Does it make you angry that the Striper industry...

[ivanputski]

as a fisherman, you should know that just because the bait is presented, doesn't mean the fish HAS to bite... Be the one that got away...

[redlite]

[nightfighter]

Krispy,
IMHO, the industry targeting striped bass isn't even totally organized as a whole. If you wanna get get your brain fried, take a few turns in the tuna gear industry..... and bring your bank, all of it!

[JohnR]

What I know is:

1. I should be a lot better than I am for time spent on the water - some guys with a lot less time are better than I am. I'm just a slow learner.
2. I don't spend anywhere enough time on the water
3. See item (1).

As far as tactics go, depends on what you goal is. Is your goal to catch lots and lots of monster fish? Then your tactic is not to spend every night chunking Queen Cocahoes at Conimicut Light. Is your goal to catch big fish on plugs you've made? Slay large on eels while wetsuitng from rocks? Catching bright little fish on plastics?

Your goal may not be the same goal as Joe Angler. You tactics will be different.

Do what makes you happy and where you will extract your enjoyment and disregard the rest.

Lots of people will say they have the Must Get Widget. Some will work, some will work for others, some are just blowing smoke.

[rizzo]

Everything got old a long time ago. I used to get really upset about articles written by so called experts that were completely off the mark. I wanted to argue with them, prove them wrong. Got sick of all the BS, catch reports, marketing the wrong gear, know it alls, egos, posers, blah blah. It used to really get to me. Learned to filter it out and refocus on why I got into fishing to begin with.


Makes me go back to my roots, freshwater fishing with my uncle at a very young age. I had no idea media existed, no marketing of gear, no competition, no idea of what a "good" fish was. I used the lures we had and eventually favored the ones that were successful. I loved the adventure, the hunt, the mystery of catching and the pain of failing. The challenge was endless.

It wasnt long before the first bass pro shops catalogs got mixed in and it went downhill from there. Other magazines were subscribed too, and it got very confusing - I got sucked into all the BS, losing touch for only a little while though. The right mentors put it all back into perspective.

I still continue to try to do my own thing and have nothing to prove. I fish because its what I live for and enjoy. I live for studying patterns, piecing together the info, trying to adapt to constant change. You can't beat the feeling of being at the ends of the earth, swimming to a rock in total darkness and catching striped bass. Catch a giant bass, weigh it, release it and don't tell a soul.

Its interesting this one post could spark that much thought for me

[JohnR]

Rizzo - it's nice to get down to basics. You're single right. no kids? Enjoy it while you can. On the other hand, there is not much out there better than taking your kid fishing - Wait until you do that.

[Slingah]

fishing is overrated....

[MAKAI]

So . . . . . I own about 300 lures (probably more hidden throughout the house) that I bought to fish with.
I use probably a dozen as my go to lures. I'm sensing something. . . . .
It's like women and shoes.

[numbskull]

Actually, civilization makes me angry. I mean think about it. Once upon a time you could spend 1/2 the day fishing or hunting anywhere you wanted, come home to a house with no maintenance concerns, screw whoever was handy, crap where you wanted, then kick back and take a nap until dinner, after which you could either go paint hand prints on cave walls with your hunting buddies or take your club and pick up a new date. So what if you had to put up with excessive body hair and speak Italian. Seems worth it to me. Probably I should move to Franklin.

[MAKAI]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Rizzo - it's nice to get down to basics. You're single right. no kids? Enjoy it while you can. On the other hand, there is not much out there better than taking your kid fishing - Wait until you do that.

You may find it just as nice when the Son takes the Father fishing.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by redlite

Originally Posted by Slipknot

I'm with you

Originally Posted by Swimmer

No.

Yeah. Someone want to wake me up when it's May?

[rizzo]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Rizzo - it's nice to get down to basics. You're single right. no kids? Enjoy it while you can. On the other hand, there is not much out there better than taking your kid fishing - Wait until you do that.

Hey John - its been a very long time. I actually made it through a fishing season with a steady girlfriend this year! Not married, no kids But I realize it could eventually be on the way. I think I've finally figured out the right balance...

The way I look at the kids thing, is its a chance to revisit everything I went through and get to see it from a different perspective - It will change things, but hopefully it'll have many positive changes.

[Krispy]

Originally Posted by rizzo

Everything got old a long time ago. I used to get really upset about articles written by so called experts that were completely off the mark. I wanted to argue with them, prove them wrong. Got sick of all the BS, catch reports, marketing the wrong gear, know it alls, egos, posers, blah blah. It used to really get to me. Learned to filter it out and refocus on why I got into fishing to begin with.


Makes me go back to my roots, freshwater fishing with my uncle at a very young age. I had no idea media existed, no marketing of gear, no competition, no idea of what a "good" fish was. I used the lures we had and eventually favored the ones that were successful. I loved the adventure, the hunt, the mystery of catching and the pain of failing. The challenge was endless.

