The life of a nomad, tips for on the road fishin

Today, I'm sitting there at this new launchin spot I found, end of the woods.

I see I have company, a homeless dude who enterprisingly takes bags of garbage from neighbors' houses, brings them into his crib in the woods, and picks through them for what he wants, throws the rest away in the woods.

When I first found that spot, I wondered how all those shoes and clothes got to be along the shore, now I know. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...cons/icon3.gif

As I'm thinking how shabby this dude looks, I take a look at myself in the rear view mirror :eek:

No shave for 2 days, bunker blood on my shirt, I looked like I just got locked up for killing my family, or accused of keeping bodies in he basement, Jeffy Dahmer style.

So change your clothes, dude, and move on! :D

Thought I would put up some of this stream on consciousness stuff for the nomads out there.

So what do some of you guys do when on the road for more than a day?



- Find a grocery store to buy stuff if you will be out for 2 days or more. I got it down to a science, I can buy 2 days worth of semi-healthy food for $20 or less. Beats the hot dogs at the 7-11.;)


- Find decent places to go to the bathroom. I can always use the woods, but it's nice to clean the stink from under your arms once in a while with some soap.

This thread got me thinking. I have one friend who goes out 2 days at a time. Like Dark says he always knows where the bathrooms are and brings plenty in his cooler for food. This is not my style. After a day I need a shower and a bed. How many of you go out fishing for 2 or more days without going hom?

I've got a week long trip coming up; ponds, breachways and outer beaches in Rhode Island. Will be staying in a cozy cottage in Charlestown.

Years back, I made frequent 3 to 5 day fishing excursions. Had an E-150 Ford Econoline with just two seats up front. In the back were my carpentry tools, camping gear (bed roll, stove, couple of gallons of fresh water), and all my fishing gear. Throughout the year.

Used whatever pull off was available if I needed to sleep. Easy enough to find a truck stop if I needed food, to wash up, to use the toilet. Thought nothing of running up at a moment's notice to fish the Niagara--salmon, steelhead. Or driving (usually non-stop) down to Okeechobee and out along the Keys.

More locally, it wasn't unusual for me to get a sudden notion to leave straight from work Friday afternoon and drive up along the Delaware River. I'd put in a canoe as far up as Hancock or Deposit and over several days fish down sometimes as far as Port Jervis. I ate what I caught: shad, trout, perch, rock bass. . . Sometimes bartered my catch with home owners on the river, either for permission to camp overnight, or for a few tomatoes and onions. A couple of hours before sun up, I'd drive straight back to work.

I think back to those days and I wonder that I was so nonchalant about the whole thing. Had no money to speak of. Damn, how many times did I putter back across the Verrazano or the Tappan Zee with my gas gauge on F... for fumes!

But they were happy times.

Fishing has always been, for me, synonymous with happy times.

Only, these days, I need the comfort of a cozy cottage. At least, most of the time.

DarkSkies--in this urban setting we fish in, most of our needs can be easily met at pretty much any time of the day or night: all-night diners, all-night convenience stores, all-night gas stations.

Two essentials that come to my mind for such "nomad fishing" --

A change of clothes. Fishing in wet clothes early in the season and in the Fall, while wading in water that's hardly 50 degrees, is not only uncomfortable, it's dangerous. Hypothermia is not something to be triffled with. Especially, if you're out fishing alone.

Extra gear. I always have a second fly rod rigged and ready in the car. One night I was starting to cast after a 3/4 mile walk along the beach; I discovered the tip of my fly rod was broken. I didn't particularly enjoy the 3/4mile walk back to the car to change rods (the 3/4 mile walk back out wasn't much of a thrill either), but I didn't have to stop fishing for the night. I also keep a one-piece 7' medium-heavy spinning rod rigged up, in case the wind gets too fierce to fly fish, or if I come across a must fish spot where there's simply no room to cast a fly.

A bottle of mouth-wash in the car door might not be a bad idea. This way you don't melt the face off the convenience store clerk when you're paying for your cofffee at 3 am.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by paumanok

Extra gear. I always have a second fly rod rigged and ready in the car. One night I was starting to cast after a 3/4 mile walk along the beach; I discovered the tip of my fly rod was broken. I didn't particularly enjoy the 3/4mile walk back to the car to change rods (the 3/4 mile walk back out wasn't much of a thrill either), but I didn't have to stop fishing for the night. I also keep a one-piece 7' medium-heavy spinning rod rigged up, in case the wind gets too fierce to fly fish, or if I come across a must fish spot where there's simply no room to cast a fly.

