Bluefin tuna bite strong

 David Appolonia of South Kingstown with a school bluefin tuna caught this Friday.

 This 502 pound mako shark was caught Sunday by the vessel Booked Off.  Tony Guriano and his party were bottom fishing at the East Fishing grounds when the shark started to chase their catch.

 Bluefin tuna like this one caught by Capt. Dave Monti while fishing with David and Eric Appolonia can hit your bait going over 30 miles an hour.  

 Russ Demarco with two of the four fluke caught off East Matunick State Beach in 55 feet of water, the water temperature was 63 degrees.

Grace Carhart, Portsmouth, NH with a super-size black sea bass she caught on the Lady Frances this past Saturday the 4th of July.

Bluefin tuna bite strong

I fished for bluefin tuna this week.  We hooked up with fish.  It was very exhilarating. I fished with two friends, David and Eric Appolonia.  They have fished for tuna for years with friends and their brother Felix.  Here is a recap of the trip.

David is a sea captain who is no stranger to school bluefin and giant bluefin tuna fishing.  David, his brothers and fishing friends have caught three giants in recent years in waters off Rhode Island… a 730, a 763 and an 878 pound giant bluefin.  David caught two of them back to back within two weeks of each other in 2012.

I bumped into David and his wife at Brewed Awakenings in South County Commons during the winter.  It was cold outside but David was already just about done working on his tuna gear in his basement.  He was ready to go tuna fishing and it was still winter.

Tuna fishing is part art, part science and part intuition. Friday, David artfully put out a spread of seven rigs to troll.  “When fishing on larger boats we put out ten or twelve rigs.  But seven is more than enough for my boat.”  David has a 26’ Regulator with twin 225 horsepower Yamahas. 

There were green machines, squid rigs, bird teasers and diamond shaped squid bars… all designed to create commotion and action on the surface to elicit a stripe.

We fished all the way to the Dump which is about 50 miles offshore south of Block Island… a total of 107 miles in one day. 

As we approached the Dump the water got warmer (early 70.6 degrees) compared to the 66 degree water off Rhode Island.  The warm Dump water temperatures are created by the Gulf Stream and the spires of warm water that spin off of it.  These warm temperatures bring bait and the Dump’s changing bottom contour holds bait and the tuna go to where the bait is to eat.

And, tuna do eat.  The average tuna eats about 20 to 25 percent of its body weight every day.  So for a 50 pound tuna that’s 10 pounds of fish a day.  This is a good thing for fishermen as this enhances the odds of them eating your bait.

We saw no signs of life at our first stop.  David said, “We need to find some life… whales, porpoise, bait, birds feeding… something.” So we moved and it was a good call.  Within 30 minutes we were surrounded by porpoise, hundreds of them all moving south so we joined them and trolled in the school.  The hope is that bluefin are in among the porpoise feeding on the same fish that the porpoise are feeding on.  “It’s exciting to see so many porpoise. Hundreds of them.” said Eric.  They were swimming with the boat, around the boat and almost as far as the eye could see.  We had never seen so many of them in one place.

It wasn’t long before we heard screaming lines.  Tuna are speedsters.  They swim and hit your bait going 30 to 35 miles an hour which creates a screaming sound as the line is being pulled out of the reel by the tuna. “Fish on.” And then 30 seconds later, “Another fish on, a double hook up.” yelled David. 

Eric grabbed the first rod, and I the second.  The fish on my rod was smaller, about 39” and came in first with David’s help. Eric’s fish came in second, it was about 44”. David did an outstanding job operating the boat and leadering the fish close to the boat for release or capture.

The physicality of tuna fishing is something new to me.  It takes a lot of strength, just to endure the day and to reel in the fish.   In total we came in contact with four fish on the trip that were captured and/or released.

The success of the day was the preparation that David did in the winter preparing the gear, the prelaunch preparation the day before, the early morning start at 4:30 a.m. all combined with the tuna fishing art, science and intuition that the Appolonia brothers demonstrated on the trip.

It was a trip that I will remember for a long time.  And by the way, the bluefin tuna was delicious.  It made a great 4^th.

Two local fishing legends pass

Capt. Ron Mouchon, 58, of Charlestown Beach Road, unexpectedly passed away Sunday.  He owned Breachway Bait & Tackle and the charter fishing boat Baitrunner.  Ron pioneered many fishing techniques for striped bass and had a generous heart, particularly for the community often donating fish and fishing tournament proceeds to food banks and shelters.  His fishing presence in RI will be missed.

Richard Sevigny of Connecticut passed away July 4.  His brother Bob Sevigny said, “He caught a 65 pound striped bass near Warwick Light fishing under pogies that were showing on top.”  Mr. Sevigny was featured in the book titled The Big One by David Kinney for being the person who invented the yo-yo method of catching striped bass that is used by most fishermen today.

ASMFC schedules Atlantic menhaden ecosystem workshop and webinar

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has scheduled an Atlantic menhaden ecosystem management workshop for August 31 through September 1.  This is an important step toward taking into full consideration the roll and impact Atlantic menhaden have on the environment as filter feeders and the large role they play as a forage fish for striped bass, bluefish, tuna and a host of other species.

In a press release last week the ASMFC said, “Based on the findings of the 2015 Atlantic Menhaden Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review, the Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Management Board initiated Draft Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan.

                   

The Draft Amendment will consider changes to the management program including the development of ecological reference points that reflect Atlantic menhaden’s role as a forage species. To aid in the development of these reference points, the Commission has established a multi-disciplinary working group to identify potential ecosystem goals and objectives for Board review and consideration. 

“This workshop reflects the Commission’s continued commitment to fully evaluating the importance of Atlantic menhaden to the ecosystem and harvesters.  This process will benefit from the expertise and input of managers, stakeholders, and scientists that are committed to the sustainable management of this valuable resource,” stated Board Chair Robert Boyles from South Carolina.  “The anticipated outcome of the workshop will be potential goals and objectives for ecosystem management that the Atlantic Menhaden Management Board will consider as part of the Public Information Document for Draft Amendment 3.” The webinar will be held on Friday, August 14 at 9:00 a.m.

The workshop will be conducted on August 31 and September 1 from 8:30 AM to 5 PM at the Hotel at Arundel Preserve, 7795 Arundel Mills Boulevard, Hanover, Maryland 21076..  Space may be limited; please contact Mike Waine, Senior Fishery Management Plan Coordinator, at mwaine@asmfc.org or 703.842.0740 if you are interested in attending the workshop or for information on how to register for the webinar.

