Spring tautog tips from the experts

Amanda Riffkin caught and released this 9.5 pound tautog this weekend on Flippin Out Charters, Portsmouth. 

Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Jason Christopher of Providence caught tautog to 22” this weekend. Out of 30 tautog, 12 of them were keepers, most released.” 

Spring tautog tips from the experts

If you have not tried spring tautog fishing, now is the time to do it as the spring fishing has been great. 

Chris Torre of Red Top Sporting Goods, Buzzards Bay, MA said, “The tautog bite in Buzzards Bay and in the Cape Cod Canal has been great.” John Lavallee of Continental Bait & Tackle, Cranston, RI said, “The tautog fishing has been the best it has been in years.  Fishing is so good customers have to work hard to catch an undersized fish.”

The tautog minimum size is 16” with a three fish/person/day limit and a 10 fish per boat maximum.  The catch limit in Massachusetts drops from three fish to one fish on May 31 for the months of June and July during the spawning season.  In Rhode Island the season close for June and July during the spawning season.

Here are some spring tautog fishing tips:

1.       Easy to bite and keep it still in spring.  Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charleston said, “I have found tautog jigs effective, particularly when there is little water movement.  Smaller baits seem to work best in spring. I cut the legs and often pull off most of the shell of a green crab cut in half.  And, I believe in keeping the bait still on the bottom.”

2.       Warm and shallower water in spring. Dave Henault, Ocean State Tackle,  Providence, said, “Tautog are in a pre-spawn state so they are looking for warmer water, that means you will tend to find them in shallower water in the spring and not necessarily over structure, they can be found on a sandy bottom next to or near structure too.”

3.       Feel the bite… tap, tap and then get ready for a tug of war.  Tautog is a quick hook set.  Feel a bite and get ready to set the hook.  Angler Rich Hittinger, vice president of the RI Saltwater Anglers, said, “If you get two bites with no hook-up your bait is gone. Reel in and re-bait.”

4.       Boat placement is important and chum.  Find structure with electronics, estimate wind/drift direction and anchor up current from where you want to fish and drift back to the spot as the anchor is setting.  Once in position, fish all sides of the boat.  Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick suggests casting a bit to cover as much area as you can.  If still no bites, let some anchor line out a couple of times to change your position, if still no bites it is time to move the vessel.  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait said, “To attract tautog to where you are fishing many anglers find chumming effective.  Grass shrimp is a popular chum for tautog in the spring, other anglers grind up quahogs and we sell a lot of whole clams for chum.  Clams are easy to cut up when frozen and they are fairly cheap.”

Where’s the bite?

Tautog. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Jason Christopher of Providence caught tautog to 22” this weekend using jigs.  He and his party caught about 30 tautog, 12 of them were keepers.  And when fishing on Flippin Out Charters, Amada Riffkin of Lincoln caught a 9.5 pound tautog that she released.”  Charter Captains, like BJ Silvia of Flippin Out Charters, are often releasing large female tautog that have great egg producing and spawning potential. 

Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “The tautog bite is very good from boat and shore.  The fish are in 20 to 25 feet of water with green crabs and worms being the bait of choice.”  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle Warwick said, “The tautog bite is good, customers are catching them at Ohio Ledge, Conimicut Light and Plum Island light in North Kingstown.  Green crabs and worms are working for anglers.” 

John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “The tautog bites has been good at the Day Marker off Rumstick Point, Barrington.  One customer caught sixteen keepers and released them all, the largest was 8.5 pounds off the Bridge in Barrington in the rain last Sunday.”

Striped bass fishing continues to improve along the coastal shore, in estuaries and in the Bay.  Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “Fishing has been great from the beaches, breachways and jetties with anglers catching school bass with 30” keepers mixed in.  The worm hatch in salt ponds has started with anglers catching bass on flies and lures that mimic cinder worms.” Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said, “It will not be long before we have the large fish here.  Right now anglers are catching school bass, averaging about 20” in Greenwich Bay at Buttonwoods, Sally Rock and off Oakland Beach.  Soft baits such as Storm Shads are working well and many are having good luck with the Rebel Jumpin Minnow and lures like it.”

John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait said, “One customer caught a 35” and 31” striped bass from the rocks off Narragansett.  The fish were loaded with lice.  Keepers have also been caught in the Bay and up the Barrington River.  Anglers in river are floating worms, clam tongue and whole squid to catch keepers there.” Chris Torre of Red Top said, “Customers are catching school bass with some 28 to 30 inch fish mixed in on the Canal.”

Fluke fishing is still slow as the water is cold. A warm day or two and things will explode as bait is around.

Freshwater fishing.  Chris Torre of Red Top Sporting Goods, Buzzards Bay said, “We are behind on the largemouth bass season by a couple of weeks.  With this warmer weather the bass will start bedding, I fished New York last we and the pre-spawn had started there.  The trout bite from the Cape to Fall River has been great.  We weighed in a seven plus pond rainbow last week.” Dave Hess of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “The trout bite in stocked ponds continues to be very strong and now that the water is warming the largemouth bass bite has been good too.”  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait and Tackle said, “Customers continue to catch trout at stocked ponds like Barber and Silver Spring Lake in North Kingstown.  The largemouth bite has been good for customers at Gorton’s Pond, Warwick.”  John Lavallee of Continental Bait & Tackle said, “Hats off to DEM.  The trout bite has been so good in ponds stocked by DEM that even causal anglers are catching 2.5 pound trout.  The trout bite at Curran Reservoir and the Pawtuxet River is good in Cranston.”

What fishing can do for you

 Geoff Monti had no trouble catching his limit of tautog (to six pounds) off Newport this Saturday

Tim Stanhope of Bellingham, MA with a ten pound pool winning cod caught on the Frances Fleet.

What fishing can do

I fished with family and friends this past week.  And I have to tell you it was great. 

It reminded me of what I have always known, but often forget.  Sometimes I get caught up in the frenzy to catch fish when taking people fishing for hire as a charter captain.  And somethings, I loose perspective and think it is all about the fish.

What fishing with my son Geoff, and friends Chuck, Kevin, Steve, Jim and Rick reminded me of this past week is that sometimes it is not all about the fish.  But rather it is about the bond that is developed and enhanced between mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, father-in-laws, old and new friends.

Fishing affords you the time to get to know someone.  You talk about challengers and dreams, and sometimes just have plan old fun.

Thank you Geoff and friends for helping me keep a proper perspective about fishing.

New model helps determine impact of climate change on fish habitat 

A new approach by U.S. Geological Survey scientists to modeling water temperatures resulted in more realistic predictions of how climate change will affect fish habitat by taking into account effects of cold groundwater sources.

The study, recently published in the journal Ecological Applications, showed that groundwater is highly influential but also highly variable among streams and will lead to a patchy distribution of suitable fish habitat under climate change.  This new modeling approach used brook trout, but can be applied to other species that require cold water streams for survival.