A bottle of mouth-wash in the car door might not be a bad idea. This way you don't melt the face off the convenience store clerk when you're paying for your cofffee at 3 am.

---

Extra gear:thumbsup:
Mouthwash...priceless:ROFLMAO:

that was once me well no more only once in a while i will go out like that tite lines and good fishin to all:fishing:

will,

You nomadic rascal. Mully and I are going to pick your brain and publish a book on your travels.

There are 24 to 30 inch striped bass in our favorite Breachway and the Blues (to 30-inches) came raging thru the Breachway just south of the us yesterday afternoon.

35 pound spawned out Chesapeke Striped bass were caught in the NY Bight on Thursday heading north to New England.

You better rig up three fly rods, a medium spinning rod and a 11 foot conventinal capable of flinging a 2.5 oz pencil popper towards the Irish coast.

If the worm hatch comes in on Memorial Day week, we will have found the Holy Grail.

See ya.

Bob

I spoke to the owner and he will try to get the wifi turned on this weekend. We are good to go for a friday arrival.

Now that I'm 70, Irequire a shower daily and a good cigar once a week.

Paumanok, you really should think about writin a book.


Some tips:

If you keep your food in the same cooler as your bait, do NOT eat the sandwich that "slightly" got wet by the clam juices, unless you brought a few extra rolls of toilet paper. :kooky: :upck:



Baby powder - don't leave home without it. Liberal applications when necessary. You can't prevent the funk in your waders, but you can prevent the funk from building up in areas that live in darkness. ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarkSkies

got wet by the clam juices, unless you brought a few extra rolls of toilet paper. :kooky: :upck:

---

Yes you are a little TMI at times Dark.:eek:

To add to this thread, I took pics of my favorite places to buy food and ones that have the nicest bathrooms. Makes a big difference sometimes. I took pics inside the Porta Potty at the NCB, but i think if I posted them people would be :upck:

Best Ghetto grocery store in Queens/Rockaway: (clean bathrooms too, upstairs and to the left) The meal you see displayed cost $10.32, and is enough for a full day, or 1 1/2 days if you're not a pig like me. :D


Attachment 6835

Attachment 6836

Attachment 6837




Best quick Jbay place for a pit stop and clean bathrooms:

Attachment 6838
Best product for chafing from fishin in wet gear for 2 days or more:

Two words. Trail Mix.

You can get giant bags of the stuff at BJ's or Sams Club. They are great for boosting protein and sugar levels and if you eat enough you won't have to find a bathroom for three days.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frankiesurf

Two words. Trail Mix.

....and if you eat enough you won't have to find a bathroom for three days.

---

Yeah but when you find the bathroom you better have a lot of toilet paper!!:scared:

It's not a good idea to carry your plug bag for 5 nights in a row without using a jacket or something as a buffer. ;)

Attachment 7030

Take it from someone who learned the hard way by sideswiping the back 1/4 of the truck when a tree was too close to the side of the road. :embarassed:

I drive all over for a shot at decent fish, and have learned no fish is worth the consequences of an accident. Even a 5 hour energy drink has a let-down point.

When I get to that stage now, the first thing I do is pull over, get out, and do squats to get the blood going. Jumpin jacks if I have to, anything to get that blood pumping through my veins.

If that doesn't cut it for the next hour or so, I know I'm done and have to find a place to crash. I tend to stay away from rest stops because of the fruitcakes you meet at night there. So I look for a restaurant that will open in the morning with a secluded parking lot in the back, a bakery, deli, something like that. Then I hit the back and grab a few z'ssss. Nothing like the alert attitude you get from a few hour's sleep, and it may save your life.

Could also prevent your family from the choice of what suit they should bury you in, so that decision to turn off and grab some sleep could impact a lot of people, if ya know what I mean. ;)

Fish hard, but drive safe, that's my PSA for the day. :HappyWave:

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...c/progress.gif

Found some spots worth mentioning:

(I had more pics, but somehow lost about 50 of them) :beatin:

Hess Station, Rt27E, Southhampton - the best place to hit the bathroom if you're traveling with a wife or girlfriend. Clean beautiful bathrooms, they will impress any woman you bring with you to Mecca. :thumbsup:

Food on a budget - I hit up the IGA in Montauk, best value around. :thumbsup: Food for 2 days cost me $28 this time, including a 12 pk of soda cause I ran out. I would advise to bring your liquids to Montauk instead of buying there, you WILL get thirsty.

