kayaman
06-28-2005, 01:14 PM
I pulled this from a site based out of NY..... has that hmmmm :hs: factor to it........
Here is a FICTIONAL look in the future of surfcasting in our area. When you read this you might get a better idea of what are we facing with a new law proposed to ban 4X4 access to our beaches. And if you think this is NY issues you are sadly mistaking .Its from MA to NC and its coming to your back yard…soon
I hope I am wrong
Island Magazine August 2008
Written by STAFF
Where have all the surfcasters gone?
In a span of just more than a year the shore bound fishing word in state of New York has been turned upside down. The beaches that used to be frequent by night creatures, surfcasters, who came looking to wet the line after hard day are work are empty. So are the lots in NYS parks that use to be exclusive domain of those possessing Night Fishing Permits. The sport once passed on from father to son has collapsed do to lack of access and its wake is taking many life and businesses. What exactly causes this monumental collapse? No one is really sure but many point out to a rich man from NJ who was sitting in the evening hours at his summer house in the Hampton’s sipping martinis, (shaken, not stirred of course) when he witnessed a surfcaster driving (legally, with permits) down the beach looking for some sign of fish.” We cannot have this, he told his wife”. So he did what rich people do,”contributed” hundred of thousands of dollars to a state legislator who pushed the bill into the law banning and 4 wheel driving in the “costal erosion zone”. Which basically whole New York State. So as of January 2006, surfcasters on Long Island were left with only one option, parking the trucks in the parking lot of state parks and walking onto the beaches. However, in the summer of 2006, due to some violent incidents by a third party (add your caption her: drugs, gangs, kids, whatever) and resulting lawsuits NY State park commissioner decided to suspend privilege of parking after dark in NY State parks leaving anglers with NOWHERE to fish once sun sets on horizon. The commissioner has made it known that it might be open to discussion about reopening the parking however since the state has lost revenue due to its inability to issue 4X4 permits the commissioner is proposing a fishing permits with a yearly fee of a $1000 per vehicle. After all, he reasoned, the state must make-up the revenue they lost, besides he added, if you can afford a Van Staal you should be able to afford the permit fee. Its only $2.73 a day when you amortize it over 365 days, since new permits would be good all year around. When told that there in no fish at the beaches for half of the year, commissioner suggested we contact the senator office as they might help with those issues. What does Long Island Beach Association (LIBBA) have to say to all this? Not much it seems as the new law unfortunately made this fine organization obsolete. With no beaches permissible to off road vehicles the organization has lost its purpose of existence and disbanded. Business affected by this law range from Brooklyn to Montauk Point with those catering especially to surfcasters are closing their doors and laying off people. Montauk business have been hit hard especially since hordes of surfcasters that were ever-present for the “fall run” stopped showing up due to restricted access and inability to fish at night. Tackle store have closed and in their places stand fancy clothing stores catering to yuppies in the summer. Motel owners, who were counting on income derived by renting their rooms to fisherman after the Labor Day to get them thru the winter cant, give their rooms away for free. The legend has it that these days there is a creature roaming around lighthouse point, a ghost like one, wondering were the”wabbits” went. Fresh bunker, once a staple of Long Island tackle stores are not sold anymore as the demand for this oily baitfish has declined forcing many tackle store in liquidation as they are not able to survive on skinny profit margin from tackle sales. Coincidentally, local plug builders to whom surfcasters were prime customers have also closed the doors and went out of business as did surf guides and rod builders. The few diehard surfcaster did attempt to make the best of this awful situation by traveling to Cape Cod beaches but, alas, Massachusetts, New Jersey and North Carolina have passed similar laws this year rendering the whole East Coast off limits to 4 wheel drive vehicles in process collapsing already weakened sales of Ford and General motors who are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy under its huge debt obligation, large employee costs and spiking oil prices. The only person who seem to benefit are charter boat operators as they become the only way for most citizens of NY to wet their line at night. Commercial fishermen are not complaining either because of skyrocketing demand the price of striped bass has risen to over $30 a pound. Fathers who were hoping to pass on their love of fishing to their sons and daughters have taken up golf and the only way to get into the Camp Hero State Golf Course is to sleep in freezing weather in the truck on January first of each year to get a Permit to ENTER lottery for tee time in the summer. Another constituency that is not complaining is those who own the waterfront houses and whose value has skyrocketed even more in heated real estate market. Local real estate agent who declined to be named said that values have risen in part because the state law has eliminated the occasional 4-wheel drive in front of their property. After all, this person added, they don’t spend this kind of money only on the house; they need to own their own beach too. While this destruction is taking place around them, one very happy family is sitting on their porch in their summerhouse in Hampton’s marveling at the sunset while sipping martinis. The owner without taking his eyes off the deserted beach tells his butler “Brantley, those campaign contributions, that was the best! @%$# money we ever spent”
Editors note
We did manage to find one striped bass willing to talk by parking our trucks in the bushes along Ocean Parkway and making a mad dash onto the beach. This particular bass, a veteran of many wars, weighing at impressive 40lb range did not wanted his name used but he did tell us that morale amongst striped bass is at all time low.” You can’t tease us with bait, plugs and make ruckus all night and then take it all away so sudden. It like a cemetery here, it’s driving us nuts” he added.”Now I got to chase my own bunker and squid. What’s up with that? I have issues. At least you guys have Dr.Phil, what am I suppose to do”. With that he swam off in the darkness while we walked back to our cars were we found an officer writing a $1000 parking ticket. Hey, it’s NY.