"One thing that has been missing from other models is the recognition that groundwater moderates the temperature of headwater streams," said Nathaniel Hitt, a fish biologist and study coauthor. "Our paper helps to bring the effects of groundwater into climate change forecasts for fish habitat."

Climate change models predict that summer air temperatures will increase between 2.7 and 9 degrees Fahrenheit in the eastern United States over the next 50 to 100 years. Such increases in air temperatures will increase water temperatures of streams and rivers and pose a significant threat to fish like brook trout that have low resistance to warming water temperatures. 

Brook trout are an important cultural and recreational species with specific restoration outcomes identified in the new Chesapeake Bay Agreement.

"Our models help improve the spatial resolution of climate change forecasts in headwater streams," said Craig Snyder, a USGS research ecologist and lead author of the study. "This work will assist conservation and restoration efforts by connecting climate change models to places that matter for stream fishes."

The study is available on the ESA website at http://www.esajournals.org/doi/10.1890/14-1354.1.

Workshop and public hearing on fishing regulations

A workshop on proposed commercial fishing regulations for Rhode Island will be held November 16, 4:30 p.m., followed by a public hearing at 6:00 p.m. at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, Coastal Institute Building, Hazard Room.

Public comment will be solicited on amendments to "RIMFR - Finfish" including commercial management for summer flounder, bluefish, scup and black sea bass as well as editing changes and proposed amendments to the RIMER- Legislative findings.

Small businesses which are either currently licensed, or in the future may seek a license to harvest, buy, sell, or produce seafood products, as well as the small businesses that provide services related to those engaged in such industries, are requested to comment on the proposed regulations.  Comments should focus on how proposed regulations can be changed to minimize the impact on businesses affected.

A copy of the proposed regulations is available for review through November 16, 2015 at the Marine Fisheries offices, or by mail. A copy of the proposed regulation(s) has been filed with the Office of the Secretary of State’s website at http://sos.ri.gov/ProposedRules/. Proposed regulations are also available on DEM’s Website.

Written comments concerning the proposed regulations may be submitted to Peter Duhamel, Division of Fish and Wildlife  Marine Fisheries office, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, RI 02835 no later than 12:00 Noon on November 16, 2015.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission annual meeting

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) will hold their 74th Annual Meeting November 2‐5, 2015 at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine, FL.

Many key issues that will impact recreational anglers in Rhode Island will be discussed and/or determined.  Stock assessments, reports and fishery management plan recommendations on species such as tautog, scup, black sea bass and summer flounder are expected.  Some species, such as summer flounder and tautog, may have more conservative regulations due to overfishing and/or recent stock assessments.

For agenda and meeting materials, visit http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015‐Annual‐Meeting. You can also attend meeting sessions via a go to webinar or listen in via conference call.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass fishing is good along the coastal shore but many anglers are focusing on other species. “This week we had a school of bass in the 20 pound range come through the south shore in the Green Hill area and anglers did well.  But it is hit or miss this time of year as the fish are moving, migrating south.  There one day and not the next.  The North Rip has been good too.  Anglers are using diamond jigs with success and eels at night or early morning as the bluefish are killing the eels during the day.” said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown.

“Black sea bass opened up again in Federal waters (October 22) so anglers can keep their Rhode Island limit of seven fish.” said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina. “Black sea bass being open in Federal waters is big, now anglers targeting cod fish in places like the East Fishing Grounds can keep some of the sea bass they have been catching when targeting cod.” “Guys are still targeting black sea bass and are doing good.”  said Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren.

Tautog fishing has been outstanding.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence said, “Customers of Capt. B.J. Silvia, Flippin Out Charters, landed seven fish that were ten pounds or over in the past two weeks.  Fish are in the Bay and off the coast biting on both Asian and green crabs.  Anglers caught tautog all the way up the Providence River right at the Save the Bay facility.”  I fished off Newport Saturday with my son Geoff Monti and he had no trouble limiting out with fish to six pounds.  The beauty is that not only are the tautog plentiful but anglers are picking up a number of black sea bass as a bonus when tautog fishing. I fished off Newport again Tuesday with a friend (in 60 feet of water) and we boated only one tautog, did not check in shore were there were a ton of boats. Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said, “Local tautog fishing has been quite good. Friday and Saturday were the best days where there were quite a few angler limits with the largest fish pushing the eight pound mark. Varying numbers of keeper sea bass are mixed in with a few small cod starting to show both keepers and shorts.”   Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait said, “You still hear some anglers complain about catching a lot of shorts but for the most part customers are landing five to eight pound tautog.  They are catching them with green crags and Asian crabs.  Jigs are working too.”  Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina said, “We sold a record number of crabs.  Anglers are fishing and catching off Narragansett at River Ledge and Brenton Reef, Newport.  Anglers are catching tautog off Scarborough and at the Pt. Judith Light but the fish are smaller as the larger ones have been picked over.”

Cod fishing.  Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said, “The biggest fish last week was twenty pounds with hi hook scoring five keepers. Sea Bass reopened in federal waters for Friday and anglers aboard easily attained limits of jumbo sea bass to five pounds. Mixed in on all the trips have been varying quantities jumbo porgies and some nice size ocean perch along with an occasional bluefish.”

“Squid fishing is good in the Jamestown and Newport areas.  Anglers are catching squid at Ft. Wetherill, Ft. Adams and on the Goat Island causeway.” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle. “Squid fishing is great.  Some customers are walking out of here with $50 to $100 of squid jigs.  They are catching them in Newport on the Causeway and Jamestown at the usual places.” said Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait.

Freshwater fishing for trout is good, particularly at ponds stocked by DEM in the past two weeks.  Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a list of ponds. “Trout at Carbuncle Pond and at Lincoln Woods are taking PowerBait worms as well as small and medium shiners.” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle.

Fall fishing is great

Family tautog fishing:  Greg Vespe of Tiverton, RI took his family tautog fishing with Capt. BJ Silvia after hurricane Sandy. (From left to right) Shawn Hayes Costello (Tiverton, RI), Ric Vespe (Little Marsh, Pa), Greg Vespe, and Colleen Hayes Costello (Tiverton, RI). 

Tautog fishing is great: Chris Benn, mate on the Seven B’s party boat out of Point Judith, fillets my tautog catch Sunday.  Some customers limited out, many anglers took home two to four fish and the largest fish that day was about nine pounds.

Big bass migrating: Angler Kurt Rivard of Warren, RI landed this 35 pound striped bass last week drifting and eel in 30 feet of water near the Mount Hope Bridge.

Fall fishing is great

So you think it is all over. You think fishing is done for the season… hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter must have shut it down. Well… you are wrong… fresh and saltwater fishing is great.  Anglers are catching bass and trout in ponds and rivers stocked by the Department of Environmental Management (visit www.dem.ri.gov for locations) and saltwater fishing is outstanding.  