Attachment 7667




Ice, I make my own 25# blocks, for the fall one block can last for 3 days. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...cons/icon3.gif
Attachment 7668



Fuel - don't buy in Montauk or any towns east, fill your tank near Shinnecock or further West. As of 9-12-09, they're charging $3.32.gallon for regular gas. :2flip:

I don't have chafing problems with my breathables, but I ain't wearin breathables on the rocks at Montauk just to slice a hole in em when I get knocked sideways. :D

So it's the neoprene backup pair for me. Whenever I wear them for more than a day, my ankles get chafed by the pants and I get bloody blisters.

Here's my solution...

Attachment 7671

Attachment 7672



Might look kinda weird, but I wrap the tape loosely, circulation is fine. More importantly, I wore the waders for 2 days with no chafing, rash, I'm jumpin for joy! :lookhappy:

A better, in my opinion, idea for cooler ice, is to freeze the half liter bottles of spring water. I buy the 24 pack sams choice at wally world. 24 for $3. In a 150 coleman, use 40. as they Thaw, you got cold water to drink.

Do you have different socks on? :rolleyes:

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...1&d=1252894789

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...1&d=1252894789

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dogfish

Do you have different socks on? :rolleyes:

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...1&d=1252894789

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...1&d=1252894789

---

Yeah I guess I do. Today I washed my hair in the sink in a Moco beach bathroom after not having a shower for 3 days. Washed all the other orifices too, got some strange looks when I walked outta there. :laugh:

The thing to remember is ya gotta do it quick, and don't give an eff what kinda looks you get from people. :D

I did feel strange as I got some fuel at a gas station. A mother and her daughter were lookin at me kinda funny (ya know that look people give you when they're not sure you're a serial killer? They give you a half-hearted, nervous smile, when behind that smile they're thinking: "please God let me get my gas and drive away from this guy!" :scared:

That kind of smile, and look was what I got as I re-adjusted my gear, put a clean shirt on, and put the waders and rain jacket on quickly as the gas was filling. As I drove away I shouted: "I'm goin fishin!" but they still gave me that nervous smile. :don't know why:

I can't understand why.... :rolleyes:


** BTW, I found out I don't need to tape my pants any more, Hodgeman makes these things called "gaithers"? that hold your pants legs in place so they don't slide up. Didn't find them yet in the tackle shops I checked.

Maybe not, but it was worth the trip. ;)

Nomad skull cap
Attachment 8262

Nomad cheapest food of all time, you can have a carbo snack for 30c! :thumbsup:
Attachment 8185


Nomad food, nomad sleeping bag

Attachment 8153


Nomad indestructible phone. :thumbsup:
Attachment 8154










Nomad bathroom and "shower" facilities: :D
Right by the Mayfair Hotel in Spring Lake, very clean bathrooms. :thumbsup:
Attachment 8155

Dude, I know you and you still make me nervous. :bigeyes:

For the pants in the waders I use velcro straps that my electrician friend gave to me. Hodgeman sells these neoprene straps with velcro that do not cut off your circulation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarkSkies

** BTW, I found out I don't need to tape my pants any more, Hodgeman makes these things called "gaithers"? that hold your pants legs in place so they don't slide up. Didn't find them yet in the tackle shops I checked.

---

I do that with long socks and tuck my pants into em

We just write the right tide on our hands!!

This was a friend of mine, he's hardcore and will fish 2 tides at a stretch for one big fish, if he has to. It's all about that large. :thumbsup:

I notice he scribbled the low tide on his hand and I took a pic of it.

I can't embarass him too much cause ya can't ID him with only a hand. He spent the weekend living in his car, just to catch a few tides. Hardcore emmeffer, the freak runs circles around me, good people. ;) :HappyWave:

Attachment 8152

I was looking at the older threads and came across this one. The most I do is fish overnight until the next night.
As for my nomad equipment, what I do is bring extra toilet paper, a towel, and 2nd change of clothes. It's no fun getting wet when it's cold out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarkSkies

Nomad bathroom and "shower" facilities: :D
Right by the Mayfair Hotel in Spring Lake, very clean bathrooms. :thumbsup:
Attachment 8155

---

The most important thing right there! A guy can always find a place to go to the bathroom in the woods. After a night of fishing hard, though, it's nice to find a civilized place to wash up so the only smells coming from you are fishy ones.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarkSkies

** BTW, I found out I don't need to tape my pants any more, Hodgeman makes these things called "gaithers"? that hold your pants legs in place so they don't slide up. Didn't find them yet in the tackle shops I checked.

