Twas the night before christmas-

[baldwin]

Twas the week before Christmas when all through the night
Not a damn thing was swimming, I had not a bite

The plugs were all cast tight to structure with care,
In hopes that one last monster cow would be there;

Those with a stitch of sanity were home snug in bed,
Only crazy die-hard surfcasters were tired, cold and wet;

And I in my neoprenes and CSA cap,
Would have been better off with an eight-hour nap;

When out on the water was the sound of a splatter,
I leaned my rod back, and I swung like a batter;

Away flew my plug toward that distant splash,
My bail shut, my line broke, and it cost me some cash;

I tied on a new plug as along came a breeze,
And my shivering fingers continued to freeze;

I slipped on a rock and fell in with a splat,
Soaking wet from my Korkers right up to my hat;

Got a hook thru’ my waders, which sprung a nice leak,
And the end of the season was looking quite bleak;

I gave up, drove back home, and I crawled into bed,
My shivering woke up my wife, who sleeps like the dead;

She said “you’re obsessed” and then “it serves you right”,
“Thank God it’s the end of the season…good night”.

She thinks the next few months bring reprieve from my fishing,
But I know and you know that’s just foolish wishing;

There are plugs to repaint and hooks to replace,
Tackle in the basement, strewn all over the place;

Reels to grease, rods to wrap, plugs to turn, line to wind,
Leaky waders to patch, and some dull hooks to grind;

I’ll be out buying tackle, and of course tying flies,
And on surfcasting websites reading good advice and lies;

But…for the next couple nights I’ll just play the game,
Do the Holiday thing, and convince her I’m sane;

Do some minimal housework and rack up brownie points,
While I recover from the fall run, healing muscles and joints;

Work on saving my marriage, prevent a divorce,
Or a fishing tackle tag sale…
Which would be even worse…

While anxiously waiting for that first warm spring breeze,
And the water temp to reach that magic 45 degrees;

And the stripers again have control of the night,
While we search and we cast, and we wait for the bite;

But for now I wish you, ‘cause the timing is right,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

- George Baldwin

[Nebe]

the crown has been passed to baldwin

[RI Popper]

Absolutely Marvelous Baldwin. THANKS for you efforts. I owe you a plug for that one. You made me laugh.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Nebe

Twas the night before christmas and all through the cave
not a plug was spinning.. not even the lathe-

The lures were hung by the rafters with care
with hopes that saint Eben soon would be there

The Bassmasters were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of Surf howdes danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'waders, and I in my hipboots,

Had just settled down for a long winter's roll playing,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

Only to see my cave along with my stash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of envirotex to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,


But a miniature sandsled, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, who smelled like bass heaven,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Eben.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Danny! now, Pikie! now, Flaptail and Spook!

On, Needle! on Popper! on, Pencil and Darter, you fook!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Plugs, and St. Eben too.


And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Eben came with a bound.

He was dressed all in Aquaskins, from his head to his foot,

And his Plugbag was tarnished with Salt and soot;

A bundle of plugs he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

Then he said to me as loud as can be...

I've come for your plugs, And Just so you know........

Some call me a fisher, Some Call me a Hoe...

I took him to the cave and gave him a hug....


and all he left me was one lousy plug...

He Hoed all my Lures, my hooks, and my tools

I chased him through the night like an April Fools..

He sprang to his sled, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.


But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Hoe-ing to all, and to all a good-night."

Merry Christmas Guys!!!! have a wonderful holiday!

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Nebe
Twas the night before christmas and all through the cave
not a plug was spinning.. not even the lathe-

The lures were hung by the rafters with care
with hopes that saint Eben soon would be there

The Bassmasters were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of Surf howdes danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'waders, and I in my hipboots,

Had just settled down for a long winter's roll playing,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

Only to see my cave along with my stash

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of envirotex to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,


But a miniature sandsled, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, who smelled like bass heaven,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Eben.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Danny! now, Pikie! now, Flaptail and Spook!

On, Needle! on Popper! on, Pencil and Darter, you fook!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Plugs, and St. Eben too.


And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Eben came with a bound.

He was dressed all in Aquaskins, from his head to his foot,

And his Plugbag was tarnished with Salt and soot;

A bundle of plugs he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

Then he said to me as loud as can be...

I've come for your plugs, And Just so you know........

Some call me a fisher, Some Call me a Hoe...

I took him to the cave and gave him a hug....


and all he left me was one lousy plug...

He Hoed all my Lures, my hooks, and my tools

I chased him through the night like an April Fools..

He sprang to his sled, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.


But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Hoe-ing to all, and to all a good-night."

Originally Posted by Nebe

Merry Christmas Guys!!!! have a wonderful holiday!

Classic!

[numbskull]

Several more here. http://striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/...highlight=twas

[ProfessorM]

Those were some good ones for sure and some comments from members that have passed over the years. Good stuff.
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