Daignault in Newport Last Night - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Crafty Angler · 02-20-2009, 06:16 AM

Classic Frank doing his Trophy Striper seminar at last night's Npt County Saltwater FIshing Club meeting - we had a very full house for it.

I've seen Frank many times and have seen the Trophy Striper presentation before too but he was really enjoyable - I always liked his no-nonsense style.

I actually got an opportunity to speak with Joyce for quite a while before Frank started - good to see them both looking hale and hearty after the auto accident related health issues they had.

Lots of S-B faces there last night - DZ, of course, Ed B, Jake and Elwood Pt Jude, soaker, PeteG, halvey64, et al. - most of the usual suspects.

Frank's 72 now but I think he improves with age - and anybody who still uses a Kodak slide projector instead of PowerPoint is okay in my book...

Best Frank-ism of the night, IMO, and there were more than a few:

"My father taught me to swear. It was inadvertant."

...

...

DZ, EdB and myself had the chance to talk with Joyce and Frank after the place cleared out - it's really nice to see a husband and wife team who are life-long genuine outdoors people and raised their children in that tradition. I'm afraid that's going to be an anachronism in the not-too-distant future.

I picked up his Fly Fishing the Striper Surf to help with his annuity - I was going to ask Joyce to sign it too since she functions as his editor, but didn't, wished I had but I know she prefers to stay in the background (to keep a watchful eye on Frank, no doubt...

). Since I just picked up a long wand for short money I figured it might be a good place to start -

It was a good night out in February anyway and if you missed it, well - you missed it.

Raven · 02-20-2009, 07:31 AM

Did you take any PICTURES?

Crafty Angler · 02-20-2009, 08:37 AM

No, Rav - not much to take pictures of other than me sitting in the Seniors section...

Actually, I was the youngest guy in my group but those are the old salts that I like to listen to anyway - the conversations between the Senior members are usually pretty terse - it's more a matter of nods, grunts, raised eyebrows and knowing smiles - kind of a visual short-hand.

Not that there's anything wrong with being young - with any luck, their youth will go into remission sooner or later all on it's own, anyway...

Hey, I don't want to be accused of reverse age-ism here - I've gotta watch myself...

Anyway, it's sorta tough to capture on film - or memory stick as the case may be.

Raven · 02-20-2009, 08:59 AM

Aye...

NIB · 02-20-2009, 09:46 AM

I have to admit.Trophy Striper was my bible..
For some time I wished I had never read his ramblings on the inernet..While I think he is calming down with age.Slightly..
It's hard for me to say anymore As I have been "Branded"

Back Beach · 02-20-2009, 09:52 AM

Frank gets my nod as the premier writer/author of our era. Lots of others, but Frank is one of the few that is both a competent angler and outstanding writer. Few people do both of these things well.
Many of the guys I grew up fishing with resented him, but its all jealousy, IMO. When confronted with the "Why don't you like Frank?" question, most of the guys I know struggle to produce a valid argument to me.

Circlehook · 02-20-2009, 10:42 AM

I agree with above. You just can't put his books down once you get going. He does tend to recycle alot of his stories in his books though.

I wanted to go last night, but I am being murdered with my annual end of winter cold.

NIB · 02-20-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back Beach

. When confronted with the "Why don't you like Frank?" question, most of the guys I know struggle to produce a valid argument to me.

He comes across as a pompus ass..

Much like someone else who post's too often for their own good.

Crafty Angler · 02-20-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIB

I have to admit.Trophy Striper was my bible..
For some time I wished I had never read his ramblings on the inernet..While I think he is calming down with age.Slightly..
It's hard for me to say anymore As I have been "Branded"

Frank has mellowed a bit with age, NIB, which I've noticed the last few times - but like I said 'a bit'

I dunno, regardless of who someone brings up there's always people on both sides of the fence anyway, I guess...

Flaptail · 02-20-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Frank gets my nod as the premier writer/author of our era. Lots of others, but Frank is one of the few that is both a competent angler and outstanding writer. Few people do both of these things well.
Many of the guys I grew up fishing with resented him, but its all jealousy, IMO. When confronted with the "Why don't you like Frank?" question, most of the guys I know struggle to produce a valid argument to me.

You never asked me. Ask me how he dissed me about the Arnold Laine piece I did two years ago. Ask me how he had the info from Little Paulie the Fireman about Balston (Tony C. would love to tell you I am sure)
How about pissing off the rangers so bad with cheating on getting on or offand forging permits they came down on us like the SS back in the early 80's. If you had rods on at night and were just sitting in your truck you were harrased, fish or get off.

Read 20 years on the cape and you have read all of his books the others are just remixes. And the fly book is a farce. Want to learn to really saltwater fly fish for stripers read Kenny Abrames or Lou Tabory.

He is way overated. Mike if you were on the beach back then in the 70's and early 80's you would have done just as well. Tony C. was the real deal, still is and even Arnold Laine didn't take as many as Tony did. Frank is a wonderful self promoter buyt he wasn't near the best of the best.

