Spot Burning......

[SurfJockey]

I'm no expert on surf fishing and do not know of many spots down in my area.  With the price of gas, I can't afford to truck it up to my usual locations around IBSP, after moving down to Manahawkin this past year.  I went out fishing earlier this week and stopped at a local shop.  I told them my situation how I'm new to the area, and asked where they would recommend giving it a shot.  They said, "the bay".  I again told them I was new to the area and not familiar on where to access the bay around here.  They just shrugged their shoulders.  Now, I can understand between fisherman, that maybe they don't want their secret locations filled with a hundred anglers on their next trip out, but a tackle shop not willing to give someone some ideas on where to fish, as they are new to the area is beyond me.  God forbid I catch a fish and they get to snag a new recurring customer.  I know now, not to blow any of my money in their shop.  I know I should be out scouting and doing my footwork in finding these places on my own, I was just looking for some areas to start off in.  Maybe it's me.  Oh well.   

[Hotrod]

IMO Giving a general area / starting point is not spot burning..  Yea.  That'd be the last time I stopped in that shop

[pilot2550]

Now that is Customer Services, "the bay".    I bet you he'll reveal another prime spot to the next lucky customer - "the ocean" Sshh don't tell anyone 

[wb]

betcha it wasn't JHO

Rich is topnotch     

[SurfJockey]

Definitely not JHO!  If I asked Capt. Rich where I should fish, he would have personally taken me there and put me on some fish!   

[PeggyLee]

Jason,Thats always a easy question to answer and its not spot burning at all.You still have to be there at the right tide,wind and use the correct bait or plugs to catch fish. What a perfect opportunity for the store to GAIN a customer,friend and encourage the sport.Who knows if he helped more and you CONNECTED with a nice fish,then went back to the store to weigth the fish with the name of the B and T in the background while you hold up the cow. Thats free advertisment. Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck and frequent the B and T that are more in tune to reality.

[IrishAyes]

Jason, here's my opinion on this.

The person you asked probably only has information from his patrons and has no local knowldege at all about the fishing spots. He is in the store and does not fish. Sort of like a waitress not knowing how to cook. She is there at the diner but has limited knowledge.

I'm betting he wasn't putting you off but more likely, he didn't know anything about where to fish the bay. He had a customer come in and told him that the bay was producing and he passed on the limited information that he had. 

[Bucktail]

Nothing wrong with giving general locations - access points for shore bound fishing or buoy markers and such for boaters. 

What area are you looking to fish?  Maybe I can steer you to some spots that have produced for me.

[SurfJockey]

Nah Joe, I'm pretty sure the people in the shop are hardcore guys that know the area.  I'm the new guy in town and I just felt they could care less.  Maybe I'm used to the service of my usual shop where they know me by name, and take care of their regulars, which I am far from one of those down here.  Plus they had the worst clams I've ever bought. 

Bob, I'm just looking for any spots to hit that are closer to home instead of driving up towards IBSP and the bay locations I'm familiar with up that way.  I have been hitting a few of the spots you showed Ed and I with no luck.  I'm just not having a good Spring I guess.   
I wouldn't even care about hiking it all the way up there, if it weren't for the outrageous gas prices.  I'm blowing over 100 a week just at the pump and it's killing me.

On a positive note, I will give kudos to Val over at Oceanside B&T in Brighton Beach, LBI.  She knew I was coming down for bait last week, but had to leave the shop early.  She was kind enough to leave some bait out back for me.  That's the kind of service I can appreciate.  In this economy if you aren't treating your customers good, they will find somewhere else to bring their business and from what I hear, most shops aren't doing all that well, even the big guys.

[Tacklebox Joe]

Sorry to hear that JD

IMO, Joe (Irish Ayes) could be right because I know a few guys with the same MO. However, more times than not your impression is right. It is a "catch 22".

[Hunter 2]

Did you try the Bay? ,
 Just bustin, I know just what your talking about Jason.

[Hotrod]

Nothing wrong with giving general locations - access points for shore bound fishing or buoy markers and such for boaters.  

What area are you looking to fish?  Maybe I can steer you to some spots that have produced for me.

 Spot Burner

FISH HERE! 

[SurfJockey]

 

Sweet video.

[Axehandle]

Instead of spot burning why don't let us all know the name of that B&T and we can all be sure not to frequent that shop.

[Hotrod]

 

[ped579]

Let me guess are the initials F.H.?

[SurfJockey]

I'm not gonna let my bad experience drag a shop down so I'd rather keep them anonymous.  Thanks for listening guys.   

[Hotrod]

Then Again.. Like Joe Said.  Maybe he didn't know

[Tacklebox Joe]

I'm not gonna let my bad experience drag a shop down so I'd rather keep them anonymous.  Thanks for listening guys.   

good move 

[ped579]

Did he mention that it was mid-island?