"Legends of Sportfishing"?

[Fred Archer]

I guess I should have started this Forum out with what follows for a lot of reasons, the first being that I feel so very honored to have been included with the group of truly world class captains in what follows. Second, some people who have read this magazine have made some "Legend" references here and that must have some people scratching their heads and wondering what that's all about.

And as an aside, believe me, everyone should read Big Game Journal. It is only #3 in the circulation of the biggest national and international saltwater fishing magazines - which means it's pretty damned big - but it simply has the best, down-to-earth articles, written by real fishermen, not clowns in cute fishing shirts who ride with a pro every once in a while and write some crap about it. Or marlin guys who you'd be a fool to expect to give up the guts of what they know and do, and I don't blame them, if for no other reason that there are literally millions of dollars at stake as far as the tournaments that they fish. I wouldn't give up the good stuff either, but I also wouldn't be publishing much of what they write and more of what would help you, the local, regular guy who'd love to catch a few marlin and maybe a sword. And to those who whine, "Ah, it's just about east coast fishing", I say, first, t'aint so and second a yellowfin is a yellowfin, a bluefin is a bluefin, an albacore is an albacore, a dorado a dorado wherever they swim and so on and so on.) You can learn tons from the guys who write for that magazine - tons! And ones that you will not find out here. You want fish reports, just read the local stuff. You want to learn the techniques, lures, etc., read The Journal too.

Believe it or not, I am a pretty shy guy when it comes to "blowing my own personal horn." Not my or other peoples' products or whatever that will help you catch more fish, I'll holler to the high heavens on that sort of stuff, but good stuff about me personally? I shy away from that. The fact that what I am posting here came out last Fall and this is the first time that I have ever posted this cover ever, anywhere, speaks for that, I hope.

I am pretty much an unmentionable as far as the mainstream media out here is concerned. I don't know why, but the only thing that matters is that I now realize that some here don't know me from Adam, don't know my reputation nationally and internationally and so might think that I am just some blowhard with a lot of Internet time on his hands. So here's a peek at what the rest of the world thinks about me. And I repeat, I am humbled and honored by this. Proud, too, but I still didn't post this anywhere or even talk about it until now. I hope that no one takes it as the bragging that it is not. Here goes...

[DEFIANCE]

Way to make the cover of a great publication. A couple pics are missing though. Hard to talk legends without talking about Frank Mundus. Bouncer and Skip are missing as well.

[peptobiz]

Congratulations Fred. Well Done.

[Dodge]

Congrats, that's truly great. Back in my day the guys I looked up to were my friend Gene Tollson, my uncle Herb Gerkin, cousins Dick Gerken and Ed Hemmersmith. All world record holders of different fish and truly the best I've ever fished with...Dodge

[rdma]

Congratulations Mr. Archer.

As for the humility thing, it ain't braggin' if you can back it up and in this case the backin' up was done for you which only adds to the authenticity. Well done!

[jesse]

Congrats dude.. Quite an honor for sure.

[1bigfisch]

Congratulations Fred. You are officially a legend. ( of course, that might just mean you're getting old.)
I've been reading the BGJ since it was an east coast mag. I agree with you that there are a lot of ideas on fishing techniques, and the fish really dont know which coast they are on, so what works in one location MAY work in another. Your willingness to experiment and try new ideas is one of the reasons I have followed your career, bought your books, and read this forum since you got here.

So once more, congratulations, and thank you for the years of day dreams you have inspired.

[J Graham]

Heads above Barta's. Looking good!

[Fred Archer]

THANK YOU FOR THE KIND WORDS, GENTLEMEN. THEY ARE GOOD TO READ AFTER THE JEALOUS, OR WHATEVER THEY ARE RANTS AND INSULTING REMARKS MADE BY SOME HERE. THEY SEEM TO FORGET THAT I WAS NAMED TO THAT LIST BY TOP BIG GAME FISHERMEN PEERS...I DIDN'T PLACE MYSELF ON IT AND AM DEEPLY HONORED BY BEING INCLUDED ON IT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEIR REACTION TO BEING PLACED ON A PERCH JERKER'S, FORGET A BIG GAME LISTING LIKE THAT, WOULDN'T YOU?

IT IS A REAL SHAME THAT SOME HERE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A HUGE BONE IN THEIR THROATS OVER ME BEING THERE, OR HAVING HAD THE GALL TO HAVE POSTED IT, ALMOST A YEAR AFTER THAT ISSUE WAS PUBLISHED! AND I DID SO FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THE FIRST PART OF THAT POST, NOT MENTIONING THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE REFERENCES I WROTE OF WERE ACTUALLY SARCASTIC, SNIDE, STUPID POTSHOTS AT THE "LEGEND" THING. THEN, WHEN THE ACTUAL COVER FINALLY APPEARS, THEY GO EVEN MORE BALLISTIC AND HOWL AND CURSE AND DERIDE. THIS MIGHT MAKE SOME SENSE IF THESE PEOPLE HAD EVER DONE ANYTHING TO HELP OTHERS LEARN HELPFULL THINGS ABOUT FISHING, BUT I STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT THEY LACK THOSE KINDS OF CREDENTIALS AND ARE, IN FACT, DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THAT.

