Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.

If your goal is solely to catch fish then my advice to you is to stick with bait; the fresher the better. Gut your first catch, determine what the fish is eating and make sure your bait is the same. If you can catch fresh bait on-the-spot, do it. If you can fish the bait live, even better. Don't bother reading any further, this site is not for you.

If, on the other hand, you love the ocean and need a reason to be near it or on it, read on. If you love to walk the beach, dig your feet in the sand or survey the ocean from a rocky point, keep reading. If you are looking for a pensive activity with very low overhead and opportunity to meditate, this style of fishing might be a good fit. I think you will appreciate the perspective, thought and analysis this site has to offer.

Why not bait? Bait is cumbersome and has a tendency to plant you in a single location. You might as well break out the cooler and chairs because you're going to have a tough time chasing the fish with a bucket of bait and all the shit that goes with it.

Why do you want to chase the fish? Most game fish move with the tides. It is uncommon for fish stay in one place for very long. Moving with the fish requires that you pack light and carry everything with you. Once you achieve mobility, you will see more, understand more and enjoy more. This site is dedicated to coastal fishing, particularly surf casting, particularly in New England, particularly in pursuit of Striped Bass.

The sounds of the ocean, waves crashing and sea birds screeching, wind blowing and a distant fog horn, are motivating indeed, but when you stop to think about it, there are tons more reasons to fish, here are just a few:

• Your spouse is away with the kids
• Your spouse is home with the kids
• Your mother-in-law is visiting
• The lawn needs to be mowed
• You had a great day at work
• You had a terrible day at work
• The garage needs cleaning

You may find humor in the list, but the fact is that that everyday events cause us to loose balance in our lives. Meditation is a great way to regain balance. Some individuals can sit and meditate. This author centers meditation around the meticulous activity of fishing – the skill of casting, the art of retrieving, knowledge of equipment, reading the terrain, planning and preparedness – it's a Zen thing. Walking the beach alone before sunrise just makes it all that much better.

From a theraputic point-of-view, the most important purpose that fishing fulfills is to sort through why you are fishing in the first place. This logic seems circular at times, I admit. One can fish for the enjoyment of catching fish. However, fishing can't be therapeutic if it is a struggle of tangled line, seized equipment and rusty hooks. A goal of this site is to position the reader for an enjoyable experience that will lead to a meditative experience and therapeutic practice. Yes, I use the term "practice" because fishing will not be therapeutic until you are skilled and you will not become skilled without practice, so fish often!

On a serious note, this author recommends that readers subscribe to a few good habits:

• Release what you won't eat
• Release with great care
• Go home when you said you would be home
• Wear at least SPF30 in the day time
• Don't leave your shit behind

Enjoy!

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