Surf fishing books

[hookedonbass]

Have a friend who wants to read up on surf fishing. Are there any good books out there?

[Monty]

These 3 books are excellent books by two great people.

Zeno Hromin's
The Art of Surfcasting With Lures

DJ Muller's
The Surfcaster’s Guide to the Striper Coast
Striper Strategies

Have a friend who wants to read up on surf fishing. Are there any good books out there?

[bababooey]

Zeno Hromin's
The Art of Surfcasting With Lures

What Monty said, read Zeno's book, some great knowledge there.

[hookset]

I want "20 years on the Cape" By: Frank Daignault Heard it is a great book.

[voyager35]

Might want to check out Doc Mullers book Fishing with Bucktails if you want to learn how to better use bucktails. Very informative.

[clamchucker]

Might want to check out Doc Mullers book Fishing with Bucktails if you want to learn how to better use bucktails. Very informative.

This is an excellent book. More of the younger guys should try their hand at bucktails. They are one of the most versatile presentations out there.

[GeoffT]

What Monty said, read Zeno's book, some great knowledge there.

As long as you understand this book is relatively geared to Long Island.

[williehookem]

This isn't really about surf fishing, but without bunker where would we be?


With its putrid smell, bony flesh and rancid oily taste, the menhaden would seem the least likely candidate for “The Most Important Fish in the Sea,” the title of H. Bruce Franklin’s brilliant new environmentalist study. But Franklin is not being ironic. The menhaden is the most important fish in the sea if you understand its ecological purpose.
While it is understandable that groups like Greenpeace would take up the cause of sea creatures at the top of the food chain, like the great whales or the bluefin tuna, Franklin understands that without the easily dismissed menhaden, those above it on the food chain do not stand a chance. This includes the human race as well, since the menhaden is particularly suited to cleaning up plankton-ridden waters. As one of the few marine specimens that thrive on microscopic plant life or phyloplanton, it is uniquely positioned to purify waters that have become virtual swamps as a result of the massive influx of nitrogen-based fertilizers from farms, lawns and golf courses. With much of the Gulf of Mexico having been turned into a vast dead zone by fertilizer run-off from the Mississippi River, there is a drastic need for the humble menhaden.

The villain in “The Most Important Fish in the Sea” is industrial fishing in general and a particularly odious company called Omega Protein, whose website informs us that they “market a variety of products derived from menhaden, an inedible fish found in abundant quantities in coastal waters off the U.S. mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.” It might be inedible to human beings, but fish love to eat them.

Franklin explains that what makes them unappealing to human beings has an irresistible appeal to prized food fish, including the striped bass and the bluefish. Once the menhaden eat phytoplankton, they convert it into omega-3 fatty acids that all living creatures require but are available from only limited sources, such as flaxseed, soybeans and walnuts. Unfortunately, the striped bass and the bluefish cannot stroll into the local grocery store to pick up a bag of walnuts.

Reading Omega Protein’s website, one would get the impression that they are mainly in the health food business. “Omega Protein is the nation’s largest producer of Omega-3 fish oil, protein rich fish meal, and fish solubles.”

What they don’t tell you is that most of what they produce ends up as chicken or pig feed.

Chickens and pigs of course can flourish on other foodstuffs, but the striped bass and the bluefish cannot.

Like most corporations, Omega has one and only one goal and that is to make a profit. The top stock holders could probably care less if the ocean was turned into a vast dead zone as long as they are prospering.

As a symbol of the irrationality of the capitalist system and the looming environmental crisis that threatens all life, it is difficult to imagine a more cold-blooded and criminal outfit than Omega.
Omega was originally a subsidiary of the Zapata Corporation that was launched by George H.W Bush in 1953 as Zapata Oil. It sold off Omega in 2006 to Wilber L. Ross, a leveraged buyout expert.

So it should be obvious where this outfit inherited its corporate ethics. If they could make money processing human flesh, they probably would.

H. Bruce Franklin first found out about the menhaden plight on salt water fishing expeditions off the New Jersey coast and in Chesapeake Bay, where Omega still has the right to use industrial fishing techniques to catch millions of the endangered menhaden. Deprived of the menhaden, the local game fish were showing signs of malnutrition:

This first fish looked healthy and normal enough to me, though I wasn’t used to seeing stripers this small being kept (the minimum Chesapeake size was eighteen inches, compared to the New Jersey minimum then of twenty-four inches, and now of twenty-eight inches). But Joe pointed out a small, rather unremarkable lesion near the anus, something I would have missed. This rockfish was the healthiest-looking we caught, however, except for one. The next fish, with bright red open sores gnawing deep into its side and belly, gave me a taste of that revulsion Jim must have felt back in 1997. One after the other, we caught diseased rockfish, each with horrifying symptoms.

If Omega Corporation only considers the menhaden in terms of what Karl Marx called “exchange value”, the original inhabitants of the New World–being primitive communists–were far more tuned in to its “use value”. They understood that the menhaden and other fish had enormous value as fertilizer and taught the pilgrims to bury them near corn. The Narragansett Indians called them munnawhatteaûg, which meant “fertilizer” or “that which manures”.

