can i justify this

[Bishop169]

Originally Posted by johnny ducketts

huh,

I'm getting the i want a baby before we get a boat thing.
I'm using the excuse that a boat is gonna be alot cheaper than a kid, but maybe I should rephrase it, cause it doesn't seem to be working

If the boats a rocking

A baby is knocking..

Just stress the together time tell her a boat would allow for you 2 to be together more (then the first time she’s out in it hit the highest waves and choppiest seas you can find)

[Rockport24]

I can completely understand why you guys want to get boats, and I am a real newbie (only been at this for a few years). I think one day if I can afford it, I'll end up with one, I will probably start with a kayak though.
I gotta admit when big time surfcasters like #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& go to a boat, it's kind of makes me as a younger surfcaster think that surfcasting is on the way out, but now I realize that he put in a ton of time in the surf and did very well for a long time, so whose to say that I can't acheive even a fraction of that success, which would be fine with me!
As you guys said, whatever makes you happy, that is what fishing is all about in the end.

[JFigliuolo]

Some people like the destination... others enjoy the journey.

[DZ]

To be bashed by two of my good friends is hard to take – that hurts. Jim asked a question and I responded. I should know by now that opinions are often misunderstood when posted online. I apologize to those who took my statements the wrong way.

DZ

[jim sylvester]

Whoa guys, come on now


the last thing i wanted this thread to end up is the way its going

we are all fisherman, land or sea ( just so happens the sea is a lot more productive right now) and we all have one goal....to catch fish

didn't want this to end up being a pissing contest

[piemma]

Originally Posted by jim sylvester

I think having a boat can serve two purposes

a fishing machine for me and a fishing/family activity for the family

I have taken my kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews out in my boat. The serious eel/bunker fishing is nightime/ early morning alone.

[RIJIMMY]

DZ, you have some of the most thoughful posts out here and I always value your responses. I was pretty suprised when I read your response.

This should not be a pi$$ing contest. Fishing is fishing to me. When I do get a boat, I wont stop fishing the surf., but I'll fish the surf at the BEST times and ideal conditions. Now, I fish it all the time, even when I know there wont be anything around.

Since being back on teh east coast teh last 6 years, I never even thought about Narr. Bay. I only fished the So. Co. coast from Narr to Charlestown. Fishing with P23 and all of the pics and posts out here opened my eyes to how much water to cover there is and the opportunities for fish within the confines of the bay. I love targeting bass, but I would love to chase schools of blues all over the bay in Sept, on light tackle, I'd be i heaven. We all enjoy aspects of fishing, i do feel the elements of what we enjoy is the same, shore or boat.

[eelman]

Originally Posted by Rockport24

I can completely understand why you guys want to get boats, and I am a real newbie (only been at this for a few years). I think one day if I can afford it, I'll end up with one, I will probably start with a kayak though.
I gotta admit when big time surfcasters like #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& go to a boat, it's kind of makes me as a younger surfcaster think that surfcasting is on the way out, but now I realize that he put in a ton of time in the surf and did very well for a long time, so whose to say that I can't acheive even a fraction of that success, which would be fine with me!
As you guys said, whatever makes you happy, that is what fishing is all about in the end.

This is a well thought out and well written post...Look, Surfcasting aint easy and yes you will catch more in a boat...a 30lber in the surf is a great acheviement...Its a lot of work ,time and effort...takes years ....I personally see no need to subject myself to that anymore, whats the point? Yes I love being under the stars etc...but now I do it from the other side in my boat alone on some remote Island where no one else is around...its different and its the same all at once..

Yes in my mind Surf fishing is a young mans game...it wears on you after many years, there is no way a 40 or 50 year old guy is going to be able to keep up with a 25 year old guy..I was there once fishing with older guys and now finally I know what they meant everytime they told me "what 2am? you go Bill, Go get em" call me and let me know how you did" And, I did go get them...I had my share for sure, but it takes a price on everything...Now with the boat I leave the dock at 4:30 Am, and I am back home by 8am with a couple nice fish, can do other stuff at night and during the day, My body thanks me for it, no cumbersome surf bags anymore, no waders, corkers etc..

