Tautog, striper and largemouth bite explode

Congressmen Keating (center) opens door:  Congressmen Bill Keating (center) greets Joe Gugino of Boston and Ed Doherty of Mattapoisett (formerly Attleboro) in Washington, DC to talk about keeping fish conservation strong in our national fishing laws.

Tautog, striper and largemouth bite explode

This week tautog fishing turned on with many anglers catching their limit (16” minimum, three fish/person/day) with fish in the twenty inch range being caught regularly. Cape Cod Canal angler (and Attleboro native) East End Eddie Doherty said, “I caught a 25” striper at the West End at 5:15 a.m. on a five ounce Bill Hurley tan swim bait just as the current turned east and the tide started to rise.” Bruce Miller of Canal Bait & Tackle, Sagamore said, “All the action is on the west and south end of the Canal with hold over school bass up to 26”.  We have some scup and tautog in the area too.”

The spring striped bass fishing in Rhode Island has been good too. The East Passage Bay bite is stronger and the fish are larger than West Passage fish.  Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box, Warwick said, “I caught fish in the mid-20 inch range from the shore at Rocky Point, Conimicut and the Pawtuxet area.  I almost measured one of them but planned to release it anyway.”

The bite in Greenwich Cove and Chepiwanoxet Point was good this week.  I caught the smallest school striped bass I have ever caught at the Godard Park Boat ramp Sunday morning in the rain, however, the fish were larger there, averaging 18” and larger last week and early this week. 

If you plan to fish for striped bass now is the time to start.  I have two bits of advice that have helped me over the years to catch striped bass.  First, you can’t catch fish where there are no fish.  So you have to put yourself in places where the fish are feeding.  And second, you need to be ready with a number of strategies.  Some days they are biting on soft plastic lures, other times shinny sliver lures like Kastmaster work well and as the season progresses live or chunks of Atlantic menhaden, other days trolling umbrella rigs or tube and worm works best.

To put yourself where the fish are, read fishing reports/blogs and talk to friends and bait & tackle shop owners to develop a fishing plan.  Based on the research you’ve done, select five or six places to find the fish.  Now that you have your fishing plan, be ready with a number of fishing strategies to land that striped bass. 

Fly Rodders Fishing Get-Together

The Rhody Fly Rodders will meet to fish at Colt State Park, Bristol on Saturday, May 11, any time after the high tide at 2:00 p.m. to fish the out-going tide.  For information contact Peter Nilsen, president, at pdfish@fullchannel.net.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater fishing has been good, but like the saltwater, bad weather has deterred many anglers from fishing. The trout bite in ponds and lakes that have been stocked remains strong.  The freshwater largemouth bite has been very good too this week.  Matt McNair of the Northeast Trading Company, North Attleboro said, “The trout bite at Falls Pond (North Attleboro) has been very good.  And, for largemouth the Norton Reservoir has been hot.  Our young customers seem to be out fishing the adults for largemouth.” Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box, Warwick, RI said, “We are at the being of the pre-spawn bite and largemouth bass are feeding.  Last week things exploded in smaller ponds like Warwick Pond and in larger waterways like Stump Pond and Lake Tioque, Coventry the bite was very good too.” Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly, said, “The water around here is still a bit cold for largemouth, however, Carbuncle Pond and Warden’s Pond has been very good for trout fishing… particularly golden, some anglers are catching three to four an outing.”  Visit www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-fisheries-and-wildlife for a list of stocked trout ponds and regulations in Massachusetts.  And, for stocked ponds and regulations in Rhode Island visit www.dem.ri.gov .

Striped bass fishing has been very good and getting better every day.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “Fish in the 25” range have been caught in the Providence River but there is no indication that these are migrating fish. Squid fishing has been hit or miss but overall petty good at Goat Island, Newport as well as Ft. Wetherill and Getty, Jamestown.  We have also had pogies in the East Passage around Ohio Ledge with birds feeding but no indication that bass are under them.”  “Fish have been in the 18’ to 24” range in the East Passage.” said Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box.  Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters said, “A volume of school bass have been caught from the Pawcatuck/Westerly Bridge all the way down to the Bay with the best bite in the Cemetery area. Some keepers have been taken too, but don’t think they have been migrating fish.” Gil Bell, shore fishing expert said, “Maceral has been caught from the beaches and boats this week from Narraganset to Charlestown and there is Bunker now in the Pawcatuck River, Westerly.  I am casting big lures for large striped bass now trying not to catch school bass.”

Tautog fishing has been very good. Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters said, “The Connecticut season ended and in Rhode Island not many have been fishing for tautog but the bite is very good in about 20 feet of water on reefs off Watch Hill.”  John Littlefield from Archie’s Bait & Tackle said, “Customers are catching fish at the Stone Bridge, Tiverton and off the Barrington bike path bridge.  Conimicut Light has been good for customers too.”  Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box said, “I weighed in three fish for RISAA anglers this weekend in the 22” to 23” range.  The bite at Rocky Point has been good with anglers catching keepers.