Captain Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boast Association said, “This is the best time of year to fish.”  Anglers are catching tautog, cod, scup and striped bass.  Black sea bass can still be caught recreationally in state waters (if you do not have a federal license).  Since Sandy came though many anglers are limiting out with tautog (six fish per angler) and they are catching migrating striped bass too.

Angler Kurt Rivard of Warren, RI landed a 35 pound striped bass last week drifting and eel in 30 feet of water near the Mount Hope Bridge. “The fish pulled 200 yards of line out before it got tired and turned” said Kurt’s fishing partner Corey Smith.

Five days after the hurricane, angler Greg Vespe fished for tautog. “I took my family out with Capt. BJ Silvia… we really clobbered them  (tautog) on the near shore and mid shore humps off of Newport…lots of five and six pounders, five seven pounders and a nine pounder was tops for the day. Picked up at least 40 legal sized tog.” said Vespe.

For anglers who may have put their boats away for the winter (and many did prior to the hurricane) there are a host of charter and party boats still fishing.  Visit the RI Charter & Party Boat Association web site at www.rifishing.com for a list of boats, fishing times, rates and boat web sites for details.  The smaller boats take two to six anglers and the larger party boats can take over a hundred anglers fishing.

The Snappa from Point Judith is a custom 46’ fishing vessel.  Captain Charlie Donilon, who has been fishing for tautog since Sandy,  said, “We (have been) fishing south of Newport in the deeper water between 50 and 100 ft. The largest fish weighed (about) 14 lbs. Approximately 1/3 of the fish are throwbacks.”  The Snappa has a heated cabin and will provide all bait and tackle. Your cost for an 8 1/2 hr. day of fishing is $130. A private group of six passengers can charter the boat for as little as $700. Additional passengers add $100/person. Visit www.snappacharters.com or call Capt. Donilon at 401-782-4040.

The Seven B’s is 80 feet and is licensed to take up to 120 people fishing.  They are tautog fishing now until December 15 at which time they generally switch to cod fishing. My brother-in-law and I fished with Captain Russ Benn this weekend, at first, the fishing was spotty but Captain Benn was determined to find fish and when he did all rods were bent.  The crew was fantastic. Some anglers limited out and others caught two to four keepers.  I did not speak to any unhappy customers.  We fished out in front a mile or two off shore from Newport to the Sakonnet River.  Seven B’s is now fishing Wednesday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Adults $85 and children $45.  Visit them at www.sevenbs.com or call 401.789.9250.

The Francis Fleet vessels are owned by Captain Frank Blount.  He and his family have been running the business since 1978. They are running both tautog and cod fishing trips now.  Visit them at www.francesfleet.com  or call them at 800.662.2824.

Windmill mitigation workshop for recreational and commercial fishers
The second wind mitigation workshop for recreational and commercial fishers will be held November 16, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the URI Bay Campus, South Ferry Road,  Narragansett, RI. For more informationcall 978-465-0492.  RSVP to Elizabeth Castle at ecastle@ene.com .

Fly Tyers to hold annual Christmas Banquet

The United Fly Tyers of RI (UFTRI) will hold their annual Christmas banquet December 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus hall on Sandy Lane in Warwick, RI.  The event will feature a meal, a guest speaker and raffle.  UFTRI is an educational organization, dedicated to teaching fresh and salt water fly tying. Yearly membership dues are $30 (September of current year through May of next year). Tying vises and materials are available for use by guests (anyone attending for the first time), as well as any paid member. Visit  www.uftri.org  for details and information.

Rhody Fly Rodders to meet November 20th

The Rhody Fly Rodders will hold their monthly meeting Tuesday, November 20, 6:30 p.m. at the Riverside Sportsmen Association, East Providence, RI.  The presenter will be Alan Caolo. He will 
be presenting a slide program, “Sight-Fishing for Striped Bass”, a comprehensive overview on an exciting style of fishing for taking stripers in the clear shallows, including strategy, stealth, presentation and flies. The presentation will include information for everyone from beginners to seasoned anglers.  Monthly Bucket Raffles with some great items will be held and as usual, the coffee pot is always on, along with a few tasty snacks.  For information call Peter Nilsen, board member, at 401.245.7172 or e-mail him at pdfish@fullchannel.net .  Directions: From Providence take Rt.195 to Exit 7. Bear right on the ramp & follow Rt. 114 South (Wampanoag Trail) for two miles. Look for WPRO Studios on left, and then take first U-turn back to Rt.114 North. Continue North and look for the Riverside Sportsmen’s Club sign on right side.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing has been good.  Reports of school bass all along the southern shore.  Angler David Sweet reports, “Made our way up to Narragansett Beach and fished just north of the Coast Guard House in about 5-10 ft. of water for 15 + schoolies. Tagged 15… “. Large striped bass being taken in the lower
Bay and along southern Coastal shores.  Neil Hayes of Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown, RI  weighed in a 58.45 pound bass that Nick Gibbs caught while fishing at night off the Narragansett shore last week.  Nick was using a black bomber lure.  

Tautog fishing remains strong in the lower Bay and off coastal shores with a slower bite mid Bay and North.   I fished on the Seven B’s Sunday…  some anglers caught two to four fish, some limited out  and the top fish was about nine pounds.  Anglers experiencing a strong bite at Kettlebottom off Jamestown,  Newport in the Brenton Reef area, off Point Judith Light and off Narragansett on rock clusters.

Cod fishing is starting to pick up.  This past Sunday Captain Letourneau of On The Rocks Charters reported limiting out on Cod.  Captain Letourneau said, “Started out front in Newport with a 24" cod and never looked back…” The Francis Fleet repots an improved cod bite compared to this past week with the top fish Sunday weighing in at about 10 pounds.

Bottom fishing fun for all

Bottom fishing fun for all:  Bottom fish like this fluke (summer flounder), caught on a party boat out of Point Judith, RI this summer, are great fun to catch for anglers of all ages.

Tautog rig reduces bottom fishing tie-ups:  This tautog was caught using a homemade rig designed by Capt. Monti.  An egg sinker on a 3 to 4 inch piece of monofilament with swivels on either end and a single hook below.  The bait hangs freely between bottom structure (rocks), reduced hardware and the egg sinker allowed to slide has cut bottom tie-ups in half.

Kevin (left) and his father Albert Bettencourt (both of East Providence) have been catching striped bass this fall in the Barrington Beach area and in the Warren River drifting eels.

Bottom fishing fun for all

Bottom fishing for fluke (summer flounder), black sea bass, scup and tautog at this time of year can be fun for the entire family.  This type of fishing is not stressful in anyway.  Learning how to set the hook can be learned in minutes and it does not take a lot of skill to catch a fish.  Bottom fishing is great for beginners, particularly children.  And the best part is that the down time between bites serves as a great opportunity for family members and friends to socialize and actually converse.  Conversation is becoming something of a novelty in within our regular day.