Not only are the menhaden useful as fertilizer, their oil can be used in the same way that whale oil was used in the 1800s–as a lubricant and as fuel. Not surprisingly, this led to the same kind of industrialized fishing techniques that came close to wiping out the whale. The menhaden were also reduced to a relative handful as vast purse nets in offshore waters on the Atlantic Coast yielded billions of fish.

When alarms were raised about their possible extinction, the 19th century versions of Julian Simon dismissed them as chicken-little stories as Franklin’s epigraph to chapter five (”The Death of Fish and the Birth of Ecology”) would indicate:

I believe, then, that the cod fishery, the herring fishery, the pilchard fishery, the mackerel fishery, and probably all the great sea fisheries, are inexhaustible; that is to say, that nothing we do-seriously affects the number of the fish. And any attempt to regulate these fisheries seems consequently, from the nature of the case, to be useless.
–Thomas Henry Huxley, 1883

Considering the New York Times’s long-standing record of hewing closely to the agenda of corporate America, it is totally to be expected that they would repeat Huxley’s argument. When evidence began to mount in the early 1880s that the menhaden were being fished into extinction, the newspaper of record tried to get the commercial fishing industry off the hook:

It has been shown over and over again that man’s take of the sea fishes is utterly insignificant when the whole bulk of the fish is considered. Predaceous fish and birds, all the natural enemies of the fish, destroy more perhaps in a single hour than man captures in the year.

Although most of H. Bruce Franklin’s impressive scholarship is focused on the records of newspaper, magazine, industry associations and government agencies over the past 125 years or so, he does make one foray into popular culture that demonstrates this scholar’s eclectic and multifaceted approach (he has written on science fiction).

He notes that a Simpson’s episode from 1997 very possibly alluded to the menhaden crisis. C. Montgomery Burns, the nuclear power plant owner that employs Homer Simpson and an all-round villain, launched a new business that sounds a lot like Omega. Trying to pull the wool over Homer’s daughter Lisa, a committed environmentalist and vegetarian, he has come up with something called “Li’l Lisa’s Patented Animal Slurry”, a high-protein feed for farm animals, insulation for low-income housing, a powerful explosive, and a top-notch engine coolant.

When Lisa tells Burns that he is up to something evil, he responds, “I don’t understand. Pigs need food, engines need coolant, dynamiters need dynamite…and not a single sea creature was wasted.”

... especially the opening paragraphs of “The Most Important Fish in the Sea,” which is very likely the most important book you will read this year:

First you see the birds—gulls and terns wheeling overhead, then swooping down to a wide expanse of water dimpled as though by large raindrops and glittering with silver streaks. The sea erupts with frothy splashes, some from the diving birds, others from foot-long fish with deeply forked tails frantically hurling themselves out of the water, only to fall back into their tightly packed school. More and more birds materialize as if from nowhere, and the air rings with their shrill screams. Boats too begin to converge on the scene: the boiling cloud of birds has told anglers everywhere within view that a school of menhaden, perhaps numbering in the tens of thousands, is being ravaged by a school of bluefish.

Attacking from below and behind to slash the menhaden bodies with their powerful jaws, the razor-toothed blues are in a killing frenzy, gorging themselves with the severed backs and bellies of their prey, some killing even when they are too full to eat, some vomiting half-digested pieces so they can kill and eat again.

Terns skim gracefully over the surface with their pointed bills down, dipping to pluck bits of flesh and entrails from the bloody swirls. Gulls plummet and flop heavily into the water, where a few splash about and squabble noisily over larger morsels. As some lift with their prizes, the squabbles turn aerial and a piece occasionally falls back into the water, starting a new round of shrieking skirmishes.

Hovering high above the other birds, a male osprey scans for targets beneath the surface, then suddenly folds its gull-shaped wings and power-dives through the aerial tumult, extends its legs and raises its wings high over its head an instant before knifing into the water in a plume of spray, emerges in another plume, and laboriously flaps its four-foot wingspan as it slowly climbs and soars away with a writhing menhaden held headfirst in its talons.

Beneath the blues, iridescent weakfish begin to circle, snapping at small lumps sinking from the carnage. Farther below, giant but toothless striped bass gobble tumbling heads and other chunks too big for the mouths of the weakfish. From time to time, bass muscle their way up through the blues, swallow whole menhaden alive, and propel themselves back down with their broom-like tails, leaving telltale swirls on the surface. On the mud below, crabs scuttle to scavenge on leftovers.

[BassBuddah]

Anyone read that book? Reading reports about 50 and 60's at the cbbt got me thinking how great it would be to follow them from Maine to NC. Family committments and job somehow seem to get in the way. My best is to hit Montauk as much as I can.

What's the farthest you would travel for a decent bass? Anyone ever do the whole run along the east coast?

[DarkSkies]

Fin lent me this book a few years ago, and then let me have it for keeps, when I kept putting off returning it to him....

