P-Town Closures 6/11

[john hollenberg]

According to the Ranger I spoke to on the phone all of the provincelands area is closed as of 12:00pm today except for Coast Guard.

[Skitterpop]

Is fishing that good John and are you kidding ?

I can only do walk ons and not far as it is.

[macojoe]

Its all about them Piping plovers

[Slingah]

stoopid birds

[MAC]

That's nice...... looks like it will be the middle of July before we can get on again.

[Skitterpop]

Sorry for the ignorance but can you walk anywhere you please and the closure is for vehicle traffic?

and not like I can walk in sand more than a 1/4 mile without collapsing

[Sweetwater]

I think that such closures are much too arbitrary. There is a way to manage both for the birds and for vehicular traffic. Recently the park service has opened miles of beach for vehicular traffic around Cape Hatteras, NC where piping plovers also nest. The head ranger there is formerly the head guy for the Provincelands. Those of us who use the beach regularly MUST make our voices heard. One gets the distinct impression that there is an agenda among those controlling the Cape Cod National Seashore that they don't want to see ANY vehicular traffic and will use any excuse to exclude us.

Its time to voice our opinions on this. The park service (in addition to managing bird habitat) also has the directive to provide for human access. I would love to hear ideas and approaches that would both provide for wildlife conservation and human access during the nesting season (which can continue well into August).

[BigFish]

Hope it does not ruin the Bombas trip!

[tattoobob]

Between the seal and birds that place is really starting to be not worth the yearly pass fee, It seens like they do it right in time for the 4th of July so they don't have to deal with the crowds. survival of the fittest and these bird are not fit to survive

[john hollenberg]

I only know what they told me on the phone today and wanted to put it out so people would not waste thier time. I don't know if the fishing was good just that I have not had any what I consider good fishing on the outer beaches in 2 years.

I don't know anything but inmy experience the southside has better shore fishing in the spring and the canal and the beaches leading into the canal have better fishing in the fall from shore then the outer beaches the past 2 years. Summer you are SOL unless you have a boat.

The reason.

SEALS in my humble opinion and it breaks my heart because I do think it is going to change in my life time.

[RickBomba]

UUGGH,
I just bought a $40 week pass yesterday!!!
FIN waste of money!@!!
Later,
Rick

[Raven]

should be written for ideas that can be utilized here.

[piemma]

Originally Posted by tattoobob

Between the seal and birds that place is really starting to be not worth the yearly pass fee, It seens like they do it right in time for the 4th of July so they don't have to deal with the crowds. survival of the fittest and these bird are not fit to survive

This is why a lot of us who were back beach regulars quit. I use to drive 300 miles round trip every Friday and again on Saturday in the early and mid-90s. We had closures then but you usually could get to the Mission Bell and they never closed the beach this early.
It's really stupid when you consider that the Coyotes, eagles, Hawks and assorted other wildlife kill far more birds than the OSV. This is nothing but one more way that they will, ultimately, take total beach access away from us. Close the beach earlier, keep it closed longer, restrict the areas you can drive etc.

[Slipknot]

my head is gonna explode

screw them, I am driving on anyway
who do they think they are closing the road?

maybe it's time to take up golf, no plovers on the golf courses.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

maybe it's time to take up golf, no plovers on the golf courses.

for saying that.... thats a moment of reckless abandon.

death to all plovers

i'd rather have a duck...or a pheasant or an eagle.

[Mike P]

First time in 25 years I haven't bought a single beach pass

I can get the free Seashore night parking and walk if I want a break from the rocks.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by piemma

This is why a lot of us who were back beach regulars quit. I use to drive 300 miles round trip every Friday and again on Saturday in the early and mid-90s. We had closures then but you usually could get to the Mission Bell and they never closed the beach this early.
It's really stupid when you consider that the Coyotes, eagles, Hawks and assorted other wildlife kill far more birds than the OSV. This is nothing but one more way that they will, ultimately, take total beach access away from us. Close the beach earlier, keep it closed longer, restrict the areas you can drive etc.

Ditto.

Back beach= I should change my screen name as it doesn't really apply anymore. The one thing though is that you think back to some of the times that were had not too long ago, say fall 2003, and you try to keep an opportunistic eye on the place. The access has always been an issue since the early 80's, its the fishing that has probably soured more than anything else. I'm not ready to concede that its the seals though. The fish just haven't been using the place steadily in recent years, even before the seals became an issue. This all said, if you were to have the night of your life, the back would be one of the most promising places to do it. The orv permit is a non issue as the best spots are all within a 1 mile walk of parking lots. The orv's actually ruin the fishing at times anyways. One guy stops at a spot, the herd follows, so forth and so on on until its a gigantic cluster @$@#.