I once took my friend Tom and his son fishing.  Days later, Tom said, “The best part of the day was that I actually got a chance to talk with my son about his future plans.”  So quite often fishing isn’t all about the fish.  It is the time we spend together with family and friends that really counts.  That is why I love to take families fishing… daughters, sons, son and daughters-in-law, grandfathers, fathers and mothers all get to spend quality time with each other. The bonding and communication that takes place is remarkable.

You can learn how to bottom fish by consulting bait shop owners or you can go out on a charter or party boat.  Most all of the charter boats that belong to the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association (www.rifishing.com ) are more than willing to take families fishing and teach them how to fish the bottom.

Bottom fishing seminar October 29

Next week you can take advantage of a bottom fishing seminar being offered by the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA).  The seminar will include panel- like presentations from three top local anglers… Larry Norin, Rick Sustello and Tom Wood.  The seminar will be held Monday, October 29, 7:00 p.m. at the West Valley Inn, 4 Blossom Street, West Warwick, RI.  Non-members are requested to make a $10 donation to the RISAA Marine Fisheries College Scholarship Fund.  The West Valley Inn offers two different dinner entre options from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for $6.95.

BOEM holds stakeholder workshops on windmills for recreational and commercial fishers

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold a workshop on windmills and their impact on fishing and will seek input for recreational and commercial fishermen on Friday November 16, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the URI Bay Campus, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI in the Coastal Hazard Room in the Coastal Institute Building.

This input meeting and others being held on the east coast will address future potential conflicts between fishing and wind projects within the Ocean Continental Shelf (OCS). BOEM is seeking input from commercial and recreational fishing industries, as well as fisheries management agencies and scientists, relative to proposed offshore wind energy development.

Invitations have been been sent to stakeholders, for information contact Elizabeth Castle at ecastle@ene.com .

DEM stocks ponds and rivers with rainbow trout for fall fishing

The Department of Environmental Management's (DEM) Division of Fish and Wildlife has stocked approximately 6,000 rainbow trout in several locations throughout the state this month for the fall freshwater fishing season.

DEM Fish & Wildlife staff finished stocking the hatchery-raised rainbow trout this week in Silver Spring Pond in North Kingstown, Beaver River in Richmond, Wyoming Pond in Richmond and Hopkinton, Wood River in Exeter, Hopkinton and Richmond, Upper Pawtuxet River in Coventry, Blackstone River in Cumberland and Lincoln, Round Top Ponds in Burrillville, and Stafford Pond in Tiverton.  Earlier this month, trout were stocked in Meadowbrook Pond in Richmond, Carbuncle Pond in Coventry, Spring Grove Pond in Gloucester, and Olney Pond in Lincoln Woods.

A 2012 freshwater fishing license and trout conservation stamp is required for anglers 15 years of age and older.  Visit your town/city hall, authorized agents such as bait/tackle shops and Benny's to get a license and stamp.  You can also visit DEM in Providence or purchase on line via www.ri.gov  by clicking on “Hunting, Fishing, Boating Licenses” on the left side of the homepage on the DEM website at www.dem.ri.gov .

Tautog regulation change

As of October 20 (and until December 31) the tautog bag limit has been enhanced for recreational anglers from 3 fish/day to 6 fish/day.  Minimum size is still 16 inches.  In addition, there is a 10 fish boat maximum per day.  The 10 fish per boat maximum does not apply to charter or party boats.

Where’s the bite

Tautog. Craig Castro of Erickson’s Bait & Tackle said, “Customers have been doing good at Washington’s Ledge off shore in the Newport-Jamestown areas weather permitting.”  John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait in East Providence said that customers are catching tautog at Conimicut Light with a lot of shorts (15 to 1 ratio).” Tautog to 23” have been landed at India Point Park said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence.  Last week I caught a 23” fish at General Rock and two other keepers with a ratio of 8 shorts for every one keeper with about 10 small black sea bass.  Tautog are also being caught at Point Judith Light in 25 to 45 feet of water said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown.

Striped bass.  Matt Conti from Snug Harbor said, “It is either lock and load or no bite at all in the Southwest Ledge area of Block Island.”  John Littlefield from Archie’s Bait said “Customers are taking school bass with plugs in the upper Bay at the mouth of the Rivers.” Kevin and Albert Bettencourt caught eleven bass in the 15 to 20 lbs. ranged drifting eels in the Warren River down to the Blount Seafood area said John Littlefield.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Striped bass and bluefish are being caught on pogies and eels in the Providence and Seekonk Rivers and the Cape Cod Canal has been offering up bass as large as 50 lbs.  Customers Francesco DiGiovanni and Cecine Curi have taken bass on…eels… plugs… top water poppers, divers and Sebile Swim baits.”

Fresh water fishing this fall has been slow.  With improved weather and recent pond and river stocking with rainbow trout by DEM things are expected to pick up.

Offshore fishing has been slow due to bad weather last week.

How to buy a boat

Chris Catucci of Warwick, RI with the largemouth bass he caught on Gordon Pond using crank baits. With the warm weather, both fresh and saltwater fishing seasons have gotten off to a great start this.

Pam Tameo (right), president of the West Bay Anglers with Mike Dumsar of Westerly, RI. Mike won the big prize Saturday at the West Bay Anglers annual Fish Game dinner fundraiser.

Bob Monti of Charlestown, RI and his wife Audrey wanted a boat that their children and grandchildren could enjoy with them. But they also wanted to travel to Block Island and fish. So they settled on a 23” Scout twin console with a head and an enclosure from Ocean House Marina, Charlestown. The vessel has plenty of seating in the bow and plenty of room in the cockpit for fishing and additional seating.

So you want to buy a boat

So you are interested in buying a boat. No matter if it’s your first or twenty-first boat purchase it pays to shop around, look at vessels at boat shows, at boat dealers and check them out online on Craigslist and other boating portals. Most importantly, before you purchase, take your desired boat for a test run on the water under the conditions you intend to use the boat. For example, I like to troll at a slow speed at or below two miles per hour. So, when I test drive a boat I want to see how it runs at two miles an hour, at recommended cruising speeds and how it handles rough seas.

Determine the use of the boat
One of the first steps to buying a boat is determining what you want to use a boat for i.e. what type of fishing, family outings, swimming, overnight or day cruising or a combination of uses. The use of the vessel will dictate the type of boat you should buy. The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has a great online tool to help you determine the type of boat you might be interested in. It can be found at http://www.discoverboating.com/. This web site will ask you the intended use and relate the advantages and disadvantages of each boat type recommended.

Should you buy new or used
Another major decision in the boat selection process is whether to buy a new or used boat. Like automobiles, new boats come with warrantees. If something goes wrong (and with boats something often goes wrong) you want a warrantee behind you. New boats and warrantees are important, particularly if you do not want to spend your time repairing and restoring a boat yourself. Often times old boats need more time to prepare for the season and will have a greater frequency of repair due to their age. A higher frequency of repair means more time off the water.
However, used boats cost less and are an option for those who are uncertain about boat use. A used boat is also a good option for those who cannot afford to purchase new. Make sure you add the cost of repairs to the purchase price of used boats. A helpful way to determine repair cost and insure you are not buying a lemon is to commission a boat survey. A boat survey is similar to a home inspection. Surveys are conducted by certified surveyors who closely examine the vessels hull, structure, electrical system and engine(s). Engine tests are conducted and running time hours are verified. Surveys will not only tell you what is wrong (and right) about the boat but can give you estimates on repairs which you can use to further negotiate the sale price.

