Not long ago, I received an email from a P'O'd board member informing me I shouldn't be telling folks about "secret spots" in the Sound.

Just this afternoon, I received another email from a different individual claiming I give away too much information period. Not to mention that I am arrogant (maybe a little) and don't know a damn thing... (OFW... I am over it already.)

Where's my questions:

Do I give too much away?

How in the hell can someone give away too much information about fishing the Sound?
(I can see being hot about a river, but the sound? Come on...)

My mentor(s) made me promise to pass along what I was taught- I am just keeping my end of the deal! After all it is part of being a sportsman.

I hope you guys have picked up a few tips and you all catch a metric butt ton of Blackmouth while I am gone!!!

Downriggin'

I think your doing a great job! People who dont know much about the area you gladly share information. I dont see either how one could give up "to much" info on the sound. Keep up the great work and the fishin information!!

Skeets

Don't worry about it DR! You are doing just fine. After all, aren't BB's, like this one, here to share and learn from? How else are you going to get people excited about fishing? You got me excited about blackmouth fishing.

Downriggin,

Screw those jerkoffs!!

What is a board like this for, if not to bring fishermen together to share and learn from one another? Those are probably the guys that use this board as a spot to whine about everything under the sun without ever contributing to those seeking to become better fishermen.

I want to thank you on behalf of everyone who has ever learned something from you or any other regular contributor to this board.

I, for one, am an inexperienced salmon fisherman and have taken a great deal of information from this, and other bulletin boards.

Thanks again!!!

Funny you should post this now. I was just thinking about you yesterday. A couple "Thank Yous" are in order.

The first is for sharing your "secrets". My blackmouth catching has increased dramatically since I began "ringing the dinner bell" at 150'+. Your "secrets" work just as well at Pt Defiance, the Slag Pile, and Quartermaster Harbor as the places you fish. The selfish morons that email you are just that: selfish morons. Don't give them a second thought. They don't deserve the fish they catch. This is a PUBLIC RESOURCE paid for by our taxes. These morons have no more right to the fish than anyone else. It takes a true sportsman to enjoy sharing "secrets".

The second "Thank You" is for what you are doing now. We are all able to enjoy our public resources because of your service. I look forward to hearing that you are back at Green Point slaying the blackmouth. Take care!

Downriggin,
Who cares what a couple aholes have to say to you anyway? Your not giving away secret hole on a small river, your not giving away National Secrets, your just helping fellow fisherpeople catch more of the fish that we all pay for.

I say forget what a couple jerks say to you, and keep up the good work! I just hope that someday I get a chance to fish with you, or some other knowledgeable South Puget Sound Salmon fishermen, that will pass on what they've learned....

Keep up the good work, and be safe out there...

As if 100 more boats is gonna make the sound that much more crowded . You're doing a great job! I think you give more tips than anybody else on this BB.

Keep at it,piss em' off that much more!

Don't worry about it. If it is okay with you, then it is okay. As long as you are truthful, I don't see the problem.

DR.
I think ya gotta consider the source.

We all know that catching Steelhead and Salmon is difficult. Further, fishing as a sport has been declining in numbers over tha past five years.

I feel a responsibility to share as much as I know (less and less the older I get), to help secure a future for our fisheries. Having people go away frustrated( ie not catching) is not good for the sport. I know I enjoy the outdoor experience now more than the catching, but it took me a bunch of years to get to that. I only wish I had had a mentor or two along the way.

Besides for me there is nothing better than seeing that certain smile from someone who has just caught his/her biggest/best/whatever fish and knowing that you maybe had a small hand in it.

Keep up the good work. Thanks for your posts!

Downrigger,

I quess there just isn't enough room on the zipperpond for everyone. Or maybe it's because you can actually catch a salmon. But God forbid you should ever share with others what you have or know, that would be downright unselfish of you.

Be at peace and know you are among friends. There will be plenty (friends and fish) left when you return.

And by the way, a big thank you for what you and our boys are doing for me and our country. God bless and pass it along.

I second and third what everyone else has said DR, and as proof I offer the boat count at Green Point when you were posting about it the most - 4 boats including me on a weekend were the most I ever saw. So what is the problem? Certainly not too much pressure from too many fishermen. Likely the opposite is true - we isolate ourselves from each other far more often than we get together on anything, to the detriment of our sport. United we stand - divided we fall works pretty universally doesn't it?

