Holiday gifts for the angler

How is this for congestion? Sport fishing photographer Jim Levison captured this photo titled The Five Horsemen during the fall striped bass run off Montauk, NY this year. Jim’s copyrighted prints make a great holiday gift for anglers and can be seen and purchased on his website at www.jimlevisonphoto.com .

How’s this Grouper. Angler (and RISAA member) Ken Robinson of Smithfield, RI with the 20 plus pound Gag Grouper he caught in Florida earlier this month. Gap Groper season had ended so the fish was released.

Holiday gifts for the angler
Wondering what to get your favorite angler for the holidays? Here are some holiday gifts ideas. Gift certificates at your local bait & tackle shop, Benny’s and stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods are always good too.
1. Fishing lures $3 to $20. I’d like to mention three types… surface lures (often referred to as poppers) that stay on top of the water splashing. Second, swimming lures that swim through the water and third, soft plastic baits of all types... all three are used for fresh and saltwater fishing.
2. Saltwater Sportsman Magazine, $30 for an annual subscription of ten issues. My favorite saltwater fishing magazine of all time. Features many how-to articles, regular features on fishing gear, tackle and fishing tactics. Visit www.saltwatersportsman.com to purchase a gift subscription.
3. United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island (UFTRI) annual membership dues, $30. If you know a fly fisherman, fresh or salt water, they will appreciate this gift. Members meet in workshop form and learn how to tie one of five to six different flies each month. Beginners welcome. Meetings held the first Wednesday of every month at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Warwick, RI. Visit www.uftri.org .
4. The Striped Bass 60++ Pound Club, about $30 for the hardcover; and $20 for the paperback by Tony Checko at www.barnesandnoble.com . Both this book and the author’s 2008 version published in 2008 focus on striped bass of 60 pounds or more. The book includes the story of Peter Vican and his first record Rhode Island striped bass of 76 lbs. 14 oz.
5. Fish scales to weigh an angler’s catch, $10 to $50. Combination fish gripper/scale is about $50. Conventional scales range from $10 to $25, and digital fish scales about $50. Can purchase them at Benny’s, West Marine, Dick’s Sporting Goods and local bait & tackle shops.
6. Membership in the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA), $50. This non-profit organization is created by and for recreational saltwater anglers and holds monthly seminars and education programs on fishing techniques and how to improve catches. The Association supports marine conservation and fisheries resource management. Visit on-line at www.risaa.org .
7. Saltwater Sportsman’s national fishing seminar, $55. This year there are two New England seminars, the first at Mohegan Sun Casino, CT on January 7 and the second in Portland, ME on March 10, 2012. The Saturday sessions are held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost for six hours of fishing instruction by national and local captains, guides is $55. This includes the seminar, a year subscription or extension to Salt Water Sportsman magazine, plus a goodie bag, door prizes and more. Registration at www.nationalseminarseries.com .
8. “Shallow Water Striper University” seminar $89, February 18 and 19, 2012 at the Sheraton Airport Inn, Warwick, RI. This is the third year for this highly informative seminar produced by Captain Jim White. I attended the past two years and it was great. This year I will be one of many presenters. The seminar focuses on how to find and catch striped bass with local experts as speakers. Visit www.shallowwaterstripers.com for information or call Captain Jim White at 401.578.9043.
9. Museum quality striped bass photo prints by noted sport fishing photographer Jim Levison. These beautiful fall run photos taken off of Montauk can be seen on Jim’s website at www.jimlevisonphoto.com (click Montauk). Prints are available from 11'” x 14” to 2 feet by 4 feet. Prints start at $99 for an unframed 11” x 14” glossy finish print ($299 framed).
10. General fishing or learn how to fish charters, $350 to $650 (depending on number of people, species targeted, boat size) for a half day. Hire a charter to help teach someone how to fish or to take the experienced anglers fishing. Visit www.rifishing.com, the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association web site for a list of qualified charter captain members.

