Rattle snake
My first day at Dowling College in 96, I took a ride in the area on my two hour break. Being from the north shore, this was very foreign territory. I saw the tiny access sign for Rattlesnake and pulled in. A guy had a tiny little spinning rod, with tremendous lead holding an egg sack under the bridge that I stood on. I questioned him on the area, as I had never fished freshwater on the Island. He nonchalantly told me that the day before, he had pulled a 6 pound rainbow. Although the words never left my mouth, they became immediately implanted in my mind..."BULL @#$%." Seconds later, he says, "There's one." I stood watching down at the fight and after a couple of minutes I couldn't believe the fish that emerged from under me. He netted a seven pound, sea run rainbow. Needless to say, I kept my waders in my truck all winter and gave it my best shot after that show. I never did land a sea run that year, but I saw a nine pound brown taken, some three and four pound rainbows and some better fish swimming right past my feet. The thing that turned me off after the one year I tried at these monsters, was freshwater fishing in a less than scenic atmosphere. The only reason I fish freshwater at all is for peace, quiet and solitude (never on Long Island because of all of the salt water species). This is difficult with your line cast into one of the sleuce pipes underneath Sunrise Highway. That's just me though, and for anyone wanting a trophy trout, look no further than the tidal waters of the Connetquot.