  

NOAA seeks nominations for hydrographic panel

NOAA is soliciting nominations for membership for the 2016 Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP), a Federal Advisory Committee. HSRP applications for year 2016 must be received by August 10, 2015, preferably via email to hydroservices.panel@noaa.gov.  The call for nominations is available on the Federal Register website.

The panel advises NOAA on operations and research issues related to hydrographic surveying, nautical charts, tides and currents, geodetic and geospatial data and measurements, coastal intelligence and resilience, and emerging Arctic priorities.

Applicants should have expertise in marine navigation, port administration, maritime shipping or other intermodal transportation industries, cartography and geographic information systems, geodesy, geospatial data, physical oceanography, coastal resource management, including coastal resilience and emergency response, or other science-related fields.

Information on the Hydrographic Services Review Panel can be found at: 

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/ocs/hsrp/hsrp.htm .

Where’s the bite

Striped bass. Fishing off Block Island has improved.  Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina said, “Anglers are catching fish on Block Island but not necessarily on the Southwest Ledge.  A customer boated striped bass in the 30’s (pounds) range on the south side of the Island this weekend.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle said, “Customer Albert Bettencourt, his son and grandsons landed four bass in the 20 to 30 pound range fishing the Newport area with Atlantic menhaden.  A 36” bass was caught at the Squantum Club in East Providence and Sabin Point, Providence was yielding bass to 30” on the 4th of July.  The bait of choice was Atlantic menhaden.” “We weighed in a 44.8 pound fish this weekend caught at Block Island with an eel.  But the big news is Provincetown, MA.  We have heard from a half dozen customers that the striped bass exploded there this week and last.  Guys are casting small lures and landing a bass in seconds.” said Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren. 

Fluke fishing is improving.  A good bite reported off coastal shores in the Charlestown area with spotty activity around Block Island. Capt. Jay from the charter fishing vessel the Double Down said, “Fishing in the Sakonnet is still good, usually we are fishing Block Island this time of year but it has been a little slow there.”  “Anglers are still landing fluke at Warwick Light and catching black sea bass mixed in.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s bait & Tackle.  Angler Jack Leyden of North Kingstown and his fishing partner landed four nice keepers Sunday fishing the west and east sides of Jamestown.  Roger Simpson of the Frances Fleet said, “Fishing was aided to some degree by now being able to add a sea bass to angler's boxes and coolers. Sizes on some of these sea bass borders on astonishing with fish frequently up to and over 6 pounds.”  Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren said, “Fluke fishing at the Sakonnet is still good and anglers are catching fluke under the Mt. Hope Bridge as well.  We even had a customer catch one from the dock at Colt State Park.” Russ Demarco reports a good fluke bite off Matunuck State Beach this week where he boated four nice keeper fluke.  Tuesday I fished with guests on my boat on the east side of the North Rip at Block Island and boated several fluke (five keepers), sea bass and sea robin.

“Scup fishing has exploded. We have customers catching them all over the Bay on worms, clam tongue and squid.” said Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait.  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait, Riverside said, “Scup fishing has been good all the way up to Sabin Point Providence and Colt State Park.” 

Offshore.  Kevin Tucker caught a 125 bluefin Friday.  I fished with David and Eric Appolonia this weekend for bluefin tuna.  Capt. Dave put us on to four bluefin, all nice fish.  Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina said, “John Volpe and Steve Shohan landed a 317 pound mako shark this weekend.” Tony Guriano of Booked Off weighed in a 502 pound mako shark at Snug Harbor Sunday.  Matt Conti said, “They were bottom fishing at the East Grounds when the shark started to follow their catch.  They had heavy gear on board so they baited the fish and were able to catch it.”  Conti said, “The bluefin tuna bite has moved east to the Fingers and north.  The bite at Tuna Ridge was not very strong this week.”

Freshwater fishing. Local fly fishing expert Ed Lombardo said, “We fished the Wood River last night (Sunday) hoping to fish a great Hexagania Limbata Hatch and it did not happen. We need a stretch of very hot humid days to really get this Hex to start to emerge in a way that the fish will get excited. Last night only one nice rainbow was caught and three of us fishing. The hatch was the worst that I have seen in more than thirty years of fishing this hatch, for this time of the year.”  

A love for fishing that is contagious

John Stavrakas of South Kingstown with the a nice 40” (fork length) bluefin tuna he caught at the Gully last week.

Carlin O’Hara with the 23” fluke (summer flounder) he caught off Beavertail, Jamestown at Austin’s Hollow this Sunday.

31” striped bass caught by Carlin O’Hara at Bonnet Shores Beach using a sea clam that he dug up and cracked open for bait.

Chef Barry Corriea (left) and Wayne Billman both from Westerly with the fluke they caught off RI coastal shores last week.

A love for fishing that is contagious

Some people like to fish and some people love to fish. Twelve year old Carlin O’Hara of Cranston loves to fish. And, last week the fishing was great for him.

Carlin went to Bonnet Shores Beach with a friend and took his father Dan’s surfcasting rod. He dug up a sea clam, broke it open and baited his hook. Carlin said, “You have to bait a sea clam just right. You can’t leave too much dangling because the fish will pull it off, and you have to hook it through its toughest part because it will just fall off if you don’t.” I asked if he weighted the hook. “I weighted it with four ounces of lead.” he said.

Carlin made his final cast just as it started to get dark and then bang… he hooked and landed a 31” striped bass as he stood in the surf … I am sure to the surprise of those nearby.

I was fortunate enough to see Carlin’s spirit for fishing this Sunday when I took him and his dad fishing. Carlin was all about the fish. He would set the hook like it was his job. And, his efforts paid off in a big way landing a 23” fluke.