Where’s the bite
Tautog. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside, RI said, “Tautog anglers were out in force this weekend as the weather improved with most fish being caught in the lower Bay, off Newport, Middletown and Jamestown.” Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “Tautog bite has been good off Narragansett where several customers caught nice keepers this week.”
Striped bass bite in the later part of last week slowed after the storm Wednesday. Earlier in the week (and month) shore anglers experienced the best bass fishing yet this year. Although fishing has slowed, Dave Pickering noted on his blog Friday, “On a positive, note, though, I did see (Friday) a lot of gannets hitting the water way out meaning big bait is still around. However, are the big fish (bass and blues) still around?” is the question. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle said, “Some customers have been hitting bass in the Warren River. Last week a 37”, nineteen pound fish was caught in heavy currant using eels.”
Cod fishing is good. No huge fish being taken put anglers are catching keepers. Ken Booth, recreational and commercial rod and reel fisherman said, “The East fishing grounds (east of Block Island) and Cox’s Ledge are holding keeper cod. The fish are not big but there are keepers out there.” Lucas Salem had a great fishing outing for cod (and other bottom species) on Snappa Charters Captained by Charlie Donilon out of Galilee, Rhode Island. Lucas said, “Captain Donilon decided to take us to the East Fishing grounds off Block Island to mix things up. Took an hour to get there (from Newport where they tautog fished), but it was well worth it. Seas were building three to five feet by the time we got there but once the anchor was set it was easy fishing from there. .. Cod, sea bass, scup/porgy, bluefish, baby Pollock, and a few dog fish were all hitting our lines. The biggest cod was around eleven pounds. Biggest sea bass was around five pounds, biggest scup was three pounds. What a great day. It was great to get a mixed bag of fish. They are definitely out there you just have to find the good weather and go. If you want a great time, a good captain and a great boat, fish with Capt. Charlie Donilon… his web site is www.snappacharters.com.”
Bluefish. Paul Smith reports that on Thanksgiving Day the bluefish were thick from Green Hill to Charlestown. Paul reports on the RISAA blog, “Along with the blues, an army of gannets accompanied them… Wall to wall fish…. These fish were nice sized to 30+ inches and FAT. Not pudgy, fat. They were pigging out on herring and mackerel.” Captain Robb Roach of Kettlebottom Outfitters said, “We had some great late season action in Mackerel Cove (Jamestown, RI) Found the lee of the wind!” Rob captured the action on a webisode video that can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoRCGbDgJ78 .

Fall fishing tips from charter captains, Shallow Water Striper University February 18 and 19

Greg Anthony, East Providence and Charlie Wood, Barrington with one of the tautog they caught on Greg’s first ever saltwater fishing outing. Greg (nine years old) caught three tautog during the first 45 minutes of fishing before the bite shut off.

Chris Catucci of Warwick, RI caught this keeper tautog at Warwick Neck from shore while casting a green crab at rocks using an Eagle Claw 3/0 2x long hook with a two ounce sinker.

Shallow Water Striper University set for February 18 and 19
Shallow Water Striper University will be held February 18 and 19, 2012 at the Sheraton Motor Airport Inn on Post Road in Warwick, RI.

New speakers and new topics are planned including information on how to become a better striped bass angler. In a press release Captain Jim White of White Ghost Charters, event organizer, said, “New this year, will be "Hands On Tables" where on Sunday afternoon, you will learn from the experts how to rig baits, tie knots, read a map, use your electronics, build your own plugs, use and rig live and cut bait, and much more. You will be able to go from expert to expert and have your questions answered, receive one-on-one demonstrations and learn more than you ever thought possible.”
Speakers this year include: Capt Joe Pagano, Capt. Jim White, Don Smith & Peter Vican (two of the best big bass anglers in New England), Dave Pickering, Armand Tetreault (RI Poppers), Roland St. Denis on Kayaks, Capt. Pat Rena (T-Man Tackle), columnist Capt. Dave Monti, Capt. Jack Springel, and Mike Laptew.
The cost of the weekend remains the same as last year, $89.00 per angler. Reservations are now being accepted, Call Captain Jim White with questions at 401-578-9043.
Commercial menhaden boats allowed back in Bay
Jason McNamee, principal marine biologist of DEM’s Fish and Wildlife department said last week that, “We have reopened the Bay to commercial menhaden fishing. We have been monitoring through our independent helicopter flights since the closure and over the past two weeks or so, we have seen the number of schools climb pretty high in the Bay (82 schools as of the last count)… we were able to observe a spotter flight to get a biomass estimate. We also received a spotter estimate over the weekend from an independent aerial survey study… Based on all of this information, we were compelled to reopen the fishery. We will continue to diligently monitor the biomass in the Bay. We have spotter flights and helicopter flights planned, so all of those safeguards are still in place.”
The DEM menhaden species management plan outlines commercial equipment that can be used to fish, quotas, etc. and the fishery is highly monitored.

