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.
I don't spend anywhere enough time on the water
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
George, you're a riot.
This consumer based fishery is based on stuff now, not fish. I started to eat, consume fish. Fishing put food on the table that would otherwise be bare. Now we fish to get stuff, Lamis, VSs, ZBs, whatever the sexy name is this season. It's one of the buttons that when pushed, makes humans dance. Like sex, gambling, shiny things... Hell, everyone knows that they'd catch more with worms, but they build and buy plugs anyway..I wanna be a caveman..
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.
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.
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.
Sooner or later you're going to realize just as I did that there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path. - Morpheus
I love how many here are lost in yester-year and they dont even know what they have in front of them.....
- Give me pogies or give me eels
- Timing tide / wind
- Bite windows can last 15 minutes, .5hours, an hour, 1/4 tide, half tide, whole tide, multiple tides, slack tides, running tides
- The fish are always with or near the bait, those big bodies of fish, those that many dream of, are with sustainable bait supply
- Always go to the fish, the fish dont come to you.. Just because they were there last year, and the year before, doesnt mean they will be there now.
- Stay AWAY from the Crowds! All my biggest hits were done with not a soul in sight!
- Find your own grounds
- Pay attention to detail, the slightest things make a difference, the way you hook a bait, the weight, freshness, leader material, presentation....
- Stop chasing the reports and following others....Make your own reports - To yourself!
- Every day is a new day, learn something new...
- You cant buy experience on the bookshelves...Many want it easy - every day, they want the fish stacked. i got news for you, Gotta work for it...
This isnt yester-year, stop dreaming of then, this is now.... To many people are stuck in the past and dont change with the times, They Loose..........
John, I hear ya on the kids... I got 2- a 4 year old and a 2 year old and 2 full time jobs, fish smarter and make it count.... Ill sleep when I die...
Now, we can all be like sandman and bitch about how there are no fish...
2 hours in July of 09, 30 fish Limit
Last edited by CowHunter; 01-04-2010 at 09:44 PM..
What ever makes you happy. If a your happy casting with an upside down spinner good for you ...I don't get why so many are concerned whether or not some other guy is or isn't catchin. Would I like to catch 30 fish like CH, yup, would I like to be good at pluggin, yup, the fact is I am content doing my thing and sharing it with a few guys. All that tackle and books tv all has its purpose, not like we're all made of the same mold.
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.
- Wait until you do that.
But I realize it could eventually be on the way. I think I've finally figured out the right balance...
Makes my book sound long winded. 
Hybrid Mode
