What's it all about

[Canalman]

Ron you're very lucky to have had the experiences you had and I think almost all of us would agree with what you've said about passing on the trade and tricks of it. Half the kids I see these days have the complexion of a bone Red Fin and talk about vampires and video games more than they do about building a fort, riding bikes or going fishing--it kills me. I feel like we're nearing the last great generation of fishermen and its not going to be because of a lack of fish like we all thought. It's sad, really sad. Fishing has run my life since I was 8 years old and I take a lot of comfort from hearing about or meeting people that might be more than twice my age that are still hammering it--I know this will be a lifelong passion and I do try to pass on as much as I can whenever the opportunity arises.

The bit you added about spot burning is an unfortunate side effect of the internet. The reason it was not a worry back in your younger years is because information didn't travel like it does now. There are hordes of "anglers" who spend their free time trolling these boards looking for someone to post a telling photo, or worse, a good report detailing where and how they knocked 'em dead last night. This is where so many of today's newer fishermen are being sold short by their own greed and need to prove that they can hang with the "big boys". They are not learning anything about why the fish are in spot A or how to locate their own hotspots. And unfortunately quite a few very good spots have been chewed up pretty badly by these occasional errant posts or revealing photos. In a time where so many owners of waterfront property appear to have skipped a few days in nursery school (No, they're MY LEGOS!) and access is dwindling by the day... location specific information simply has to be kept on the downlow in my opinion. And a great amount of care has to be given to choosing who this information is given to even on a person to person basis. It's crazy, and yes, you might argue that this behavior might suggest that I skipped the same days in nursery school--but I've seen what happens when too much info is shared and it's not pretty.

I wish I met Bob Pond and Stan Gibbs!

-Dave

[JohnR]

Good piece Ron. Yes, not many of the younger generation getting into the game and too few opportunities to do so. Coupled with the pressures from the organizations that want to prevent angling and hunting, we have likely passed the heyday of recreational angling.

Hate to say it but there needs to a few more River Runs Though It movies or perhaps there will be a reversal from tech to the outdoors one day.

I managed to meet Bob Pond in his late days, quite then gentleman.

[MikeTLive]

Originally Posted by JohnR

...there needs to a few more River Runs Though It movies...

I can see it now.

"The Stripers Run through it... "
A love story about the fishermen of the East coast...

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Besides moose I feel like one of the youngest aglers around this board.
In my opinion the biggest effect the internet has on fishing is creating the illusion its easy. And everyone here knows it sure as hell is NOT easy. Having a good teacher/mentor (Like moose has), or making friends with skilled anglers and learning from them is absolutely esssential to honing your skills in this sport. You can read all the posts you want, but until you're out there actually doing it, all that knowledge means nothing.

All people see in this "instant post to the internet from your phone era" is your fish. They dont see the bad knee from the fall last season, they dont see the splits in your knuckles, or the bruise on your arm, the bloody anguish of fouling up your line, the countless mornings waking up in the dark. People are being fed a false reality when it comes to fishing. Thats where the retards are born, they see it and go, "well sh!t I can do that!" They have no concept of the work thats put in to accomplish catching that fish.

I feel like I've been lucky getting to know some of the people out in the surf and on this board (Cuz this is the only board I post on) because they've essentially taught me everything I know about striper fishing. My dad layed down the foundation surfcasting early in life for blues but his enthusiasm has faded in his older years when mine started to strengthen. So I guess I just wanna take this opprotunity to say thanks to all that have taught me something along the way. All you geezers out there that have shared a laugh and a lure with me. Its much appreciated. And I have a lot more to learn so keep it coming you gummers!!!!

[Jackbass]

Originally Posted by JohnnySaxatilis

Besides moose I feel like one of the youngest aglers around this board.
In my opinion the biggest effect the internet has on fishing is creating the illusion its easy. And everyone here knows it sure as hell is NOT easy. Having a good teacher/mentor (Like moose has), or making friends with skilled anglers and learning from them is absolutely esssential to honing your skills in this sport. You can read all the posts you want, but until you're out there actually doing it, all that knowledge means nothing.