Thanks again for the good fishing spots and info, and for giving them up to go overseas and keep them safe. You are a rare guy DR and I'm proud to be your freind

Okay DR,
You really did it this time! You gave away my Zipper Lip Sound! I could tell last Saturday when I was out there too, I could only troll for about a mile or so before I ran into another boat. Screwed up the whole day.

Hey, More fisherman like ya is what these boards need, not less info!!

In the words of Ol' Capt Crocker (I know you know who I am talking about) " Good on ya!"

As far as I'm concerned we need more people like you who are happy to share what they know. It makes the sport more fun for all of us. And...if you're good at what you do.....what can you say?

DR-
Although I am not much of a blackmouth fisherman...its been easily a year or so since I've chased after them buggers, I can still appreciate the information you have provided the board.

You are a wonderful contributor to the board and we all appreciate it...and you have in no way given out too much info...dont let the asses bother you!

Thanks!!

DR,
Your doing a great service to this board. And the guys that are crying about it are most likely in the group that cant catch a fish anyway so let them whine. Great job and thanks for alot of good info.

Commercial's mantra: "I found this spot, I don't want to share it, those fish are mine, ALL mine."

Indian's mantra: "I found this spot, I don't want to share it, those fish are mine, ALL mine."

Zipperlip fisherman's mantra: "I found this spot, I don't want to share it, those fish are mine, ALL mine."


I believe that mentality is the same is all those folks.

I agree with John B.; "Having people go away frustrated( ie not catching) is not good for the sport. " Many of us keep harping about consolidating for a common cause, but so many are not willing to embrace one another as comrades and share all we know.

It's funny how some guys think they were the first ones to ever set foot on a piece of soil, or wet a line in a particular stretch of water, in the history of the earth.

I hate that "zipperlip" mentality. It's greed; pure and simple greed. And greed is the cause of most of the problems in the world today.

Forgive my ranting, please.

in a river, where there is a limited # of fish in any spot and usually way too few spots, keeping quite is most likley a good thing to do, but the saltwater is a big place, usually more fish and sometimes a whole lot harder to figure out the depth, bait, tide or place to be. Sharing good info in the saltwater, most times will not come back to bite you in the rear like telling your favorite little pocket in a steelhead stream. So keep at it.

Don't sweat it! You can tell people where all the fish are, how to fish for them, but they still have to go out and apply that info and maybe catch a fish.
Maybe Bob needs to start a Saltwater specific board, where those who want to share info can go guilt free without getting hate mails, which I think is kinda chickensh!t.
Keep it up DR, it's been fun comparing notes, riggings, techniques, etc. Looking forward to fishing with you sometime, especially out at Sekiu and/or Neah Bay. OOOPPPSS! Just gave away another secret spot......

Kev

Okay,
Now you did it too Kev, I thought for sure I'd have Sekieu all too myself this July. Ooops , did I say July!

DR,

Keep the info coming. We need more info on this board instead of tight-mouthed fishermen. If it wasn't for you I'd still be thinking my finned pancake downrigger ball was superior to a cast iron one. I sure reversed myself in mid-stream (sound??) during that argument.

Bill

It people like you DR, UM and DD that make this board more informative and entertaining!

You lit a fire under my Butt to get my downrigger mounted on my boat and learn to use it... While I will occasionally may go out to one of the spots you list I have other spots I want to try out some of your ideas...

Its people like you that get people exited about fishing and just maybe one more voice against the likes of peta.

Keep up the good work and hope to meet you all on the water some time

DR,
As most of you know, DR and I serve together.
Last night at dinner, DR mentioned to me the emails he had received. We talked about it for awhile and I suggested he post this up on the BB and see what the other sportsman think.
DR...I was right!!!! What great responses.
I met DR 7 Months ago, we didn't know each other from Adam. I had just checked aboard the ship and didn't know anyone. DR and I happend to sit together one day for lunch and the topic of discussion soon turned to fishing. We both learned that each other were avid fisherman on the sound.
Next day, DR brought me in two Hoochies he had tied up, gave me his Black Box book to read and provided more tips about fishing the Puget Sound than Carter has pills.
DR is a stand up guy and does this BB justice!
Keep up the good work.
I'm buying lunch today at 1100. See ya in the mess!

