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.

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. 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.

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.