All people see in this "instant post to the internet from your phone era" is your fish. They dont see the bad knee from the fall last season, they dont see the splits in your knuckles, or the bruise on your arm, the bloody anguish of fouling up your line, the countless mornings waking up in the dark. People are being fed a false reality when it comes to fishing. Thats where the retards are born, they see it and go, "well sh!t I can do that!" They have no concept of the work thats put in to accomplish catching that fish.

I feel like I've been lucky getting to know some of the people out in the surf and on this board (Cuz this is the only board I post on) because they've essentially taught me everything I know about striper fishing. My dad layed down the foundation surfcasting early in life for blues but his enthusiasm has faded in his older years when mine started to strengthen. So I guess I just wanna take this opprotunity to say thanks to all that have taught me something along the way. All you geezers out there that have shared a laugh and a lure with me. Its much appreciated. And I have a lot more to learn so keep it coming you gummers!!!!

Great post Johnny that reminded me to put my teeth in! Though I learn more from you in spots than you from me
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[piemma]

Writing the stories that Toby has been publishing has been my way of giving back to the younger guys. I told Toby that I felt it was necessary to pass on some of the stuff from the past.

I also have had the great privilege of teaching 4 nephews how to striper fish. I can't show them how to Fluke or 'Tog because I suck at them but I do know how to catch fish with 7 stripes. It had been a real treat to give them my custom plugs and teasers and watch as they experience the wonder of catching Stripers.

I knew Bob Pond. Not well but I did have the privilege of fishing with him in the late 80s a few times at the White Church in Barrington.

I have an article that I sent Toby called "Fishing with Legends" and it's about a night on "The Back" with the likes of George Calzone, Lanny Grassini, Tom Murphy, Tony Bucci, Tony C, Steve Mills, #^&#^&#^&#^&y Counoyer and a few other old timers from NY.

[stinkyink]

Originally Posted by JohnnySaxatilis

Besides moose I feel like one of the youngest aglers around this board.

It's quite a shame that I don't see many more fisherman my age (late 20's) out there hitting the surf. I can remember growing up as a kid spending most of time with my friends fishing ponds, rivers and streams for bass, pickerel, trout etc. We couldn't wait to get out of school, go buy some shiners or plastic worms, and get a line wet. It was basically like a ritual every other day seeing each other in school and being like dude did you save your lunch money only to have scrounged enough to go and buy some bait, hooks or whatever tackle we needed to catch something. I used to starve myself some days thinking chit at least ill be able to go fishing. As the years passed my friends grew out of it but I kept searching for that trophy to put on my wall. It wasn't until a couple of years ago I discovered surfcasting. At this point I was totally unaware on how to catch a striper i used to see guys chunking all the time so i thought that was the way to do it. So one day a gentleman saw me fishing and asked what i was fishing for. I told him stripers. We chatted for a bit then he told me to meet him at his truck in the parking lot because he had something for me. I wasn't having any luck so i packed it up and headed to the lot. To make a long story short he gave me 2 pencils, a tin and 2 spooks. Told me that i should go buy some gear like korks, waders, rod and reel and hit the rocky shoreline during the early morning and late afternoon. So I took his advice. It didnt take long to catch one. After that I was hooked. All and all I guess what im tryin to say is that It's a shame alot of my friends that i used to fish with all the time lost interest and im still out there thinking about the next upcoming season and how im goin to plan each of my outings around wind,tide,location, and moon phases. They still to this day say hey lets go out this weekend and have some beers. Don't get me wrong i like to go out and have a good time but to me having a good time in my book is grabbing all my gear and my plugs and hittin one of my favorite spots for a couple hours. I know fishing is going to be a lifelong addiction for me and i know some people on this board can abide to that.I have come a far way but the journey continues. I may still be a youngster but the knowledge ive learned from this site and just being out there in the surf over the years has made me a better person and fisherman as well. so thank you s-b and the few that i fish with.Oh and Ron i didn't forget about you thanks for the pencil you gave me that was a generous gesture to throw me a plug. She was put to good use.

