Fishing Bicycles?

[JustEd]

How many guys here use one?
I recently set one up, in the "Canal Cruiser" style for several reasons.
1st, to fish the service roads of the Cape Cod Canal.
2nd, to fish the Bike Paths that follow Narragansette Bay on both sides.
3rd, to gain access to areas I would have to park legally, up to 3 miles away, but can get to the surf Zone with the Bike.
I will post pictures of mine later, and will explain my decisions as to why I set it up the way I did. Its a Beast and I will be able to load it up with everything I need, and stuff I might need, to be successfull when I am using it.
If you have one set up, Post some Pictures and explain why you did what you did.

[JustEd]

1378313782137811378013779
Here's mine,
The side view shows the rear mounted rod tubes at a slight angle to allow clearance under power lines along some of the roads I will be travelling.
The rear view showing the rear baskets with max holding ability for tackle trays, plug bag, etc., The rack over the tire holds a medium sized cooler for cold drinks, sandwitches, etc.....
Front view and close up of area under the tool bag showing how I adjusted the clamps with bushings to allow the front shocks to function.
The front basket holds my coleman stove flat, with my water jug, coffee pot, coffee can, and coffee cups.

[DarkSkies]

Front view and close up of area under the tool bag showing how I adjusted the clamps with bushings to allow the front shocks to function.
The front basket holds my coleman stove flat, with my water jug, coffee pot, coffee can, and coffee cups.

Looks like the shocks and tires are solid, Ed. As opposed to some of the bikes that cruise the canal, if you go off-road the bike you set up gives you more utility.

I know of some guys that use bikes, but more in your area, as in NJ we have a lot of soft sand. There are some on the NS of Long Island as well.

I can't believe ya bring a coleman stove and coffee pot with ya! With that setup you can stay out for days at a time. Good job, thanks for sharing. :cool:

[7deadlyplugs]

:drool:Sweet ride. Question, how will you get the fish back?

[hookedonbass]

Like it.

[bluesdude71]

With that setup you can stay out for days at a time. Good job, thanks for sharing. :cool:

Yeah, and IF you could stay away from the wife and kids for that long, it would be paradise. Maybe he wouldn't want to come back.

[JustEd]

:drool:Sweet ride. Question, how will you get the fish back?

I dont kill large fish, the 28 to 34" that I do occaisionally keep get Bungied to one of the baskets. If the cooler is empty, or I remember the zip locks, I fillet and in the cooler it goes. I am usually within 3 mles of the truck so if need be, I ride the fish back there to put it in the cooler to avoid spoiling

[JustEd]

Yeah, and IF you could stay away from the wife and kids for that long, it would be paradise. Maybe he wouldn't want to come back.

If you had a wife like mine, and your kids were out of the house, you would understand that getting away for 2,3, or 7, days is no problem for me. It took me 3 tries to get one that understands my passions and is willing to allow me to pursue them.

[dogfish]

You are a lucky dog, then.:cool:

[speedy]

1378313782137811378013779
Here's mine,
The side view shows the rear mounted rod tubes at a slight angle to allow clearance under power lines along some of the roads I will be travelling.
The rear view showing the rear with max holding ability for tackle trays, plug bag, etc., The rack over the tire holds a medium sized cooler for cold drinks, sandwitches, etc.....
Front view and close up of area under the tool bag showing how I adjusted the clamps with bushings to allow the front shocks to function.
The front basket holds my coleman stove flat, with my water jug, coffee pot, coffee can, and coffee cups.
hey bro put some old plugs on the baskets very cool bro

[surfstix1963]

Nice setup Ed I have a wife that understands my fishing habit also I got lucky on the 2nd. try lol she took me to Montauk for our honeymoon. I think the bike thing is going to take off more with limited access all over the place and like you said all those places you always wanted to sneak into to check them out.