I fully admit here, I am out of the surf game for good.let the younger guys go hit it hard everynight and I aplaud them for there efforts...Just dont knock a guy who was ready for a change or diminish what they accomplished in there Surf years..There is nothing wrong with having a boat and you only go around this way once! If it makes you happy do it!

As for Rockport, just put in your time and the fish will come!

[eelman]

Originally Posted by DZ

To be bashed by two of my good friends is hard to take – that hurts. Jim asked a question and I responded. I should know by now that opinions are often misunderstood when posted online. I apologize to those who took my statements the wrong way.

DZ

DZ, We all lose our heads now and then...No harm done..And I am glad to call you friend! Now would you like to come out on my boat? Anyway..Its all forgotton...

[ProfessorM]

I totally agree I just don't have the stamina needed for serious shore fishing any more, or at least the way i used to fish. I prefer to be more comfortable and love being able to fish where others aren't.

[GoFish]

I bought a boat last year, and all it's doing is keeping me from fishing. I've spent more freakin' time and money trying to get this boat in-shape and launched than you can imagine. Bottom line, it's cost me most of my spring shore and kayak fishing time. Suppose it'll be nice if I ever get it in the water...

BTW.. It was my wife's idea to buy it.

[ProfessorM]

Owning a boat is a love hate relationship for sure and helps if you are handy

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by piemma

Don't let anyone kid you, it's easier to catch fish in a boat but NOT less rewarding.

And the truth shall set you free.
Boats are a blast, you can catch multi species, and have unlimited freedom. I got rid of my boat primarily because of time restraints. The last year I owned the 17' key largo, I stared out my living room window at it too much. Eventually I couldn't justify owning it and not be in the thing 3-5 times per week.

[shadow]

jim it should only come down to one thing money,if you have it then spend it,I love the surf yet would buy a boat if I could there is nothing wrong with boating one day and hitting the surf 2 or three nights a week.If you can have the option to do both then way not?May is a good time to be in a boat in the bay lets hope june is a good time for the surf.

[BassDawg]

WOW! Lots to be said on either side of this equation...............

However, DZ is right about his opinion.

So, also, is Bill.

What's important is that the fishing part remains. Boat or surf, to each his/her own..................yet, the two could not be further apart.

I'm 47 years young and have been fishing since I was about 6 yrs old.
This will be my second full season on the rocks, and I absolutely love the thrill of the hunt, the risk factor involved, the adreneline rush that comes with landing 20-30# fish from the surf (with eager anticipation and high aspirations to land that 50 from the rocks), and reading the water under the stars in the pitch of the night. I LOVE being out there, finding the bite, and feeling the tug of some BIG GURL (those would be the 4 that I lost last year due to poor positioning and inexperience) as she is trying to dislodge me from me rocks whilst I endeavor to wrest her from her seas.

DZ is right, and I'm sure that earlier on in your career Bill you thought "BOATS, Schmoats! This sheet is tha baaaallzzzzz!!!" Why is that? It's because they are two completely different types of fishing. The common denominator is fishing, but surfcasting is far more difficult. Hence the agreed upon idea that it is a "younger man's game". It is undoubtedly more taxing physically, it is more perilous from the rocks and sea perspective alone, and the reason it is tougher to catch large from the shore rather than a boat is the surfcaster does not have the Lowrance at his disposal or the added leverage of a boat, heavier gear, and a motor or two. In my view, the most pronounced contrast is that you've introduced the boat into the dynamic and given yourself a huge edge against our beloved prey. Surfcasters and boaters are both fishermen granted, but they are two entirely variant breeds. It doesn't make you any less of a fisherman, just a different kind of angler.

Mr Nolan, you are right as well. From your perspective it is definitely easier to cover more water in less time with the advantage of twin Mercs speeding one around The Bay and harbors. Looking from the sea to the shore, as opposed to the shore to the sea affords one a myriad of viewpoints and the accessability factor increases more rapidly and quite exponentially. You also have a much broader view. From the rocks I am limited to how far I can rockhop & cast/swim & cast. From a boat you can survey an entire area and prolly see the bait before it sees you? From a boat you can not only see for miles, and miles, and miles; but you can GET there and get there quickly! Less harm to the body, less stress from the rocks, and better opportunity for some 50's, 60's, 70's, eh mates? Not wrong or right, just different.