Back Beach · 02-20-2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaptail

You never asked me. Ask me how he dissed me about the Arnold Laine piece I did two years ago. Ask me how he had the info from Little Paulie the Fireman about Balston (Tony C. would love to tell you I am sure)
How about pissing off the rangers so bad with cheating on getting on or offand forging permits they came down on us like the SS back in the early 80's. If you had rods on at night and were just sitting in your truck you were harrased, fish or get off.

Read 20 years on the cape and you have read all of his books the others are just remixes. And the fly book is a farce. Want to learn to really saltwater fly fish for stripers read Kenny Abrames or Lou Tabory.

He is way overated. Mike if you were on the beach back then in the 70's and early 80's you would have done just as well. Tony C. was the real deal, still is and even Arnold Laine didn't take as many as Tony did. Frank is a wonderful self promoter buyt he wasn't near the best of the best.

Steve,

I know the Laine piece ruffled your feathers a bit, but I really evaluate Frank from my own dealings with him. In the past I would fully buy into what my elders told me about him without questioning their motives. Many of my elders, dear as they are to me, tend to be a self serving bunch too. I’m not directing this comment at anyone in particular, its just a collective thought on people I knew past and present. This is mostly due to the fact they were money fishers and likely resented any perceived threats to their livelihood=greed. As for the 70' and 80's stuff, everyone out there stretched the rules as far as they could.

My point is Frank is one of the few authors who combines angling skill and writing skill. I’m not saying he’s the greatest surf man ever, but he was a good one by all accounts.

Glad you chimed in though.

cow tamer · 02-20-2009, 01:41 PM

I enjoy Frank for the pure entertainment of it.

Brings true meaning to "Diamond in the Rough".

Rockport24 · 02-20-2009, 02:03 PM

As one of the younger guys that look up to all of you, it's just kind of sad that Frank and other sharpie surf guys (like you Flaptail) and others that shall remain nameless have had fallings out with Frank. I'm a big fan of Frank and I'm a big fan of people on this site. I know how it goes in the trenches though, so c'est la vie!

saltfly · 02-20-2009, 02:41 PM

Frank is a Story Teller remember that.Take it with a chunk of salt.

vineyardblues · 02-20-2009, 03:27 PM

Frank and Joyce are great people !!

VB

fishgolf · 02-20-2009, 04:13 PM

All these posts seemed to be written inadvertently...

Raven · 02-20-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltfly

Frank is a Story Teller remember that.Take it with a chunk of salt.

how BIG a Chunk?

piemma · 02-21-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Frank gets my nod as the premier writer/author of our era. Lots of others, but Frank is one of the few that is both a competent angler and outstanding writer. Few people do both of these things well.
Many of the guys I grew up fishing with resented him, but its all jealousy, IMO. When confronted with the "Why don't you like Frank?" question, most of the guys I know struggle to produce a valid argument to me.

I agree Mike. I have read "20 Years on the Cape" hundreds of times. The stories are timeless. If you fished the Cape in the 70s you know what it was like. Frank was a meat hunter but I don't fault him at all. He had a family to feed and he was great at what he did.

He was not well received by the old guard at Murats. They all felt that he sold out by writing the book that gave away all the secrets.

Back Beach · 02-21-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piemma

He was not well received by the old guard at Murats. They all felt that he sold out by writing the book that gave away all the secrets.

Kind of what I was getting at in my first post. Once you get outside the sphere of that particular clique, you tend to see things more objectively.

Bocephus · 02-23-2009, 08:52 AM

I liked Franks books, learned alot from them as well...never met the man, but his son was my shop teacher in high school

Joe · 02-23-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crafty Angler

I dunno, regardless of who someone brings up there's always people on both sides of the fence anyway, I guess...

I like that line in Santa Claus Is Coming To Town near the end when the little kid voice asks, "Whatever happened to the Berger Meister Meister Bergers?"
The narrator replies, "Oh, after a while, they died off and everybody forgot what all the fuss was about."

maddmatt · 02-23-2009, 04:02 PM

steve,

i hear what your saying and mostly agree with you. problem is frank wrote it down and put it out there. if you could get the great one to write it down (or write it with him, hint) he'd do 10x the business. i know he won't cause thats not what he's about but untill someone else steps up and "spills it" Franks "truth" is the only one there is.

Circlehook · 02-23-2009, 10:35 PM

Most of Daignaults stuff is pretty good, but I must admit, Eastern Tides taught me Jack Sh!t about fishing the incomming on the canal...very disappointing

MAKAI · 02-24-2009, 01:06 AM

If I were going to write a book or two on surf fishing would it be alright if I took pictures of the same fish with a few changes of clothes and tackle ? Makes all the sense in the world. If I were trying to sell copies. Just a thought.

RIROCKHOUND · 02-24-2009, 07:03 AM

You think he's the only one to ever do that?

piemma · 02-24-2009, 09:56 AM

I know for a fact that some of the sharpies do that all the time. They never take a picture of the fish where it was caught or even the conditions under which it was caught. Years ago there were guys who were hammering fish in a boat and posting that they were from the surf.