Fly fishing the cinder worm hatch... Fishing Show largest ever

Elisa Cahill and brother Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina at the New England Saltwater Fishing Show.  Cahill said, “Jigging rods were very popular this year.”

Anglers learn how to tie flies, fly fish and then try their hand fishing the cinder worm hatch.

Crista Banks of Vineyard Wind meets angler Steve Collins of Westport at the Fishing Show.  Most anglers had positive things to say about the wind farm as it creates habitat for small and large fish

Fly fishing the cinder worm hatch

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Aquatic Resource Education Program, announced its annual Cinder Worm Workshop.  The program includes two weekday evening classes in fly tying instruction and one weekend evening of fly fishing. The program is free to registrants.

The course syllabus includes practical rigging and fly casting instruction for the novice on the day of fishing. .  “We would like to have everyone attend both workshops,” said David Pollack, one of the organizers of the program, “but you also have the option to pick just one.”  Introduction to practical rigging and casting instruction will be covered for those that need additional assistance.  Fly fishers will then fish the coves of Grassy Point area of Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge.  “We don’t guarantee the weather or the fish,” said Pollack.

The program is open to any adult or accompanied child over the age of 10, regardless of skill level--40 person maximum so register early.  Instruction and guidance will be provided by some of the area’s most proficient and knowledgeable worm fishermen.   Also this year is the opportunity for kayak fishing - limited to experienced kayakers who have their own vessel, safety equipment and required lights. 

 

All fly tying materials will be provided.  Participants are encouraged to bring their own tools and equipment, but all necessary fly tying tools and equipment will be loaned to registrants upon request. Saltwater fly fishing equipment, including rods, reel, lines and leaders are available too.

The Fly Tying classes will be held Tuesday, May 7 and May 14. 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the

Kettle Pond Visitor Center, Charlestown, RI.  The Fly Fishing portion of the program will take place Saturday, May 18, 4:00 p.m. until dark at Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, Charlestown, RI.

Capt. Ray Stachelek and Dave Pollack, fly fishing experts and USFWS volunteers will facilitate the program. For information or to register contact Scott Travers at sott.travers@dem.ri.gov. 

The buzz at the Saltwater Fishing Show

The New England Saltwater Fishing Show this past weekend toped all past RI Convention Center attendance records.  Over 15,000 people were expected to attend.  A final tally will be forthcoming later this week or next.

Black sea bass regulations for 2019 recreational fishing was top of mind for anglers at the show.  Greg Vespe, Flippin Out Charters mate, Aquidneck Island Striper Team president and RI Saltwater Anglers Association board member said, “Black sea bass was the big angler concern at the show.  Anglers just cannot understand why the State of Rhode Island is once again proposing to start the season so late (June 24). These fish are caught in the Bay by boat and shore anglers in early June and it is often the only time they get to target black sea bass.  By delaying the season once again we are denying Bay anglers the benefit of this fishery as these fish move out of the area in July.  Pushing the season back to accommodate a handful of charter and party boats so their fall season can be extended is just not right.”

Most 2019 fishing regulations (for recreational and commercial fishing) will go before the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council including proposed balck sea bass regulations next Monday.  Anglers are urged to attend.  The meeting starts earlier than usual, 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 1 at Corless Auditorium at the University of Rhode Island Bay Campus.  Visit www.dem.ri.gov for meeting agenda and background information.

Fishing gear and tackle trends at the Show

The Saltwater Edge, top lures.  From the surf Tom Dzis of the Saltwater Edge, Middletown, RI said, “Super Strike lures were hot at the show.  The Zig Zag Darter in the new Midnight Harvest color was a good seller.  Their Needlefish lure in ‘Eely’ color was a great seller too.  Other top lures included Ocean Born Lures.”

Ocean Born Lures by A Band of Anglers is a fairly new company from the world's top lure developer, Patrick Sebile.  He is known in the fishing world for developing such productive lures as the Magic Swimmer and the Stick Shad. 

The Saltwater Edge has a great online store that’s very easy to use and is loaded with product at www.saltwateredge.com or you can visit their retail store at 1037 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown, RI.

Flippin Out Fishing Charters and lures was at the show marketing their summer flounder (fluke) lures, charter business and demonstrating how to tautog fish using saltwater electric trolling motors (the Minn Kota Riptide line with spot lock).  The new motor designs allow fresh or saltwater anglers to hover over their favorite fishing spots to hook up with hard to fish species like tautog.  

