Second giant in 10 days for Rhode Island angler

 Giant bluefin caught after five hour fight: This 763 pound tuna was caught by David Appolonia, South Kingstown, RI (bottom right), his second giant bluefin in ten days.  Lenny Upham (bottom left) of Cranston and Appolonia’s brothers Felix (top left) of West Warwick and Eric of North Kingstown (top right) were part of the team that caught this giant. Photo by Capt. Louis DeFusco.

State champs: Pat Crabtree and Chris Catucci of Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick are getting ready for the freshwater fishing High School Eastern Conference Championship in Virginia on September 15.  Pat and Chris shown here as they finished first in the State of Rhode Island with a largemouth bass five fish limit weight of 14.5 pounds.

Second giant in 10 days for Rhode Island angler

Fishing for giant bluefin tuna off Rhode Island coastal shores hasn’t exactly been productive for sport fishermen for the past several years.  In fact, many have taken to fishing off Cape Cod as bluefin tuna have been more plentiful and larger in that area. But this season, with very few fish around in waters off Rhode Island, David Appolonia of South Kingstown, RI and his crew managed to boat two giant bluefin fishing the waters south of Block Island.  His second fish, 763 pounds and 108 inches long, arrived at Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown, RI after sunset.  Just ten days earlier, Appolonia brought a 730 pound bluefin to the same dock.

Snug Harbor Marina serves as the weigh-in station for most big game fish landed in RI.  Owner Al Conti said, “It is like getting struck by lightning twice… but David Appolonia managed to catch his second giant bluefin tuna… when there is nothing else around.” 

David Appolonia is no novice. He is a giant hunter, catching an 878 pound giant bluefin tuna three years ago. “Catching giants is truly a team effort.  This time we had Lenny Upham of Cranston, RI on the boat. He is experienced and comes from a long line of tuna fishermen.  And very special for me, my two brothers Felix (Appolonia of West Warwick, RI) and Eric (Appolonia of North Kingstown, RI) were crew members too.  All took turns on the reel as this fish was very strong.”

“We were anchored and chumming when we picked up the fish at 12:10 p.m. We thought we would luck out as it surfaced in 45 minutes but then sounded and it took five hours to land.  Lenny harpooned it and my brother Felix gaffed the fish.  We got the tail tied at about 5:15 p.m.  It took us about two and a half hours to get back to Point Judith.” said Appolonia.  It is important to note that all three of David’s giant bluefin tuna were caught on his 26’ Regulator.

Well done and congratulations David, Lenny, Felix and Eric on a very nice fish!  David Appolonia and his crew members are writing new chapters in the history of Rhode Island giant bluefin tuna fishing.

NOAA here to listen to fishermen

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) was in Rhode Island Monday to hear directly from Rhode Island fishermen about issues facing the industry.  John K. Bullard, who was recently appointed to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Northeast Regional Office of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Bill Karp, who was recently named Science and Research Director for NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center met with fishermen in Narragansett at what was billed as a “listening session”.  Senators Jack Read and Sheldon Whitehouse along with DEM Director Janet Coit organized the meeting.

Warm water hurting striped bass when brought to surface

For the past three weeks, anglers catching and releasing striped bass off Block Island have noticed that the fish are having much more trouble reviving than ever before.  Many wonder if it is a lack of oxygen.  Last week when fishing on the southwest side of Block Island angler Chris Jalbert said, “… Some of the fish were difficult or impossible to revive even after short fights with circle hooks and being released without even lifting them from the water.  Somewhat exasperating, and (it) is the reason we stopped fishing…”

Chris Deacutis, PhD and chief scientist for the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) at the URI Bay Campus has been working on the issue of low oxygen in saltwater and its impact on fish for over ten years.  Dr. Deacutis does not think it is low oxygen affecting striped bass but rather CO2 and warm water temperatures when the fish are brought to the surface.  Dr. Deacutis said, “Open waters outside the upper half of the Bay have never shown any evidence of low DO (dissolved oxygen).  The most likely culprit (for bass having trouble reviving) is the CO2 - blood pH issue after a fight.  The surface waters are so warm now (75 degrees) the bulls (striped bass) just can't acclimate to these surface temps...that's why they stay on the bottom, and there is significant stress just from the temp jump alone when brought to the surface, never mind the fight.”

Anglers are urged to catch only what they plan to keep, then lay of the striped bass as the mortality rate of released fish under these conditions is likely very high.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing when the weather permitted last week was good at night and slow during the day at the North Rip and the Southwest Ledge area off Block Island.  Captain Robb Roach of Kettlebottom Outfitters, Jamestown, RI said, “I was out fishing Thursday and Friday at Block and yesterday locally. Block Island has been a bust lately unless you seek bluefish and sea bass. Locally we have found a lot of the same. We fished yesterday with eels and managed only bluefish and sea bass. Switched to tube and worm and nailed a nice 47" striper.”  Mary Dangelo of Maridee Canvas-Bait & Tackle of Narragansett said, “Prior to rough conditions, customers were catching school striped bass with some keepers mixed in at dawn until 7 a.m. fishing off the wall at Narragansett Pier.”

Tautog fishing is still slow.  Anglers catching some small tautog off Black Point in Narragansett. “Divers are reporting a good number of tautog but not many anglers are targeting them yet.” said Mary Dangelo of Maridee Bait & Tackle.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle said, “Small tautog is being cauth at Conimicut Point, Colt State Park and at Ohio Ledge with few keepers in the mix at this time.” A good tautog bite reported off the Castle Hill area of Newport.

Scup fishing remains strong at Colt State Park, Ohio Ledge and off Conimicut Light said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & tackle.

Offshore.  Eric Weybrant said bluefin fishing was slow last Monday at the Mud hole (14 miles off Point Judith), “We got one small bluefin just under 30" right on top of the deepest part of the Mud hole about 20 minutes after going lines in. This was at 6 am. Should have called it a day right there but we slugged it out for another five hours. One more hookup at 10 a.m. at the southern tip of the Gully but the hook pulled before we could fight the rod out of the holder.”