What does it take?

[BasicPatrick]

Always Targeting large is one not mentioned much yet...those who seem to repeat large often go right by the schoolie spots and concentrate their effort and time to the conditions and environment that produces large...they fish tackle rigged for large, always...they understand that they will catch much less and throw the skunk much more often but also have complete confidence that bigger is better...they are not bothered that so and so got 145 keepers up to 2o punds when they know the smallest their gear will attract are 30.

[Nebe]

Good reply Basic Patrick... Now i have an excuse for when I get skunked. " I was targeting large"

[TunaCell]

Number one in my oppinion is not to become a creature of habit, especially bad ones. You have to branch out and be willing to change tactics when the time calls for it and learn new locations.

[CANAL RAT]

i have read every book on stripers/blues,striper/blue fishing,forage and there biology. im studying marine biology in high school and have a A+ beacause i did a project on striper feeding habits ask me a question about stripers and i will Answer it in detail . i think if you read and study as much as you can about your prey it will help you come out on top of the surfcasting game. i think your first goal should be actually catching fish then go searching for something more than a schoolie or keeper. im happy with catching schoolies on light tackle all day in a local bay or marsh just having fun but catching a BIG striper is always nice

[Wiperboy]

It's all slight of hand. The uncanny ability to feel as though a fish is always swimming behind you lure as you make it dance, shimmy and flutter about.

It's injecting your passion into every cast knowing the possibility to catch a fish that will shock the imagination and turn you into a local urban legend is always at your rods doorstep.

It's the little things. Re-tying, tying 100s of bucktails until you get that special magic one.

It's getting the first fish of the day and smelling the salt as you pull it from the surf and looking into it's eyes telling it to alert his friends that your in town and ready to do battle until your hands are swollen from gripping and ripping all day.

[Flaptail]

I'll tell you what it takes. It takes leaving a great paying job in the city and telling your wife to leave her's or stay but your moving to the Cape and basically throwing away a made future. It takes moving to where you know no one, except on the beach and those you could not rely on too heavily. Leaving half your combined income to go to work for a little better than minimum wage cause "hey, this is the Cape". It takes shorting the family budget ten to twenty bucks a week so you can get gas or a plug or some eels when you could be taking the wife and kid's out for pizza which would be a treat to them and you know it but still you do it. It means leaving your wife and kids at home with nothing to do while you are out surfcasting and enjoying yourself but subconciously knowing your screwing them. It means buying an impracticle 4 wheel drive that once the monthly payment goes in just gets you by on the mortagage, food and clothes. It means no

[kippy]

Originally posted by bart
living next to the water

I agree Rob, what the hell are we doing in Franklin? ..that's it, I'm moving in with Eben..you have a spare room for me?

[tattoobob]

it takes leaving at 9pm on a saturday night in october
when your wife has tears in her eyes, and driving 2 hrs.
to RI to fish until sun up and then driving home half asleep
and sleeping all day sunday.

bob

[Backbeach Jake]

The truly elite, even with their work and sacrifices, wizened mentors, and love for the fish are blessed with a God-given gift. As with musicians, sculptors, and painters, even they may not understand it. Only that they are compelled to fish. Just my take on it. The truly great surfmen just blow my mind.

[parker23]

An old business associate of mine phrased it perfectly. He asked me how my business was doing? I replied, very well, I have been extremely lucky.

He replied; the harder you work the luckier you are. This is true in all aspects of life. I just started fishing hard again this year and had fair results. 15 years ago, I was much luckier because I fished over 100 times a season.

I re-learned alot this year. Hopefully, I will learn a little more next season and thereafter.

Time on the water, a disciplined fishing log and more time on the water, is the key to being lucky.

Wishing you all hard work and good luck in all you do in 2005.

[TheRattBoy]

I've always said that luck has very little to do with it, yes there is some luck involved, but that isn't what the topic was about, unless you believe that the guys that always can beach the biggin's (or just more fish) are just luckier people....No, see, they put in their time, they know what phase of the tide the fish are cruisin' through (feeding) and they know what they are feeding on and match it, they know how to get the most out of there plugs and present the plug so it's irresistable to the fish.They keep logs, from good outings AND BAD, because you will see patterns year to year.They keep their eyes and ears open and their mouths shut.It's alot more difficult if you are married, hopfully you have an understanding wife .I know several top rods who have trashed marriages and careers for time at waters edge.
But to answer, what does it take?, time fishing (a LOT), keep a journal and being able to adapt to changing conditions and don't be affraid to experiment with new techniques.
There's no doubt that guys that live on or close to the shore have it all over those of us who travel.But that doesn't mean they love it any more than we do...
Good topic Mike. johnny

[Got Stripers]

It takes someone with more desire than I have to get wet, stay wet, get cold, stay cold, get tired, stay tired, fish nights on end searching old and new water sometimes without so much as a bump. Been there done that, I just don't have that drive to catch large I once had, sure if they come my way I'm one happy fisher; but it's not my driving force anymore. Not to say I'm not driven, because I suffer a different cold and work hours to bust through ice to work my boat to open water all winter long, but it's just not the same as standing waist deep with a cold wind driven rain pounding you in the face.

My hat goes off to those that still have that kind of energy or desire. For a once a week fisher, I probably have my rod bent more than most on this board, even guys fishing numerous nights a week, in fact I've had it bent over 400 times in the past 5 weekends; but I appreciate it's boat fishing and they don't count. I think a lot of it has to do with my background and my freshwater routes, or more importantly that I thrive on catching with light tackle and smaller plastics.

Even so it takes time, aquired knowledge, willingness to learn and pay attention, experimentation at times, ability to listen to others but more importantly to the fish, attention to even the smallet details at times and as Clammer knows good maintenance on your top end equipment.

[NIB]

How do I do it Easy.I'm gifted.An i use big hooks.

[piemma]

Dave Hammock late of Murats, once told me that "you gotta put your time in". I agree with Saltheart. Hundreds of hours with out sleep every year, year in and year out. Time on the beach, attention to detail, check every knot, sharpen hooks and listen. Most of all talk to a select few.