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The Essentials

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- Catch more fish in 2023!

- 6 live instructional seminars (topics below)

- 4 live interview sessions (speakers below)

- Pre-recorded multi-part foundational seminar

- Each session will be between 2 and 4 hours long

- All sessions are recorded: you do not have to be live

- That's more than 35 hours of exclusive surf fishing content

- All subscribers have exclusive access to email me any and all questions

The series is closed for 2023

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 The Schedule

Live seminars are Wednesdays at 7:00pm

 

January 11th   Soft-Plastic, Darters, and Gliders
January 18th   Sand Beaches
January 25th   Toby Lapinski & Jay Hanecak
February 8th   Boulder Fields
February 15th Steve Mckenna
March 1st        Calm Nights, Back-Bays, and Estuaries
March 8th        Shell E. Caris
March 22nd     Storms & The Fall Run
March 29th      Bill Wetzel
April 5th           Targeting Trophy Fish

 

 

Registration is now closed for 2023 

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The Details

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New for 2023!

• Inclusion of a pre-recorded, foundational, multi-topic seminar in addition to the live sessions. Brought to you by Surfcaster's Journal. This pre-recorded session will cover several critical topics to ensure all subscribers- particularly novice anglers- get the most out of the live sessions. See below for more specifics. This video will be available starting December 23rd and for the duration of the series. Did you love "Tools of the Trade?" Then you're going to really love this.

• All seminar recordings will now be available for review through the entire series (until April 19th). No more limit of 1 week to re-watch!

• Recordings will also be available for review during a special 1 week period in August, from the 12th to the 19th. This is intended to let you review topics you need refreshers on before the Fall Run begins.

• Formal seminars will now start between 7:20 and 7:30, with Q&A taking place between 7:00 and 7:30. No interested in questions and discussion from other subscribers about last week’s session? Just show up at 7:20. I'll still be encouraging plenty of questions and discussion, just tightening up the structure.

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Here's the Deal (details)

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• Instructional Seminars: MINIMUM 90-minutes of presentation (typically 120-150 minutes). Seminars are designed to appeal to everyone- from beginner to advanced. These sessions go far beyond typical fishing-show seminars, and we really dig deep into the topic areas. There is no time limit, and I take the care and time necessary to cover each topic in detail. Expect slides with lots of photos, annotation, and graphics- not just boring text. Seminars will also include Q&A (see below), a short discussion each week on striped bass conservation, and other recurring bonus content. Detailed topic descriptions at the bottom of the page.

• Interviews: In addition to the six lecture topics, there will be four, two- to three-hour-long, in-depth and exclusive interviews. I will get you inside the mind, heart, and soul of a few of the best surfcasters from up and down the striper coast. The best part is, since they’re live, YOU get to help dictate the discussion! These are a mixture of instruction, stories, philosophy, and humor- these sessions are some of the most rewarding fishing conversations you'll ever hear.

• Re-watch The FULL Recorded Session Any Time through April 19th: You will be able to watch each recorded session for the duration of the series. You do not need to attend live! Want to listen to it again, even if you were live? Want to listen 10 more times? Go for it! All on your own schedule.

• Lots of Q&A and Discussion Time: I take time to answer ALL live questions. No question is too simple, complicated, strange, or personal- bring it on! I want you to feel like this is a conversation, and be comfortable enough to ask anything. NEW this year, we’ll be doing a more formal Q&A session before and after each topic, to help with the presentation flow.

• Email me all your questions. Think of a question from last session? Were you not able to catch the session live, and want to follow-up with me? Do you just want to pick my brain about something random? I answer EVERY question I receive, either directly via email or anonymously to the group. This has been a big hit, and I will continue it in 2023.

• Live show and tell. Get in-depth and exclusive looks at my gear and how I use it. See how I work lures with live rod and reel demonstrations.

• Tons of Stories: I use real-world, up-to-date examples from my own fishing in all of my seminars. However, I also have lots of past tales that are intense, funny, and motivating that I will sprinkle in. These stories remain one of the most popular parts of the series. If you liked prior years "story time," know I will be including a lot of that still in the 2023 series, just not as a stand-alone section.

