Reason for times
The reason for the entry time restriction is probably the same as at FINS. To keep as many day tripping yahoos off the beach as possible. The 4x4 area is a fairly small piece of real estate. Can you imagine the traffic out there if with open access all day long? Just look at Smith Point as an example. Despite signs that say "fisherman only" on Burma Road, the place becomes the LIE on the weekends with the ruts getting worse and worse from cut 3 to the inlet.
When I lived in NJ they instituted a similar rule after having the beach open for access 24x7. When it was open 24x7 the only condition was that each adult have fishing gear and be engaged in fishing. They checked for rods and such at the gate house. Well that translated to families buying $10 Kmart Mickey Mouse polls, casting a small jig out, and setting the rod into the sand. No kidding... technically the adults were engaged in fishing. While the authorities knew what was going on they could not very well tell people how to fish or with what equipment. The beach became a parking lot for anyone with an SUV. I think the next season they switched back to a "window of opportunity" rule like RM and FINS.
The reason for the entry time restriction is probably the same as at FINS. To keep as many day tripping yahoos off the beach as possible. The 4x4 area is a fairly small piece of real estate. Can you imagine the traffic out there if with open access all day long? Just look at Smith Point as an example. Despite signs that say "fisherman only" on Burma Road, the place becomes the LIE on the weekends with the ruts getting worse and worse from cut 3 to the inlet.
When I lived in NJ they instituted a similar rule after having the beach open for access 24x7. When it was open 24x7 the only condition was that each adult have fishing gear and be engaged in fishing. They checked for rods and such at the gate house. Well that translated to families buying $10 Kmart Mickey Mouse polls, casting a small jig out, and setting the rod into the sand. No kidding... technically the adults were engaged in fishing. While the authorities knew what was going on they could not very well tell people how to fish or with what equipment. The beach became a parking lot for anyone with an SUV. I think the next season they switched back to a "window of opportunity" rule like RM and FINS.
