what is it about being in the surf?

[cowherder]

The challenge of fooling a bass with an artificial. The sheer beauty and ferocity of the surf. The way the senses are on edge at 2:00 am when I am alone either ocean side or bay side.

Beautifully said Monty! I like the challenge whether I am catching or not. There are no guarantees out there.

[bluesdude71]

Getting away from it all, the wife, kids, pressures of everyday life - I leave all that behind when I go out to fish.

[surfwalker]

All great posts. I guess we all have different reasons. My reason has always been the same, a form of an addiction. A sense of personal satisfaction that is maybe never totally achieved. A perfection that is strived for, but just out of grasp on some walks. An enjoyment that never gets boring, but is always looked forward to. I fish solo 99% of the time, but I am never lonely. The anticipation of the strike is great, but if no strike is had, the time was not wasted to me.

It’s something I’ve always enjoyed. Even when I wandered away from actually surfcasting, from time to time, the thought was always on my mind.

The time away from surfcasting is depressing, the time surfcasting is always too short.

[plugginpete]

Like eating shrimp and lobster every day, maybe? We think we would like that because it's great stuff.
If it was just common, and similarly every time we went fishing we caught multiples of big fish, we would eventually get bored. I know I would. I kind of like the idea that I don't know what to expect from one trip to the next.

[Monty]

Like eating shrimp and lobster every day, maybe? We think we would like that because it's great stuff.
If it was just common, and similarly every time we went fishing we caught multiples of big fish, we would eventually get bored. I know I would. I kind of like the idea that I don't know what to expect from one trip to the next.

Great post, its the challange that is fun. I'll fish for eight hours, catch nothing and have had a great time, or fool one 22 inch bass and feel like I succeded, beating the skunk. After a few skunks, that next bass feels REAL good.

[hookset]

Great post, its the challange that is fun. I'll fish for eight hours, catch nothing and have had a great time, or fool one 22 inch bass and feel like I succeded, beating the skunk.

What he said. It is a feeling you get. It's not the fish, or the glory, or ego, although that is part of it. To me, the challenge - fooling the fish to hit, like monty said, and being out there on your own terms, that's the biggest part of it. The solitude and quiet is also a major attraction for me, so dawn and dusk are great times for my psyche. The pics below remind me of how good the solitude actually is.

[cowherder]

The solitude and quiet is also a major attraction for me, so dawn and dusk are great times for my psyche.

Cool pic, hookset.

[plugginpete]

What he said. It is a feeling you get. It's not the fish, or the glory, or ego, although that is part of it. To me, the challenge - fooling the fish to hit, like monty said, and being out there on your own terms, that's the biggest part of it. The solitude and quiet is also a major attraction for me, so dawn and dusk are great times for my psyche. The pics below remind me of how good the solitude actually is.

Being out there in the thick of it. this video kind of reminded me too, except the music is so gay. Turn the sound off if you look at it.

[rip316]

I have to say what I love the most about the surf is that I have a chance to spend time with my friends and sometimes family fishing. It's that little step back from life where nothing else matters. Catching a fish is just a bonus.

[clamchucker]

I like the convenience. The boat is a chore for me now that I am older. I don't mind tagging along on a friend's boat. However, the maintenance that is required, seems to be never-ending. I try to help where I can when we are out for the day. Some guys get on, fish, and then walk away, leaving the tasks to the Captain. I do try my best to help with the cleaning and stowing things away, and it can be a bit much for me.
So I like the surf. You can go fishing for an hour, or twice a day, with little effort. I fish weekdays a lot, so I don't run into as many crowds. If I do find a crowded beach I tend to go somewhere else. The sense of achievement at the end of the day for me comes from getting out there, getting my exercise, meeting a few old friends, and maybe catching a fish or two.

[ledhead36]

The beauty alone is worth it. We have some of the most beautiful beaches on the Northeast coast. Yes for a few years we had problems with garbage, needles, etc. But where else can you go in the tri-state area and have about 100 miles of beachfront in one state alone? That is why many people from Pa, NY, Ct, and even Canada come to our beaches to visit.