Carlin you did have a big week… a nice striped bass and a great fluke. Your passion for fishing is contagious.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass. Angler Mike Swain of Coventry said, “We fished the outgoing tide at Conimicut Light Wednesday night from 10:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. and landed twelve keeper bass to 25 pounds. We used eels, live menhaden, but what really worked were menhaden chunks. We set the lines and every ten minutes or so we would get a hit.” Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina said, “Block Island fishing is hot with many fish in the 40’s being taken. We weighed in a 55.1 pound bass Sunday morning caught by Roger Kroha of South Kingstown using eels at night on the Southwest side.” Conti said, “I was out there last night too and the boat traffic was incredible. There had to be 50 boats. Everyone is fishing at night to stay away from the bluefish.” Thad Grenier on the RISAA fishing blog said, “They (the striped bass) are up the (Providence) river between the concrete bridge and the red bridge. Caught three large keepers. The biggest 28 pounds.” David, another RISAA member who fished in the Providence River Saturday, said, “There were pogies all over the place… (with) plenty of bass under them. Sometimes you couldn't even get the pogie to the boat before a bass would hit it. There were only about eight boats up there all morning. Bass ranged from 29" to 36”. All were caught live lining between the hurricane barrier and Bold Pt. except for one… caught on the corner where the cable crossing is on the west side.” Mike Gill of Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown said, “The bass bite has been good this week. We weighed 40 pound fish from both Block Island and Brenton Reef this week.” John Littlefield from Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “Bass fishing from shore in the Providence River is spotty by some customers are caching bass in the 12 to 15 pound range.”

Scup fishing is exploding with anglers catching them from shore and boats. “Some customers are catching them as large as 21 inches.” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence. “Customers are using squid, clam works, blood works and clam tongues with success.” said Henault. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle said customers are catching large scup from shore at Colt State Park and Conimicut Point. Mike Gill from Quaker Lane Outfitters said, “The scup bite off Beavertail has been very good for customers with cut up squid being the bait of choice.”

Fluke (or summer flounder). Many anglers were frustrated this past weekend as the tide and wind were not in line for fluke fishing. John Littlefield from Archie’s Bait & Tackle said Albert and Kevin Bettencourt and Kevin’s children (all from East Providence) fished out in front of Newport for fluke Sunday and had difficulty drifting with the current and wind not in line. “The fish were there but they just could not hook them with a proper drift.” said Littlefield. I fished this weekend with Carlin and Dan O’Hara power drifting for fluke at Austin’s Hollow. Carlin, boated a nice 23” fluke. Fishing off the Center Wall of the Harbor of Refuge and the Green Hill area has been pretty good too said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor.

Black sea bass. Angler Rick Sustello said, “(Friday) We went straight out the East Gap (Harbor of Refuge) and out to about 60 ft into some rocky areas for some BSB. Stiff SW wind had drift over 2.2 mph so out came the drift sock which dropped it down to about 1.2 to 1.4 which was just right. .. We used a big pink bucktail spinner and my green flash bucktail spinner tipped with squid and sometimes a mummy. Just did two drifts and had 4 nice sized keeper BSB and a 20" fluke with a bunch of shorts of both species.“

Offshore. “The bluefin tuna bite was OK last week with fish to be taken at the Acid Barge and toward Cox’s Ledge.” said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina. There were also plenty of blue sharks with some mako and thresher sharks too at the Gully and Fingers said Conti. John Stavrakas of South Kingstown said, “Cleared the east gap around 5:00 a.m. (Sunday). We hooked up with a nice 40” (fork length) bluefin at the gully around 6:45 a.m. Trolled around the gully for another hour or so then trolled south as far as Tuna Ridge for nothing. We drifted through one bucket of chum at the Suffolk and caught one big blue shark to wrap up the day. Water temps around 68 deg F. Bluefin hit a green machine behind a booney bird.” Philip Kirsopp reports on a trip to the South Side of the Gully he took Sunday, “Water temp 69.3. No sign of BFT. Set up sharking and got four big blue dogs.”

Striped bass fishing outstanding around Block Island

Rick Sustello or North Kingstown, RI with the Bonito he caught Sunday off Scarborough Beach, Narragansett, RI.

Jim Malachowski of Cranston, RI (left) and Keith White (right) of Johnson, RI with the striped bass they caught this weekend. Captain Dave Monti fished with them on Keith White’s boat, the trio drifted eels at the North Rip off Block Island.