WHAT A BUNCH OF SMALL-MINDED INDIVIDUALS! IT'S NO WONDER THAT OTHER PROFESSIONALS WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH INTERNET SITES WITH TURD-HURLING, NEGATIVE, MEAN SPIRITED JERKS BUSTING THEIR CHOPS. IT'S A GOOD THING THAT I AM A TOUGH OLD COOT WHO LIKES ALI AND JASON AND WHO KNOWS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD, SINCERE, CLASSY PEOPLE WHO COME TO THIS SITE, ONES WHO RARELY, IF EVER, POST, BUT THAT I HEAR FROM IN PMS AND DIRECT E-MAILS, OR I'D BE OUT OF HERE IN A FLASH.

THE CABO THREAD IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. I AM THE ONLY MAN ON THIS SITE TO HAVE WRITTEN BOOKS CHRONICLEING MY OPINIONS AND ACTIONS AND PERSONAL CREDO ON THINGS LIKE CATCHING AND RELEASING MARLIN, SHARKS, BIG TUNAS, ETC., POSTED SOME OF SAME WHEN IT COMES TO MARLIN, AND MORE THAN A FEW CLOWNS WHO HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO READ WHAT IS IN THE BOOKS POP OFF WITH NASTY, INCORRECT AND DOWNRIGHT IGNORANT BULLSHIT. IT'S ONE THING TO BE A FOOL AND ANOTHER GOING AROUND PROVING IT!

A FINAL POINT THAT I AM NOT GOING TO GET INTO ON THE OTHER FORUM, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, IS THAT I ALSO RESENT "OLD TIMERS" WHO ATTEMPT TO INCLUDE ME IN THEIR "TONS OF FISH KILLING PASTS". THEY MIGHT HAVE KILLED BIG NUMBERS OF MARLIN AND TUNA AND SUCH IN THE PAST, BUT I HAVE NOT AND I REFUSE TO BE INCLUDED IN THEIR RANKS! AS I STATED IN THE BOOK EXCERPTS, I HAVE ONLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF THREE BILLFISH THAT I KNOW OF OUT OF LITERALLY THOUSANDS THAT I CAUGHT AND CAPTAINED ON, A SAIL AND TWO BLUE MARLIN. AND YES, I WAS THE FIRST CHARTER BOAT IN ALL THE BAJA TO CREATE AND STRICTLY ENFORCE A NO KILL POLICY ON ALL BILLFISH EXCEPT SWORDS AND SPEARS. THAT ALONE GOES BACK NEARLY FIFTEEN YEARS. I ALSO NOTED MY POLICIES ON OTHER SPECIES, LIKE (ESPECIALLY) BIG TUNAS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T BOTHER TO READ MY WORK AND DO THE RESEARCH BEFORE THEY MOUTH OFF.

I HAVE BEEN A PRIVATE BOAT ANGLER FOR ALL OF MY LIFE. I PERSONALLY DON'T CARE FOR (I HAVE DONE ENOUGH OF IT TO DECIDE THAT) LONG RANGE OR SPORTBOAT FISHING AND THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAN WHO DID NOT DO THAT KIND OF FISHING AND CATCHING AND ONE WHO RAN HIS OWN BOAT AND ESTABLISHED HIS OWN RULES ON HOW MANY OF WHAT TO KILL. LET'S FACE IT, A GUY WITH A LONG HISTORY OF RIDING SPORTBOATS, NOT DRIVING THEM AND BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING WHERE TO GO, HOW TO GET THERE, AND WHAT TO DO ONCE THERE, INCLUDING SUCH BASIC THINGS AS SETTING UP A KITE ROD, GAFFING BIG FISH, AND FOR A LONG TIME, NOT RELEASING ANY, OR DAMNED FEW DID, IN FACT, KILL A HELLUVA LOT OF FISH. BUT I SURE AS HELL WASN'T AMONG THEM AND HAVE MAINTAINED MY ATTITUDE REGARDING RESPECT FOR THE FISH AND THE LAW, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, DOING WHAT I COULD SEE WERE THE RIGHT THINGS REGARDING KILLING MORE THAN I NEEDED OR THOUGHT WAS RIGHT - AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CAPTAINS OR DECKHANDS TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY FISH. SO, I DON'T WANT TO BE INCLUDED WITH THOSE THAT WERE AND THE THINGS THAT THEY DID "BACK IN THE BAD OLD DAYS". THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH WHAT THOSE GUYS DID IN THE PAST, AND WHILE SPORTBOAT FISHING ISN'T MY PERSONAL CUP OF TEA, I HAVE NEVER KNOCKED IT AND RESPECT THOSE WHO DO IT, BUT THERE ARE CORE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WAY THAT I HAVE ALWAYS FISHED AND HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND WHAT OTHERS WHO RODE THE SPORTBOATS DID AND THOSE ARE THE FACTS, PLAIN AND CLEAR WITH NO JUDGEMENTS MADE OR INTENDED ABOUT THE SPORTBOAT GUYS.