Marine survey seminar
The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association’s (RISAA) May seminar will focus on marine surveys. So if you are thinking about a used boat consider attending this Monday, May 21, 2012 seminar at the West Valley Inn, West Warwick, RI. Visit http://www.risaa.org/ for details.

Custom rod and squid fishing seminar
The RISAA seminar Monday, April 30, 7:00 p.m. will feature Robert Jenkins, owner of Local Hooker Rods and three local squid fishermen Dave Fewster, Bob LeBlanc and Chuck Dore.

Where’s the bite
Fresh water. Maridee Bait & Tackle, Narragansett, RI, reports good fishing for customers at Barber, Warden and Tucker Ponds in South Kingstown, RI with night crawlers being the most popular bait for trout anglers. Angler Justin Fisette of Coventry, RI landed a 19, 18,17 and 12 pound carp at lake Tiogue. He also netted five catfish and one bullhead, all fish were caught in a span of 45 minutes. Chris Catucci of Warwick has been hammering largemouth bass at local ponds. Chris said, “Fished Gorton pond and slayed the largemouth… I got two really nice bass and also broke one off about the same size at the boat. I was rotating between different brands of chrome and black lipless crankbaits in an attempt to "match the hatch" of the alewives that migrate into Gorton Pond .” Ponds, lakes and rivers stocked with rainbow and brown trout continue to provide a lot of fishing fun for anglers too. Visit http://www.dem.ri.gov/ for a list of over a hundred ponds that have been stocked with trout.

Striped bass. Anglers continue to land fish at the West Wall at the Harbor of Refuge. Mary Dangelo of Maridee Canvas-Bait & Tackle in Narragansett, RI said, “Customer Tom McGuire caught over 100 fish last week on the wall with several keepers to 30” mixed in. All fish including the keepers were released. A popular bait for shore anglers continues to be Cocohoe lures with ½ once jig heads.” Angler Tom Pelto reports fishing the particularly large herring runs at rivers. Tom said, “I used a pink and purple Dawia Slider plug and landed three bass by dusk. They were between 28 to 30 inches. Each fish was fat and deceptively heavy.” Bob Olberg said, “I fished the upper bay (Friday) in my kayak… (with) tube and worm to search for fish, with soft plastics in reserve if I found a honeyhole. Caught three bass, one just over 28 inches, one just under, and one around 20 inches…caught one 28 incher last week in same area, the earliest I have caught a keeper in RI. All strong, healthy fish.”

Squeteague have already made their presence known this year with two caught in Greenwich Bay said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence. This dark olive green fish was once very popular in Rhode Island waters then almost disappeared for several years. For the past few years more and more are being caught. Squeteague is a great eating fish, know as salt water trout. Legal size in RI is 16” with a limit of one fish/person/day.
Squid are in according the Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle. “Customers have found them in Jamestown, Newport and Little Compton.”, said Dave. Squid and striped bass often arrive together so if you find one, your find the other.

Cod fishing remains soft said Captain Drew Dangelo of Maridee Charters, Narragansett, RI.

Tautog fishing is good with keepers caught this week at Conimicut Light, Plum Light House, Coddington Cove, General Rock, Hope Island and other favorite places. Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said, “They have not moved to low water yet, they are still in deep water.” I saw Ken Thursday as he was clearing three nice keepers in the 20 plus inch range. He said, “We caught them with clam worms.” This is the bait of choice for many tautog anglers this time of year. Jeff Barker of Warwick and avid angler and member of the West Bay Anglers said, “We fished in the lower bay last week and had great luck. We keep ten fish but released all the females.” Asian crabs are present in the Warwick Neck area as anglers search the beaches turning over rocks for this favorite tautog bait.

Bring (seven) fish to your holiday table

Chris Catucci of Warwick, RI with two of the twenty bass he caught last week at Warwick Lake.

Dave Fewster teamed up with Rick Sustello to land eighteen keeper cod last weekend at the East fishing grounds off Block Island. Dave said, “The Point Judith jig was the exact size and similar shape of the small rock crabs they were feasting on.”

Bring (seven) fish to your holiday table
As a child I wasn’t aware of the “seven fishes” eaten on Christmas Eve. All I knew is that I liked eating fish and we had a lot of it on Christmas Eve. We had fish because you had to fast (abstain from meat), just as you had to fast every Friday back then. This is what Italian Catholic families did. And, it is where eating “seven fishes” on Christmas Eve came from.
There are many theories why the tradition of “seven” fish came into being. Some say for the seven days it took to make the earth, others say it pays tribute to the last seven of the Ten Commandments, which relate to human interaction, and still others say it reminds us of the seven deadly sins. However, some in Italy do not have a tradition of seven fish but rather one of twelve fish (for the twelve apostles) or a thirteen fish tradition (for the twelve apostles plus one for Jesus). So no matter one fish or thirteen, many Italian families have the tradition of eating fish on Christmas Eve.
What type of fish do people eat? My family often started with antipasto with anchovies (no meat), snail salad, fried smelts, baccala (dry cod fish preserved in salt that is soaked for days to get the salt out), stuffed squid in a red sauce over linguini, baked white fish (haddock, cod or hake), baked stuffed shrimp and stuffed quahogs.
As fishermen, it is nice to bring fish to our holiday table. Fishing is such a big part of our lives and is one of the few natural foods we can catch, clean, prepare and eat much the way people have for centuries.
Here are two fish recipes for the holidays.

Sandy’s tasty fish casserole
Sandy Ducharme of East Greenwich, RI is a great friend and great cook. She (and her husband Gerry) prepared a fish casserole for us this past weekend. Not a milky, gooey casserole but a lightly baked dish of rice pilaf, cod, sea scallops and jumbo shrimp. Sandy said, “It is a great recipe for entertaining because you can make it ahead of time and then just bake it prior to dinner.”
Ingredients (serves eight)
2 pounds of white fish (cod, haddock or hake)
16 sea scallops, two per person
16 large shrimp (uncooked), two per person
½ cup lemon juice
½ stick butter or margarine
½ to ¾ cup lemon pepper panko bread crumbs (Sandy uses Progresso)
2 packages Far East rice pilaf
½ cup parmesan cheese
Cook rice pilaf as directed on package and set aside. Melt butter and mix with bread crumbs and set aside. Coat fish and shrimp (not scallops) with lemon juice, set on paper towel and pat dry. Place half of cooked rice pilaf on the bottom of a 9” x 12” baking dish. Place white fish on top of rice, sprinkle half of the butter/bread crumbs and cheese over white fish, place sea scallops and shrimp on top, place remaining rice on top of scallops and shrimp then sprinkle remanding butter/bread crumb mixture and top off with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Sandy said, “When the shrimp turns pink it’s done.”