Striped bass fishing outstanding around Block Island
Striped bass fishing is outstanding. Big fish have been caught all summer long. Peter Vican of East Greenwich, RI caught a state record striped bass that weighted 77.40 pounds on June 19, 2011 off Block Island. This was one pound shy of the national record. The national record was then shattered on August 8, 2011 when North Bradford, CT resident Greg Myerson landed an 81.88 pound striped bass off the Connecticut shore (in both cases anglers were drifting eels). All summer long recreational anglers have been catching big fish in and around Block Island making it one of the hottest striped bass fishing spots in the Northeast. Striped bass often surfaced at the North Rip and fish at the Southwest Ledge have been consistently large.
How large is large?
I spoke with Captain Neil Vitullo of “Played for It Charters” from Warren, RI. I saw Neil with some monster striped bass at the State boat ramp dock in Galilee, RI when returning from a fishing trip this weekend. I called Neil the next day as he was “drifting eels” with his charter on the southwest side of Block Island, he said, “Fishing around Block Island has been outstanding. Out largest fish this week was 46 pounds and the largest fish today (so far) is 43 pounds”.
Al Conti of Sung Harbor Marina said, “Striped Bass fishing has been the best I have seen it in a while. Recreational anglers have been catching big fish all summer and today the commercial season started and I must have gotten twenty fish all over 40 pounds.”
Where do these big fish hang out and how do you catch them?
Big bass often live deep. Pods of bait will bring striped bass up to feed on the surface, to the shallow water or to the surf near coastal beaches. But seldom can you catch a monster striper on the surface. When fishing offshore or in Narragansett Bay, the largest bass are deep, close to the bottom and near structure (humps, holes, rocks, etc.). Not necessarily in deep water but deep in the water column because they wait to see what falls their way from fish feeding frenzies above. Striped bass also stage on the bottom near structure because it gives them cover so they can strike out at prey with little warning. The trick is getting your bait down low to elicit a strike.
How low are the striped bass?
From what I have experienced, read and heard the larger fish are very low in the water column. Often times when you take fish up quickly from the bottom off Block Island they will still have mud on their bellies from laying low on the bottom.
The largest fish I have caught (or witnessed being caught) all had one thing in common, they were on the bottom and the bait was presented to them low in the water column. Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle (Warwick) has often said when trolling if you are not checking and picking weeds off your bait or losing gear every now and then due to bottom tie-ups you are likely not getting your bait down low enough in the water column.
So how do you get your bait low enough?
This year the bait of choice for the big striped bass has been eels. Eels allow anglers to get their bait low in the water column, one to three feet from the bottom by just lowering the eel and then once it touches bottom reeling up a couple of turns. Anglers spot bass on their fish finder usually at their favorite spots that usually hold bass such as the North Rip or Southwest Ledge off Block Island. Often anglers use two or four ounces of weight to get the eels down low quickly to avoid and prevent blue fish from stealing their bait as they generally feed higher in the water column.
Another popular way to catch big bass is trolling with tube and worm. Lead core line is generally used in low water 10 to 25 feet and wire line for deeper water. When trolling offshore with tube and worm with 65 lb test wire line and letting out 300 feet of line you are down thirty to thirty-five feet depending on your bait’s weight, leader length, current, boat speed, etc. But sometimes 30 to 35 feet is not enough. If you are in fifty-five feet of water and want to get down to forty-five to fifty feet, you just cannot get there with 300 feet of wire. So fishing in water low enough so you to get low in the water column is important.
Striper decline
Many anglers and striped bass advocates have expressed concern that striped bass are on the decline. Historically big fish (and fewer smaller fish) show up when a fishery is about to crash. State, regional and federal fish mangers are in the process of gathering new data to determine if striped bass are in decline and if they are regulations may be put in place to protect large egg bearing fish. We will have to wait and see what happens.
Where’s the bite
Striped bass fishing has been outstanding around Block Island. Fish in the 30 and 40 pound range have been common. Bait of choice continues to be eels. Fish are being caught on jigs (underneath feeding birds) as well as with tube and worm. Striped bass fishing in the Narragansett Bay is still spotty.
Fluke fishing remains strong. Al Conti of Sung Harbor Marina said, “Often times when you get a big storm this time of year the fluke go away.” They start to migrate off shore. But that has not been the case. The southern coastal shoreline from Watch Hill to Galilee has been holding fluke after the storm. “Eric Taylor of Charlestown caught some great fish this weekend off Charlestown Beach”, said Conti.
Tuna fishing was slow after the storm so far. Reports of several anglers giving the Mud Hole a try with no luck.
Green Bonito. Rick Sustello from the RISAA blog said, “As we headed up the coast (from Pt. Judith to Narrow River), I immediately saw birds working in small groups. I figured they were blues, so we could have some great fun on light spinning gear. I got us up wind of the birds and drifted into them. I put on a 2 oz. Crippled Herring and started casting into the birds jigging with fast retrievals. On the second cast I hooked up with what I thought was a nice blue. After a great fight with several runs, it jumped about 20 ft. from the boat; Green Bonito! … In about an hour and a half, we landed two bonito, five 25” stripers and some blues.”
Bluefish off southern coastal shores, Newport and Block Island have been plentiful and large. When fishing with Keith White of Johnston, RI this weekend we caught two large blue fish in the 11 to 12 pound range. Some of the largest bluefish I have seen in a while.

Fish need oxyen too

Chris Deacutis, PhD and chief scientist for the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program with a Seabird oxygen-temperature-salinity sampler. Chris has been working on the issue of excess nutrients (nitrogen) and low oxygen in the upper half of Narragansett Bay for ten years.

Bob Anderson of East Providence and his son-in-law Ben Vosper of Tucson, AZ with the keeper fluke they caught while fishing under the Newport Bridge.

Jeremy (left) and Paul Stedman (right) of Worcester County with the bluefish they caught after fluke fishing near the Newport Bridge last week.

Fish need oxygen too

“I need to breath. Quick... find me some oxygen” said the Greenwich Bay summer flounder to the striped bass. “Hurry… follow me to the deep hole off Warwick Neck where there’s plenty of oxygen to breathe” said the bass. Fish may not communicate like this but they certainly position themselves in places where there is food and oxygen.
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 excess nutrients (nitrogen) and the low oxygen issue in the upper half of Narragansett Bay for over ten years. Chris said, “Years ago the Providence River, the Seekonk River and the Bay were in bad shape. (History relates) the rivers were filled with dead animals, industrial waste and other pollutants. It smelled so bad people would faint from the smell.”
Today things are better but Bay advocates are still combating nutrients in the Bay that create algae blooms (which actually create oxygen). But as algae decays it uses oxygen and reduces the oxygen level in the water, often times well below the levels that fish need. This low oxygen level has occurred in Greenwich Bay in the summer as well as in other parts of the Bay.
With a prevailing southwest summer wind in Narragansett Bay, Greenwich Bay (particularly East Greenwich Cove), does not get flushed and low oxygen levels are more prominent there according to the NBEP which measures oxygen levels in the Bay. In fact, “The famous menhaden fish kill of August 2003 was clearly caused by a sever hypoxia (actually anoxic – no oxygen) events that centered on western Greenwich Bay”, said Chris Deacutis.
The NBEP eliminated the East Passage, the Mt. Hope Bay and the lower Bay from measurement because oxygen levels in these areas are good. The channel in the east passage acts as a conduit for flushing and mixing. Oxygen levels in deep water off Warwick Neck mix well too due to the water passing from the east to the west passage and back. Water at Quonset Point and south have good oxygen levels too.
The NBEP blog states that “Marine animals breathe oxygen too and when oxygen levels drop below 3mg/L there is not enough oxygen to go around. Creatures that live on the bottom of the bay such as oysters, littlenecks, and marine worms are at a greater risk during hypoxic events because they cannot move to a different area. Schooling fish such as menhaden are also affected by hypoxia because they are often chased into coves by predators such as striped bass and the school will use up the oxygen faster than it can be produced by photosynthesis or mixed into the water at the surface from the air.”
Dr. Deacutis said, “Early on, sewerage treatment plants did a good job of taking solids out of the waste but nutrients have just started to be addressed in the Bay by treatment plants in the past five years." Plants that have been treating for nutrients include Warwick, Cranston, East Greenwich and the Narraganesett Bay Commission. The Field’s Point plant plans to start treating nutrients in 2013 said Deacutis.
What does this mean for fish and anglers in the Bay
So I asked Dr. Deacutis what low oxygen levels and poor mixing means for recreational and commercial fishing in the Bay. Fisherman should advocate for and support programs that aim to clean water and lower nutrient levels. Anglers should also support efforts to plant sea grass as the grass acts as a haven for small marine creatures and bait that large fish feed on.
Oxygen levels in upper, mid and low water levels seem to explain a few things about fishing in the Bay. Fishing at Warwick Neck has been always been good; this could be due to the water moving, tossing around bait as well as the oxygen levels mixing well throughout the water column including the bottom of the water column where large fluke have been taken in recent years. Fishing in the East passage is also good… due to bait fish and menhaden runs up the East Passage to the Providence River in the spring, but one has to wonder if the flushing and mixing that provides better oxygen supply and mixing in the water column is also contributing to better fishing.
Greenwich Bay fishing is good in the spring with great school striped bass fishing and blue fishing throughout the summer months. Fishing here slows down in the summer but bluefish tend to feed at the top of the water column and are not as affected as much by low oxygen levels. For more information visit the NBEP website at www.nbep.org and an associated blog at http://nbep.wordpress.com/ . Brown University hosts the dissolved oxygen (DO) website (called Insomniacs) which has oxygen level maps of various Bay areas. For this website visit http://www.geo.brown.edu/georesearch/insomniacs/index.html .

