Humps and bumps off Newport yield big bass

George Allen with a striped bass he caught when trolling over the humps and bumps off Newport, RI. George caught the bass with Monel wire line with tube and worm in about 35 feet of water.

Captain Dave Monti celebrated his 60^th Birthday with a party Saturday at Easton’s Beach Rotunda. This striped bass cake (complete with hook in mouth) baked by Wrights Dairy Farm, North Smithfield was enjoyed by a hundred friends and family members.

Humps and bumps off Newport yield big bass

Angler George Allen of Portsmouth, RI gave a presentation last week on trolling with wire for striped bass off Newport at the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) monthly seminar. About 200 people attended the event that was held at the West Valley Inn, West Warwick, RI. Paul Perra the Northeast Recreational Fisheries Coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Gloucester MA was also a speaker.

George Allen is a vice president and member of the RISAA board of directors. He is a retired Commander of the Unites States Navy and keeps his boat at the Newport Navel Base Marina. George has in-depth knowledge of the waters around Newport where he fishes regularly for striped bass. The method he uses most often is trolling with wire using rubber tubes tipped with clam worms as his bait of choice.

“I make my own tubes and dye them red and orange. The idea is to get your bait low just off the bottom when trolling over structure.” said Allen. He fishes the humps and bumps off Newport that are in 35 to 45 feet of water from Brenton Point to Sachuest Point.

George pays particular attention to the tide. Normally, he likes to fish when the water is moving at its fastest rate which is generally 1 to 1 ½ hours before low or high tide. “One would think the tide moves fastest between high and low. That is not the case. So I consult the Tide Log for the tide sequence… and fish at maximum ebb and maximum flood currents.” Bait in the water moves at its fastest rate when the water is moving at its fastest rate, so more bait is presented to bass on the bottom. The fish sense this and feed as it is the easiest time for them to catch food (bait).

Here are some tips for fishing for bass off Newport from George Allen. These methods have yielded bass to 42 pounds from mid June to the mid August.

• Troll no faster than three knots
• Get your bait low, just off the bottom if possible, if trolling in 35 feet of water on a ledge I generally have about 250 feet of wire out.
• Always troll with the current or on an angle to the current as the bass stage on or near structure facing the current so you want to drag your bait over the front of them first so they see it
• If you spot fish on your fish finder keep a steady course so you drag your bait over them. Turning to port or starboard could make you miss the fish
• George uses 40 lb. Monel trolling wire. Monel Trolling Wire is more expensive but it is exceptionally kink resistant and has excellent ductility and high strength. This nickel-copper alloy provides maximum corrosion resistance in saltwater and due to its greater density, sinks more rapidly and stays deeper than stainless steel trolling lines. A fifteen foot, 50 lb. fluorocarbon leader is used with a two once egg sinker
• When you get a hit, raise your rod and always keep pressure on the fish, point toward the fish to save wear and tear on your tip guide
• When big bass first hit they nudge of slap their tail at the bait. When this happens don’t slow down, in fact, if you move a bit faster it may trigger the bass into a strike

Our fish resources are for everyone to share

Recreational anglers have been commenting on fishing blogs about the high number of commercial vessels fishing close to costal shores and in Narragansett Bay compared to past years. Temperature changes (abnormally warm water this year) have fish behaving differently. Warm water brings warm water fish closer to shore and drives away cold water fish. So if you see an abnormally greater number of commercial fishing vessels closer to shore than usual, it is likely that this is where the fish are. Our fish resources are for everyone. So both commercial fishermen and recreational anglers need to be respectful of each other and recognize that the resource is for all of us.

Where’s the bite

Fresh water fishing has been good. Mike Gill of Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown, RI said fishing for largemouth bass at Indian Lake and Worden Pond with top water frogs and sink worms is very good. The water level on the Wood River is low, however, trout fishing is still pretty good as they are holding in deeper holes.

Fluke fishing continues to be OK when tide and wind are going in the same direction off the southern coastal shores (which has not been too often for the past couple of weeks). However, most anglers are finding it difficult to take home keeper fluke when fishing in the Bay. Angler Robert Swain said, “I caught four keeper fluke in the 19 to 20” range off Quonset Pont last week fishing the channel break.” Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said his son Kenny did well fishing for fluke under the bridges last week. Captain George Cioe said doormat size fluke have been hitting on the south side of Block Island. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence said, “Customers are finding it hard to hook keeper fluke in the upper Bay, when fish are caught they tend to be undersized. Some keepers are being caught in the Jamestown and Newport Bridge area.”

Striped bass fishing in the upper Bay is not good. The water is very warm and not holding striped bass as they have gone to cooler waters. Some small fish being caught on the Barrington and Warren River bridges using clam tongues said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence said fishing off Block Island is still hot with bass being caught off Newport in the Brenton Reef area using eels. Henault said, “Captain Billy Silvia of Can’t Imagine Sport Fishing Charters, Bristol, RI continues to land striped bass with eels off Brenton Reef and Blane Toebt, of South Kingstown, has been catching keeper sized bass fishing the shore in Narragansett and off other southern coastal beaches.”

Scup fishing continues to be good for anglers in a number of places… Mt. Hope Bridge, Warren River, Colt State Park, Ohio Ledge and many other places.

Offshore. Dick Pastore said his son Matt fished south of the shipping lanes Saturday in 73 degree water and scored two mahi-mahi in the 20 lb range on bonito busters trolling past hi flyers south of the horns. Henry Fisette of Coventry, RI said, “We fished Atlantis Canyon Sunday and landed five yellowfin tuna in the 80 pound range and 20 mahi-mahi.”