Here is a FICTIONAL look in the future of surfcasting in our area. When you read this you might get a better idea of what are we facing with a new law proposed to ban 4X4 access to our beaches. And if you think this is NY issues you are sadly mistaking .Its from MA to NC and its coming to your back yard…soon
I hope I am wrong
Island Magazine August 2008
Written by STAFF
Where have all the surfcasters gone?
In a span of just more than a year the shore bound fishing word in state of New York has been turned upside down. The beaches that used to be frequent by night creatures, surfcasters, who came looking to wet the line after hard day are work are empty. So are the lots in NYS parks that use to be exclusive domain of those possessing Night Fishing Permits. The sport once passed on from father to son has collapsed do to lack of access and its wake is taking many life and businesses. What exactly causes this monumental collapse? No one is really sure but many point out to a rich man from NJ who was sitting in the evening hours at his summer house in the Hampton’s sipping martinis, (shaken, not stirred of course) when he witnessed a surfcaster driving (legally, with permits) down the beach looking for some sign of fish.” We cannot have this, he told his wife”. So he did what rich people do,”contributed” hundred of thousands of dollars to a state legislator who pushed the bill into the law banning and 4 wheel driving in the “costal erosion zone”. Which basically whole New York State. So as of January 2006, surfcasters on Long Island were left with only one option, parking the trucks in the parking lot of state parks and walking onto the beaches. However, in the summer of 2006, due to some violent incidents by a third party (add your caption her: drugs, gangs, kids, whatever) and resulting lawsuits NY State park commissioner decided to suspend privilege of parking after dark in NY State parks leaving anglers with NOWHERE to fish once sun sets on horizon. The commissioner has made it known that it might be open to discussion about reopening the parking however since the state has lost revenue due to its inability to issue 4X4 permits the commissioner is proposing a fishing permits with a yearly fee of a $1000 per vehicle. After all, he reasoned, the state must make-up the revenue they lost, besides he added, if you can afford a Van Staal you should be able to afford the permit fee. Its only $2.73 a day when you amortize it over 365 days, since new permits would be good all year around. When told that there in no fish at the beaches for half of the year, commissioner suggested we contact the senator office as they might help with those issues. What does Long Island Beach Association (LIBBA) have to say to all this? Not much it seems as the new law unfortunately made this fine organization obsolete. With no beaches permissible to off road vehicles the organization has lost its purpose of existence and disbanded. Business affected by this law range from Brooklyn to Montauk Point with those catering especially to surfcasters are closing their doors and laying off people. Montauk business have been hit hard especially since hordes of surfcasters that were ever-present for the “fall run” stopped showing up due to restricted access and inability to fish at night. Tackle store have closed and in their places stand fancy clothing stores catering to yuppies in the summer. Motel owners, who were counting on income derived by renting their rooms to fisherman after the Labor Day to get them thru the winter cant, give their rooms away for free. The legend has it that these days there is a creature roaming around lighthouse point, a ghost like one, wondering were the”wabbits” went. Fresh bunker, once a staple of Long Island tackle stores are not sold anymore as the demand for this oily baitfish has declined forcing many tackle store in liquidation as they are not able to survive on skinny profit margin from tackle sales. Coincidentally, local plug builders to whom surfcasters were prime customers have also closed the doors and went out of business as did surf guides and rod builders. The few diehard surfcaster did attempt to make the best of this awful situation by traveling to Cape Cod beaches but, alas, Massachusetts, New Jersey and North Carolina have passed similar laws this year rendering the whole East Coast off limits to 4 wheel drive vehicles in process collapsing already weakened sales of Ford and General motors who are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy under its huge debt obligation, large employee costs and spiking oil prices. The only person who seem to benefit are charter boat operators as they become the only way for most citizens of NY to wet their line at night. Commercial fishermen are not complaining either because of skyrocketing demand the price of striped bass has risen to over $30 a pound. Fathers who were hoping to pass on their love of fishing to their sons and daughters have taken up golf and the only way to get into the Camp Hero State Golf Course is to sleep in freezing weather in the truck on January first of each year to get a Permit to ENTER lottery for tee time in the summer. Another constituency that is not complaining is those who own the waterfront houses and whose value has skyrocketed even more in heated real estate market. Local real estate agent who declined to be named said that values have risen in part because the state law has eliminated the occasional 4-wheel drive in front of their property. After all, this person added, they don’t spend this kind of money only on the house; they need to own their own beach too. While this destruction is taking place around them, one very happy family is sitting on their porch in their summerhouse in Hampton’s marveling at the sunset while sipping martinis. The owner without taking his eyes off the deserted beach tells his butler “Brantley, those campaign contributions, that was the best! @%$# money we ever spent”
Editors note
We did manage to find one striped bass willing to talk by parking our trucks in the bushes along Ocean Parkway and making a mad dash onto the beach. This particular bass, a veteran of many wars, weighing at impressive 40lb range did not wanted his name used but he did tell us that morale amongst striped bass is at all time low.” You can’t tease us with bait, plugs and make ruckus all night and then take it all away so sudden. It like a cemetery here, it’s driving us nuts” he added.”Now I got to chase my own bunker and squid. What’s up with that? I have issues. At least you guys have Dr.Phil, what am I suppose to do”. With that he swam off in the darkness while we walked back to our cars were we found an officer writing a $1000 parking ticket. Hey, it’s NY.