RISAA members receive “Making a difference” award
Two local sport fishing advocates, Stephen Medeiros, president and executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) and RISAA member Capt. Alan Anderson were among the five winners of Sport Fishing Magazine's "Making A Difference Awards." The winners were announced on Wednesday. The awards are given to "individuals who have made a positive difference in saltwater recreational fishing."

NOAA announces new aquaculture program
NOAA announced the Aquaculture Technology Transfer Initiative last week which will foster public-private partnerships on regional projects that showcase innovative sustainable practices, jump start private sector investments, and create employment opportunities in coastal communities.
NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco said, “Aquaculture is a critical component to meeting increasing global demand for seafood… this initiative provides an opportunity….”

Where’s the bite
Bluefin tuna fishing is good. Jay Fissette of Coventry said, “We were on our way home, just south of the Fairway buoy when one of our lines went off and we boated our first bluefin of the season.” Many captains say bluefin have been more plentiful in the past five years. Last week, NPR reported scientists now believe bluefin are spawning somewhere other than the Gulf of Mexico. The fish move quickly, a fish tagged on the east coast of the US traveled to Europe in just 53 days.
Last week NOAA announced the United States joined more than 50 countries in a recommendation to regional fishery management organizations (Ramos) to better track vessels engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (YOU) fishing for tuna and other highly migratory species.
Striped bass fishing is good off Block Island and coastal southern shores. Bay fishing has slowed dramatically. Last week Governor Chaffee signed a striped bass bill calling for stiffer penalties on those taking striped bass illegally. RISAA successful advocated for the bill.
Fluke fishing is very good with anglers catching keeper fluke around Newport and Jamestown south of the bridges. Bob Anderson and his son-in-law Ben Vosper caught keeper fluke just south of the Newport Bridge alongside Rose Island last Thursday aboard No Fluke Charters. Anglers filing fishing reports on the RISAA blog report a good fluke bite with shorts mixed in. Francis Fleet vessels and the Seven B’s party boats report a good fluke bite last week. Fish in the seven to eight pound range were caught Saturday on the Seven B’s with the largest fish weighing nine pounds.
Bluefish are plentiful off coastal waters and in lower Narragansett Bay. Jeremy Anderson and his dad Bob caught bluefish just over eight pounds near the Newport Bridge after fluke fishing. Good sized blue fish were caught Friday by Darrell Hattern of North Kingstown and Mike Swain of Coventry while fishing with live menhaden at Bear Point, Prudence Island. Mike Swain said, “We would snag a menhaden and before we could work it to the boat the bluefish would bite it in half.”

Fluke experts share tactics

Lynn and Pelky from upset New York with the fluke they caught with Capt. John Rainone of L’il Toot Charters , Narragansett, RI.

Darrell Hatten (right) of North Kingstown with the 8 pound, 12 once fluke (summer flounder) he caught off Rose Island. He and friend Mike Swain (left) of Coventry took seven keepers Saturday, a total of fourteen fish were caught.

Ben Roach of Jamestown with the fluke he caught on his father’s boat, Capt. Rob Roach of Kettlebottom Outfitters.

Fluke experts share tactics

Fluke fishing is great. Fluke (or summer flounder) are biting off southern coastal beaches as well as favorite places at the mouth of the Bay off Newport, Jamestown, South Kingstown and Narragansett. This year with the legal minimum size reduced to 18 ½” the season promises to be a good one. Darrell Hatten of North Kingstown caught an eight pound, twelve once fluke off Rose Island, Newport this Saturday. He and friend Mike Swain of Coventry landed a total of fourteen fish, seven of them were keepers. With the recreational fluke season just starting here are some fluke fishing tips from the pros (more to come next week).

Capt. John Rainone, Li’l Toot Charters, Pt. Judith. “Now that we have larger sizes of Fluke to be legal, I have switched to a larger wide gap hook 3/0 instead of the old J style hook. It is easier to release a short fish without hurting it due to the style of the hook. Like a circle hook, it is usually hooked right in the corner of the mouth. We also have started to use bigger baits, and sometimes even a stinger hook with a very large bait. When the mate fillets a bluefish, he saves a nice long strip of the belly or underside of the bluefish for baits. Whole squids work well too, or larger strip baits of squid, instead of the old 3” strip of squid. You can also save some fluke belly or striped bass belly from your fillets to use on your next trip. Just put them in some salted water and keep cold.”

Capt. George Cioe, Patricia Anne, Pt. Judith. “I use squid strips with a sand eel or live minnows…put the hook thru the squid once. I split the trailing edge of the squid to give it some action as it moves thru the water. We often use fluke belly, especially if there is other bothersome species hitting the bait. Fluke belly is more durable and you’ll get more bottom time with the bait. There is an issue though. Because it will not tear off like squid, it is possible to pull the fluke up to the surface, even though he is not hooked, only to watch the fish let go of the bait and swim away. When you fish with belly – let the fish keep the bait a little longer before you pull him up. When I am in deeper water - 60 to 75 feet – I’ll use a whole squid – a sure recipe for catching jumbos. The slower the drift the better – but you do need to drift. I’ll use a sea anchor to slow me down.”

