eben have shown me a lot, and never asked for anything in return...except for Eben

dude, you got a hot wife... whats wrong with a couple of pictures

[basswipe]

Originally Posted by spence

You guys kill me...

I'm 34,

I try to get out 1-2 times per week...and know very few locals who fish the same waters where I live. As such it isn't easy to learn the nuances of the spots or even new techniques.

These issues of burning spots, not respecting locations or people etc...have everything to do with immaturity and a lack of class...and nothing with the new guard of surfcasters...

-spence

I'm with Spence.I'm not much older but I have been fishing locally all my life.Surfcasting as most define it here I've only been doing the last few years.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& please don't take this personally but if you are a rep of the
"old guard" it doesn't sound all that grand.Fishing 7 nights a week from one end of the season to the other.Only trusting one or two people.Actually being "scared to risk it". I don't know you personally so this is only an observation but from what you've posted its sounds like you live a very lonely exsistance.And it sounds like most of the joy many get from fishing just isn't there for you.Again let me state not knowing you personally what I've said is a logical observation.For the most part your post IS very negative.But I
will agree finding and catching fish all on your own is very satisfying.

For me personally life's too short to be totally consumed by one thing.
There's women to be had or one woman many times if you're married or have a G/F as I do.There's places to go and things to see(a nascar race for example).

To be lumped into a group called the "new guard" doesn't bother me.

That's my .02.I hope none here take offense to it.

[outfished]

This is the way I see it. I never ever mind sharing my spots with a couple of people I can trust(as far as I can judge) and if I can hook a rookie, youngster, newbie, call it what you want, I think protects our future in striper fishing. Think about it, if you went fishing a lot over a number of years and caught nothing because you didn't know what you were doing, would you continue? If on the other hand you went out early in your fishing life and caught some really decent fish because somebody showed where and how and now your hooked on fishing for the rest of your life and now you shared this art with other upcoming fisherpersons, wouldn't that help our sport by continued efficient management and preservation/concern for our sport? Yes I agree, a lot of leg work and detective work is in order for our sport and I have indured/wasted/enjoyed and learned the hard way over the years always yearning for someone to show me how. So now that I'm somewhat wiser in my fishing endevors I jump at the chance to turn someone special on to this great sport with the understanding that they be discreet about whom they blab to. We owe it to the future generations of striper fishing to keep it going long after we're gone.

[eelman]

Originally Posted by basswipe

I'm with Spence.I'm not much older but I have been fishing locally all my life.Surfcasting as most define it here I've only been doing the last few years.

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& please don't take this personally but if you are a rep of the
"old guard" it doesn't sound all that grand.Fishing 7 nights a week from one end of the season to the other.Only trusting one or two people.Actually being "scared to risk it". I don't know you personally so this is only an observation but from what you've posted its sounds like you live a very lonely exsistance.And it sounds like most of the joy many get from fishing just isn't there for you.Again let me state not knowing you personally what I've said is a logical observation.For the most part your post IS very negative.But I
will agree finding and catching fish all on your own is very satisfying.

For me personally life's too short to be totally consumed by one thing.
There's women to be had or one woman many times if you're married or have a G/F as I do.There's places to go and things to see(a nascar race for example).

To be lumped into a group called the "new guard" doesn't bother me.

That's my .02.I hope none here take offense to it.

No offense taken, your right its a loney existance. Next to my wife and daughter its all I think about, all I want to do, what everything else revolves around! So Thanks for the compliment.

Sorry if the post is negative , however I have just been used and burned to many times by "inocent newbies" Surf fishing is done at night, its solitary, its dark, its you and the fish! Its not happy hour at hooters, fishing with an entorage.

[outfished]

#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&

[bassmaster]

Originally Posted by spence

You guys kill me...

I'm 34, raised in Iowa and before a few years ago had never seen a tide chart in my life. I got into surf fishing when I discovered you could catch stripers from shore...had no idea...although I had caught many from boat.

All my gear is new because I've only been at it a few years.

I try to get out 1-2 times per week...and know very few locals who fish the same waters where I live. As such it isn't easy to learn the nuances of the spots or even new techniques.

Granted, I've never known the shore access of old, but it takes only a few seconds to realize how prescious what we have today is, and what a few irresponsible keystokes could do.

People like Piemma, RIRockhound and Eben have shown me a lot, and never asked for anything in return...except for Eben

These issues of burning spots, not respecting locations or people etc...have everything to do with immaturity and a lack of class...and nothing with the new guard of surfcasters...

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go polish my Versace wading belt.

-spence

this is a way of life here and taken seriously
when You put time in and hard time, the last thing ya need is to have your spot burned
I been fishin all my life and was gifted and caught alot of large fish and alot of small fish also.
countless 30 and 40 lb bass
I have gone 1 year with only 1 fish that was 35.5 inches long any one remeber that decade
I have fished the islands and sold bass , basicly the whole 9 yards.
My old map is gone but there was notes all over it and You know what,,,,
its time to learn other places here on the cape and I know alot of stuff here, to be a guide I gots to but one thing I do know is You never stop learning
the fishing has been hard here as the fish been of shore and isolated pods come in to chow the bait.
quite frank most of this post is friggen stupid
get of Ya duff put ya time in and make your own goddamn reports and stay the hell outa bait shops it aint worth the prize money trust me........

[kippy]

Well said Dave, its all about putting your time in on the water. I have been surfcasting for 5 years and did not get my first keeper until last year. There were alot of fishless nights and self doubt. I stuck to it though and it's paid off. Fishing is not all about catching fish for me though, its about being outdoors. I think you become too frustrated if you expect to catch everytime your out there.

[Back Beach]

The old timers that are still at it now are doing it for love of the sport. In the past, there was a monetary incentive to fish more and talk less. The money kept you at it longer and harder than it does now for the most part. Access on the backside of the cape and elsewhere is part of the issue too. Most of the old timers I know now fished for money in the past as it was good incentive, considering in today's dollars you could earn over $1000 a night if everything went right. If that were the case today, you would see a lot more people on the water during the wee hours.