The Derby

[Swimmer]

Why I like/fish the derby.

Sleeping on the beach, leftovers at Bubba's, sitting around a table with guys older than you imparting thier wisdom to everyone else sitting there, sunrise at Wasque, sunrise at Tashmoo over my right shoulder, watching my wife walk into the weigh station with a really tiny bluefish and the weigh master in 1984 was kind enough to weigh the fish for her, hitting the grand slam in 2003, weighing in an albie because your only allowed to weigh in three, so you have to pick em right, watching 30 people try to fish on Menemsha jetty, seeing the joy on any kids face when they bring a fish into the weigh-in, CATCHING A BONE, see my brother relax, just to have the joy of driving off the boat in Vineyard Haven/Oak Bluffs, have a cup of coffee and a chocolate chip cookie in Coop's and once-again look at the picture of my bass on the wall, eat at Linda Jeans, leftovers at Bubba's, count how may dune monsters I hear at night, hang out with people who fish solely because it brings them personal joy and relaxation and for no other reason, sip Root Beer snappes iced in a glass sitting on the beach at night, catching 17.60 # bluefish, seeing my buddy Paul Shultz, running into people from the early 70's when I lived there (some are still kicking around), fishing wood most of the time, plastic very little, bunker at night here and there, tins in the morning.

For the most part everyone pays attention to the leader board and doesn't kill a fish just to weigh it in. Kill it mostly when it will affect tourney outcome. Like bumping someone off the board. I am not saying this is true in all cases. It certainly is with the albies though.