Fall is a great time to fish here in North Carolina, and many of us take our 4 x 4s onto the beach to chase the elusive speckled trout, red drum or whatever. Here are some totally BOGUS tips to help the sand-bound fisherman return home with their vehicle and pride intact.

Things to know before you go:

• Lower your tire pressure to 20 pounds and remember to pressurize when you’re back on the road.
• Things to keep on-board: tow chain or rope, wooden board and shovel and a cell phone.
• You will get stuck-we all have, we all will, sometimes the beach just wins!

Going:

• Start straight; keep wheels straight ahead when starting up.
• Start slow when you go, or you'll pay the tow. Never gun the engine and don't throw sand.
• Drive on damp hard packed sand and remember air is your enemy; it's what makes sand soft.
• Driving at low tide and rain soaked sand are the best, avoid soft sand and deep ruts (hahaha).
• Plan your turns don't cut them sharp, be gentle and plot your spot. Turns should be made going down hill, from soft sand to hard, it's a killer to turn from the low hard sand near the water, uphill onto something resembling grits.
• Keep mo(mentum) whenever you go, this is often encountered when exiting the beach onto a vehicular access point which is always up hill, always soft and always rutted.

Stopping:

• Don't brake, let your car roll to a stop, gravity and friction are your friend in stopping.
• Plan ahead, only YOU should choose the time and place to stop, start and turn. Remember, the next thing you will want to do is GO.
• Stop on a down slope where possible. Pick out a down slope with the firmest sand you can find.
• After you stop, kick out the sand that piles up especially ahead of the front tires know thy tides and watch the time; the beach shrinks quickly on the rising tide from hard sand to soft.

When you get stuck, before you call the truck:

• Dig out before you bottom out!! Move sand away from the tires, and smooth out tire ruts, give yourself enough room to find mo(mentum) again.
• Try backing out, sand is flatter where you were, than where you are going.
• Lower tire pressure now, if you haven't already.
• Use a board under the tires for traction, start slowly and everyone stand aside use rope or chain if you can find a helpful 4 x 4er. There are usually many and we've all been there before.
• Pushing helps, but remember it's bad form to run over the pusher or bury them in sand.
• Sometime “IT” happens! How does changing a flat tire on something not quite unlike grits sound?? This is where your board again comes into play as a support for your car jack.
• When all else fails, call the truck. Does your local garage make beach calls?
• Finally, sometimes all the advice is of no use when common sense loses out. Well, good luck on the beach, and may your tires find only the firmest of sand.