[JustEd]

Many of the areas I will be biking into are places I have fished for many years but am no longer able to because of the "No Parking" signs along with, on some of them, "No Notice Tow Zone". Access to the waters edge is not restricted, but by not allowing you to park the walk is too much for almost everyone. By loading the bike with only what I need for these spots, and 2 krypton locks, I can ride in, hide the locked bike in the shrubbery, and fish some of th best Large Bass waters that exist on the entire coast. Surf caught 50's and up have been a well known fact in these areas since man tied a dried intestine on the end of a stick with a birds wing bone for a hook. These places were meant to be skished, as some of the area is huge boulders, surrounded by deep water that with a slight wind will eat kayaks for a mid night snack. The best water cant be reached or fished from shore. Occasionaly I will be floating along and find myself unexpectedly sitting on top of a rock the size of a house that you could not see, because it was only submerged 2 feet. Add that to the hundreds in the area, the presense of Lobster in the thousands, a natural population of Eels, and schools of bait fish seeking proection in the weed beds around the boulders, well,..................... you get the picture.

[DarkSkies]

Many of the areas I will be biking into are places I have fished for many years but am no longer able to because of the "No Parking" signs along with, on some of them, "No Notice Tow Zone". Access to the waters edge is not restricted, but by not allowing you to park the walk is too much for almost everyone.


I meant to comment on this a while ago, Ed. The Sound, both the N shore of LI and the CT to Rhody Northern edges, is so locked up to shore fishermen it isn't funny. As I learn new places, spending hours doing my scouting on Google to get leads, I find that place after place has been shut down to shore fishing because of trash, abuse, and the general attitide of rich homeowners thinking they own the water, and the air, that passes by their houses.

And they have power, boy do they have clout. At the first inkling of any fishing or fishermen getting out of hand, too much garbage, late night bonfires, etc, they are on the phone to the mayor (not sure who runs the "village" systems in LI) and within days there is usually some kind of response resulting in closure.

People in NJ don't understand this, they think of going to the beach and fishing there as their "right".

Well, I can assure you folks here, come to any of the states I listed above that border the Sound, and you will see exactly how shore fishermen are virtual prisoners up there. Persona non grata, thought of as dirty disgusting creatures, and not to be tolerated by a lot of the townspeople.

In some cases, such as a lighthouse area that I recently targeted for exploration and kayak launch, only to discover that access was closed last year, the townspeople are justified. This particular case was due to disgusting behavior by fishermen. The townspeople had enough, and now access is shut down permanently.

Unless, of course, you learn how to adapt like Ed did, and sneak in there by bicycle. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.png
















In other instances, like Shoreham Beach at Brookhaven, the issues were mostly caused by local teens, people going there to party at night, and leaving all the trash behind. I documented that in several visits collecting photo evidence.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?990-Brookhaven-bans-fishing-at-Shoreham-Beach!&highlight=brookhaven

We fishermen got blamed for that, they shut the access down, and thanks to the NY-CRF and lots of letters and political pressure they opened it almost 2 years later.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?7375-Non-Resident-Permit-for-Town-of-Brookhaven&highlight=brookhaven






***********
This is the key here, and Ed said it in simplest terms....Access to the water's edge is not restricted.
However, all other access is restricted or made so expensive ($150 for a non-resident night pass just to fish the shoreline of ONE town in some places in LI or CT, heavily prejudiced parking regulations, and signs all over, at the beginning of 90% of the streets, saying "NO parking, Tow Zone!!! or "Private Road, No ENTRY!!"


The restriction of our personal freedoms and access to the water is something that contravenes the basic access to the water granted in the Public Trust Doctrine.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?1044-Public-Trust-Doctrine&highlight=public+trust+doctrine




Yet, despite having the Constitution on our side, many fishermen will not fight for their rights. They accept these devious things the towns do to lock these areas down.

Fishing the Sound has really opened my eyes.
I have become even more secretive with fishing spots, if that's at all possible. :)
I have become more appreciative of the relatively hassle-free fishing access most of us enjoy in NJ.
I have seen how much clout the homeowners have in LI, CT, and RI relative to the fishermen groups.

