StripersOnline Annual Food Fling
Or at least a tiny little bit of it...it could fill an encyclopedia :-)

March 15, 2004

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If the striped bass come back to us like StripersOnline members came to this last weekend's Food Fling, then we'll have an amazing striper season! I'm simply amazed every time I think about it. People came and went all day long and into the night, but at the height of Fling there were some 130 people there at the same time! That's astounding for striped bass fishing folks...they tend to be much less social than pretty much any other fishing folks...at least that's what I used to think. I really wanted this page to be about surf fishing, stripers, and the unfolding striped bass season that is ever so silently unraveling in front of us, but I simply couldn't do it without first mentioning the Food Fling.

I won't dare try to name all those who attended or helped out as it was a monstrous success that no doubt required a monstrous effort from many, many StripersOnline members. Everyone who attended and everyone who helped out in any way, you have my sincerest thanks - especially to Ben Lippen. He'll say that there were many who deserve the thanks and I would agree - except it's Ben Lippen that pulls this whole Food Fling together

- thank you Mr. Lippen, yer a sparkling diamond stuck in body of a striped bass surf caster A couple more StripersOnline members I'd like to personally thank and their participation and efforts are Ben Lippen's Zap-A-Gap that's binds the fishermen at Food Fling together

So an extra LARGE thank you to:

• Fly fishing ambassador Bob Popovics, whom I refer to as the nicest "famous" person that I know, spent at least 6 hours out back sharing his decades of fly casting and fly fishing experience with anyone and everyone. Few striped bass fishermen on this planet can make you feel like family the first time you meet them, but Bob Popovics is one of those few.
• TLDig for tolerating the worst non-fishing trip "flights from Hell" airline/weather nightmare that I've ever heard of just to come all the way from California to swap surf fishing stories with your east coast cyber fishing buddies from StripersOnline! You are one unique rocky coast fly fishing, striped bass chasin' fool TLDig, my world is a better place having finally met you Thank you for making the trip.
• Soda Jerk, who owns and runs Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe in Riverhead, NY...I'm told that's out near Montauk, but they won't let me past Moriches Inlet Soda Jerk, that's the best damn ice cream I've ever eaten, it's hard to believe a striped bass fisherman can make anything that doesn't have a hint of bunker, clam, eel or striper slime in it...but once again, you make the long trip from eastern Long Island to talk surf fishing and feed us your amazing ice cream! I apologize for my shamelessly plugging your shop, I know it's not your style...but Montauk bound striped bass fishermen need to know where to get this stuff!
• Glub Glub who shared the enormous burden of setting up this enormous event with Ben Lippen - yah really went the extra mile Glub....the hall arrangements, the food and drinks, tables and chair...and the booze never stopped flowing Well done!
• Marksharky and his fellow grub burner Wes...you guys spoil us with fancy caramelized salmon when all we really deserve is burgers and hot dogs
• And a group thank you to everyone that attended, donated or helped in any way...this was the best Food Fling yet!

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  *I'm sorry, this page was inadvertently was uploaded before it was completed :-) But I've returned, wrapped up the thank yous...and probably only forgotten or offended 10 or 12 people

Well I was going to go into a whole detailed page about the spring striped bass fishing that's slowly sprouting before us like so many dainty buds on a dogwood But it's now 3am, I still got a few more things to do before I can hit the sack :-) Last time I tried to write this page at 3am, it got uploaded before I finished it. So this time, I'm gonna go to bed before I do anything else stupid...and I'll save my speculation on the upcoming striped bass season for a new page during the week...see yah then!

Tim Surgent

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