[RIsurffishing]

Everyone in this post, thank you very much for sharing all of theses. Going to make sure my kids read this tonight. Passing it on.

[bart]

Originally Posted by stinkyink

It's quite a shame that I don't see many more fisherman my age (late 20's) out there hitting the surf.

I'm in my late 20s and feel the same way. I got started just like you more or less. When I was real young, maybe 10 or so, my buddy's father took us fishing for whatever with nightcrawlers. I don't remember what we caught but I told my father after I wanted to fish and he did his best to get me out there despite him knowing nothing about fishing. We did the freshwater thing for a while and then somehow I got the itch to try the salt. We were vacationing on the Vineyard and my father bought me a 9ft Ugly Stick paired with a 704. We went down to the beach at Lobsterville and right before dark a school of small bass crashed the beach. We took turns landing schoolie after schoolie on the one plug we had, an Atom popper. I was HOOKED after that. We started chunking the canal soon after and I got a 27 lb fish down the east end when I was 13. When I beached the fish my father started yelling "Help! Help!" He had never seen a fish that big and didn't know what to do Again, I was HOOKED.

In high school I would do the canal and some RI fishing with my father, but my grandfather gave me his Old Town canoe and I really got into tossing rubber worms for LM. I fished EVERY day after school with one friend. So much that I never took my canoe off the roof of my jeep. I drove all around town with it on there, went to school like that, just so I could fish any time I had the chance. I think throwing rubber worms is what ultimately got me into plugging for stripers.

My friends all went off to school and stopped fishing. I went to school and dropped out and became obsessed with fishing the RI surf. If anyone remembers me back then I was a complete madman(much more so than now which is scary). I would go down to SoCo and sleep in my truck for days and fish until I couldn't function. I took "putting in your time" to the extreme. I didn't fish smart and my biggest fish during that stretch was only 30lbs, but again, I was HOOKED.

None of my friends from HS fish anymore and I miss that, but by coming to this site I have been fortunate to meet some great guys, who became good friends, and who just happen to be GREAT fishermen as well. I don't know why they put up with me, but I will be forever grateful. For a few years I felt completely burnt out, but this year the fire came back. Fishing is my favorite thing is in this world besides my family and it is the one thing that truly makes me feel alive and "human." I already can't wait for next season. Going to be fun putting my new VS to the test. Tight lines...

[bart]

Originally Posted by Canalman

Ron you're very lucky to have had the experiences you had and I think almost all of us would agree with what you've said about passing on the trade and tricks of it. Half the kids I see these days have the complexion of a bone Red Fin and talk about vampires and video games more than they do about building a fort, riding bikes or going fishing--it kills me. I feel like we're nearing the last great generation of fishermen and its not going to be because of a lack of fish like we all thought. It's sad, really sad. Fishing has run my life since I was 8 years old and I take a lot of comfort from hearing about or meeting people that might be more than twice my age that are still hammering it--I know this will be a lifelong passion and I do try to pass on as much as I can whenever the opportunity arises.

The bit you added about spot burning is an unfortunate side effect of the internet. The reason it was not a worry back in your younger years is because information didn't travel like it does now. There are hordes of "anglers" who spend their free time trolling these boards looking for someone to post a telling photo, or worse, a good report detailing where and how they knocked 'em dead last night. This is where so many of today's newer fishermen are being sold short by their own greed and need to prove that they can hang with the "big boys". They are not learning anything about why the fish are in spot A or how to locate their own hotspots. And unfortunately quite a few very good spots have been chewed up pretty badly by these occasional errant posts or revealing photos. In a time where so many owners of waterfront property appear to have skipped a few days in nursery school (No, they're MY LEGOS!) and access is dwindling by the day... location specific information simply has to be kept on the downlow in my opinion. And a great amount of care has to be given to choosing who this information is given to even on a person to person basis. It's crazy, and yes, you might argue that this behavior might suggest that I skipped the same days in nursery school--but I've seen what happens when too much info is shared and it's not pretty.

I wish I met Bob Pond and Stan Gibbs!