It wasnt long before the first bass pro shops catalogs got mixed in and it went downhill from there. Other magazines were subscribed too, and it got very confusing - I got sucked into all the BS, losing touch for only a little while though. The right mentors put it all back into perspective.

I still continue to try to do my own thing and have nothing to prove. I fish because its what I live for and enjoy. I live for studying patterns, piecing together the info, trying to adapt to constant change. You can't beat the feeling of being at the ends of the earth, swimming to a rock in total darkness and catching striped bass. Catch a giant bass, weigh it, release it and don't tell a soul.

Its interesting this one post could spark that much thought for me

Exactly Rizzo
And it takes half a lifetime to be a good striperman, not because of ALL the intense, indepth, super secret time on the water knowledge you have to gather together, its wading through the hip deep BS of info, experts and product sales that gets your head spinning till you dont know whats right anymore.
I bet all you really, I mean REALLY, needed to know to go out and catch large could be written on one side a sheet of paper.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Krispy

I bet all you really, I mean REALLY, needed to know to go out and catch large could be written on one side a sheet of paper.

Sounds like the book Iron Mike has been threatening to write the past few years.

It's 200 pages long. 199 are blank and on the last page there's a picture of an eel.

[Krispy]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

Sounds like the book Iron Mike has been threatening to write the past few years.

It's 200 pages long. 199 are blank and on the last page there's a picture of an eel.

Nice Makes my book sound long winded.

Page 1
Topographic structure + underwater structure + current + darkness + black lure/eel of choice X 4-5 nights a month = sometimes big fish
The end.

[big jay]

Originally Posted by Pete_G

Sounds like the book Iron Mike has been threatening to write the past few years.

It's 200 pages long. 199 are blank and on the last page there's a picture of an eel.

First thing I thought of when I started reading this thread.

[rizzo]

Originally Posted by Krispy

Exactly Rizzo
And it takes half a lifetime to be a good striperman, not because of ALL the intense, indepth, super secret time on the water knowledge you have to gather together, its wading through the hip deep BS of info, experts and product sales that gets your head spinning till you dont know whats right anymore.
I bet all you really, I mean REALLY, needed to know to go out and catch large could be written on one side a sheet of paper.

I agree, you go out and try everything, fish all up and down the coast, try it all. You eventually find out less is more!

I had a good convo with a buddy last night about the potential/big catches that have been made in some spots that have never been written about or aren't really known about. Most are afraid to go off on their own and discover new grounds. Most want it easy and get content with what they have and having faith that the good ol' days will come back to where they are fishing. YEARS go by and theyre left with nothing, because things are constantly changing. Its very hard work to keep up with the change from the surf - its easy to see why people keep their hard earned info so guarded.

I guess the better guys out there have learned to push aside media hype and how-to articles and build a confidence of their own. Some of the best I know have lived through the glory days, but when they look back at their catches in recent years, 2000 - 2010, the info and stories they share proves that there still are quality fish to be had in decent numbers, just a different game.

[MAKAI]

I bet all you really, I mean REALLY, needed to know to go out and catch large could be written on one side a sheet of paper.[/QUOTE]



Occam's razor.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by redlite

I'm with you

[agsurfr]

Originally Posted by ivanputski

as a fisherman, you should know that just because the bait is presented, doesn't mean the fish HAS to bite... Be the one that got away...

Well said!!

[BasicPatrick]

I absolutely hate it when i sit down at the puter and realaize I have no Popcorn!!!!!!!!

[striperswiper75]

I am relatively new to the whole surfcasting world; just finished what I would qualify as my second full year where I dedicated time and attention to the sport. Heck 3 years ago while on vacation at block for a week, I was fishing at night w/o waders, corkers, or a even a plug bag for that matter. I am kind of thankful for some of the resources that are available to me; some books, some fishing related forums and my fishing club in particular. Those resources really helped me get started.
At first I fell into the habit of buying tons of plugs I didn't know how to use, in tons of color variations. I also bought some rods and reels i don't use or need, but I hope my nieces and nephew will get use out of them. Through trial and error I think I have kind of figured out what I think works best for me (at the moment) and what I feel confident in using. I hope I have gotten past the point of needing to have XXXXXX lure and YYYYYY accessory; and will try to focus on what works for me and continue to learn from my few successes and many failures in the surf.

DZ, thanks for that SW point information, I finally got to fish it this past year, except I was there on the flood tide. Making a mental note on that one.

Kevin

[DZ]

Originally Posted by striperswiper75

DZ, thanks for that SW point information, I finally got to fish it this past year, except I was there on the flood tide. Making a mental note on that one.

Kevin

Kevin,
My pleasure. I'm sure there was some cut and paste activity with that paragraph. Those are optimum tides.... don't ignore the flood.

DZ