10/12 - 10/13 BW

[lund1]

Fished with my youngest son. He's 16 and great company. Tough bait at the dock light. 2-3 ales per throw. Finally put enough for the next AM in the new SBTII.... Then we sat there staring into the tank with the cool LED lighting Ron now installs. Talk about hypnotic!
Water temps at 67. Rain, mist, rain, mist....all day Sunday. Finally caught 2 fish in staniford area. One on downrod , other on planer light line on the bank side. Saw one other boat all day.....Gator.... That guy is hardcore.
Monday we were full of optimism.... Had a few perfect size shad in addition to some big ales.... Fished gills from 3-6:30... One small fish. My 16 YO was getting discouraged.
When a local Guide came by and told us he had caught 24 that afternoon his shoulders slumped and he said lets go to Mexico Viejo and smother our sorrow in huge burritos. Of course it was closed.
All in all not a very rewarding weekend. When your 16 YO says something like " jeez Dad, after all the time and money you spend on Striper fishing I figured you would be pretty good at it by now...why aren't you?"....it can get discouraging.
Back at it next weekend.

[mwardncsu]

Hummm..... I saw a FB post yesterday from a Blackwater-side guide that said they landed "close to 30 fish" yesterday - same guide I'm betting. Nothing better than rounding up some #s Just kidding as I'm if he said they caught that many, I'm sure they did - plus/minus a few - the hard work the guides put in being on the water almost every day, day in and day out, does pay off in knowing where to be when - most of the time.

As to the rest of us - days like those are the ones that keep you coming back for the good ones - or its the good days that keep you coming back after lots of the tough ones. And you learn from each trip - what worked, where and when - you gave to build up that experience over time - keeping a log helps to look back year over year as they generally will be in the same overall areas.

Just tell you son that trips like that build character - or something like that

[Jason54]

I feel your pain. My sons get restless very easy. There are lots of days that after a couple of slow hours they are ready to call it a day. But it is well worth the slow days when you can get them on the fish and see the smiles. Better luck next time!!

[Gator]

Fish were biting at the location we saw each other. QUIT passing me and start fishing.

[Deleted]

Hmmmm.... I hope your son doesn't lose faith and will continue fishing with you.

[lund1]

Good point Gator. You do see me running up and down the lake a lot. Always think there's a better spot.

Yam - no worries about losing my son Tommy's interest. He's a solid sportsman who gets excited every time we head out. He won't sleep much this Friday night knowing NC rifle season starts Sat AM.

Getting shut out on Mx Viejo California Burritos was harder on him then the Striper shut out.

[greenmonster]

Oct 14, 2014 9:11:58 GMT -5 lund1 said:

Fished with my youngest son. He's 16 and great company. Tough bait at the dock light. 2-3 ales per throw. Finally put enough for the next AM in the new SBTII.... Then we sat there staring into the tank with the cool LED lighting Ron now installs. Talk about hypnotic!
Water temps at 67. Rain, mist, rain, mist....all day Sunday. Finally caught 2 fish in staniford area. One on downrod , other on planer light line on the bank side. Saw one other boat all day.....Gator.... That guy is hardcore.
Monday we were full of optimism.... Had a few perfect size shad in addition to some big ales.... Fished gills from 3-6:30... One small fish. My 16 YO was getting discouraged.
When a local Guide came by and told us he had caught 24 that afternoon his shoulders slumped and he said lets go to Mexico Viejo and smother our sorrow in huge burritos. Of course it was closed.
All in all not a very rewarding weekend. When your 16 YO says something like " jeez Dad, after all the time and money you spend on Striper fishing I figured you would be pretty good at it by now...why aren't you?"....it can get discouraging.
Back at it next weekend.

Lund, do yourself a favor. Print this post and keep it somewhere safe. In a couple years, pull it out again and re-read it. You will remember then what you forgot on this trip, that it was never about the fishing. All the time and money wasnt about becoming a good striped fisherman, it was about raising a kid and teaching him things no school will ever teach him- like life isn't always fair, but sometimes something as simple as a big burrito with your son goes a looong towards rectifying that. Sounds like you had a better trip than you gave it credit for!

[lund1]

GreenMonster- those are true words....thanks for reminding me.

[Deleted]

grrenmonster,

well said sir, no truer words were ever posted on this site.....   



hey mward,   

[mwardncsu]

There you are - was afraid you got lost