Fishing tournament for visually impaired

 Barry Gootkind of Narragansett with the 11.1 pound summer flounder he caught on the Seven B’s last Friday.

 Brandon Hagopian caught this 43 pound, 47” striped bass this week as fishing intensified in the upper Bay.

 Ken Blanchard and family fished the Providence River with Capt. Jack Sprengel of East Coast Charters and landed this bass on a live pogie last week.

Dawn McWilliams of Ithaca, NY caught her first Narragansett Bay striped bass last week, shown with Capt. Dave Monti.

Fishing tournament for visually impaired

The RI Lions Sight Foundation (RILSF) will be hosting their 9th Annual Fishing Tournament for Visually Impaired Persons (VIPs) on June 26^th aboard the Frances Fleet party boat in Galilee, RI.

The half-day tournament is free to the VIP’s and their guides and includes gifts, breakfast and the half-day of fishing from 8:00 a.m. to noon.  The fishing tournament will be followed by lunch and an awards ceremony at the Hanks’ Down South restaurant.  The three top winners will be eligible to represent Rhode Island at the Lions National VIP Fishing Tournament held on the Outerbanks of North Carolina.

There are over 2,500 visually impaired persons in Rhode Island so organizers are urging readers to please pass along information on this opportunity. For information and forms visit http://www.lions4sight.org/fish.htm or call Ken Barthelemy at 401.529.6173.

Striped bass fishing continues to improve

Live lining or fishing with chunks of Atlantic menhaden, day or night, has been the bait of choice for striped bass.

Angler Ken Blanchard Jr. said, ”We caught four nice stripers with Capt. Jack Sprengel of Warwick on East Coast Characters in the twenty pound range and one nearly thirty pounds fishing with my brothers and nephew last Friday.  We left Greenwich Marina at 5:30 a.m. and went up the Providence River.  We located the bait, snagged Atlantic menhaden and then live lined them.  We had our limit by 8:30 a.m.”

Angler Mike Swain of Coventry said, “We caught striped bass to 27 pounds in the upper Providence River this weekend and did well on Monday.” Patti Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “Striper fishing is very good.  This weekend customers were catching stripers with chucks of Atlantic menhaden off Prudence Island at Providence Point.”  The East Passage of the Bay has been where all the action has been.  Additionally, fishing in the Mt. Hope Bay has been good.  Angler Travis Barao of East Providence said this weekend, “We left the Mt. Hope Bay area and saw over twenty boats fishing for striped bass at the Bridge.”

One of the largest fish this week was caught by Brandon Hagopian which was a 43 pound, 47” striped bass.

Capt. Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters, Pt. Judith said, “We are starting to catch some nice fish at Block Island both at the North Rip and Southwest Ledge area.  There seem to be a lot of small scup in the water so we have been using silver spoons with success.”

Noted local fly fisherman, Ed Lombardo said, “We have been fishing the Barrington River for the last week and a half and there are plenty of striped bass but they are small fish but are a lot of fun on a 6 wt. or 7wtl fly rod. Dark olive and black flies work very well because the number of mummichogs in the River. One bass was a nice 19” fish, big for what we have been getting at the Narrow River, Barrington and other rivers.  My records show that this month, June things should change the larger fish should be entering these River systems.”

Fly fish Aquidneck Island by train

On Saturday, June 4^th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the Fly Fishing Express take anglers to fish on Aquidneck Island. The train will leave from 710 Anthony Road, Portsmouth and head toward Newport stopping at hard to get to places to fish.  The train stops for lunch and then more fly fishing in the afternoon.  The cost is $15.  Register with Kim Sullivan at 401-539-0037 or email her at  Kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov.

National Seminar Series moves to Taunton

This season’s 30th Annual Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series in New England will be held in Taunton, Massachusetts.  The Seminar Series brings decades of experience and expertise to eight of the most active and engaged fishing communities in the country and this year the Taunton area will be one of them.

As the nation’s longest-running educational program on recreational marine fishing tactics, the series covers the how-tos and where-tos of catching gamefish. Every seminar is hosted by George Poveromo, host of “World of Saltwater Fishing” on NBC Sports, with the help of local fishing experts and captains.

Each seminar is five hours and covers a variety of tailored topics relevant to the regional fishing environment, including weather conditions, controlled-depth fishing, tools and technology, and the effects of tides and temperature on fish. The series employs a team-teaching concept, where four experts take the stage for each session.

The first seminar is scheduled for January 7 in Fort Myers, Florida and the session in our region is scheduled for March 4 in Tauton, Massachusetts.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing remains strong in the Bay with fish getting larger.  Bass bite is starting on Block Island and fish continue to be landed along the southern coastal shore. See above column.

Fluke fishing was mixed last week with rough seas and turbid water.  As the water clears and warms the bite is expected to improve and move closer to shore.  The Frances Fleet reported a fair fluke bite last week.  Capt. Frank Blount said, “Fishing OK for this time of year considering that water temperatures are still not ideal due to the cool spring weather.” Fish being caught are close to shore along the coastal shore where the water is lower and warmer.  Patti Ferrara of Ray’s Bait said, “Fluke are being caught in the Jamestown Bridge area this weekend.”  I made a test run for fluke off Newport, Jamestown and the Newport Bridge area and did not hook up early this week but did manage to catch and release some nice black sea bass in the process.  Eric Duda reported on the RISAA blogg that he fished the Sakonnet River this weekend for fluke.  Duda said, “ We caught four fluke… a 17.5”, 18” and two 19” fish along with six keeper seabass were released because they are out of season and scup to nearly two pounds.  Most fish were caught in 20 to 30 feet of water.”