-Dave

I think this whole post pretty much nails it on the head. Well said...

I met Stan Gibbs' son (I forget his name, I think he had long white hair) down at the canal one day when I was probably 15 so this was 14 years ago. I was working a Gibbs pencil when he approached me and told me I fished the pencil exactly how his father intended it to be fished. To me, that was like the biggest compliment anyone could have ever paid me, especially coming from him.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by bart

I think this whole post pretty much nails it on the head. Well said...

I met Stan Gibbs' son (I forget his name, I think he had long white hair) down at the canal one day when I was probably 15 so this was 14 years ago. I was working a Gibbs pencil when he approached me and told me I fished the pencil exactly how his father intended it to be fished. To me, that was like the biggest compliment anyone could have ever paid me, especially coming from him.

Both Bruce and "Eagle" had long white hair. Bruce is on the thin side. "Eagle" on the other hand, was, uh, a bit "rotund".

Eagle wore a lot of Indian jewelry.

I never saw Bruce around the Canal very much (he lives and works in Chatham), so it was probably Eagle.

[FishermanTim]

Back in the mid 90's, before I had fully switched from bait dunking to lure casting, I was fishing a bridge in Duxbury.
After having an epithany over night, I was approched by a local regular (Santa) who offered me one of his Storm Shads to try.
In my haste I proceeded to cast and snap off that lure and that was it.

Needless to say, I went out and purchased my own, gave him one of my new ones as a "return of the loaner" and thanked him for the tip.

Now I find myself donating some of my plastics every season to newbies that haven't fully learned rigging and fishing techniques.
Most times the receiving parties include kids that may not have ever caught anything, but are willing to try.

All in all it's a win-win scenario, as it gives me a reason to restock my own supplies for future trips.

[bart]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Both Bruce and "Eagle" had long white hair. Bruce is on the thin side. "Eagle" on the other hand, was, uh, a bit "rotund".

Eagle wore a lot of Indian jewelry.

I never saw Bruce around the Canal very much (he lives and works in Chatham), so it was probably Eagle.

Thanks for the info. For some reason I remember someone saying that his name was Eagle, but I don't remember him being "rotund" as you so eloquently put it I was down at the east end if that makes any difference. I grew up admiring surfcasters and the pioneers within the industry, so I felt like I had met fishing royalty

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by bart

Thanks for the info. For some reason I remember someone saying that his name was Eagle, but I don't remember him being "rotund" as you so eloquently put it I was down at the east end if that makes any difference. I grew up admiring surfcasters and the pioneers within the industry, so I felt like I had met fishing royalty

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that Eagle's given name was Stan Jr. Many, many years ago, he was walking across the Sagamore Bridge, when he claimed that an eagle's feather fell out of the sky and landed on his head. He took this as a sign from the heavens to explore his Indian roots, and took on an unpronounceable Wampanoag name. So people started calling him Eagle instead of the new name he chose, and he adopted it. He kind of always "marched to a different beat". I heard that he had a stroke and passed away a year or so ago. He put on a lot of weight later in life, and walked with a cane--suitably inscribed with Indian artwork. He may have shared his dad's interest (and skill) in woodcarving.

The third son, John, was the one that Stan designated as his lure making successor. But John was always more interested in fishing than in spinning wood. He sold the company twice. Once in the early 80s to a mail order place in Falmouth called The Tackle Box, and then finally in the late 1980s to Jim Griecci. Who, like John, was always more interested in his other interests, like skiing, than turning plugs. Then the current owners bought the company. John moved to Florida, and now makes custom bowling balls, or so I've heard. He also caught the distance casting bug. I think he still competes, though he never got quite as good as Ron Arra and Big Dave.

[Sea Dangles]

Remember Eagle with his tomahawk at the Gibbs function Mike?

[bart]

great history lesson, Mike. Thank you. Sorry to hear of his passing...

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Remember Eagle with his tomahawk at the Gibbs function Mike?

Sure do. I had some photos of him at one of the gatherings at Isaac's in Plymouth, but they're on my dead hard drive.