Captain Dave’s Linguini with white quahog sauce
Ingredients:
½ cup virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced (or 4 teaspoons chopped garlic from jar)
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley (plus four to five good pinches)
½ cup dry white wine
½ lemon juice
red pepper
3 dozen (scrubbed) littleneck quahogs (1 ½ to 2 inches)
meat of 6 to 8 large quahogs cut-up and cleaned (optional)
1 pound linguini pasta

Scrub littleneck quahog shells thoroughly and put them aside. Cook linguine while making recipe. Heat extra virgin olive oil in heavy pasta pan over medium heat, cook garlic in oil until golden brown (about one minute). Add and stir in 1/3 cup chopped parsley and all the unopened little necks, let simmer for two minutes. Add wine and let simmer for one minute. Add lemon and the meat of six to eight large quahogs cut up and cleaned (extra quahog meat is optional; if I catch them I put them in). Add red pepper to taste. Cook for eight to ten minutes or until all quahogs are open. Discard quahogs that are not open. Lower heat and put in one pound of cooked linguini and toss the entire mixture, put into large pasta bowl, then garnish with four pinches of fresh parsley. (This recipe is a variation of one I first saw in the May, 2002 issue of Bon Appétit magazine by Lori Demori.)

Where’s the bite
Freshwater. Chris Catucci of Warwick, RI said, “The fall bass fishing bite reached its peak last week. My friend and I got about 20 bass each, fish seemed very aggressive and the best producing baits were white chatterbaits and chrome lipless crankbaits. The fish were in shallow water fattening up for winter. It was a great day at Warwick Lake.”
Cod fishing is picking up nicely. The East fishing grounds off Block Island continues to yield nice keeper cod fish (minimum size for cod is 22” with a ten fish/angler/day limit). RISAA anglers Rick Sustello and Dave Fewster fished the East fishing grounds Friday. Rick said, “We started hooking up immediately with cod and black sea bass and an occasional dog fish. Cod were 3:1 keeper to short. The cod were beautiful and fat. They were all gagging up crabs and small lobsters…we decided to anchor over (a hot spot) and try crabs, clams and Jigs… In total we caught 18 keeper Cod up to 15 lbs on jigs, crabs and clams and nine keeper black sea bass up to 4 lbs.” Mary Dangelo of Maridee Canvas, Bait & Tackle, Narragansett, RI said, “Shore angler customers are catching cod for shore, no keepers reported, but still this is a good sign.”
Blue fishing. Anglers along the southern coastal shore are reporting great action. Dave Garzolie said on the RISAA blog that he fished the Charlestown Breach way from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning. Dave said, “The primary baitfish appeared to be sea herring. I caught fish on almost every cast. I was throwing a 2 ounce pencil popper.”
Striped bass fishing is good along the shore. Mary Dangelo said, “I weighted in a 25 pound bass last week that was caught by a shore angler off Matunuck Beach.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence, RI said, “A customer caught nineteen keeper bass in the 30” range snagging and live lining menhaden under the I-195, I-way bridge at 2:30 a.m. on an incoming tide.” Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence said, “This Monday customers reported catching keeper bass at India Point Park (Providence) using surface plugs.”
Tautog. Captain John Sheriff said, “(This weekend) we fished for Tautog off Newport area reefs. Limits of keeper Tautog each day. Fished in 55 feet of water on Friday with excellent sea conditions for December. Fished in water up to 90 feet on Saturday which produced three nice keeper cod on crabs in addition to the limit of Tautog.”

Menhaden board votes to reduce catch limits

Menhaden purse seine skiffs of the FV TIDELAND in the Chesapeake Bay near Reedville, Virginia. Vessels like these are owned by Omega Protein, a fish reduction company, that many say is a monopoly as they are responsible for harvesting 80% of all menhaden on the east coast.

Menhaden Board votes to reduce catch limits
Last week the menhaden won. They won because the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Menhaden Board voted to reduce the amount of menhaden that can be caught. The ASMFC regulates commercial and recreational fishing on a coast wide basis. This action is expected to put an end to overfishing and allow the species to reach sustainable levels.
Menhaden are used by recreational anglers as bait for striped bass and are harvested commercially for use as bait in lobster pots, sold to bait shops, etc. However, 80% of all Atlantic coast menhaden are harvested by one reduction industry company, Omega Protein of Reedville, Virginia. Last year Omega harvested 404 million pounds of menhaden for use in pet food, live stock feed, fertilizer and fish oil pills.
Over that past month the ASMFC held several public comment hearings up and down the Atlantic coast on menhaden asking for comment on several menhaden regulation options including one for status quo (no change) to as much as a 45% reduction.
The menhaden committee first voted on a new threshold. Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (Rhode Island’s largest recreational fishing association with over 6,500 members) said, “(RISAA advocated) to change the threshold to 15% of Maximum Spawning Potential (MSP). This means if the mature population of menhaden falls below 15% it will be considered overfished.” Over 91,000 individuals and organizations commented in favor of a 15% threshold and only 35 said “Status Quo”.
The second issue was the establishment of a new management target. Medeiros said this means, “How much of the mature fish must be left in the water… the result was a unanimous vote to approve a 30% target which was exactly what we hoped for.”
The next steps for the ASMFC Menhaden Board will be is to recommend ways to achieve the new goals. Regulations similar to the ones in force here in Rhode Island for State menhaden regulations are some of tools ASMFC fish managers will be considering. Regulations relating to boat size and gear, allowed, aerial stock assessments by plane and helicopter, etc.
The vote was a great win for recreational anglers, conservationists and and most of all the menhaden.