Minn Kota electric motors with Spot-Lock are now being used even on larger mid-sized boats to help keep you over the fish.  Their saltwater Riptide Ulterra model with i-Pilot features Spot-Lock, a GPS anchor.  Just hit a button and lock onto any spot you chose automatically.  For saltwater or freshwater anglers this means over structure, on a bank, next to a dock or jetty that is holding fish (saltwater bottom fish such as tautog, scup or black sea bass).

Many of the fluke fishing lures sold by Capt. BJ Silvia, owner of Flippin Out Charters and lures, feature a large plastic squid and large wide gap hook on a three way swivel.  The rig has a sinker clip that makes changing out different sinker weights easy.  These rigs have been some of my favorite fluke rigs for years and can be purchased at a number of bait & tackle shops in Rhode Island.  Visit Flippin Out Charters and lures at www.flippinoutchartes.com .

Snug Harbor Marina in South Kingstown, RI is a full serve bait & tackle shop.  They had a large show presence this year as usual with a variety of rods, reels and tackle.   Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor said, “Jigging rods and reels have been very popular at the show.  Anglers are interested in learning and fishing this way to mix things up.  All the popular rods have been selling well… Shimano, Lamiglass and a host of others. Anglers are jigging for striped bass, tuna and other species. By far… fluke rigs have been the bestselling rigs at the show.”

Snug Harbor Marina offers customers gas and diesel fuel, a complete selection of inshore and offshore bait and tackle along with marina supplies, seafood, groceries and a snack bar.  Visit them at http://www.snugharbormarina.com/ or visit them at 410 Gooseberry Road, South Kingstown, RI.

New striped bass and black sea bass regulations, record 11.2 pound largemouth

 Night catch: Brandon Migliore and his 11.2 pound largemouth bass.  If the state certifies the catch it will be a new Rhode Island record.

 All smiles: Brandon Migliore with his 11.2 pound record largemouth bass as his friend and fishing partner Matthew Sheldon looks on.

Capt. BJ Silvia with an 11.5 pound tautog caught Sunday.

New regulations for striped bass and black sea bass

On Tuesday the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) enacted a new regulation to help prevent the illegal harvest and sale of Atlantic striped bass.  The new rule requires recreational anglers to clip the right pectoral fin of striped bass 34 inches or larger at the time of harvest.

The new regulation was adopted with considerable public input to help prevent “stockpiling” – which occurs when fish are harvested on a day closed to commercial fishing and then offered for sale on an open day; they also address fish being illegally transported and sold in neighboring states.

“Our local harvest supports the health of our families, economy and way of life.  And protecting the viability of our stock and ensuring fish are legally harvested and sold are responsibilities we take very seriously.  These new regulations are critical to supporting the continued vibrancy of the striped bass fishery, and I thank the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council for its leadership in engaging the public around this important topic and working to protect our state’s marine resources.” said DEM Director Janet Coit.

Black sea bass

Many recreational anglers are not happy with black sea bass total allowable catch limits, however, many are praising what will likely be the new recreational regulation here in RI this year.  The minimum size will now be 15” with a three fish/person/day limit between June 15 and August 31, and a seven fish/person/day catch limit between September 1 and December 31. 

Both the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association and the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association agreed on this option at the last public hearing and it was recommended by the RI Marine Fisheries Council at their last meeting.

“I knew if I let up the fish would be gone”

“This bass hit when I had about 75% of my cast retrieved.  I waited a bit before setting the hook as I have been setting it too early.  I waited until I felt the weight, the rod bend and then set the hook.  I just kept the pressure on the fish because I knew that if I let up the fish would be gone. It took about two minutes to land.” said Brandon Migliore of Sterling, CT (formerly of Coventry) about the record 11.2 pound largemouth bass he caught this weekend at Johnson’s Pond, Rhode Island.

Migliore said, “My fishing partner and friend Mathew Sheldon and I have been fishing this area for over fifteen years in hunt for a record breaking largemouth… week after week, month after month, year after year.  It’s hard to believe we did it.  I give a lot of credit to Mathew; he is a great fisherman and has taught me a lot.  Just minutes before I landed this fish, Mathew caught an eight pound largemouth.  And, when my fish came close to shore the rod was bend in half, Mathew was on his toes and rushed to lip the fish.”