Capt. Robb Roach, Kettlebottom Outfitters, Jamestown, RI. “Wind and tide in line otherwise stem it. Bigger fish are on sharper edges… meaning a steeper drop off will hold the bigger fish. Don’t forget to fish in the vicinity of wrecks. Live bait works best and snapper blues are THE BEST Fluke bait. Clean the skin off of the squid when baiting”

Senate Judiciary Committee passes bill to increase fines for striped base poaching
Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA), said last week at a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on RISAA’s bill to increase fines for the illegal possession of striped bass, “Chief Steve Hall (Rhode Island DEM Enforcement), George Allen and I testified in favor of the bill. When done the committee held an immediate vote- unanimous in favor. It now goes to the full Senate for a vote. “The legislation would raise the fines for the illegal possession of striped bass up from the current $50 to:$100 first offense; $200 second offense and can confiscate equipment, boat, etc.; and $500 third and subsequent offenses and can confiscate equipment.

Commercial Atlantic bluefin tuna retention limit established
Effective June 3 through August 31, 2011, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) adjusts the General category Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) retention limit to three large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip for commercial boats. The General category daily retention limit applies to vessels permitted in the commercial Atlantic tuna’s General category and the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat category while fishing commercially. For further information, visit http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/breaking_news.htm.

Take-a-kid fishing Saturday, June 18

RISAA is looking for volunteer boats and mates as well as volunteers for land based activities during their annual Take-a-kid fishing event Saturday morning, June 18. It is a great cause. Last year over 200 children fished on 85 boats, many of them on the Bay for the first time. To volunteer, contact Steve Medeiros at 401.826.2121 or register online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TAK2011 .

Where’s the bite

Freshwater fishing is good. Angler Harold Hemberger said, “Had two decent days at Stump Pond in Smithfield this past weekend. On both days the largemouth bass bite was fairly fast. The bass were hitting anything delivered about a foot below the surface. However, fish size was small. On Sunday, pike in the 2 – 3 pound range were hitting spinner baits at dusk.”

Striped bass fishing remains good in the Bay with action around Block Island starting to pick up. Captain John Sheriff reports an outstanding bass bite with fish to 36” at the North Rip, Block Island on Monday. Captain Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters said, “Fishing the North End of Block Island we easily limited out on striped bass (this past weekend and Monday).” This weekend Joe Daniels of Warwick caught ten bass and three keepers with the largest fish 35” when fishing in the upper East Passage on No Fluke Charters.

Fluke (summer flounder) fishing is heating up nicely. Alan Stewart of Westport, MA reports a good fluke bite off Bailey’s Beach and Elbow Ledge near the mouth of the Sakonnet River. Stewart said, “We were surprised at how good the fishing was. We ended up with 8 keepers up to 26" and a few shorts… all on squid strips.” Darrell Hatten of North Kingstown caught an 8 pound, 12 once fluke off Rose Island, Newport while fishing with skipper Mike Swain of Coventry. They took seven keepers Saturday, a total of about fourteen fish were caught. Fancies Fleet party boat vessels our of Pt. Judith report a good fluke bite that is improving weekly.

Tuna fishing reports are good. Robb Roach of Kettlebottom Outfitters said, “Just talked to a offshore lobster friend who reports yellowfin (lots of them!) in the tails and dip. SST's support this and the heaviest break is actually northeast of the tails- 52 to 72.” Kettlebottom Outfitters is booking tuna charters on their new 35 foot Aerocat. You can get out to the tuna in two and a half hours. Contact Capt. Robb Roach at http://www.kettlebottom-outfitters.com/ .

Striped bass bite improves... five more ways to catch them

Michael Weaver of Plymouth, New Hampshire caught this keeper bass aboard No Fluke Charters of East Greenwich using a weighted T-Man bubble gum tube & worm while fishing in 13 feet of water north of Conimicut Light.

Alan Stewart of Westport, Massachusetts with bass he caught off Prudence Island in 80 feet of water using a whole native squid.

Craig (left) and Jay Conway (right) of North Kingstown, Rhode Island fished No Fluke Charters on Memorial Day and caught six striped bass, the largest was 32”.

Striped bass bite improves... five more ways to catch them
Striped bass fishing continues to improve in Narragansett Bay, along southern coastal shores and around Block Island. Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters, Pt. Judith, RI said he and his parties have been catching nice bass off Block Island. Rick said, “The keepers were 29” and in the low 30”s… perfect for eating”. Alan Stewart of Westport, MA said he “Caught a striped bass in the mid - 30”s near Prudence Island using native squid on the bottom in 80 feet of water. We also caught a 24 inch fluke in 50 feet of water - first time for a fluke in that area as the bottom was rocky.”

Tony Lauro fished outside of Allens Harbor in North Kingstown and said, “As I finished letting the line out on a white umbrella rig, I caught a fish on it before I even got it back in the rod holder. 15 minutes later, caught another on the Rapala (a diving swimming lure). Both fish were 29" and caught in 25 feet of water trolling between 3 and 3.5 knots.”

Monday the bass bite was on in the East Passage. Jay and Craig Conway caught six bass, the largest 17 pounds, 32”. Sunday morning I caught two keepers at 29” and 30” in Greenwich Bay between Sally Rock and Sandy Point. Saturday Michael Weaver of Plymouth, New Hampshire fishing on No Fluke Charters caught nine bass and two keepers north of Conimicut Light. The restricting of menhaden boats north of Conimicut Light and in Greenwich Bay has improved fishing.

Bob Oberg said he “Fished the upper bay this Saturday from 5:30 am to noon in my kayak. Caught 18 stripers, including 7 keepers to 35 inches. Most fish were in the 26" - 30" range with tube and worm. Was hoping to snag pogies, but I only saw about a 3 foot circle of them rise to the surface and they were gone by the time I could put down my fishing rod and pick up my snag rod. Saw a couple of small ripples and a couple of small clouds go under my boat, but that was it.”

There are a number of ways to catch striped bass, last week I related five methods. Here are five more:

1. Chunking fresh or frozen menhaden. You can anchor (and chum); drift fish or fish the moving bait pods with chunks. Some anglers use a weight slide to get the bait down.
2. Surface plugs or poppers. Great way to catch school bass in the spring.
3. Swimming lures. My favorite is a grey Yozuri Crystal Minnow.
4. Parachute squid jigs. Often used in ocean water (or where there are squid). Anglers successfully use this method off Newport, Narragansett and Block Island.
5. Trolling with tube and worm. The idea is to get the bait down to where the fish are. Big fish often at bottom waiting for prey. I have found less line beneficial in tight quarters where maneuvering is tough. Use lead line in Bay and wire offshore in deeper water. Use different colored tubes until you find one that works.

