Things Learned

[Zeno]

one thing that surprised the hell of me was just how good were 9 inch Tsunami shads in the inlets. I wish I knew this before I wrote what I did but better late then never
Another thing that I learned,even though I have had this feeling about this for years.............even though I had most success with "numbers" when a wind was strong in my face the better fish almost always came on calm conditions and wind in my back.

[Clogston29]

sometimes a fast retrieve is better, even at night

you always hear and read stuff like "go a slow as you can, and then go slower"

slow is good most of the time, but in the right conditions, fast can really slay them

[Mr. Krinkle]

Not to horse a big fish with a tight drag. I lost a nice fish on a jetty one night this year because I didn't let it run and tire out, I was so concerened with getting it to the rocks. When the fish turned to go around the other side of the jetty I started to tug on it to turn it back my way and pulled the lure right out of its mouth. My friend looked at me and said "how tight is your friggin drag?" I said to him "I always fish with a tight drag." He simply replied "it just cost you a 40!"

[steve]

What Back beach and Zeno said about wind is 100% true. I am definitley fishing the shads more this season. They are deadly in current!

[Tagger]

Originally Posted by steve

What Back beach and Zeno said about wind is 100% true.

Back Beach and Z ,,, apples and oranges . I believe BB's main squeeze is the canal (world of its own ) and Z's main squeeze is open beaches .. I fish both .. On the beaches I like the 1st day of a front coming in with the wind in my face . The more miserable and harder to cast will soon be forgotten with the hook up of good fish . I've done this multible times over many years ,, not just once. I consider the Canal its own world , somewhat sheltered with alternating east, west currents . Cape ,,mainland side,, fish are caught on both,, and if you don't like the wind in your face go over the other side and it will be on your back . I don't believe its a factor blowing fish in, as much as open beaches. I highly respect both ,,but don't think Z and BB should be comparing notes . I'm 99% shore guy .. I don't think shore and boat guys can relate experiences either.. imho

[2na]

Zeno, could you clarify as to what you mean by stating that BB's input that 'flat water with wind at your back is good, don't believe what you read in the books about needing white water ' and 'I used to boat fish alot on the outer cape and noticed many, many nights the fish would be just out of range for the surf guys unless there was a strong SW wind' 'is an exaggeration and misrepresentation of facts'. I'm not trying to start a flame war, but I happen to strongly agree with both of these points. I have also found that you don't need white water (white water is a very good thing, but not needed) and I have found that flat water with the wind at your back is good, especially on the back beach - it is one of my favorite conditions (and if you are not familiar with the back beach, sw is at your back in most spots). I've learned to take advantage of gaining even more distance in such conditions by tying up some larger than normal dressed hooks just for those times - they act like a kite. And back before seal when you could flip eels the extra distance of a strong wind at your back made a big difference in reaching fish/covering more water. As far as his statement regarding the fish being just out of range, over the years I have worked hard at lengthening my casting distance to get to these just out of distance fish. One of my favorite tricks to get that extra distance is to tie on a 3 oz bank sinker trailing a fly and letting it rip - always good for an extra 30 yards. In a place where distance is king and no one else can reach that far, your offering is the only game in town. This is also why over the last 5 years or so we have seen the proliferation of the kayak bait droppers up near Race Point. If you are not familiar, these guys kayak bait out a couple hundred yards to reach the fish, drop it, return to shore and put the rod in a sand spike - and they do well. This tactic illustrates BB's point - these fish are out of reach for a surfcast, but still relatively close to the beach.

Would you be kind enough to explain why you feel his statement is an exaggeration and misrepresentation of facts? I'd be interested in your point of view because I believe his assessments to be accurate, and if I'm missing something I would like to be enlightened.

The one thing that I've learned about fishing for striped bass over the years is the importance of asking questions of other fishermen. I was fortunate enough to have one of the late old timers take me under his wing when I first got on the beach, and the knowledge he had about conditions, situations and history was astounding. If I didn't understand why or why not something was happening I could always ask him about it.

The second most important thing I've learned is to know a few areas close to home very very well rather than covering large areas in search of.

[MAKAI]

Originally Posted by 2na

Zeno, could you clarify as to what you mean by stating that BB's input that 'flat water with wind at your back is good, don't believe what you read in the books about needing white water ' and 'I used to boat fish alot on the outer cape and noticed many, many nights the fish would be just out of range for the surf guys unless there was a strong SW wind' 'is an exaggeration and misrepresentation of facts'. I'm not trying to start a flame war, but I happen to strongly agree with both of these points. I have also found that you don't need white water (white water is a very good thing, but not needed) and I have found that flat water with the wind at your back is good, especially on the back beach - it is one of my favorite conditions (and if you are not familiar with the back beach, sw is at your back in most spots). I've learned to take advantage of gaining even more distance in such conditions by tying up some larger than normal dressed hooks just for those times - they act like a kite. And back before seal when you could flip eels the extra distance of a strong wind at your back made a big difference in reaching fish/covering more water. As far as his statement regarding the fish being just out of range, over the years I have worked hard at lengthening my casting distance to get to these just out of distance fish. One of my favorite tricks to get that extra distance is to tie on a 3 oz bank sinker trailing a fly and letting it rip - always good for an extra 30 yards. In a place where distance is king and no one else can reach that far, your offering is the only game in town. This is also why over the last 5 years or so we have seen the proliferation of the kayak bait droppers up near Race Point. If you are not familiar, these guys kayak bait out a couple hundred yards to reach the fish, drop it, return to shore and put the rod in a sand spike - and they do well. This tactic illustrates BB's point - these fish are out of reach for a surfcast, but still relatively close to the beach.

Would you be kind enough to explain why you feel his statement is an exaggeration and misrepresentation of facts? I'd be interested in your point of view because I believe his assessments to be accurate, and if I'm missing something I would like to be enlightened.

The one thing that I've learned about fishing for striped bass over the years is the importance of asking questions of other fishermen. I was fortunate enough to have one of the late old timers take me under his wing when I first got on the beach, and the knowledge he had about conditions, situations and history was astounding. If I didn't understand why or why not something was happening I could always ask him about it.

The second most important thing I've learned is to know a few areas close to home very very well rather than covering large areas in search of.

Hey I know who started that kayak thing and boy is he sorry.

[2na]

that's what is called the law of unintended consequences, Bobby. And don't flatter yourself, someone else would lowered themselves to it before long.

[gfishermanMTKPT]

TIE DIRECT !!!! thats what i learned and it paid off after a heartbreaking loss two years ago .here what happens when i went direct.wait a minute i gotta figure out how to post pic.

[MAKAI]

Originally Posted by 2na

that's what is called the law of unintended consequences, Bobby. And don't flatter yourself, someone else would lowered themselves to it before long.

There is still a secret to that that only I know, and I'm not telling.