Looking back this year....

[redcrbbr]

Well to start off it has been and still is a pleasure to participate in this board. Have to admit was a little nervous about meeting up with a bunch of internet strangers in person given all the bad stories we hear about, kidnapping, being used as a sex slave, or worse forced to carry someones fishing gear over miles of sand in the dark of night.
I have to say I have two very nice memories to reflect on from events that wouldn't have occured without s-b. The first one being the s-b third leg. It was really a great day good people, food and fishing talk. I was happy to fish that night with some of the nicest guys and the best part of it all was we all caught fish. One fish that I caught that night eventually went on to win the four leg tourney. I still think had the surf and weather cooperated a bit more on the night of the fourth leg it would have been beat. I am going to cherish the rod and reel for a long time.
The second memory which to this day still hits home with me was the thank-you from Steve from Mass, and the fish that his grandfather caught on one of the beaches I showed Steve when I took him on a quick guided tour after a night of fishing. Steve you and your grandfather are so very welcome and I Thank-You for touching my heart and making me smile everytime I go by that beach.

[Slipknot]

I have many memories from this years fishing and like Schoolie Monster, my most memorable would have to be breaking 30 pounds this summer with a 31 - 1/2 pounder in the ditch on a jig that Saltheart made.
Meeting a lot of new people from this board has to be memorable starting at the fishing shows up to late Summer I think I meet quite a few new faces. All good people too :th:
Off the top of my head let's see: Ragfly,clamdigger,Smokey, Saltheart, Noreaster, Fisherwoman, Baitcaster, Topwater, East Tide Dave, Mike P, Milo, Jenn, J. Habs, Fisheye, Don M, Tattoo, BM, Specialist, 10x10, Krispy, Ed J, Otter, Ismail, Got Stripers, canalratt1, Steve in Mass. , Jettyjockey18, JeffSod, and maybe some more but I can't think right now. I met a few members here last year as well: JohnR, Fishpart, Jeff, BillB, Schoolie monsta, J Powers, Chris L.

I think I helped make up for John missing out on some of the action this year as I just about double my trips to the water this year. Caught over 350 stripers from Jan. to Nov., 86 of them legal.

I remember the Mass Bass show was a good time and I look forward to it next year. I met Stan Kuzia and Ron Arra there.

I really got to learn about the canal this year with much help from others and by putting in my time. One of these days I will hook a real cow in that place and when I do, I hope one of the members here is nearby.

Fishing the Thames river in January with Got Stripers and Schoolie Monster was quite a treat. And again with Bob at his ledges and watching him work his magic jerkbaits.

I was hoping to take my kids fishing with me more but after dumping my boat that made it more difficult to include the kids on my fishing trips. But they will be older next year and I will get them out more

Getting the chance to fish with Bassmaster was a memory for sure. Hey Tattoo, got skunk?

Overall I had a great year fishing and I'd like to thank John for his efforts bringing us this website


Let's be thankful for this years fishing and hope that next year is even better.

[HESH2]

STILL FISHING R.I. PUTTING IN MY TIME BUT CATCHING ONLY 1 BLUE SO FAR,GOING TO FISH SAT AM AT THE HILL.BEST TIME SO FAR THIS YEAR WAS FISHING WITH MY 3 SONS ON THE CAPE AND CATCHING SEVERAL BASS.ALL FISH I CAUGHT WERE SMALL STILL LOOKING FOR THE BIG COW-HOPEFULLY SHE WILL BE PASSING THROUGH RI WHEN I'M THERE IN CASTING RANGE.

