I never used to take much pleasure in talking to other people. Fishing used to be a way to get away from others and find a secluded place where I could be alone with my thoughts and nature. As I get older I enjoy the company of fellow fishermen and I find myself talking to random people more often. The benefit of doing this is not only to meet great people possibly make a new friend but also you can pick up fishing tips you might not have found other wise. This just happened today as I was gearing up to fish the surf. A truck pulled up "are they biting?" The drive asked. I explained that I hadn't even hit the water yet. The gentlemen went on to talk about how in another section they caught so many they couldn't keep them all. I don't know why but I always like to think I know something others don't. Especially when it comes to fishing. I said I'll try the surf and head over if it seems dead. The gentleman looked at me a little strange and drove off. On my walk to the beach I couldn't get the gentleman's expression out of my mind. Why did he look at me so strange as he drove off? I started to beat the surf with my casts. I saw no signs of life and even worse no other fisherman. I started to wonder if I should head over to where the guy in the truck suggested. While I walked back to the car I realized why I got the look I did as the man drove away. He probably didn't understand why I was passing up a known location that obviously had fish. When I hit the other section the man from the truck was sitting on a bucket and asked how the surf was. He was reeling in a fish right as I got there. We talked for awhile and I learned we lived in the same city and had other random things in common. Then he told me to try a spot down the beach. "Usually there at least some bluefish down there" he said. This time I was listening and I headed down the beach and began casting. On my second cast I had a fish and brought it to hand. It was a speckled trout. The first I had ever caught. I dropped it back in the water still on the line and walked back to get my camera. Unfortunately once I got the camera the fish came off. I didn't catch another speck but I did hook up with 15-20bluefish. The gentleman was right on. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers and bluefish. They can save you from smelling like skunk at the end of the day.