---

Yeah I use the gaithers too, it helps when you're out there for a lot of hours.

They had a special on hot dogs, 3/$2.99. Load em up with all that stuff at the hot dog bar and you have a complete nutritional meal. :rolleyes: :laugh:
Attachment 12450

With a soda it all came to $3.99, fishin budget style. Slept in my car that night so I saved the dough on a hotel room. Spent a little more than I wanted on gas, though, as it was 38 degrees and I kept getting woken up by the frikkin cold despite being wrapped in 2 blankets. Next time gotta bring that sleeping bag. :beatin:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Frankiesurf

Dude, I know you and you still make me nervous. :bigeyes:

For the pants in the waders I use velcro straps that my electrician friend gave to me. Hodgeman sells these neoprene straps with velcro that do not cut off your circulation.

---

thats funny you know him too:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::plas tered::plastered::plastered:

I don't want to be the one waiting in line after you at the bathroom after you eat all that. Or do nomads just crap in the woods, like bears do?:huh:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by storminsteve

I don't want to be the one waiting in line after you at the bathroom after you eat all that. Or do nomads just crap in the woods, like bears do?:huh:

---

Steve, us nomads are usually people who like to fish by outselves or maybe with a select 1 or 2 who think like we do. If the odors coming from me are something that causes others to stay away, it's all good. I don't want anyone crowding me when I'm fishin. ;)

As for the bears thing, I've got years of outdoors and camping experience and always have an extra roll of toplet paper or 2. :HappyWave:

The next few weeks I'll be fishin the waters of LI Sound, from the boogie down Bronx to the edges where the wter comes in.
I thought of some tips for anyone who wants to get in in the good fishing in that area, which is arguably the best place to fish for big blues and bass right now. As I sat in 4 hours of traffic yesterday, to drive a total of 20 miles on the last leg of the short trip. I realized I need a better plan.

I made some mental notes for me to follow, thought some of ya's could benefit from my experiences if ya wanted to do the same thing. I'll add to them as I have tiime. If anyone cares to add to them, feel free.


For now......

DarkSkies' NOMAD tips for fishin the LI Sound....

1. Have a plan with a backup, not only for fishin but driving. I have a lot of contacts in the area, but don't like to be spoon-fed intel. If someone gives me a great tip for an area, I will spend hours on Google searching what other places near that are promising, in case the plan doesn't pan out. Alternate plans make for happy trips.

2. Driving - avoid peak hours, your sanity will thank you!
For those who don't live in LI, your primary roads will be I-95 and/or LIE. Rt 27 (Sunrise Highway) is another great alternative for those who live near Brooklyn or the Rockaways, but the lower end is filled with traffic and beach-goers during peak times. Run it at 2am if you must, or on a weeknight.
Weekends, stick to the main roads at off-peak times, or stay home.
Especially avoid the hours of 7-9am and 3-7pm on weeknights and 3-7pm on Sundays. :headbang::lynchmob:

3. Hot fishing - locals will know the generalities...
They may not know all the details, and if cows are around will probably not want to let you in on it, very understandable. :thumbsup: I speak several languages, some only a few phrases, and can have decent conversations with people on many levels.
The other night I was disoriented and stopped at a Gujrati food store/gas station to ask about some public beaches I was scouting. The Gujrat worker behind the counter could only tell me that lots of guys were in there in the morning, buying ice, and catching fish.
A local couple followed me out to my car, we had some nice conversations for 10 mins. They told me the beach I was going to was locked up as far as access went, but then suggested 3 other places I might be able to access. They were extremely nice to a stranger, and I definitely appreciated it. :cool:

4. Good GPS is a valuable tool. I not only obsessively research beaches, coves, and drain areas for access, I carry around several pre-printed destinations I want to go to and scout. If I get sidetracked, I can always get back in the groove.

5. Don't underestimate the value of asking the police.
If you're not doing anything illegal, why fear them? They're there to protect and serve. The other night, at 3am, I rolled up to a cop and asked about public access. She (pretty hot, about a 9) :) not only helped me with the access, she drove down the street and found me a parking spot.
Again, I have run into LE at a lot of locations, or sometimes they come to check me out when I'm sleeping in my car, tucked away somewhere. I have no problem showing them ID and explainiing why I'm there. At times you hit the jackpot and get an officer who's into fishing, and may develop some golden intel from it. So don't be bashful. It also helps when they know who you are and why you're poking around ritzy neighborhoods at night. Eliminating the criminal intent aspect from the situation makes all involved a lot more friendly. :fishing:

6. If people are nice enough to clue you into intel as to fishing limited access areas, don't blab it on the internet and ruin it for those who came before you! :beatin: If you need this explained to you, maybe you should be golfing, not fishing. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ons/icon13.png JustEd recently lost some prime access because some used his name as a reference, went there and mis-behaved, ruining it for a whole group of hard-core anglers who fished there for years. If fishing is so important to you that you NEED to fish, rather than WANT to fish, think before you try to be "helpful" to another angler who's looking for a spot to fish.

