Following the Night Tides......Do You have What it Takes?

[DarkSkies]

Copyright DarkSkies 2013



There is a book called "Night Tides" the Striper Fishing Legend of Billy the Greek.....
It talks about the fish he caught during the night tides....


This thread will be about following the night tides, especially when there is a bite in your area......

[DarkSkies]

Many people will say:
"Fish move, no need to chase reports"
Very true,,,,,but you can chase or follow the tides.....if you have paid attention......

In my experience, other than the absence of presence of bait, knowing the tides in your area, is one of the single most determinants to fishing success, or failure.....If you are not there at that specific window when the fish are feeding.,.....you may never know,,,,,that they were, or could be, there.....

[DarkSkies]

Rather than Spoon-feed ya's the How's Why's, and Wheres.....and making it too easy for those out there who don't want to do the work....
This thread will be a story about the guys behind the fish.......








And the Sights,,,,
Sounds....

Awful Smells coming from your body and vehicle when you fish for days at a time.....

Lack of sleep, and what that does to your life....

Determination to Find the fish, on your own or away from the crowds.... without help from Facebook, Twitter, or your buddy the fishing guide's phone call? "Yup I slayed 32 fish at xxxxxxx Beach tonight....it's on!!! it's time to go out NOW!!!!!!!!!

Sacrifices that are made....when the activity is highest in your area.....and you know that this is the time to be out there....if you want a bigger fish.....

Smells....have to repeat this again...because there will be lots of talk about the different smells, it wouldn't be a DS story without that.....

Marathon Fishing....and the toll it takes on your body.......











In short, it will be a chronology, an inside story....of what some of us do....to keep after the fish...once we realize there is a chance to catch more than 1....and the lengths some of us go to.....to keep that Action going....... long after we should quit and give it a rest till the next batch of fish comes in......

[DarkSkies]

Some of ya's may read this, and say...."Oh it's a DarkSkies story,,,,no one could be that obstinate, or delusional, in pursuit of a stupid fish!!!!


I have met a lot of characters over the years....some funny, some sad....some scary, some so obsessive about fishing that they come in from other areas,, and sleep in their car, truck, or van for a few nights when the fishing is good.... and some that could be on the Most Wanted List, if they were not fishermen.....


So this thread, and the posts here....will be a cross section, a composite of the fanatic fishermen I have met in my travels....
And the lengths some of us go, in our quest to catch the "big one"...or find a level of action at night...that most people never think is possible......

[DarkSkies]

Caution - Sensitive Personalities, please do not read any further........





There will be diisgusting stories......stories of human success, failure, self-doubt, extreme stench moments......
Suitable for men, enlightened women, and anyone who ever wondered what it's like, to fish all night, sleep in your car, and have folks look at you in the WaWa at 3am like you are a homeless person.....

This is what some of the folks I have met have done, or how they have lived....to chase the right tides......








* If your sensibilities are easily offended.....please turn back now......
* If you are the type of fishermen who need gloves to fillet a fish or cut bait,,,,,,,,or you carry Purell hand santitizer in your truck....you may be offended here....and might want to take up another hobby, like knitting.......
* If you are squeamish about natural human body functions and don't enjoy that type of honest story.....please turn back now.....

[DarkSkies]

If you have a real interest in learning more, becoming the best fisherman you can, and really delving deep into the reasons why some of us do this.....Hint..it ain't the tackle shop weigh-in, either.........Then by all means continue on......and have some fun..........

Feel free to poke fun at me or anyone else in this thread.......
Hope ya's are entertained.......
And thanks for reading, as always.......

[DarkSkies]

**Keep tuning in....there will be new installments as I get time.....

[jigfreak]

**Keep tuning in....there will be new installments as I get time.....

I say it takes you 2 months to finish it. Over, under, anyone?

[bababooey]

2 months 1 week!

[bababooey]

There will be diisgusting stories......stories of human success, failure, self-doubt, extreme stench moments......
Suitable for men, enlightened women, and anyone who ever wondered what it's like, to fish all night, sleep in your car, and have folks look at you in the WaWa at 3am like you are a homeless person.....

Totally onboard for any story that has stench moments.

[Monty]

2 months 1 week!

I'm in at 2 months and 2 weeks

[robmedina]

I was just thinking about this yesterday. I look forward to the time when I have more experience and can gun and run the beach. I know Billy the Greek says if you don't have a bite in 15 minutes, move. So looks like I will be somewhat ready to rty next season. I look forward to hearing this story in the mean time.

[DarkSkies]

Totally onboard for any story that has stench moments.

figures.....
I'll try to be real descriptive, just for you....and promise you that if you're squeamish or highly sensitive....ya might not like it.....


For the rest of ya's.....taking bets on how long it will take....remember that in about 30 days there will be no more numbers of bass here at all save the one or 2 ya might find fishin all night...

I don't have much time to post.....now is the time to fish...in 30 days to make that choice it may have to be Montauk, Block, MA, or Rhody.....

[bababooey]

Just because some of us sleep in warm beds at night and not in cars or porta-johns does not make us metrosexuals.

[DarkSkies]

^^ Fair enough, bababooey....but the men growing up today, sure are a lot different when I grew up....IMO too much coddling by Mom and Dad both.....the best experiences in life I had, was when my parents let me fall down, and pick myself up.....it's hard for a parent to do that......and understandable they don't want their child to come to harm or danger....

However, my biggest learning moments, were when I went through something painful. I screwed up, and had to work my way out of it....without my parents paying for it, or coming in with hand sanitizer to scrub the germs away......

Food for thought....I'm part of a whole generation that grew up without hand sanitizer....when we got a bad gash on our knee or arm we were not driven immediately to the hospital.....at most some peroxide was thrown on it, wrapped up, and we went back outside to play....only if it got infected was a hospital in the picture.....a whole generation of us grew up, without being coddled by parents...









