taking the good with the bad

[Squidnation]

I have been conversing online quite a bit with some guys who fish in remote areas. It got me thinking about the crowds we fish in and the remoteness that others have and I started thinking which is a better situation.

Sounds like tentions have been high in Morehead with boats running over lines and cutting off fish. Spent the OC Tuna Tournament listening to the radio as boats were cutting off other boats left and right. But the crowds are also in the canyons and while they don't neccessaily cut eachother off, crowds do possess a problem driving fish down.

But then you talk to the guys who fish Brazil and africa and even places like Venezuela in the offseason. One of the first things I hear is that its a tough situation cause there is no coverage. Its tough to find them on your own. So which is the better situation?

[gottaflylee]

I'd rather fish without the crowds. Out of Wrightsville Beach. I seem to do better when there are only a couple of boats on the "Break" as well not listening to all the raido chatter. Now I'm not saying that every now and then it does not help, but on a whole...fewer the better. When the crowd gets a bit much, I move.

[biebs]

Hate crowds. Regardless of the situation. OC has got to be the worst, or maybe VA beach during striper season. You know its going to be bad when you cant get through the inlet in OC and the guy next to you heading out left his mahi flag up from the night before.

[captcl]

Everytime I have caught well (inshore/nearshore) I've always been by myself
with "the crowd" in sight. Exceptons, chumming (rock) and chunking
(which i rarely do). Last year I caught the winning flounder (tied for first)behind Assateaque in a crowd of boats catching throw backs but once again, everyone but me was using minnows on anchor and I had a huge squid strip on the drift.
So did that technically put me by myself?Even though I was around them? The biggest stripers that I have ever caught have been with absolutely no one near! even when chumming! Ches. bay and atlantic. I have "plucked big stripers well out side of crowds. Did the crowd push them down and then out of the crowd zone? I think so but i'm a contrarian anyway I NEVER do what the crowd is doing! That's why the boat is named DILLIGAFF! It's not that I dont care I just don't care what "the crowd" is doing! If the crowd is out fishing me (happens alot) I adjust to what I think needs changing! From 1990 on since the rock fishing opened back up I almost NEVER "limited-out" yet consistently caught much bigger fish! Go figure. maybe fish need "stirring-up"(the crowd) some days and other days they are just hell bent on the feed!
I'll stick with avoiding the crowd.

[reel fool]

I prefer the remote fishing, no crowds. the hunt is part of the enjoyment in the game--finding them myself

[Swami]

Like everyone else so far, I'd rather be away from the crowds. It's nice in places like Guatemala or Venezuela because the few boats that are fishing are really working together well--when one finds 'em, they put it on the air and the rest of the fleet comes in but at that point everyone is very respectful of the situation (and there just aren't enough boats out there to cause a big problem). It's amazing to see a pack of boats work the bait balls off Isla--one guy rolls through, hooks up with a couple, then moves off to fight his fish while the next boat in line takes his shot. Everyone daisy-chains up and everyone gets a crack at the fish.

When I was fishing off NC a couple years back, one of the prominent charter boats that was fishing near us got on the radio and was telling his buddy about how he put one good yellowfin in the boat and then "the G-D sputterboats won't leave me alone." I looked over at him and there were literally five center consoles circling him like Indians around the wagon train. I'm sure he was pulling out what remained of his hair at that point.

The difference in these two situations is that you're dealing with a fleet of only professional charter captains versus a mixed bag of charters, good recreational skippers and Johnny Weekenders that just don't care who they tick off. If that's the case I'll try to make a longer run or head in a different direction just to get away from the yay-hoos, even if it means I'm fishing in slighly less-productive water.

[SeaBiscuit]

When looking for pelagics in the canyons or other way offshore destinations, working with a couple of other capable boats is always an advantage in both finding the fish (bait) as well as in safety. That is often "disturbed" when less experienced or over-eager crews start crowding each other. I have been is a flotilla of boats pounding a school of fish in a very orderly and considerate manner and I have been crowded by the single boat in the horizon before.
For my routine bottom fishing, even two is a crowd. When I see a boat coming my way, I always pull up and move.
SeaBiscuit

[thums up]

I get to deal with both since I have a boat here in NJ and a charter business in southern Costa Rica. I hate both but I would take looking for fish over bouncing around other boats all day. I think looking for fish and finding them like we do in CR separates the men from the boys. Anyone can follow the crowd to the grounds. I like to see one or two boats all day, never want to be to isolated.

[Jared D]

Except for the safety factor, I always prefer to be the lone dot on the horizon. Too many boats, and the fishing changes for the worse, plus the aggivation factor goes up and enjoyment factor goes down.

Give me a nice temp break and no one else, and I am happy!

[pitch bait]

I partial, there are crowds that can respect others and know how to fish in a tight situation that I dont mind fishing with, but it only takes one boat to ruin that. I wouldnt put up with a crowd for one second in the rips over a striper. To catch a billfish it could be worth it. I guess that why I rarely striper fish.