[10x10]

I guess the highlight of the year fishing wise was a pretty nice bass I caught right in the middle of a crowd this spring and released while everyone else was killing their better fish.Made me feel good knowing that fish lived, probably would have been a goner if someone else caught it.I hope it's still swimmin around out there somewhere.
Otherwise a pretty unexceptional year fishing wise.
Getting to know some of you cape guys and fishing at nauset(nice beach),that wasn't a bad thing and I did get to ride in BM's sand sled.Matter a fact I think I was the last person to ride shotgun before it met it's untimely demise.bang bang bang%(&$##^T&)^# GET OUTA MY WAY!freakin dopey tourists &^)($%$#@!#!!! Haw Haw Haw, lot's of fun.
Had lots of fun making lures and swapping with other guys too or just givin them away(Where's my Darters! and where'd my needlefish go?)
Fishing down here is pretty bad anymore.Too many people,gill netters working in the close to the beaches and pollution are doin a real number on the fishing down here.Couple more years of this and there really will be no fish here at all.
These guys down here I don't think even know how bad the water quality is.They been lookin at it so long they don't know water is supposed to be clear and not smell bad.Nor are beaches supposed to resemble land fills.There's places I fished in NJ this year where I was afraid to touch my line after it was in the water.I'm not kidding either.
I guess that's what they call "progress".
So,Any of youse guys got a big bass yet up there?
Is any one even trying?I'm tellin you there's more fish still to come.Everything is late this year and you guys are gonna get decent fishing right up til Thanksgiving I think.Last year there were some big bass caught right about now up that way so if I lived up there I would still be out tryin.

[chris L]

this past year has been a good one !
I met alot of good fishers I would have normally walked right past ( too many to mention and I dont want to miss anyone ) . Thanks to John for the outings I had a good time at the 3 I went too . Between flings and legs ( sounds sexy ). I got into a lot of fish this year .
I need a massage my aching back . Am I getting old ? nah just casting alot ! I got some quality fish this year . But it was great to meet all the new people . Next year we will have to do it again .
thanks everyone

[Tattoo]

10x10.....darters are coming!

Dont tell HIM....

[JohnR]

I was going to save adding to this thread until after my last time out (still a shot at a 50 ) but, what the heck...

First & foremost, being a Dad... This past year watching my son grow with me & my wife has been the uncontested highlight of this year.

As far as fishing goes, this year was not going to break any records for me but I knew that from the get go. I knew that I'd be lucky to get out a third of what I did last year - which I didn't and I figured I'd be lucky to catch a third of what I did last year - which I didn't. Being sick for a lot of the time from April on didn't help much either but that's on it's way out... Nor did I get any outboards this year... I also didn't get to Block or MV and I didn't break thirty pounds this year (yet - my biggest this season is a guestimate of about 25-27 pounds - although I got a few in that range).

What I did do this year was have a lot of fun. I met a whole bunch of new people and really got to know others better. I spent a fair amount of time getting to know Fishpart & Clammer and I feel all the better because of it... I enjoyed seeing both Slip & Schoolie & FW hoisting their biggest basses so far and knowing that there will be more & bigger to come - I just wish I had been there to SEE THEM HOOKUP... I was lucky enough to see Fishpart get his biggest fish ever and was glad to be there at the time!!! I had a true blast (and schooling ) when I went to watch the Mastah at work on the Scituate Ledges... GS - that's truly sweet water... I enjoyed seeing a lot of people attend the various legs of the tourney and very happy to meet a lot of you. Next year, I hope to fish with some of you a bit more and touch an island or two... Had a ball watching FW & Jenn harass each other...

I like seeing it when people hear have made friends with others that they otherwise would have never met. And you see the results of that like when Steve's Grandfather got into those fish. Big thumbs up to Charlie, Steve, and Red!!!

I also appreciate all that I've learned from you all and all of you that have contributed here at Striped-Bass and it has been a real pleasure for me to bring this site out to you all... I also appreciate the support we've gotten from the people that sponsor us like Don & Weekapaug, Mike & his family @ Capecodtackle.com, Saltydog @ flyrodreeloutfitters.com and Ron from the Sportsmans Den... These guys have been helping me keep the lights on (so buy a few things from them will ya )

A very special thanks to Saltheart for slaving at keeping me on the ball with my getting things done here - I think everyone should give him a round of applause - he really deserves it.

BUT THANK ALL OF YOU for making this all possible