I'm sorry I missed the Big Gun demo.
On the other hand, I was in a hurry to grab a good rock on the jetty. Things might have turned out different if I was further back in the line up.:hehe:
I agree that fish could have been taken from my position on the jetty by a good caster with the right rod.
I have only two misgivings about that.
First, in my humble opinion, although do-able, it would not have been easy or comfortable. I enjoy flyfishing a great deal and when I first got into the long rod in the salt, I stuck to it as a purist wannabe. Eventually, however, after two or three seasons of 100% FF only, I found I wasn't satisfied catching little schoolies in the sheltered backwaters and longed to return to the jetties and rocks I knew so well. This I did, and had some moderate success. I even started taking on flies the 36 to 40 inch stripers that were so plentiful in the late 80s. Nevertheless, usually it was more ball buster than relaxation. I found myself frustrated and cursing the shortcomings of my self inflicted handicap. I was no longer doing it because I liked it, but because, Dammit, I'm gonna do this if it kills me!
Well, as I get older, I find that peace and tranquility are more valuable and healthier than winning every dam battle and proving every dam point. I was not getting peace or tranquility fighting wind and surf and wearing myself to a frazel watching surfcasters catch fish after fish while I just got tired.
The turning point came one fall day at Watch Hill during a prolonged blitz which hovered tantalizingly just half a flycast out of my reach. I cast and cast and cursed and cursed but for the life of me, I COULD NOT GET A HIT! Meanwhile 20 surfcaster around me hooked good fish on every cast. Just before I tossed my flyrod into the sea, a stray schoolie wandered close enough to see my fly. When I hooked that fish, the surfcasters near me actually cheered me as if to say "Look, the poor handicaped boy finally caught a fish". I've been carrying both my flyrod and surf rod ever since.
My second misgiving is more practical than philosophical. Quite simply, on a weekend in October, the best spots are just too crowded with surfcasters. True, during good albie runs enough flycasters congregate to take over a stretch of jetty. A crowd of flycasters only can work together. A mixed crowd rarely can. Fact is, the surfcasters let us get away with hogging the West Wall or Weekapaug jetty only because your average steel leader type doesn't care to waste time on false albacore. When the bass and blues are blitzing, all bets are off. Sorry to say it, but, the worse thing I can imagine is a fanatical flycaster with a 13 weight two hander trying to ply his trade in the midst of 20 or 30 diehard surfcasters used to working elbow to elbow with their peers. Peace and tranquility? I doubt it!:whoa:
Having said all that, in no way am I passing judgement or critizing anyone else's point of view. In fact, the last thing I want to do is come to a flyfishing forum and influence people to stop flyfishing! I've been flyfishing for 30 years. My Dad, who taught me, is still a Purist. I love it and I'll never stop till they pry the long rod from my cold stiff fingers. I just don't intend to stand on a jetty watching other people catch fish that I can't just to prove a point. To those who can, more power to ya!