As I've aged, I've found that the best reason to learn the rules, is so they can be broken. When it comes to New England saltwater fly fishing, no place breaks the rules like Monomoy Island, and the lessons learned there can be applied to other New England flats. First off, there are numerous spots along the New England coast that offer the chance to sightcast to striped bass. Cranes Beach at the mouth of the Essex River, The Brewster Flats, and Barnstable are all prime destinations for this type of fishing. Personally, I fish the flats at Monomoy in Chatham, and this article will specifically deal with fishing there, although the techniques can be used at any of the other locations.
Striped bass appear to be drawn to certain flats.
First off, the stripers prefer flats which offer access to deeper, cooler water. The fish are very skittish in shallow water, so it's only natural that they would want to leave their avenue of retreat open. Also key is the presence of bait. That's what really draws the fish onto the flats. Look for the presence of sand eels and crabs particularly.