Yet there are those out there who would criticize groups like the NY-CRF in NY, and the RFA in NJ, because some feel they don't do "enough" to represent their specific interests. :huh:

I have news for some of you critics out there.... doing something, is better than nothing.

When the majority of fishermen are apathetic and can't muster the time to bring themselves to a meeting that DOES involve their fishing access and rights, well, the town gov'ts seem to see most of us as a non-threat, and will continue to do whatever they want.

I know this, another long-winded DS post, :laugh: seems like I am preaching again.
When I get a chance to get out there, all I want to do is fish.
Lately I'm running into obstacles almost every new area I explore, and am only able to overcome those obstacles via kayak.

And yet, there are many fishermen who accept this, as status quo.
It kills me to see this and realize in many cases there is nothing that can be done....because when fishermen had the chance to complain....they didn't...and now it's too late. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon9.png

[DarkSkies]

I salute Ed with his and his friends' novel approach to handle this access problem. :thumbsup:
Some may think of his idea as just a guy riding a bicycle.....

I prefer to think it as him thumbing his nose at the arrogant property owners bordering the Sound who think it's OK to declare that water as their own personal fiefdom....

Ed's adapting to that issue is a way for the insignificant fishermen to give a big :2flip: to those folks who would trample on our rights.

There was a group of Americans long ago who were sick of their rights being trampled on....does anyone remember the Boston Tea Party? :learn:


Aah, but who am I kidding? Most Americans today, at least most fishermen, don't have it in them to protest at that level. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon9.png





Anyway, Ed, thanks for the innovation, and not accepting the restricted access.
I wish there were more who felt the way you did. :clapping: :thumbsup:

[JustEd]

Could not have said it any better than you Rich.........................
Only one minor disagreement and that is access to the waters edge in Rhodie. For the most part you can fish many exceptional areas without hassle, its the best places that take a little work and inovation to get to. My Bike was spawned from the guys at the canal, just took it a step or 2 further for the new coastal bike paths and the "Association" owned roads in a couple of the towns.
The best part about this new access method, is that many of the areas that were once resembling landfills, have made the lazy garbage leavers out of the equation. If they are too lazy to pick up after themselves they for damned sure arent going to walk or bike into a spot from 2 or 3 miles away. The places are looking and fishing like they were supposed to, pristine and uncrowded.

[hookset]

Primo idea guys'. The only thing, I think if you did it in NJ someone would steal your bike. There is no respect for property here.

[DarkSkies]

Ed, you are absolutely right, I stand corrected.
I shouldn't have lumped RI in with CT and the NS LI. The fishing areas are a little more "Accessible" in your state.

When I wrote that I had just come back from fishing the Sound. Even though I'm finding some good areas, I'm running into dead ends more often than not, and I felt a little frustrated...shouldn't have taken it out on the beautiful state of Rhodie.

Thanks for the clarification.
I think the bicycles, while they might not work in more urban areas, are a great strategic choice for where you fish. :fishing:

[jonthepain]

great idea.

[DarkSkies]

Ed, I met an old timer today who set up a sweet ride for fishing and all-around transport.
He did some modifications to it that might interest some.

I took some pics and will post them when I get a chance.
His name is Rich, he's in his 60's, and has been fishin since he was 5 years old. :fishing:

[madcaster]

14331

I grew up in Hayward Calif. That’s the east bay. There is aroad or trail that runs along the waters edge for miles and miles. You have tohave a bike to fish the bay. Any access point is a mile or so from the water.

I built this cart from scratch that I would pull along …it worked great, it was just like a child trailer, but made for fishing. This only pic I have of it. It was detachable, so I could still go riding at other places.

[DarkSkies]

Road trip to Rhody Oct 2013

This was a fishing bike that a guy we met used to ride to various places to access the bite......

17684

[dogfish]

I'm thinking of a Surrey fat bike. Sweet general discussion here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxe-B_LrIdo