Bluefin tuna stays off endangered species list
After an extensive scientific review, NOAA announced today that Atlantic bluefin tuna currently do not warrant species protection under the Endangered Species Act.
NOAA has committed to revisit this decision by early 2013, when more information will be available about the effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill, as well as a new stock assessment from the scientific arm of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the international body charged with the fish’s management and conservation.
NOAA is formally designating both the western Atlantic and eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stocks of bluefin tuna as “species of concern” under the Endangered Species Act. This places the species on a watch list for concerns about its status and threats to the species.
“NOAA is concerned about the status of bluefin tuna, including the potential effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill on the western stock of Atlantic bluefin, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “We will revisit the status of the species in early 2013 when we will have a new stock assessment and information from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the oil spill. We will also take action in the interim if new information indicates the need for greater protection.”

DEM opens Bay Line, call 222.888

The Department of Environmental Management announces that its seasonal 24-hour Bay Line telephone information line is now open. The Bay Line number, 222-8888, is toll-free within the state.

Bay Line provides Rhode Islanders with a central telephone number to leave a recorded message about any sign of Bay-related environmental problems throughout the summer season for appropriate follow-up. It also offers updates on water quality in Narragansett Bay, and referral numbers for information about any current restrictions on beaches or fishing. Callers may also pose questions about the Bay.

Reports of Bay water quality conditions, updated weekly on Bay Line, are compiled from data provided by a network of monitoring stations in the Bay that monitor oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH levels, and, in some cases, water clarity and the presence of algae blooms. The Department, in cooperation with the University of Rhode Island, has begun the seasonal deployment of additional monitoring instruments.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing is outstanding. Fished the upper Bay last week and the striped bass were pushing the bait to the surface, you might have thought they were bluefish. Took two fish, one 30" and one 33" fish using T-Man weighted bubble gum tubes in 13 feet of water as close to the bottom as we could get them.
Blue fish bite is good. I caught ten small blue fish off Buttonwoods in Warwick using a large surface popper this past Sunday. Lenny Lake of Warwick a fly fisherman said he has been catching 8 to 10 bass per outing in Greenwich Bay and Cove. Last Thursday he was landing a 20” striper, just ready to pull the fish into the boat, when a twelve pound blue fish came up out of the water and bit the striper in half.

Fluke fishing is good with fish just starting to get big. Francis Fleet reports fish to eleven pounds taken this past weekend with most customers taking home two to three nice fish. This fishery is expected to do nothing but accelerate over the next three to four weeks as the bio-mass has been enhanced and the legal size has been reduced to 18 ½ “ by DEM this year.

Squid fishing remains good this week. They are still here.

Great to learn more about striped bass

Ralph Craft, owner of Crafty One Customs, with one of his custom rods “Striper Sniper” that he built for an Iraq veteran. Mr. Craft said, “Crafty One Customs is the ‘Orange County Choppers’ of custom rod building.” Visit them at http://www.crafty1customers.com/.

Charley Soares with a large bass he caught using live bait. His presentation, “Live baits for trophy bass”, was a big hit last week at the West Bay Anglers seminar.

Great to learn more about striped bass

This was a great week to learn about striped bass fishing in Rhode Island. Two striped bass seminars were held this week. Captain Jim White’s three day Striper University at the Sheraton Airport Motor Inn Warwick, RI and the West Bay Anglers’ seminar “Live baits for trophy bass” presented by Charley Soares, noted striped bass fishing guide and author, which took place at Sherman Elementary School, Warwick.

Charley Soares’ presentation was a big success and had nearly eighty people in attendance. The workshop focused on using live bait such as eels and menhaden but also addressed the use of some artificial bait when live bait is not available or inappropriate. Charlie related fishing tips on rigs, baits and tactics to catch trophy sized bass. A few tips from Charley on eels,”Buy large eels, 24” if you can get them, paying a premium is worth it. Large eels will go to the bottom faster and be less likely to tangle themselves in a knot”. Charley’s favorite way to store eels is in seaweed in a five gallon pale with a false bottom (board with holes drilled in to it with three inch legs). Charley said, “The seaweed keeps the eels from touching each other which means less slime and they live longer. The slime drops to the bottom of the pail through the perforated false bottom.” Another live bait tip is to allow snagged menhaden to bleed out a bit in a separate pail before putting them in your bait well as the blood will clog the well. Also do not use large hooks with live bait, particularly eels because the large hook may make you miss the hook set. A strong steel hook is essential, but keep it fairly small. Charley passed out samples of TruTurn CAM action hooks 2/0 size. On their website TurTurn says, “The slight offset forces the point to turn toward pressure…like stepping on a rake, it acts as a cam forcing the handle to rise.” and hook the fish. The hooks come in blood red which TurTurn and other manufactures say have been proven to out fish any other hook color.

The Striper University presentations were spirited and very informative this weekend. One of my favorite products was Crafty One Customs, a custom fishing rod company owned and operated by Ralph Craft. Ralph is also the president of the Aquidneck Island Striper Team. Crafty One custom rods are top performing designer rods with an edge to them. Ralph Craft said, “We are the Orange County Choppers of fishing rods.” The company aims to turn customer dreams and performance expectations into a functional, professional quality piece of angler art. All components are carefully reviewed with the customer. Each rod is crafted to the specifications of the customer and handcrafted to ensure a quality and unique finish that will be sure to perform. Ralph said, “We have made custom rods for fishing guides to help brand their business, as well as one-of-a-kind rods for customers like the “Striper Sniper” camouflage design we made for an Iraq veteran”. The rods are very reasonable for custom rods, $150 to $200 is not uncommon. Visit them at http://www.crafty1customs.com/ .

Another great hit at Striper University was Captain Pat Rena who spoke about his “T-Man” tube and worm fishing system (http://www.tmancustomtackle.com/ ). Pat has been a popular speaker at striped bass seminars for a few years. His deep water keel system allows you to use lighter gear to catch big striped bass. Pat’s keel system added to the front of the tube or between the main line and leader allows him to use small tubes and medium light rods with 50 lb braid. This eliminates the need for wire or lead core line to get deep. And, the greatest advantage is that you get to catch a big fish with light tackle for a great fight.