New wind turbine for Fishermen’s Memorial State Park
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management cut the ribbon on a new, 100 kW wind turbine at Fishermen’s Memorial State Park and Campground in Narragansett this past Monday. The 117-foot, Northwind 100 kW wind turbine will supply about half of the electrical needs for this popular state park and campground each year. The wind turbine and accompanying online “green energy dashboard,” will show the amount of clean energy being produced at Fishermen’s Memorial and will be available to campers and the general public beginning next spring.
DEM’s Marine Fisheries Division holds public hearing
The Marine Fisheries Division of DEM held a public hearing on Wednesday, November 9 at the University of Rhode Bay Campus in Narragansett. DEM took public comment on a variety of items including commercial summer flounder, scup and black sea bass quota management options. Public comments were also taken on a cod fillet law. Public comment seemed to be in support of the third option presented which was to allow filleting of cod at sea with the retention of cod carcasses so law enforcement can make sure recreational anglers are adhering to minimum size requirements. All species management options will go before the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council for consideration.
Where’s the bite
Tautog fishing was fair this week as anglers had difficulty getting out and fishing with high winds and seas. The Seven B’s, a party boat out of Galilee, RI reported good fishing early in the week with several customers limiting out with a nine pound tautog taken Monday. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “Customers are fishing at the Coddington Cove, Middletown jetty outside and inside the jetty when Coast Guard vessels are not docked there.” Sunday there were fifteen boats fishing the jetty early in the day with most boats leaving as winds picked up to 25 to 30 miles per hour. A quick current and high winds make fishing difficult. Francis Fleet party boat captains out of Pt. Judith, Narragansett reported a fair day of tautog fishing this past Sunday with the largest fish weighing in at seven pounds.
Cod fishing is picking up as the water cools and black sea bass fishing is good. Francis Fleet cod anglers landed all their cod in the first hour of the day Sunday and then the bite was off. The largest cod was fifteen pounds, however, anglers caught at least six black sea bass each.
Striped bass are migrating and on the move, so either you’re on them or not. Shore angler Dave Pickering and his sons landed up to two-hundred school bass this week along southern coastal beaches using Cocahoe Minnow and a variety of swim baits. Isolated reports of anglers landing bass in the Narragansett Bay and the bass site on Block Island has softened said Captain Rick Bellavance.

Fly tying fun for all

George and Michael Fotiades of Narragansett, RI enjoy tying flies at a United Fly Tyers of RI monthly meeting last week. George, eleven years old, has been fly tying for three years.

Four year old Liam Palumbo of North Kingstown, RI with the first tautog he ever caught this weekend off the north end of Hope Island on No Fluke Charters.

Richard Palumbo (seven years old) of North Kingstown, RI caught his first tautog this weekend (and the fifth fish of is lifetime as he was proud to claim) this past Sunday.

Chris Catucci of Warwick, RI with the bass he caught last week at Warwick Pond.

Fly tying great fun for men, women and children
“Just fluff it up, like this, to give it that 3-D effect.” said Mike Maddalena as he instructed saltwater fly fisherman on how to make a Peanut Bunker (juvenile menhaden) fly. The Peanut Bunker fly ended up being about four inches in length. All five anglers at his table including, Jim Mancini of East Greenwich, RI, watched intently as Mike fluffed up his fly strategically being held in place by his fly vice as he instructed the group.
Maggie Grenier of Jamestown, RI has been fly fishing for over ten years with her husband and tying flies for about five years. “We fly fish together, but I do most of the tying. We usually fish freshwater even though we are surrounded by saltwater in Jamestown.” Maggie and the group at her table were tying what you might call a juvenile May Fly… a blue winged olive emerger.
Michael Fotiades and his son George from Narragansett, Rhode Island were tying a bass bug diver fly that used a Stacking Deer Hair technique at an intermediate skill level table. Mike said, “George is eleven years old and he has been tying for three years now. He first started with the United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island’s Junior Program for youth and now has advanced to tie intermediate level flies. We fly fish together, both salt and freshwater so living in Narragansett is ideal.”
I experienced these and other fly fishing and fly tying stories from men, women and children at last week’s United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island’s (UFTRI) monthly fly tying workshop held at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 475 Post Road, Warwick, RI. They meet there the first Wednesday of each month from September to May at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend and try fly tying at no cost the first time, then if you like it, become a member for $30 a year and receive expert instruction and fly tying materials for the entire year.
Each month 40 to 60 members in groups of five or six meet to tie flies. The UFTRI has an online catalog of flies on their web site at www.uftri.org . Members who see a fly in the catalog that they would like to learn how to tie can request it as one of the five or six featured flies they focus on each month. The UFTRI meeting I attended last week was great. Club members and volunteers are very welcoming to newcomers and beginners and it was obvious that members enjoy each other’s company, that they meet to tell stories, learn from each other and often end up fishing together.
Peter Burgess, UFTRI vice president, said, “The first thing we tell people when they come in the door is just try it tonight, don’t give us your $30 membership fee until you think you might like to join.” No need to be concerned if you do not have the tools. Peter, UFTRI president Mike Maddalena or one of their fellow club volunteers will greet you at the door and set you up with a fly tying kit for the night that includes a vice. For information visit their website at www.uftri.org .

NOAA considers whether river herring should be on endangered species list
NOAA has determined that a petition to list alewife and blueback herring, collectively referred to as river herring, under the Endangered Species Act presents enough scientific and commercial information to merit further review. As a result, the agency will conduct a formal review of river herring population status and trends. If NOAA determines that a listing is appropriate, the agency will publish a proposed rule and take public comment before publishing a final decision. However, if NOAA determines that that listing these species is not appropriate, the process ends.
Both alewife and blueback herring are found in coastal waters and rivers from Canada to North Carolina, although blueback herring’s range extends farther south to Florida. Both species are managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Rhody Fly Rodders to meet Tuesday, November 15
Rhody Fly Rodders, the oldest saltwater fly fishing club in America, will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, November 15th. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a short session of fly tying, with Steve Messier tying Atlantic salmon flies and Armand Courchaine tying his favorite Striped Bass Fly. At 7:30 p.m., a slide presentation on Tarpon fishing, and the story of artist, Armand Lamontagne's carving of Ted Williams will be presented by Gene Matteson. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held at the Riverside Sportsman Association, Mohawk Drive (off Wampanoag Trail, ¼ mile north of the WPRO radio station) in East Providence.
Where’s the bite
Striped bass. RISAA angler Joe Petuli said, “Caught about eight fish mid morning (Saturday) around Conimicut Light, all on the troll fishing amongst the birds. (Striped) Bass were deeper (used down rigger)and a couple were in the 32-34" range. Two heavy bluefish came on top… blues were spitting juvie menhaden. All fish released.” Striped bass bite has slowed around Block Island but some great fish still being caught.
Tautog fishing is fair to good when anglers can get out due to rough seas last week. Captain Rich Hittinger said he fished the Seal Ledge area off Newport early last week catching keepers with shorts mixed in with rough water. This weekend I had the pleasure of tautog fishing with Liam (four years old), his brother Richard (six years old) and their dad Richard Palumbo from North Kingstown. The boys caught their fist tautog ever off the north side of Hope Island. Tom Pelletier an associate at Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown, said, “Customers are catching fish off Newport and southern coastal shores.” Dave Howe on the RISAA blog reports, “All keepers on Brenton Point today (Sunday) in 30 to 35 feet.” The Seven B’s party boat out of Galilee, RI reported a good black fishing day Saturday with a few limits on the boat with the largest fish over seven pounds.
Fresh water. Angler Chris Catucci of Warwick, said, “ I was fishing Warwick pond for a couple of hours this weekend and ended up getting a couple nice bass on a finesse jig. Seems like this time of year you don't get many bites but the ones you do happen to get are good sized bass.”

Fall fishing in full swing

Chris Bellavance with a black sea bass caught off Block Island on Priority Too Charters out of Point Judith.