• First look at new photography. Subscribers get an exclusive preview of my newest work, long before it is published.

• Conservation talk. There will be a special section about how to be a better steward of the fishery, and my top-tips as to how we can all decrease release mortality. Brought to you by The Saltwater Edge.

• Exclusive conversations about my season, and my goals for 2023. 2022 was a pretty good season with lots of surprises and some new techniques and experiences. What does that mean, and what exactly happened? Get some details no one else will hear.

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Over 35-hours of surf fishing content:

data-driven techniques, tactics, advice, philosophy,

stories, demonstrations, humor, and conservation!

AND

If at any time you are not satisfied,

I will give you a no-questions-asked pro-rated refund

for all unused sessions (for full-series subscribers only)

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Let's do this!

PAY WITH LINK ABOVE

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Detailed Topic Descriptions

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Pre-recorded Foundational Session

This video will be available a month prior to the live sessions starting. I will break it up into chapters. The purpose of this video is to address the request from a handful of beginner anglers who felt the live sessions were a bit overwhelming and over their heads. However, many advanced anglers will appreciate the tips and tricks included in this video, particularly when it comes to my gear choices.  Essentially, this video is intended to set you up to get the most out of the live sessions, and make sure we're as close as possible to all being on the same page. Expect to find chapters on fishing at night, the easiest and most effective ways to simply catch more fish, the basics of fishing current, the foundations of understanding bait fish and predator behavior, a full cheat-sheet of my favorite gear (and tips on how to use it), and much more. 

Session 1: Soft-plastic, darters, and gliders

This is a new seminar that is a combination of previous topics from the prior two years of surf scenarios. In this new and revamped talk, I'll be discussing my most productive- and favorite- classification of plugs. As it turns out, these plugs are also pretty misunderstood and underutilized- yes, even soft plastics. There are a lot of assumptions about how to use all plugs, but these three in particular (and needles) seem to be the most  mischaracterized. I'll be focusing on the versatility of these three different lures, and how to get the most out of them every night, across all structure, for all sizes of fish. I'll also be going deeper into my core philosophy about how presentation and plug profile trump all. Expect plenty of comparing and contrasting to other plug classifications as well. And, of course, we'll dive into exactly how I rig these lures to get different presentations based on the fish behavior, the conditions, the structure, the time of year, and the bait present. Finally, we'll go into great detail about how you can use a single technique to catch 99% of striped bass- a technique that also catches everything from brookies to tarpon! Master it, and you're simply going to catch more fish.

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Session 2: Sand Beaches

In this session, I'll be tackling one of the most common, but also the most difficult, types of striped bass structure- the open sand beach. I'll break down how I attack a sandy stretch, in terms of where and how to fish, and also go deep into structure analysis (using satellite imagery and custom drawings) and what I think is the most effective approach for most sand beaches. We'll also make sure to cover gear specifics and other nuances that'll make you more efficient.  In 2022, I spent a lot of time again on sand beaches (I'm having a bit of a sand-beach renaissance the last few years) and have some interesting new tips and tactics to share from what turned out to be a very unique and productive year. Additions to previous years talk will include whiting bites, micro-plastics, super skinny water, fussy bites, and how to deal with seals.

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Session 3: Jay Hanecak and Toby Lapinski

You asked, and I got them both! I'm so excited to have both Toby Lapinski and Jay Hanecak on as our first interviews for 2023. Toby and Jay are long-time fishing partners based in Connecticut. These two are arguably the best surfcasters on the east coast- this is hardly just my opinion, but I've heard it from many other anglers as well. Year after year, they win tournaments and put up some of the most jaw-dropping catch-rates you can imagine. Dozens and dozens of 30- and 40-pounders a season is just run-of-the mill for these two. When the fishery was stronger, 100's of this class of fish was normal each season- but even now, there are few who can even come close to their performance. They are also both extremely thoughtful and detailed- true scholars of the surf. And just two hell-of-a-nice guys. This is the first time they will be interviewed together. Expect to hear amazing stories and learn a whole lot. And yes, for those returning again in 2023, we'll talk chunking again!