DEM advises angler’s ways to minimize the spread of largemouth bass virus

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is advising anglers of steps they can take to minimize the spread of Largemouth Bass Virus (LMBV). The advisory comes in the wake of confirmation that largemouth bass sampled last fall from Olney Pond in Lincoln Woods State Park have tested positive for LMBV. According to Trish Barbash, fish health biologist for the Lamar Fish Health Center, LMBV is a naturally-occurring fish virus that does not pose a human health risk for people who eat or handle infected fish. However, all freshwater fish should be thoroughly cooked before being consumed. DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife advises anglers to minimize the spread of LMBV by not transplanting bass from one water body to another; draining, cleaning and drying boats, motors and fishing gear between each use; not releasing bait fish into any water body; minimizing the stress to bass caught and released as much as possible during periods of high water temperatures; and reporting all fish kills to the Department at 222-3070.

Tuna University

Enroll in the first annual “Tuna University” this Sunday, April 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Wood Boat and Motor, 3630 West Shore Road, Warwick, RI. The seminar is co-sponsored by the Saltwater Fishing University. Learn how to properly rig your boat when targeting tuna, meet and learn from representatives of top gear manufacturers and the some of the best tuna Captains in New England. Cost is $99, space is limited, register in advance at http://www.woodboatand/motor@verizon.net .

Where’s the bite

Upper Bay action. Avid fresh and saltwater angler Harold Hemberger said, “… I went down to the hurricane barrier with a light rig and some small jigs. I worked a school of white perch for about 30 minutes. I caught 7 including a few nice fat ones. They circled around and would be back in front of me about every 7 to 10 minutes.”

Cod Fishing. Seven B’s V is making cod trips regularly with good success. Visit them at http://www.sevenbs.com/ . Francis Fleet started sailing at 6 a.m. this Wednesday as the sunrise bite for the past two weeks has been very strong. This weekend Captain Mike O’Grady of the Francis Fleet said, “From sunrise the action was nonstop … there were plenty of keepers to go around … with a half dozen apiece to take home and as stated before just never ending action with short cod keeping anglers very busy at the rails.” Call or visit the Francis Fleet web site at http://www.francisfleet.com/.

Fishing after storms can be good

Very nice fish: Don Smith, a long time Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association member, caught this 10.35 lb fluke (summer flounder) while fishing off Block Island last week.

Fishing after storms has historically been good, particularly good for shore, near coastal and Bay fishermen. Anytime you can get close to inlets, the shore or underwater structure you will do well. Fishing is good at inlets and outflows because water levels are high due to rain, abnormally high tides and heavy surf. Once turbid water rushes out of rivers, bays, and inlets, bait that may have sought refuge up inlets gets tossed around as they leave for open water where larger fish are waiting.

Other contributing factors to good fishing after storms are geography and storm patterns. For example, with storms coming out on the north and northeast bait, crabs, etc. get pushed to the opposite shoreline or get hung up on ridges. Fish the opposite shoreline after a storm and you are more likely to catch fish because the bait is there said Steve McKenna of Cranston and an associate at Quaker Lane Outfitters in North Kingstown. Steve continued, “I like to fish the fist clearing wind after a big storm once the sea settles down a bit… I caught my last three 40 lb. striped bass after storms.”

I asked Captain Rich Hittinger for his thoughts about fishing conditions after a storm. Captain Hittinger said, “The fluke (were) back at North Rip (Block Island) since last Tuesday. But, things will change after the storm … At this time of year storms have sometimes sent the fluke packing to deeper water with no significant bite until the following spring. It also can chase the giant tuna out of here for the season, but we can only wait and see what happens. In any case the scup, sea bass, and stripers will still be here after the storm, but it may take a few days before they settle back into a feed.”

I plan to put these “fishing after a storm” strategies to the test and will keep you posted.

How gubernatorial candidates stand on recreational fishing issues
Recently the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) asked all eight gubernatorial candidates their thoughts on five issues important to recreational anglers. All candidates except Ronald Algieri (Independent) replied. The five issues included questions on: artificial reefs; the Weaver Cove LNG Project; public access to the shoreline ; the Jamestown Bridge fishing pier; and support of the existing no sales tax on boats law.

I carefully read and re-read candidate responses and have to report that candidates responded but many did not commit or they committed to support an issue with conditions. Details on their responses can be found on the RISAAA website in their September newsletter at www.risaa.org . Here is a summary as to how I interpreted candidate response… many support RISAA and fishermen but four candidates stood out with their responses supporting most angler issues unconditionally. Kenneth Block (Moderate), Frank Caprio (Democrat), Lincoln Chafee (Independent), and Victor Moffitt (Republican) were supportive to recreational fishermen’s concerns. I urge you to read candidate responses on the RISAA web site and decide for yourself.

Where’s the bite
Off-shore fishing was good prior to the storm last week. Angler Mark Pietros reports on the RISAA blog that he had all the cod fishing action he could handle last week along with haddock, Pollock and “the biggest hake” he ever caught. He fished in 220 feet of water at Stellwagon which is in the eastern edge of Massachusetts Bay off Race Point between Cape Cod and Cape Ann. Captain Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters reported catching a 300 lb. blue shark at the Mud Hole and said that two boats hooked-up with bluefin tuna. The vessel Tuna Tangler landed their fish and Duck Soup (who caught a nice fish a couple of weeks ago) lost their fish after a long battle as it got dark.
Bluefish. Captain Rick Bellavance reported plenty of bluefish at the north end of Block Island as well as some huge scup and black sea bass around Clayhead, Block Island.
Black sea bass fishing off Newport was good early Monday (see fishing after the storms article above) for those who fished the outgoing tide, once the tide switched to an incoming tide the bite slowed right down. Keeper fish that I caught Monday (and as reported by Paul Tower on the RISAA blog) were coughing ups small 3 inch lobsters, they must of really had the feed bag on.
Bay fishing was very slow this week as water heated up again to over 75 degrees in some areas. Let’s hope the storm and following weather cools the water and the fish come back.
Fresh water fishing for bass is good. Craig Castro of Erickson’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick reports customers are doing well fishing for bass in RI ponds and lakes. “This is tournament season and several customers came is this week getting ready for tournaments in MA, RI and CT”, said Castro.