7. Pay attention to parking and residency regulations. Police in these towns get a large portion of annual operating revenue from ticketing out of towners. Unless you're aware of the nuances of how the police run their shifts and their levels of aggressiveness in certain areas (a topic best discussed privately), assume that any violations will result in stiff penalties, and always try to comply with the law when in another state.

8. Have all your licenses and fishing info handy and visible. This week I made sure I had all licenses and was listed on all the registries in the places where I want to fish, except for MA and RI. I also registered Pebbles, in case she wants to come on one of those trips.
Know the laws of EACH state you intend to fish, and carry them around with you so there is no confusion.
When I am kayaking and away from my vehicle an area where I feel I COULD be hassled, my info will be clearly visible in the windshield of my car along with my cell phone #. Another smart step to let LE know they don't have to worry about you breaking into the ritzy houses that usually cover those areas.

9. Know that the words "public access" and "Public trust" can sometimes open doors for you. The authorities in many areas know their policies are restrictive and they will hear it from the homeowners if you are tresspassinig. However, even in the tightest communities there is usually some token type of public access. They will even sometimes help you to find these places as they don't want you poking around in non-public access areas, or complaints from homeowners. Your job as a NOMAD is to find those places, keep them close to your vest, and benefit from fishing there. Again. please do not blab them on the internet as you or others who fish there will NOT benefit.

10.

more...

Thats why I don't bother on the north shore the access is so limited you just collect tickets and headaches from local cops and homeowners.

What surfstix said, and every year they try to make it worse for us. Shoreham was just one example, and we only got access back in dribs and drabs. I wish there was some group out there that had the big money to take these towns to court once and for all. That, is easier said than done. We have to fight these battles one little one at a time.

Thanks again for starting the Shoreham thread BassBuddah. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: You raised a lot of awareness. IMO that town will be marked in history as a place where battle lines were drawn and fisihermen fought back. :kicknuts:

It seems from the meetings I attended that LI has groups who are more vocal and political.



Don't get me wrong, I am glad that people are fighting against the current DEP rulings in NJ.
And I appreciate the efforts of ALL of them, every group.
:clapping::clapping:
But I have been to access meetings in LI and NJ.


I definitely feel fishermen are more willing to represent in LI.
There is too much apathy in NJ. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...cons/icon9.png People don't understand the magnitude of these hearings. :huh:

I wish we could provide more of a spark for them do that here. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...cons/icon3.png

I know some will laugh at this, but I mark the location of every one of these that I will be passing by on the way to fishing.

As a veteran camper, I know all about crapping in the woods.
Finding a clean porta-potty is like an oasis in a desert....
there's something to be said for cleaning up well after all your toilet needs are met. :drool:

Finchaser will tell ya that fishing 2 days at a time as I do, I smell bad enough. Don't need any down-below smells coming from me. :laugh:

Here is a shining example of what I mean.
I found this on the side of the road, which would mean high-use.
However, the inside was sparkling clean, almost spotless!
And....they had a hand-sanitizer cannister that was full....it doesn't take much to make my day, on the road...:cool:


Attachment 13820

I don't believe you put up a picture of a mr john. Catchy advertising though.:rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarkSkies

I know some will laugh at this, but I mark the location of every one of these that I will be passing by on the way to fishing.

As a veteran camper, I know all about crapping in the woods.
Finding a clean porta-potty is like an oasis in a desert....
there's something to be said for cleaning up well after all your toilet needs are met. :drool:

Finchaser will tell ya that fishing 2 days at a time as I do, I smell bad enough. Don't need any down-below smells coming from me. :laugh:

Here is a shining example of what I mean.
I found this on the side of the road, which would mean high-use.
However, the inside was sparkling clean, almost spotless!
And....they had a hand-sanitizer cannister that was full....it doesn't take much to make my day, on the road...:cool:


Attachment 13820

---

The way you smell the port O john probably did smell good,wouldn't surprise me if you took a nap in it.