And this is where the more rewarding part comes in. Because the two styles of fishing are so diverse, and surfcasting is much harder for many reasons, that is why a 30#er from the surf is a "great achievement" as you said Bill, and more the norm from a boat. It is more commonplace than rare, expected rather than "achieved" everytime you fuel that fiberglass up isn't it?. Could this be why OTW, in its Striper Cup, adds a weight differential to its surf division? Is it fair to say that a "great achievement" from a boat would be a 40#er and up?

Please don't misunderstand me, both types of fishing are equally rewarding in their own rights, but both are extremely different and that's what separates those that fish from a boat and those of us that (at least for now) subscribe to the philosophies like:

"I wouldn't be caught dead in a boat!"
"Boat fish don't count"
"Fish Hard, Live Long"
"Chunking is for cheaters"...................Oh wait, that's an entirely different thread .

[eelman]

Not sure basstracker...I found it pretty easy to get 30lb fish from shore also And it was always expected..thats the attitude you need to score in either a boat or in the surf...Your post is good but I fished the surf for 23 years or so...so I have seen and done just about everything in the surf....I think my perspective is as god as anyones....I can say that a boat doesnt always mean a big fish...its still a hunt and has its own set of nuances...So basically I have been there done that in the surf..

[ThrowingTimber]

definitely a hunting game, with the wind today it wasnt easy to see them breezing but once we found a school big enough Game AWN! I have to balance the boat thing hitting the surf in under an hour. And Oh Jim get the boat, if it means you'll enjoy it, make yoursef happy, I did the math this week and running to the canal each morning and fishing home waters at night from my truck I would have saved money AND KNOCKED THE SNOT OUT OF FISH had I had a small bay boat I could trailer... Guess who's taking strippers off his winter budget?

[jim sylvester]

Originally Posted by ThrowingTimber

definitely a hunting game, with the wind today it wasnt easy to see them breezing but once we found a school big enough Game AWN! I have to balance the boat thing hitting the surf in under an hour. And Oh Jim get the boat, if it means you'll enjoy it, make yoursef happy, I did the math this week and running to the canal each morning and fishing home waters at night from my truck I would have saved money AND KNOCKED THE SNOT OUT OF FISH had I had a small bay boat I could trailer... Guess who's taking strippers off his winter budget?

say it ain't so....I'm talking about taking the strippers off the winter budget

[stiff tip]

jim ..... dont b a girly man .... enjoy life. do what your selfish heart wants .... the hell w/ everyone else.f-um i can have a wife n f-n kids later...... b a man....also dont play w/ loaded guns....signed... your pal...

[Pete_G]

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great."

I think DZ's post touched on this a bit. There's nothing easy about surfcasting, and there's no question that's part of the appeal for many. I don't think his post smacked of elitism, just truth. When you're on shore, it's surfcasting. When you're on the boat, it's striper fishing. It's not elitism, it just is what it is.

That said, I've been afloat almost as much as I've been standing or swimming in the water so far this year. It's fun and challenging in it's own way. To be honest when I'm on the boat I'm usually content just driving and letting other people do the catching. It's not that I don't have the "drive" to catch when I'm on the boat, but the hunt is as much fun as the catch there.

When I'm on shore I'm extremely competitive. I want to first to a spot, catch the biggest, push the hardest, etc. That's there in the boat too, but in a different way.

Both boat and shore offer qualities I really enjoy. What ever floats your boat, so to speak...

Take what you need from fishing however you can get it.

[piemma]

Dennis:
You have always been a friend and always will be a friend. No harm done. You know how much I loved the surf.

There's not many guys that drove from Burrillville to Narragansett for 30 + years 100+ nights a year to fish. I did. Bryan knows. Hell, I fished Gansett one year more than him and he lives there.

With the recent health issues I have had it just made sense for me to get a boat and prolong doing what I love.

By the way, just so everybody knows, the Chemo has worked as I have been cancer free for the last 3 months. Thanks for all the prayers.

[Raven]

super glad to hear that Paul

[piemma]

Thanks RAVEN!

[RIJIMMY]

that is aboslutley fantastic news Paul!

[piemma]

Thanks Jimmy. 2 years battling the demon. Let's pray it hold up for good.

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by piemma

Dennis:
You have always been a friend and always will be a friend. No harm done. You know how much I loved the surf.

