[HBKFishing]

My father is not a big outdoors fan. When I was about 5 or 6 I wanted to go fishing becase the other neighborhood kids did. So, my mom made my dad get a rod and reel from Efingers and take me fishing. We went a couple of times. But I continued on my own. Pretty much teaching myself and getting tips from the old timers who fished the North Branch. I'm sure they are all gone now, but they showed me how to fish and tie knotts. Once I was a little older my mom bought me my first waders for trout fishing. When i worked for AT&T we had two personal days that we could split up into two hour increments. So, every Wednesday during trout season I would leave work at 2pm and get ready to fish the North Branch. I'd do to the South Branch on Tuesday. The Musconetcong on Sunday. Love the Musconetcong. Haven't fished in freshwater in about 4 years.

Saltwater is a different story. The old timers at Morrison's in Beach Haven used to teach me. As before, I am sure all of them are gone as is Morrison's. We would rent in Haven Beach on the bayside. I would fish and crab from the bulkhead on Colorado Avenue. I would go to M&M's Steambar and get fish heads for free. And get squid from Fisherman's Headquarters. All of my saltwater stuff is from there. Except for a couple of things. Fished on the White Star as kid. Its also gone. Most of my time back then as it is now has been on the Carolyn Ann. When I was a kid, we would have crabs with dinner every night. I had a big yellow basket and my dad would go to the beach and get sea weed to line it. We aslo had tongs to get the crabs out of the traps. It was so funny, my mom would be so amazed that we had all these crabs. Some of the larger snapper blues would be kept. The oyster crackers would be used for bait in the traps. My parents loved it there in Haven Beach. The bay and that bulk head were the baby sitters. My sisters and myself would spend all day there. When I was 21 I blew my knee out. Out of work for 4 months. My mom brought me to LBI and I went back to my youth. Morrison's. Cought some small blues and hooked a sea gull. Luckily some of the old times were around and helped me out. I was on crutches and could not do a thing about.

My Mom's Aunt Mae lived in Point Beach on the Bay Head border. So, we would spend some time there. Of course there was the treck to the wall to drop me off to go fishing. Small fluke. Nothing ever really to write home about. But I loved it.

With the job I have now, I work 3-11 and a lot of overtime. Sunday is normally the only day i do not work. And Monday in the summer. So, I go to Point Beach for the Sunday afternoon fluke trip. Then I discovered the Highlands again and I fished there on Monday's. Shorter driving trip for me. And this year I discovered the offshore sea bass trip. I am so hooked. Can't wait to do it again in December, January, February and March. I'll work the overtime to fund it but I want to go again.

I was on the very first Mi Jo trip back in 1987 or 1988. He was new and the mailroom crew chartered it and we had a blast.

I'm 42 and i have only won 3 pools in my life. One on the old Miss LBI. A fluke that was maybe 4 pounds. I won a wopping 26 bucks. Won a blue fish pool on the Miss Barnegat Light. There were 10 people and we were waiting for some folks from PA to show, they called the boat and said to the crew there were coming. Well, they showed up at about 830am and it was 27 Quakers. They do not gamble. The pool was 20. Two bluefish caught on the boat that day. One of the Quakers had a small blue and I caught a 8 pound blue to take all the loot. My third pool was on the Miss Norma K. It was a Monday fluke trip. I was on the Sunday trip and the pool was like over 120 or something. The guy who won did not leave Amanda one red cent. This was in 2006. The next day was Monday. I had a coupon so the trip only cost me like 10. And we all were talking about the guy who did not leave a tips and won that huge pool. I told Amanda that if I ever won a pool I would just want my Money back and give the rest to the mates. Well, I won the pool that day, it was like 60 or 70. Amanda said to me, remember waht you said............... I said, yea, can I have my 10 dollars please. I gave the rest to the mates plus the money I normally bring for a tip. The bottom line is I really could care less about the pool. I just love being on the ocean and meeting new people and hope to have a few fish in the box. But, you'd think with all the tons and tons of miles I have logged, I would have had more than 3 pools in my entire life......... HAHAHA

My favorite type of fishing is the inshore sea bass. I live for that. But now, the offshore bug has bitten me.

Except for the times at my Aunt's place we were on Long Beach Island. Vacations and long weekends. I'd go with my mom and she'd be at the beach and I'd go fishing. Been going to LBI all my life. Long Beach Island is God's country to me. I used to travel a lot for AT&T and I've seen a lot of this country. When asked what my favorite place is, my answer has been the same all my life. Long Beach Island, NJ. So many great fishing memories from there.

As i said, I havw been al over this great country of ours and met a lot of folks. I ahve to say this witha lot of pride. Some of the best people in the world I have met are on the boats. Either other patrons or the captains, the crews and so on. And of course the folks on this board. If you have a question or something is new to you, someone on the boat will assist you. The same goes for this board. I can speak first hand, the folks on here will go out of their way to give advise or assistance when someone is trying a different kind of fishing for the first time. That means a lot and shows a lot of charactor.

Been all over the map here but its after work for me and its very late. Thanks for reading.