After 10 years of surf casting and 5 years fishing from a boat I am just starting to get a handle on the Peconic Bay. I am certainly still a novice, but I don't feel hopeless when I go looking for the bite. Occasionally, I even offer new information to the veterans that I know. Despite starting to feel comfortable, the bay always keeps me on my toes -- this year I was completely prepared to start the season right and catch a mess of squid, I was anticipating my first attempt at frying calamari. Well this year, the squid didn't come anywhere near the places that I would fish for them. To the veterans this is a common occurrence, to me a major let down, as the patterns I expect are thrown off.

This winter one of my Heroes, a true veteran, John Mazzaferro, passed away. I never got to fish with him, but we did go clamming a couple of times, in the past couple of years I learned a good deal from him about the bay, but not nearly what I should have. Science and Technology have made great strides to aid the fisherman, but watching and listening to people like John Mazzaferro proves to me that fishing is an Art Form.

Goodbye John, the paintings of the bay that you narrated to me, your kindness and graciousness will long be remembered.