jigfreak
06-27-2010, 07:40 AM
Old School Stripers
Article from the APP
http://www.app.com/article/20100625/SPORTS06/6250316/Old-school-stripers
Old school stripers
Catching big bass wasn't always as easy as it's been this spring. Ray Smith, Neptune, has been doing it for years
By JOHN OSWALD • STAFF WRITER • June 25, 2010
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Seasoned anglers who have fished our local waters for years view this spring's wild striper season as something unreal. They recall the lean years when landing a 30-pound striper was the result of dedicated days and nights of hard fishing filled more with disappointment than success. If you were good — and lucky — you'd get a fish like that once every couple of years.
These days, many fishermen — myself included — can boast of catching a big bass simply by virtue of the incredible concentration of big bass this season.
Not that I'm complaining. A big bass is a big bass.
But, I too, remember the days when trophy-size fish were a rarity and I was full of admiration for those who had the skill and tenacity to catch them. I fell well short in both categories.
So it was a real learning experience when I found myself aboard a 35-foot Scarab with triple 250 Evinrudes fishing with Ray Smith of Neptune.
Smith and I worked together at the Press years ago when Smith would regale me with tales of big fish caught at odd hours on strange baits. I remember running into him in Sea Bright more than 12 years ago — long before these spring runs started — with a big striper in a cooler in the back of his van. He's caught many like it in the 40 years he's been fishing.
Well, I ran into him again. This time he was aboard that impressive boat in the Shark River where I was fluking. The boat belongs to Smith's very generous fishing buddy, Joe DeSilva of Little Egg Harbor. DeSilva, who owns Precise Contracting, gives Smith access to the boat whenever he wants. DeSilva and Smith met when both were members of the Spring Lake Liveliners.
DaSilva was supposed to join us on this trip, but he took his daughter to meet Miley Cyrus.
Miley Cyrus, instead of fishing? That's crazy, I thought. But as he said, "If she's happy, I'm happy.," so I understood. The other regular member of their crew, Tommy Fariello, Freehold, was also unavailable.
So the two of us set out in the wee hours last Friday to catch some fish. We'd fished together once before when Smith found stripers in a most unusual spot, and I figured there would be no problem locating them now.
Article from the APP
http://www.app.com/article/20100625/SPORTS06/6250316/Old-school-stripers
Old school stripers
Catching big bass wasn't always as easy as it's been this spring. Ray Smith, Neptune, has been doing it for years
By JOHN OSWALD • STAFF WRITER • June 25, 2010
Next Page
1
| 2
| 3
| 4
Previous Page
Seasoned anglers who have fished our local waters for years view this spring's wild striper season as something unreal. They recall the lean years when landing a 30-pound striper was the result of dedicated days and nights of hard fishing filled more with disappointment than success. If you were good — and lucky — you'd get a fish like that once every couple of years.
These days, many fishermen — myself included — can boast of catching a big bass simply by virtue of the incredible concentration of big bass this season.
Not that I'm complaining. A big bass is a big bass.
But, I too, remember the days when trophy-size fish were a rarity and I was full of admiration for those who had the skill and tenacity to catch them. I fell well short in both categories.
So it was a real learning experience when I found myself aboard a 35-foot Scarab with triple 250 Evinrudes fishing with Ray Smith of Neptune.
Smith and I worked together at the Press years ago when Smith would regale me with tales of big fish caught at odd hours on strange baits. I remember running into him in Sea Bright more than 12 years ago — long before these spring runs started — with a big striper in a cooler in the back of his van. He's caught many like it in the 40 years he's been fishing.
Well, I ran into him again. This time he was aboard that impressive boat in the Shark River where I was fluking. The boat belongs to Smith's very generous fishing buddy, Joe DeSilva of Little Egg Harbor. DeSilva, who owns Precise Contracting, gives Smith access to the boat whenever he wants. DeSilva and Smith met when both were members of the Spring Lake Liveliners.
DaSilva was supposed to join us on this trip, but he took his daughter to meet Miley Cyrus.
Miley Cyrus, instead of fishing? That's crazy, I thought. But as he said, "If she's happy, I'm happy.," so I understood. The other regular member of their crew, Tommy Fariello, Freehold, was also unavailable.
So the two of us set out in the wee hours last Friday to catch some fish. We'd fished together once before when Smith found stripers in a most unusual spot, and I figured there would be no problem locating them now.