Perfect sunset… angler Tom Peters of Warwick caught this 15.6 pound bluefish on his way back from Block Island this weekend in front of Quonset Point, North Kingstown. The bluefish was caught on menhaden that was put back into the school he snagged it from (the school is the circular ripple behind him in the upper right corner of the photo).

Fall fishing in full swing

Bay Scallop season to open in RI
The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced that the bay scallop harvest season opens at sunrise on Sunday, November 6 and continues until Saturday, December 31 at sunset. Residents can take up to one bushel of scallops per day without a license, and commercial license holders can take up to three bushels per day/per boat from state waters. Non-license holders cannot offer scallops for sale. Harvesters are reminded that possession of seed scallops is prohibited. Legal scallops possess a defined, raised, annual growth ring.
To protect scallops and bottom habitats from dredge damage, scallops can be harvested by dip-net only from a boat from November 6 through November 30. Dredging will be allowed after November 30 to access remaining adult scallops residing in deeper waters. Additional information on bay scallop harvesting is available on the DEM website at www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/fishwild/rimf5.pdf .

West Bay Anglers weekly “Lobster Raffle”
The West Bay Anglers will hold its first weekly “Lobster Raffle” on Saturday, November 5 at the Fraternal Order of Police Loge #7 in Warwick, RI. They raffle off a lot more than lobsters. They actually raffle hundreds of prizes throughout the year; from flat screen TV’s to turkey’s, roasts and lobsters. Lunch for a great price is available throughout the two to three hour event each Saturday. The “Lobster Raffle” events run throughout the fall and winter months. Pam Tameo, president of the West Bay Anglers, said, “We raised about $16,000 last year with our Lobster Raffles, half went to this Take-a-Kid-Fishing initiative and half went to the non-profit Impossible Dream.” For information e-mail Pam Tameo at wbapamtam@cox.net .
Rhody Fly Rodders to meet October 18
The Rhody Fly Rodders first fall meeting will take place Tuesday, October 18, 6:30 p.m. at the Riverside Sportsman Club off the Wampanoag Trail on Mohawk Drive. The Rhody Fly Rodders is the oldest American salt water fly fishing club. Captain Bob Hines will speak about Steelhead Fishing in the upper New York State area. The meeting will start with a cookout. For information contact member Peter Nilsen at pdfish@fullchannel.net .
Public Hearings on Menhaden
A public hearing on menhaden quotas for 2012 was held Wednesday, October 5 by the Atlanta States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) at the URI Bay Campus, Narragansett, RI. The meeting was held to discuss comments on proposed regulations as the menhaden population has declined by 88 percent in the last three decades. Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Salt Water Anglers Association (RISAA), and RISAA members, proposed a 37 percent reduction for a total harvest of 143,200 metric tons. This is a very important species for salt water anglers. Historically menhaden has comprised 70 percent of the diet of the striped bass. They now account for just 7 percent and bass, particularly in the Chesapeake, have shown signs of malnutrition. One company Omega Protein of Reedville, VA landed over 80% of the menhaden, the remaining 20% was landed by commercial bait boats and recreational anglers as ASMFC records show. The ASMFC will take regional hearing input into consideration as it develops menhaden regulations for 2012 at their November, 2011 meeting.
Public comments can still be submitted until 5 p.m. Nov. 2, 2011. Direct them to Toni Kearns at tkerns@asmfc.org or by mail at Toni Kearns, AMFSC, 1050 N. Highland St., Suite 200 A-N, Arlington, Va, 22201.

Clarification of scup and black sea bass regulations
Captain Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association, said some anglers have been confused about scup and sea bass regulations between state and federal waters. So here is the scoop Images are not displayed
Display Images
:
Scup regulations: in Federal Waters (Outside of 3 Miles) is June 8th to September 26th open at 10 fish per person 10.5 inches. Closed after September 26th. Scup in State Waters (Inside 3 Miles) October 12th to December 31st shore and private anglers as well as party and charter boats are at a 10 fish/person/trip limit. Fish have to be 10.5 inches for private anglers and 11 inches for party and charter boats.
Black Sea Bass regulations: in Federal Waters is May 22nd to October 11th open at 25 fish per person 12.5 inches, October 11th to October 31st Closed, November 1st to December 31st open at 25 fish 12.5 inches. Black Sea Bass in State Waters for recreational anglers and party/charter boasts is July 11th to December 31st open at 12 fish per person 13.0 inches.
Where’s the bite
Scup fishing has been outstanding. Anglers Rich Jones of East Greenwich and Peter Sousa of Warwick caught several keeper size scup while tautog fishing on No Fluke Charters on the North and South sides of Hope Island this weekend. The largest was a nice eighteen-inch fish. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence said the scup bite continues to be strong at Colt State Park in Bristol and around Prudence Island. Captain Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters said, “I enjoy bottom fishing and I anxiously await mid fall's approach as this is prime bottom fishing season. The Black Sea Bass, Scup and Tautog fishing around Block Island has been spectacular this year, we even had a couple keeper Cod in the mix already.”
Black sea bass bite has been good with anglers taking fish while tautog fishing as well as when targeting the species directly. They are taking green crabs from tautog anglers and squid stripes from anglers targeting the species. Fair amount of fish being caught off Newport as well, with a few fish in the Bay but the big bite seems to be around Block Island. Captain Rich Hittinger, RISAA vice president, said he fished for black sea bass at Block Island, “The action was non-stop on rock piles in 35 to 45 feet of water. The only problem was there were so many small scup you had to catch a dozen or more of them to get one keeper sea bass. We caught 1 - 20” fluke on a scup rig also.”

Striped bass fishing at Block Island remains good although it is not as outstanding as it has been the past couple of weeks. Anglers taking small and large fish with eels but they are as plentiful. A few fish are being caught under the menhaden schools that are in the West Passage of the Bay. Angler Mike Swain of Coventry related he has been catching bass with chucks and live menhaden in the West Passage from the mouth of the Bay to Quonset Point… anywhere you usually find bass. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said customers have been catching bass by snagging porgies they find in the West Passage, cutting them up into chunks and then sending them down on the edges of the menhaden school to the bottom with sinkers to get them beyond the bluefish.

Menhaden. Dave Henault of Ocean Sate Tackle, Providence, commented on the common reference to menhaden schools as being menhaden pods. He said, “Mammals swim in pods, finfish swim in schools.” So as Dave related, the menhaden pods you see in the Bay are not pods, they are schools.

Tautog fishing reports in the Bay have been spotty. Most anglers are catching fish but the keeper to short ratio has not been good. Some good fish being caught along the coastal shore on rock piles off Narragansett and around Block Island.

Bluefish. No schools on the surface reported yet monster blues are being caught in the menhaden schools throughout the West Passage. Tom Peters of Warwick caught a monster 15.6 pound bluefish under a menhaden school off Quonset Point this weekend. Find a menhaden school and you likely have found bluefish, now all you have to do is catch one.