AND I LOVE STUPED REMARKS LIKE, "HEY, MAN, LIKE YOU WERE KILLING AND HANGING LOTS OF T-SHARKS BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, ETC, ETC." ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE FAINTEST IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. THE TRUTH, WHICH IS AND HAS BEEN CLEARLY DOCUMENTED REPEATEDLY IN PRINT IS, I STARTED THE THRESHER THING, AND FROM MY VERY FIRST BOOK ON, I STRESSED THE NEED FOR CATCH AND RELEASE OF THESE FISH AND THE MAKOS, CITED THEIR UNIQUE AND VULNERABLE NATURES, URGED PEOPLE TO KILL VERY FEW OF THEM, EXPLAINING HOW TO RIG AND FIGHT AND RELEASE THEM AND SET A MAJOR PERSONAL EXAMPLE OF THAT, ALL OF WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. ANYBODY WHO TRIES TO CHANGE ALL OF THAT AND STATE OTHERWISE IS EITHER IGNORANT, OR CHOOSES TO IGNORE THE TRUTH THAT IS RIGHT THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE FOR THEM TO CONFIRM. THIS KIND OF GUY'S TRUE INTENT IS OBVIOUS, AND SAD.

FINALLY, I TRIED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I WAS, IN FACT, A MARLIN HUGGER FROM DAY ONE AND FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS. I ALSO TRIED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WAS A PERSONAL DECISION BASED ON MY FEELINGS TOWARDS THOSE MAGNIFICENT ANIMALS. LATER, IT BECAME A RESOURCE ISSUE TOO TO ME. FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, PEOPLE MAKING INACCURATE STATEMENTS REGARDING THE RESOURCE AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT RESEARCH THAT SHOULD AND MIGHT BE DONE - SOLID RESEARCH THAT IN MANY CASES REFUTES THEIR CLAIMS REGARDING THINGS LIKE POST RELEASE MARLIN SURVIVAL, RIGHT DOWN TO FIGHT TIMES AND CIRCLES VERSUS J HOOKS THAT ARE BOTH ABUNDANT AND EASILY AVAILABLE ARE, AS IT IS WITH MY BOOKS THAT THEY HAVEN'T READ, IGNORING THE FACTS AND SPOUTING OFF NASTY REMARKS BASED ON BULLSHIT. TO ME, AT LEAST, THAT MAKES THEIR INTENTIONS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR AND THEIR INSULTS REFLECT BACK ON THEM, NOT ME.

BUT I WON'T WASTE MY TIME TRYING TO REASON WITH THAT KIND OF PERSON, NOR WILL I SAY ANYMORE ABOUT THEM. THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY WRITE PROVES IT.

PHEW! WELL, THAT WAS FOR YOU CAVE DWELLERS. AS ALWAYS, POLITE AND WELL-INTENTIONED QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ARE WELCOME HERE, BUT THE BULLSHIT HURLERS AND THEIR INVECTIVE IS NOT. ONE OF THESE DAYS I WILL LEARN TO SIMPLY AVOID THE OTHER FORUMS, WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, AND HANG AROUND THIS CAVE, WHERE ME AND MY SARGEANT AT ARMS CAN KEEP THE BULLSHIT AND SHEER MEANNESS WHERE IT BELONGS - ELSEWHERE.

"YOU CAN'T WIN A PISSING CONTEST WITH A SKUNK."

GIT YER SWORD READY, MIKEY! THIS IS AN IQ TEST THAT SOME ARE BOUND TO FAIL!

[johnnylite]

You know it started out kind of nice there and then turned to shit.
Take the high road.

[fishpainter]

wheres Bill Poole?,Frank ...?is this mostly an East Coast thing?..congrats on the list but..I think we have some great old dude here that fish on the anchor pretty well.

[jimdog99]

Guys,

I don't know fred Archer nor do I really care too but, the guy has a lot of knowledge to pass on to us. Sounds like that you guys really don't want him here because he may toot his own horn sometimes. I know we are all guilty of that from time to time but this guy can help us try different tricks to catch fish or maybe make life a little easier while chasing before said fish.

He should be proud of his accomplishments as well as his tackle business. Why show the hate gents?

Take the tutorials and the knowledge and try to put them to use when applicable.

Not trying to bash you guys, I don't want to see another source of information leave.