Stratigraphic traps have always been the "road less traveled" in exploration geology because of their high risk. The purpose of this talk is to give an overview to: (a) some basic concepts in stratigraphic traps for deep water reservoirs, (b) the historical development for the discovery and development of these kinds of fields (first site, western Pennsylvania in the late 19th Century), (c) the initial successful application of seismic technology to exploration (Sacramento Basin, northern California), (d) recent significant successes and failures, and (e) some future directions in the exploration for stratigraphic traps. Some of these are predictable and some may come as a surprise.