[LeCounts1099]

What a great point, Back Beach! Even in the heyday there-- when I did have many "dream"- quality nights... I was by choice a "walk- on" fisherman only. Beyond the obvious appeal of solitude, finding my own structure/ spots during daylight, & of course then having the fish to myself-- I truly feel the lack of buggys/ lights/ human commotion, was the reason these nights on these lonely (in Fall) Backside beaches were so spectacular. I'm talking multiple 50+ fish nights, with few under 10 lbs... & most 12- 25 lbs. (All returned, as I'm strictly C & R-- no "slips" / proof here!)

But this was pre- Seal infestation too! (say 1997- 2002), when seeing even one in the dawn surf was a rarity. Recent years, just WAY too many fishless nights on the Back Beach followed by Seal- herd parties/ blitzes on bait come the dawn. Mung and small blue hordes I had strategies to deal with to get to the Bass... But, Seals cavorting sometimes in the dozens within casting range on every Outer beach-- when they used to be a rarity outside Chatam/ Nauset-- by coincidence or not isa an event that's happened just as the Surf Bass fishing there has tanked. And as I think J.H. actually meant?-- no, I do not see the Seal problem there changing nor being fixed anytime soon, & so sadly I'm quite pessimistic, & doubt that the Back will ever return to its' former striped Glory!

[Flaptail]

Seals, Plovers, Gays and Lesbians, rich New Yorkers, it's all the same.

They git thier money and we all knew that the possibility was there, who's the smarter ones?

Get a boat. You don't need a big one. Most people I know with 20 footers plus can't afford to run them themselves and if they do it's infrequently cause of the cash layout at the pump for the gas pimps for both truck and boat. 40 gallon tank in boat and 30 gallon tank in truck leaves you barren of pocket and wallet. How often can you afford to do that?

Ask Karl F. Had him in the skiff today, it was my 3rd day in my boat fishing all day (catching too) and finally I went to half a tank. And it only cost 20.00 bucks to fill it when bone dry.

F-CK the beach, mung is on the way, see you in September.

I miss it, I miss it dearly( the way it was) but you gotta move on and skiffin' it is the way for me.

[macojoe]

Seals, Plovers, Gays and Lesbians, rich New Yorkers, it's all the same

Thanks niow I have water driping from my nose and all over the keyboard!!

[Karl F]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Seals, Plovers, Gays and Lesbians, rich New Yorkers, it's all the same.

... OMG... Quote of the year nomminee!!!



Flap's on the money, for a LOT of reasons... gas, bird closures, oh yeah... SEALS, mung.. soaring fuel costs.. very effecient, small, yet room enuf for two, fish finder he has there..

BTW Flap, your right, my arms sore... from all the pointing (the visuals today were awesome) and meybe something else...

[Slipknot]

I wonder if they will give me my money back ?

[Backbeach Jake]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

I wonder if they will give me my money back ?

No, but you can park in the lot for "free".

[Slipknot]

free?
$150 is free?

if this goes on for 28 days, someone is going to go ballistic

[Blitzseeker]

Reading this thread gives me a bad feeling that these bird wackos are going to win.

It goes something like this: beach gets closed to protect plovers under bogus pretenses - more plovers hatch which is then touted as a success by the enviro crazies - more beach is closed more often the following year - fewer and fewer people buy passes - enviro wackos say traffic is down which has led to a plover revival - passes are further reduced and/or the beach is closed for good.

Next stop, Outer Banks, NC.

Personally, I'm buying a sticker every year for two reasons. One, so they know I want it now and forever, and two, because the fishing is still not bad. (I agree fall '03 was the last "great" fishing, but I've caught plenty of good fish the last few years as well...sometimes 50 yards from some frolicking seals.)

[Mike P]

$150 for a Federal permit is a disgrace to start with.

Gateway National Recreation Area in NYC gets $25 for a 4x4 permit. There isn't much beach and the permit really isn't valid until Sept 1, but at least it's only 25 smackers.

FINS (Fire Island National Seashore) has as much driveable beach as the Race. It's been awhile since I got the sticker, but it was still under $50 the last I heard.

FINS bans 4x4 travel between June 15-Sept. 15, but you know that going in, and the way CCNS is going, that might turn out to be true for the Race anyway.

[Squid kids Dad]

I am going to start raising coyotes and then setting them free on the CCNS...

[l.i.fish.in.vt]

the federal permit for Asseteague is only 75 dollars for the year, is the CC seashore twice as good?

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by l.i.fish.in.vt

the federal permit for Asseteague is only 75 dollars for the year, is the CC seashore twice as good?

no, not even close

this thread is depressing me

John, it's a very loooooooooooooooooong walk to the ant hill from the lot, a kayak would be a quicker way to get there

[keeperreaper]

Pure Bullsheet.