I was working at 13 years old, doing odd jobs to make money to buy the things I wanted to buy....
and at 16 got my first official job, peeling onions and washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant......
I don't see too many parents around who encourage their kids to work at 16 today......

Again, just my opinion...but I feel the generation I grew up in...had to learn things through sweat and blood, and we appreciated it more....that's all.....on with the stories....and thanks for your contributions here, bababooey....although we don't always agree......ya can fish with me anytime....

[Monty]

Food for thought....I'm part of a whole generation that grew up without hand sanitizer....when we got a bad gash on our knee or arm we were not driven immediately to the hospital.....at most some peroxide was thrown on it, wrapped up, and we went back outside to play....only if it got infected was a hospital in the picture.....a whole generation of us grew up, without being coddled by parents...


Again, just my opinion...but I feel the generation I grew up in...had to learn things through sweat and blood, and we appreciated it more....that's all....

Its simple.
If it don't kill ya it will make you stronger!!!

[DarkSkies]

^ Monty would know, because his Marathon trips would crush the stamina of most normal surf guys.....
I'm glad we came from the same generation.....they don't make em like us anymore....starting to think we are the dinosaurs that are slated for extinction.....

[DarkSkies]

About ready to move forward with some more posts in this thread.....
I've decided to break it down into 5 main areas.....

1. The getting ready, the Preparation...the aches, pains, and sacrifices some of us make,,,,the committment to be out there...while the fish are there.....and the toll it takes on our bodies.....

2. The Sights, the Smells, the Sounds...of the lifestyle....(you know I'll be focusing a lot, on the Smells.... )

3. The Bite, the Action.....the one fish, or the few fish, that you get to see, lose, or catch,,,,and keep you coming back again and again...until that bite is dead, and you must move on to another area...for anyone who has addictive tendencies,,,you understand what I'm talking about....you don't have a choice...you need that action....and you search for it...till you are out of energy....there are times you become Obsessed...because you know it's not guaranteed...and if you are lucky enough to find it....it could last for hours, days, weeks...but the likelihood,,,is that it may last for hours, if you are lucky.....and that's all you get.....

4. The Fish.....some of the biggest fish of the year, will be caught when the bite is strongest....and having spent time out there....if you want one....the Fish Wait for No One.....

5. The Thrill of Victory, and the Agony of Defeat......Why some of us push ourselves....
And some cautionary warnings of how it can affect your life negatively.....if you let it....Segue into the Dark Side of Surf Fishing....

[DarkSkies]

OK. here we go folks....as you read these posts remember that I'm trying to capture a cross section of experiences, of some obsessed surf fishermen I know...I hope some of ya's can try to identify with the experiences here....good and bad...

**This is your last warning, that some of this may be uncomfortable to read...if you have a sensitive stomach or you fish in a world where everything has to be sanitary..... it's best that you turn back now...and do not continue reading.....

Hope that ya's Enjoy the Ride.....



1. The getting ready, the Preparation...the aches, pains, and sacrifices some of us make,,,,the committment to be out there...while the fish are there.....and the toll it takes on our bodies.....















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

How many of ya's have been here before?

The alarm rings at 11pm....you went to bed at 7 just so you could get up and fish all night......your wife or girlfriend (if you still have one at this point) thinks you are certifiably insane......
You know the tides will be perfect tonight.......and the bass will be feeding, if you can find them......

You get up as the alarm rings......and you really don't feel like it...you just spent 6 hours last night fishing the night tides....had a full day at work.....and as you get out of bed....your body aches.....

Your bed calls seductively...."Sleep, Sleep!!!!!,,,,it would be so nice to crawl back in there......and as you hear the light rain/wind rustling/ etc..outside....it's easy to convince yourself to lay down for just 5 minutes more......

But you know that if you do that....you will be toast....and sleep through to the morning....you will miss the tides...never know if the bass came in to feed...and you will play that game where you are the biggest loser, and no one else is in that world of losing, just you, isolated all yourself, as a moron, because you couldn't find the discipline to be out there on time.....

As you get out of bed, every bone in your body aches....
From the Jetty Hopping
Sand Pounding
Bulkhead Jumping
Bridge stakling in the Shadow Lines
River casting
White water casting
or walking the Bay Flats, walking the oozing muck, moving from place to place with the tides.....

Any or all of that, that you did, to find the fish and the bite last night,,,,you know you must do it all over again...as there are no guarantees in fishing...

[DarkSkies]

Your body aches so much, you immediately pop 2 advils.....just to dull the pain and you can keep moving......

You say to yourself..."Man I must be getting older...when I did this 10 years ago it never used to ache so much!"


Then you remember, 10 years ago you fished the night tides...it was easy...like taking candy from a baby, when you found them...and when you found feeding fish you could nail 15-30 a night....and some nights your numbers were 40-50.....aah....those were good times......gone as a distant memory that not many can relate to...

Now...There are less bass around....you know that because you have to work twice as hard, to put up the same numbers....

To learn more on this do an internet search for the phrase
"Honey the Striped Bass are Shrinking How to Recognize the Signs"
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...nize-the-Signs

You struggle to put a catch together at night...if you can find 5 decent fish..it's a good night...if you can find 10 or 20, it's an outstanding night...and you know you will not have many nights like that, this season....

But you are in the game anyway...
Can't catch em from the couch, you tell yourself......

and you are iin, balls deep, a full blown addiction....you have learned, over time, that if you really want big fish from the land...the night bite is the only bite for you...one where you have a real shot at a trophy...your personal best....and that with the big fish few and far between....you have to spend the time, when they are there....