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Session 4: Boulder fields

Ah! My favorite place to catch striped bass- the boulder fields. Found throughout the striper coast, I think boulder fields are one of the most consistent places to catch both large-numbers and trophy-sized stripers. We'll go through my approach to boulder fields, specifically keying in on the details you need to focus on to make the most of them. This will include an overview of why boulder fields are so good and how to located your own, how to find micro-spots and micro-currents, utilizing and understanding big baits, using a wetsuit effectively and safely, niche plugs for the boulders, and much, much more.

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Session 5: Steve McKenna

Our third interview will be with renowned surfcaster Steve Mckenna. Steve resides in Rhode Island, and has been fishing the surf for 50-years. Steve is a wealth of knowledge- and has written numerous articles- and has many accolades to his name. Did you know he was the first to catch a 50-pound bass on the original Gibbs through-wired needle? Or that he is largely considered the creator of the dual-hook Slug-go? We'll go through a typical season with Steve, and then dive into deeper, never-before-discussed topics from Steve's life as a surfcaster.

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Session 6: Calm nights, estuaries, and back bays

This is the first time I will be tackling all of these topics. At first glance, you might be thinking that this is a pretty wide breadth of topic area, and could be a very long talk. While you might be partially right, my approach to all three of these situations is very similar. I think if you can master some key tactics, and understand some core ideas, you will find that you will be effective in all of these situations. Further, these three situations make up at least 50% of my total fishing, and I think are also one of the best ways to increase your numbers. What the heck does that mean? Join me for session 5 to find out. I'll break up the talk into a general section, and then go after both estuaries and back-bays in some detail.

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Session 7: Shell E. Caris

Shell is a life-long surf fisherman, who has been at it over 65-years! Living in New Jersey, he plies the sandy shores and back-bays looking for striped bass of all sizes. Shell is a multi-technique angler who has done- and seen- it all. He's got 50's, sure, but he also has a deep respect and love of the "sport" of surfcasting. He also continues to charter, and has some really fantastic stories built up from all his years in the surf. If we can't learn something from Shell, there is no one left to learn from. Sit back and listen to a master and living legend in this can't-miss interview.

 

Session 8: Storms and the Fall Run

Also a new talk for 2023, this one will basically be split in two. First, we'll cover storms and how to make the most of them. I'll talk about why storms matter, why you should treat them as "must fish" situations, the different phases of the storm, and the different kinds and how they relate to different parts of the season. We'll also go into the importance of storm-specific plugs and gear. As most of you are probably aware, storms are particularly critical in the fall. As an extension of the storm portion of this talk, I'll be focusing on how I treat the fall run. I've never specifically focused on this before- typically I sprinkle little bits and pieces throughout the entire series. Instead, for this 3rd installment of Surf Scenarios, I'm going to give you the nuts and bolts of my fall, focusing heavily on my philosophy and top-tips.

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Session 9: Bill Wetzel

I'm not even sure I need to write a description for this one. If you are a surfcaster, you almost certainly know of Bill Wetzel. He's arguably one of the most famous surfcasters alive and is a die-hard Montauk surf fishing guide. If you know of Bill (how could you not), you already also know how much fun he is to listen to.  Bill is quite the character, and he's going to tell you- tell us- like it is. Sure, Bill has been interviewed a lot. He's given a lot of talks, too. But, I'm going to go further with Bill than ever before, and give you some exclusive content never-before-heard-or-seen. Particularly, I want to know how the hell he functions on so little sleep! Bill and I don't agree on everything either- so there might even be some funny "loud discussions" as well. This is a can't-miss.

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Session 10: Big Fish

Always my most popular talk, by far. In this seminar, you are going to hear me be the most frank, the most honest- and at times the most brutal. While others tend to focus on plugs and spots for big fish talks, I think it's far more important to focus on mentality, philosophy, dedication, and lots of important nuance (like fighting and landing fish, gear maintenance, physical stamina, and so much more). Sure, the answer you'll get from most well-known casters is "fish live eels at night," and they're not wrong. But if you've been fishing for anytime at all, you know it's much, much more complicated than that- especially for plug and fly fisherman. Let's dig into how I land my 45- to 50-plus-inch fish (30 and 40-pounders), and how you can add more solid fish over 40-inches to your tally next season, too.