There's not many guys that drove from Burrillville to Narragansett for 30 + years 100+ nights a year to fish. I did. Bryan knows. Hell, I fished Gansett one year more than him and he lives there.

With the recent health issues I have had it just made sense for me to get a boat and prolong doing what I love.

By the way, just so everybody knows, the Chemo has worked as I have been cancer free for the last 3 months. Thanks for all the prayers.

Congrats on the cancer fight. That's good news...

As far as driving from Burriville... I WISH I lived that close. No sympathy here, and I hit it almost as often...about 80-90 nights.

[JohnR]

The beauty is that each has its own attractions and mystical qualities to it that are - for me - somewhat hard to express. The feeling laying into a decent fish in a 20kt in-your-face wind while looking at the lights of Block Island and the dance on the horizon of Montauk is awesome, especially knowing must are all tucked in for the night and are missing this!!! Surreal in some ways as it touches the soul. On the other hand, running fast on flat-a$$ mirrored-glass calm seas with the smell of sunrise forced through your nostrils as the anticipation builds. You throttle down and creep then drift into your honey whole, whip your offering into the rocks, sense the hit coming and fight and land nice fish! This also does wonders on your psyche!

Both are awesome, both, taken seriously represent various challenges, enjoyment, and absolute satisfaction

[Canalman]

Jim,

Don't let yourself be fooled into believing its that much easier, because it isn't. You think you're gonna go out there with 10 bunker and catch 10 30-45 pounders you've got some learning to do. The majority of what you'll catch is the same as what you get from the beach 15-25 pounds. And then there's gas, getting bait, keeping it alive, the extremely high mortality rate of the fish you catch and that sick realization that there are not hoardes of 40's throwing themselves at your bait. Take a deep breath, fishing is supposed to be fun , don't stress about the bass you're not catching and know that by the time you get your boat in the water, those bass will be dropping out of there and heading along our coast.

-Dave

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Canalman

Jim,

Don't let yourself be fooled into believing its that much easier, because it isn't. You think you're gonna go out there with 10 bunker and catch 10 30-45 pounders you've got some learning to do. The majority of what you'll catch is the same as what you get from the beach 15-25 pounds. And then there's gas, getting bait, keeping it alive, the extremely high mortality rate of the fish you catch and that sick realization that there are not hoardes of 40's throwing themselves at your bait. Take a deep breath, fishing is supposed to be fun , don't stress about the bass you're not catching and know that by the time you get your boat in the water, those bass will be dropping out of there and heading along our coast.

-Dave

Good points Dave. I heard you made a recent boat trip and I was thinking Redlite and I would have the surf to ourself this season following your baptism.

[Crazy Alberto]

There are many valid pointers and allow me to interject.
The truth of the matter is… we are talking about the sport of “fishing”. Fishing is just a broad term of catching a fish with a hook.

As we all know, there are many forms of fishing and for the most part, each method has its own challenging pointers. It really doesn’t matter and it could be from the surf, boat or flycasting or chunking… it’s all the same! Since I’ve owned a 25 ft. for over 15 years and had the pleasure of catching multiple species and big fish… And it does not say that it is easier. Contrary to what is said, you still have to find the fish, take care of the maintenance, expenses and all that. It’s WORK! To belittle a boater or any other method of fishing is ludicrous and disrespectful to the sport.

Although I sold my boat many years ago, from time to time I still jump on the boat. WHY? Because it’s fun!

For me, I spend most of my outings late at night and from the surf. It’s a matter of convenience because I can coordinate a specific tide for big fish (Stripers) in just a few hours and its minutes drive from my house. The boat would have been cumbersome and time consuming.

Fortunately, I have access to many boats but I choose to fish from shore because through the years, I’ve learn many prime spots and they are close to the shoreline. That is why I opted to sell my boat and catch’em from the suds. The bottom line is… It’s the BIG HUNT… and it is equally challenging and rewarding from both perspective of the game! All in all, it would be worthwhile to have a boat for the family and to target other species (Tuna, Tautog, Doormat, Cod, etc) that prowls the deeper parts and columns of the water. But if the game is Striped Bass… they can be easily caught from terra firma or the deck… It’s all up to you and your skill level!

“Crazy” Alberto
nonstopfisher@optonline.net