For a new guy fishing, I am amazed at how few people in the Northwest actually enjoy the outdoors. It is turning into a bunch of computer codin' yuppies! It seems most people I know have never fished and don't even want to. I ask a few guys if they want to go and I get this reply- "You want me to get up WHEN? ARE YOU @#$%^* CRAZY?" Have these guys who send you hate mail looked at the Sound lately? It is one big ass piece of water. I get ideas of where to fish from here, from friends who fish, from other internet sites like SU, all great resources. Who are these guys that feel that they are the only ones who deserve to fish a certain spot? Hey, first come first serve. If your zipperlip is taken by time you get there, for goodness sake get up earlier. I know a guy who used to anchor up in the river and sleep in his boat all night to preserve his spot. Do what you gotta' do. I think the more guys we get out there catching fish, the more guys we'll have who want to do something to protect the fishing we have left.

Keep it coming, DOWNRIGGIN!!!

People these days................

DR
It has alot to do with karma, the way of the world, what goes around.... and all the other sayings and such. I have always believed that no good deed is lost, it just returns to you in a different form. Hopefuly the good thoughts and actions of people you have helped on this board will help you in a time of need. Last time I checked we were all in this thing together so we are better off slaping each others backs than we are kicking each others a#$es.

Blackmouth fishing is a safe alternative to standing on the bank of some over netted, fishless river.

I always thought blackmouth fishing would be dull and boring so I never did it. Little did I know!

Have boat, will fish.

Thank you for the Information. Screw 'em!

I always felt fishing was best enjoyed with friends. Unless of course, you are the solitary unibomber type......

I hope to see ya out there one of these days and learn first hand!

Great Job DR. What are friends for except to help others learn and to share. You can see that the positive responses are 10 to 1 to the zipper lip mentality. Who cares what a few insecure FISHERMAN think. I appreciate all your post as I do Easy Limits/Dangerous Dan/Umrules and may others. We need more open lips than zipper lips. Those type emails are the reason we have the delete key on our computer.

Hmmm,
There seems to be a trend here doesn’t there?

I have been fooling with down riggers for a couple of years now. I struggled with the things and was considering giving up on them but your post, along with others on this board, have helped plenty so I guess I'll come down on the "DR is gold and faceless cowardly hate mongering zipper-lippers are chicken droppings" side.

You know, when I feel the need to be critical of someone (and it certainly doesn’t happen often, life is too short) I will invariably look that person up and say whatever I have to say to his face. I want to be able to look a guy in the eye and I want him to have the same opportunity. Now, from what I've read you would seem a very easy guy to find and it makes me wonder about these faceless nameless individuals because ‘hate emails’ seem a cowardly way to voice such an opinion. Makes you wonder just what type of folks these are.

Hey Dr, I for one appreciate reading your posts. I don't fish for BM but I feel like I could after reading your tips. I say keep it up!! For the ones that e-mailed you Ther is no such thing as a zipper sound??? Come on there is just way to much water for someone to get bent out of shape over that. Keep it up.
Buck

Masters tell most but not all. I try to share my experinces with those who I fish with. I enjoy seeing someone else catch a fish just as much I like catching one myself. The joy of fisihing is for everyone. No matter what, a person still has to put in thier time to catch the biggun.

Looks like 33 people who enjoy reading your helpful posts, to 2 a$$h*les.
Keep doing what your doing. You and UM and easy limits are quickly pursuading me to sell my 16ft Donzi speedboat for a saltwater fishing boat.

Thanks for all the support!

I usually just hit the delete button, but I was already having a bad day before this a$$ pushed the blood pressure higher. Dangerous talked me into posting to get a feel for the responses....

It's kind of funny... UMRules asked for directions to the launch I frequent and then this a$$ emails me. I have a real good idea who this guy is come to think of it. Probably the same guy who has asked me not to mention this low key launch...

Downriggin'

Hey DR
Thanks again for those directions. I'll be using that launch on Feb 15th! Green Pt. should be ready to produce by then as I am pretty sure it isn't getting too much pressure during C&R.

you are a special breed DR. i think that it is great that you can pass down tips or locations to fellow anglers and the next generation like my self. People these days want to keep the fish to themselves, and i respect that to some degree. someone who can tell someone else something helpful is a true angler, and that is you DR

You mean to tell me guys don't even want people to know where to launch their boat? What kinka' sick selfish-assed people are these? For cryin' out loud, a public launch is a public launch! I'll find one on a map if I don't hear it otherwise. This is the kinda' me me me mentality that is ******* up our entire country! Can't we all just get along? No, not according to these guys. It is the "I'm gonna' get mine, and screw who gets in the way" guys out there that really irritate me to no end. Just who the hell pissed in their cheerios when they were groing up, anyways???

Some people's kids.....

Steve,

You are absolutely correct- public and located on the web. Damn shame isn't it?

I doubt many city folk would venture out as far as I live just to launch. But you never know.

Downriggin'