What a guy that grouchy basstid is.,...ain't he?

The reason I like it is because it is direct and to the point. It methodically goes over everything you need to know to become a better Surf and Jetty Fisherman...and Milt did it years before the latest crop of Authors wrote their books....

Although each new book by a new author tries to make their particular take on the subject new and refreshing, Fin has pointed out, over and over, how a lot of the Authors who came after Milt, if you look at some of the current books, seem to have the same exact chapters that Milt did in his book.....


That's not to detract away from the folks who are now writing "How To" books, as some of them are quite good...but merely a recognition that Milt and others of his generation, said it first....


I was in Sea Bright a few weeks ago and the old timers still hold Milt Rosco and guys like John Geisinger in high regard....while I'm afraid a lot of 20-something surf guys may have tunnel-vision and have never heard of these great Authors.....so I'm trying to do my part to tell folks about them...





Here is a copy of Milt's book.
I encourage all new guys who have an interest in learning more, to devour every page of that book like it's your last meal....

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Milt also talks about some old-school techniqies like the "Sneaky-Pete" fluke rig developed and carried by Ernie Wuesthoff, another great old-time fisherman and previous owner of the "Nautical Shop" in Mantoloking, NJ..... (RIP Ernie)

Lots of little tidbits like that in the book...take a look at it when ya's get a chance....

And for those who still want to see and meet Milt, he will be giving a seminar at SurfDay, at Brookdale Community College, on Feb 25,,,one of the NJ Saltwater Legends, for sure....

[dogfish]

I read it. All meat and potatoes. No veggies, which is good thing. Good book.

[mick2360]

Anything by Milt Roscoe is worth reading; a very knowledgeable fisherman. He is one of the last of the old school guys and very much worth a few bucks to pick up his work.

I didn't like the Greek's book much, it was written by a friend of his and had a hero worshiping angle to it. The Greek is one heck of a fisherman and has dedicated his life to his craft, so he gets big credit. I just had a distaste for the tone of the book. I didn't need to be reminded that here was a great angler (in comparison to most of the rest of us) every other paragraph. I DID enjoy the few references to the dark art of bridge fishing midway through the book.

[DarkSkies]

Mick, thanks for the kind words about Milt. He really helped to broaden the experiences and catches of a whole generation of guys. I wanted to put his name out there again because he's speaking at Surf Day and it would be a great opportunity for the younger guys to learn from someone I consider one of the NJ legends. Although he's not climbing the rocks anymore, he still makes regular trips from Sandy Hook to Manasquan. It's amazing to watch him in action, and his writing skills have entertained many....


As for the Night Tides book, you're the 2nd person to make comments like that...I had to look at my original post and re-assess. I think you have a good point there...I've met Billy in person and found him an entertaining and engaging speaker...he's a "No-BS" kind of guy....but when you have a book written from the perspective of "Hey this guy is a hero, here's why...." I can see where that would turn some people off.

Thanks for the comments, hope to see ya soon!

[plugaholic]

I ordered that book this weekend. Thanks for the recommendation guys.

[DarkSkies]

^ Well-said Stormchaser.

******************





John Skinner - writer, teacher, and hardcore surf and kayak fisherman....


He has....
written 2 outstanding Saltwater books:
1. Season on the Edge
2. Fishing the Bucktail

3. Numerous saltwater articles and a regular saltwater blog....
4. Started a company that has an online fishing log database.....www.FishersLog.com


He is a tremendous fisherman, prolific writer, and all-around nice guy.
Being a good fisherman is one thing.
Translating that so people can learn from you, is taking it to another level. John Skinner has done that time and time again......

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Here is just one of the exciting pages from his book Season on the Edge...
It talks about how he first got started, the fun in catching and battling his first bluefish and his love of fishing as a learning process.
Dating from those first fish to a Season travelling and fishing the legendary places all Surfcasters dream of...a must-read for any angler. Whether you are a beginner or have experience, I believe everyone can get something out of his books.


Today I finally got a chance to meet him in person. I feel he is just as portrayed in his videos. Nice demeanor, knowledgable, and very humble.

If you have a chance find a way to read any of his books....you will be a better fisherman because of it.....

Nice to meet ya, John...

[CharlieTuna]

I have met John several times. I don't think there is anyone nicer in the saltwater fishing world. True professionalism and conduct. Glad you got to meet him ds.

[albiealert]

I learned just about everything I know about bucktailing from reading his bucktail book. Before that I would just fish plugs. Oh, I would fish bucktails as well but I would lose them rather quickly.

[Monty]

HOOKED, Fishing Stories From The Surf by Zeno Hromin.
I'm about done with it, read on a trip for work. Good read, interesting stories, its not a how to book.
I like how Zeno writes, I find it hard to put his books down, his enthusiasm for surf fishing shows in his writing.

[Monty]

Surf Fishing, Collection of Articles, by Zeno Hromin.
Really liked this book, read it while traveling for work a month ago and could not put it down.