About me & the website

Hello all and welcome,

Thanks for taking some time-out to check out my website. As you might have guessed I love to fish and am an avid sportsman and have been since I can remember. As a small child growing up my father used to hunt and fish. At that time I was still to young for my father to take with him but even then I remember being fascinated by the fish and game that often would wind up in the kitchen sink to be cleaned. I remember staring into that kitchen sink to see what dad brought this time and as a typical boy, poking at whatever was in there. Back then catch and release was not so popular yet and money was real tight for my parents, so the fish that my father caught generally ended up as table fair. Today I release most of my fish, keeping only occasionally (put and take) hatchery trout and salmon for the grill and releasing all wild fish back where they belong. With exception to a very rare and occasional trophy specimen for my wall.

My father unfortunately is no longer with us and passed away July, 2007 (I miss the big guy). While he was alive he planted a seed of outdoor interest in me that refuses to stop growing.

As a little kid I also remember making my very first fishing pole out of a stick, string and a pin. There was a brook that ran behind the backyard that I used to spend allot of time playing in with my homemade pole. My parents finally caught on and new it was time and bought me my first real fishing rod and the rest is history. I encourage parents to take their children away from their television and video games and give them a chance to enjoy the outdoors and see if they have interest in the natural beauty that's all around us that most people take for granted or ignore. You may spark a lifetime of interest and clean fun, as my father had done to me.

Though I enjoy watching a good baseball or football game, I also enjoy and receive more gratification pursuing my outdoor interests, such as fishing. For the simple reason that I'm in the game and not just a spectator.

I hope you all enjoy the website and I would like to point out that I built this website to share some great memories and provide a location for others who might want to do the same, in no way do I think or want to come off like I'm this great or know it all fisherman. There are much better fishermen out there and when I'm fortunate enough to fish with any of them I pay attention and enjoy learning a few new tricks from them as well. I also don't mind sharing my methods and techniques with those that are interested as well. I contribute my successes on the water to simply putting in my time and targeting locations known to hold quality fish of the target species I am after. When I'm not at work or spending time with my wife, chances are I'm on the water somewhere or in the woods.

Over the years I have had other hobbies and interests that over time have faded but the one thing that has never gone out of style or gotten old for me is the love I have for the outdoors. I simply have a passion for it and this website is just an extension of that.

Allot of anglers fish for a specific species only, there are the bass guys and there are the trout guys and everything in between. Where as to myself, I have some favorites but I generally like to fish for everything. In fact every year I try to target something new I have not yet fished for and I get just as excited catching a giant fish as I as I do catching my first of a new target species (big or small). This site was definitely built with the freshwater multi-species fishermen in mind (like myself). The excitement I receive and the rush that I get keeps me going and enjoying this fine sport. If that excitement was ever to disappear I believe I would quit fishing but feel it will never happen.

Though I have this site up and running there is still much more to do to it and many more pictures to scan and upload and stories to tell. I'm hoping you will have your own story to share with us as well.

So please be patient and check back often, also bear in mind that I'm very easy going and approachable and don't mind receiving emails with any questions or comments you might have but I may not always be able to reveal certain locations due to being sworn to secrecy from friends that are trying to protect their honey holes from being over fished. A courtesy I give to my friends and respect. However there is much I'm happy to share.

I originally was looking to create a local (Massachusetts based) hard copy magazine, covering all that is freshwater fishing within our state. I came up with the idea when I noticed that all the local magazines covered mostly our saltwater fishing, with a few token freshwater articles. I know that our state is more well known for it's striper fishing but felt we have some great freshwater opportunities as well. It was then that I decided to try and create a local freshwater fishing magazine, called: The Local Hook Up. It was to be a free magazine that could be picked up at you local bait shop. The plan was for the advertisers to cover the cost, so you the fishermen wouldn't.

Being a graphic artist by trade and having knowledge of the print industry, I new I could lay it all out and design it.

Allot of great local anglers were all for the magazine. Stories and photo's started slowly coming in. However once the novelty of the idea wore out and many folks who offered there time and effort, to be part of this publication. Soon started dropping like flies.

It was understandable, I was on a shoe string budget, which only covered the printing and distribution costs. Everything else needed would have to be done by volunteers. We all have very little spare time and when we have it, well we fish.....right! or get paid. I thought by making the publication free and offering rewards later if the publication became successful, would work, my first mistake.