Brandon was using 30 pound braid line and a St. Croix fishing rod. Dave Mooney of Sandy Bottom Bait & Tackle, Coventry where Migliore weighed in his fish said Sunday, “The fish just left here.  We had kept it alive for a while in our tank and then it just rolled on its side and gave up.  Brandon was using a Magnum Jitterbug top water lure he bought here.”

The 11.2 pound largemouth bass will be a new state record if the catch is certified and approved by the Department of Environmental Management (DEM).  The 10.6 pound largemouth bass holding the record was caught in 1991 at Carbuncle Pond.

NOAA releases recreational fishing plans

On a national level, NOAA’s Fisheries has been increasing efforts to better support saltwater recreational fishing and recreational fisheries issues.  In 2015, NOAA Fisheries published a National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Policy and a National Saltwater Recreational Fisheries Implementation Plan.  The policy highlighted six key principles intended to guide NOAA in considering the development and promotion of sustainable high quality saltwater recreational fisheries.  Each region now has an implementation plan (visit www.fisheries.noaa.gov for a link to the Greater Atlantic Regional Implementation Plan as well as national and other regional plans).

The recreational fisheries that NOAA manages include cod, haddock, many flounders, Atlantic bluefish, black sea bass, scup, striped bass, tautog, and weakfish. They also are responsible for the management of other recreationally caught and/or forage species such as Atlantic herring, Atlantic mackerel, squid, and butterfish. These species provide an important food source for recreationally sought-after fishes such as striped bass, tuna, and sharks.

For more information, contact Moira Kelly, Greater Atlantic Regional Coordinator for recreational fisheries, at 978-281-9218 or email her at moira.kelly@noaa.gov.  

Where’s the bite

“Striped bass are everywhere.  Customers are catching school size bass in Warren, Providence, Barrington and Jamestown, all over the Bay.  The largest fish so far has been 32.” said Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren.  Maridee Bait & Canvas of Narragansett reports that all the action this week has been at the West Wall (South Kingstown) for school striped bass and they have started to catch a few keepers. Noted local shore angler Steve McKenna said, “The striped bass bite is very, very good. I have been fishing in Narragansett and there are a lot of school bass around.  This is encouraging.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside, said, “We weighed in a 32”, 34” and a 37” striped bass this weekend.  All were caught at Sabin Point, East Providence with anglers using menhaden chunks or clam worms.  Customer Albert Bettencourt said he has been catching 20 to 27 inch fish at the Squantum Club, East Providence and all around the upper portion of the Bay.”  Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown said, “The school bass are getting larger, almost keeper size (28”), and they are everywhere Matunuck, the Charlestown Breachway, the West Wall… everywhere.”

Freshwater fishing this week was topped-off with Brandon Migliore’s record 11.2 pound largemouth bass caught at Johnson’s Pond. Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait said, “The trout bite has been very, very good with night crawlers now the bait of choice.  Anglers are catching fish at Melville Pond and Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods.” “Freshwater anglers are targeting bass and trout.  I have sold about 20 dozen shiners toady and it’s only 10:30 a.m.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle.

Tautog fishing is just starting to heat up with anglers catching shorts with some keepers mixed in.  No major reports of people limiting out with their three fish, however, keeper fish are being caught.  Many Macedo of Lucky Bait said, “It’s rocks and docks for tautog and customers are catching them at the Stone Bridge, Tiverton and Ohio Ledge in the East Passage of the Bay.  Anglers are using worms, Asian and green crabs with some old timers using quahogs with success.”  Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina said, “The commercial rod and reel fishermen are limiting out on tautog (ten fish) fishing in shallow water along the southern coastal shore using green crabs.” Capt. BJ Silvia of Flippin’ Out Charters landed an 11.5 pound tautog Sunday and said, “I let her go so you can catch her when she is 15 pounds.” “It’s hit or miss with tautog. One day the bite was good at Conimicut Light and the next the bite was off.  They were catching a lot of small fish at the Wharf Tavern, Warren but they were at 6 to 8 inches.” said Littlefield of Archie’s Bait. 

Cod fishing was off this week compared to others.  Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet, Narragansett said, “Cod fish were moving around an awful lot and they are scattered into smaller groups now that spawning is over. Each trip this week produced some fish but there was no sustained bite. Still it has been several years since we consistently caught cod fish all through the month of April.  There were a handful of the cod that came over the rails that tipped the scales in the mid to upper teens this week.”