[underdog]

Do you think they pump up their catch to draw business? I'd hate to think that, but recently my cousin went on a guided trip and he and his buddy got 1 bass. When I read the magazine, the report that his party (the names) caught 5 fish. Error or exaggeration? He had a good laugh at that because he didn't know he was in print and he said he sure wish'd it'd been 5 linesiders! I'm sure, as in any business, there are some who will not be totally straight to make a buck - but do you all think exaggerating reports to the print is widespread?

 

[dante413]

One day I caught a big blue fish in the surf. I took it to a B&T (which shall remain nameless) to have it weighed. It tipped the scale at 15 lb. The next day my name was in the newspaper with my catch- a 25 lb. Striper! Maybe they were confused...

 

[THECHUMSTAIN]

YES

You will see weights and numbers and even made up reports with fake names. Its a shame but it is done.

 

[flukesnatcher]

a few years ago before i bought my own boat i went on a flounder trip out of cape may on the miss chris. no one caught anything not even a skate. we stayed overnight and deceided to try our luck again on the same boat. our first stop we had a skunk drift and the captain stated we should have been there the day before when they killed them. i told him we were and he was upset. anyway another skunk trip.

 

[bass on the brain]

YES!!!! anything goes! to draw paying fares. Yuo have to be able to to talk to the write captians and mates to get the correct info.

 

[joe kane]

yes.

 

[TWIN D'S]

The instance I'm thinking of from this year was a newspaper report from a marina. Reported "a cooler full of 3 and 4 pound croakers." Many I'm sure have never seen a 3 pound croaker let alone caught a cooler full. Probably even less have seen a 4 pounder.

Who changed the story, angler or marina? Hard to tell. I prefer to think of it as irrational exuberance.

 

[BRIAN P. MORTON]

YES

 

[med]

I have experienced very slow fishing on several different boats(no names)...only to have the newspaper report say fishing was terrific on the same trip I was out on.....I couldnt figure out what they were talking about...if you read reports from a particular boat, see how many negative reports (without blaming the weather)you see over time....we all know fishing isnt ALWAYS terrific...

 

[med]

I have experienced very slow fishing on several different boats(no names)...only to have the newspaper report say fishing was terrific on the same trip I was out on.....I couldnt figure out what they were talking about...if you read reports from a particular boat, see how many negative reports (without blaming the weather)you see over time....we all know fishing isnt ALWAYS terrific...

 

[Brucrew]

Fished the Cape May rips and lower Delaware Bay all fall long in good and bad weather and had NO where near the success most I've READ about. I've even been within eyesight of some who either pull all their fish on the "other" side of the boat or my eyes really suck (which they don't.) Either I really am terrible at fishin' (which is probably true,) those who put in print are GREAT fishermen (probably false,) or more likely just FISHERMEN ( born liars!!!)

 

[flukesnatcher]

10 percent of the fisherman catch 90 percent of the fish. the rest lie

 

[njvbass]

I always seem to get the exaggerated report From all the tackle shops at the shore.I have not caught a stripper in three weeks,Thing is the areas I know are like deserts right now.When i read about someone catching 15 fish 23"- 39" in a hour that is like a dream come true. I think it is great when I catch one in two hours.

 

[njvbass]

dp

[ 12-05-2004, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: njvbass ]

 

[BIGGESTJACK]

no comment.

 

[Flattop]

A few years ago I took a head boat out of Fortescue. I won the pool with a blue around 10 lbs. The report in the paper's at the end of the week listed it as a 7.5 lb fluke. Hey, at least I got some print time.

I don't believe anything I read. I don't know why I'm even a member of this site? All I see are lies.

 

[mch]

Things get exaggerated but it doesen't bother me. If I plan on going fishing, I'm gonna go fishing regardless of what I read. Who know's I may be on the beach at the precise moment when it gets really hot. I don't expect guys who make a living off of fishing to be like; "It sucks, I would strongly reccomend you stay home, please don't come to my tackle shop or boat & spend money" I trust some of the reports I read here on the barn but I know fishermen tend to BS alot. I read posts mostly for tips, techniques, cool pictures & cool stories, rather than reports.

 

[Ryan D.]

What is refreshing is a captain that is more worried about running his business the right way than he is about making a couple dollars. I've fished the Adam Bomb II several times this year and have had great trips each time - that in itself is impressive. But even more impressive is when I get a phone call from him saying the conditions won't be optimal for catching, so better to postpone. We could've still gotten out and picked through a few fish I'm sure, but he thought it better to cancel and wait for better conditions. Because of that, I'll continue to bring him business and recommend him to other people. It's definitely more about the fishing when you go out with him...

 

[Esox1]

Flukesnatcher,very funny comment on the captain saying it was better the day before.

 

[Bawugna]

Heck, I had a friend out a couple of weeks ago and he caught a Bluefish that went from 6 pounds to 15 in the course of a day............I just sat there smiling as he grew the fish.........Everyone exagerates sometimes, some do it more than others and when there is $$ on the line.........well you know the rest.

I will toot my own horn here a bit I have a bit of a reputation for being totally honest about my catches, I guess that is why I think everyone else is a better fisherman than I am