Corrected opening date for scallop season: the season opens November 5
The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced that the bay scallop harvest season opens at sunrise on Saturday, November 5 (not November 7 as previously announced) and continues until Saturday, December 31 at sunset.
Striped bass record holder to speak at RISAA event this Monday
Rhode Island striped bass record holder Peter Vican, Don Smith and Captain Bill Silvia will speak Monday, October 24, 7:00 p.m. at the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association monthly meeting at the West Valley Inn in West Warwick. Captain Silvia will speak about fishing for monster fluke.
Bait and tackle shops are a great resource
I was reminded how helpful bait and tackle shops can be to anglers this weekend when I visited John Littlefield, owner of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence, RI with my fishing partners for the day. It was the first time Greg (nine years old from East Providence) was going salt water fishing. John took great care of Greg Anthony and Charlie Wood of Barrington, sharing tackle, bait and location tips to make sure Greg hooked up with some fish on his first outing. We fished from shore for tautog and within the first 45 minutes, Greg hooked three tautog, making his first outing a success. I ask a million questions when visiting bait and tackle shops and you should too. They are very helpful. John, thank you for making this young angler’s first outing a success.
DEM releases first annual report on fishing license program
DEM’s Marine Fisheries Section has released the first annual report on RI’s Recreational Saltwater License Program. The report provides an overview of the program, covering the nearly 18 months since it took effect, and sets forth a proposed FY12 programmatic budget, drawing upon the license fee revenues received since April 2010 and projected through June 2012.
The report is being submitted to the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council, and will be reviewed at their next public meeting on November 1, 2011 at 6 pm (Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus, Narragansett).

Charter boat captains offer fall fishing tips
I asked three charter boat fishing captains about fall fishing tips they might have. Here’s what they had to say:
Captain John Rainone, L’il Toot Charters
Fishes for scup, tautog and black sea bass this time of year
Drifts or anchors up near/on structure… rock piles, jetties, wrecks, etc.
Crabs of all types… green, Asian, fiddler, hermit… whole of cut up for tautog; uses squid or clams for scup and black sea bass
If you are in a spot catching just small fish… pick up and look somewhere else where the fish are larger and the throw-back ratio is better
Prefers using one hook, rather than two, for all three species as it helps prevent bottom tie-ups
Fall fishery is great for children and families… you feel the bite and then feel the fight all the up to the boat or shore
Captain Jim White, White Ghost Chartres
Focus now is black sea bass, scup and tautog in Narragansett Bay
Fish anywhere there is structure
Asian crabs for tautog and black sea bass
Green crabs when there are no Asian crabs around
Fish for black sea bass and scup with squid, small crabs, clams or drift small jigs. Go to bait are Berkeley Gulp products (Sand Ell, Shrimp, Crab, Worm)
Captain Rick Bellavance, Priority Too Charters
• Prime bottom fishing season… many species on same trip… blues, bass, tautog, scup and black sea bass (fishing around Block Island is outstanding)
• Can drift and anchor up to structure using sea clams and squid for bait
• 20 pound Power Pro for bottom fishing rods
• Fishes East Grounds, West Grounds, S/W Ledge, and a lot of rock piles south of Block Island, tends to fish less popular spots

Where’s the bite
Tautog. Windy weather and high seas keep many anglers on shore this weekend and Monday for tautog fishing but the bite is improving as the water cools. Chris Catucci of Warwick caught two nice keepers and a dozen shorts from shore on Warwick Neck using green crabs and Eagle hooks. Tautog being taken at Monahan’s Dock and Hazard Rock in Narragansett said Al Conti of Sung Harbor Marina but bite around Block Island and off shore is slow. Kevin and Albert Bettencourt of East Providence caught nice tautog last week at Conimicut Light but the bite was not as good as the week before last.
Striped bass fishing remains good at Block Island with fish to 44 pounds being taken on eels. Some fish being taken along coastal shores and in the Bay. Key to success on Block Island is getting eels down into the strike zone before the bluefish get them. I caught two small school bass in Greenwich Cove, East Greenwich this past Sunday using swimming lures that mimic peanut bunker. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence said, “Anglers are catching bass from shore using menhaden chucks or live lining them from Conimicut Point to Warwick Neck.”
Scup and black sea bass still very plentiful in the Bay and offshore. Al Conti of Snub Harbor Marina reports Point Judith, Center Wall, and Nebraska shoals are still producing good numbers of scup and black sea bass. As reported last week the scup have been very large.