Squid fishing last week was slow with dirty water but reports over the weekend were expected to improve and they did as the water cleared and warmed up a bit.  I fished the Frances Fleet for squid with the RI Saltwater Anglers group Saturday night and caught about 12 squid which was about the average on the boat with some angler catching a lot more and some less.

Freshwater fishing improved over the weekend at waterways restocked with trout by the Department of Environmental Management.  Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a list of ponds that have been restocked. Angler Harold Hemberger said, “I fished the Curran Reservoir off Seven Mile Road in Cranston on Saturday. I caught seven largemouth bass - all on top water lures.  I saw several people fishing from shore doing well catching some fairly large trout.”  

Rock stars on the high seas

 

Captains DeFusco and Sprengle of East Coast Charters with a Wahoo they caught last year in warm August water.

  Capt. Dave Monti with a school size striped bass caught Saturday in East Greenwich Cove.

 

Gisele Golembeski with the 6.42 pound fluke she caught off Block Island this weekend.

Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) will fish once again this year at the 8^th Annual VIP Tournament being held on June 21. Call Ken Barthelemy at 401-828-0185.

 

Capt. Brandon Lake uses the ‘jig and pop’ method at East Coast Charter to land tuna.

 

 

Rock stars on the high seas

Captains Jack Sprengle, Louis DeFusco and Brandon Lake are charter fishing rock stars and the ocean is their stage. 

The three captains run small and large center console fishing boats from their East Coast Charters headquarters in Warwick, RI. They fish a 21 foot center console on Narrgansett Bay for striped bass, fluke and tautog up to a 38’ Donzi center console with three Mercury outboards  for high speed trips to fish warm water at the northeast Canyons for such species as Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, a variety of tuna, swordfish, sharks and more. 

They are a new breed of charter captain that are unconventional in their methods.  Their boats are fast, the action is fast and includes the exciting “jig and pop” approach (particularly for tuna) which places emphasis on the physicality and skill set of the individual angler as much as it does the efforts of captains and crew.

The three captains were guest speakers at a “Close to shore… offshore” presentation at a Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) meeting Monday.  Capt. Jack Sprengle took the lead talking about how they often fish the Dump, Cox’s Ledge and other areas fairly close to shore (20 to 30 miles) to catch fish normally caught further offshore.  Sprengle said, “Don’t go by fish to catch fish. We often find what we are looking for closer to shore. In recent years warm water (and warm water fish) have come closer to shore.”  

Warm water fish such as cobia (a species normally found in Florida) have been caught in Narragansett Bay, off Newport and off Jamestown in the past couple of years, never mind the warm Gulf Stream spires targeted by Captains Sprengle and DeFusco.  Capt. Sprengle said, “What we look for is structure, temperature and water clarity.  Sometimes we find gin clear tropical water even at the Mudhole.” 

East Coast Charters utilizes their private network of captains and fishermen, social media and satellite imaging services to plan trips and find fish for customers.  Capt. Lois DeFusco said, “If you are going for a 130 mile ride to find fish, you have to get it right.”   East Coast Charters is all about using the latest tools and technology to find, hook and land fish.

“Last year we did really well with Wahoo.” said Capt. Sprengle.  “We start looking for Wahoo usually around August when water temps reach 76 + degrees. We use chlorophyll charts to find the clearest water we can then search hard for floating debris. We will attach short sections of wire to our baits and troll at higher speeds up to nine knots for them but prefer jigging and casting to them when possible. When conditions permit we will even jump in and spear fish them.” said Sprengle.

Visit www.eastcoastchartersri.com for more information about East Coast Charters.

 

Introduction to Freshwater Fly
The Department of Environmental Management will hold a fly fishing seminar on Saturday, May 30 at Addieville East Farm, Mapleville, RI. The six- hour workshop will focus on equipment needs, fly tying, fly casting, basic entomology, and fishing in some of Rhode Island's premier fishing areas. Families with children 10 and older are welcome and all equipment is provided. Bring a lunch and have a great day of fishing.  Space is limited and registration is required. Fee is $15.00/person. For more information and to register call 401-539-0019 or email kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov.

VIP Tournament and Pabst relationship still brewing

The RI Lions Sight Foundation (RILSF) will host their 8th Annual Fishing Tournament for Visually Impaired Persons (VIP’s) of Rhode Island on June 21, 2015.

The Tournament which takes place on a Frances Fleet party fishing boat and is supported through donations from RI Lions Clubs, individual donors and one special corporate sponsor.  For the second year in a row, the Tournament will receive support from the Pabst Brewing Company through the Pabst Blue Ribbon Northeastern Fishing Tournament held from June through September.

 VIP Tournament includes breakfast and a half-day of fluke fishing followed by lunch and an awards presentation.  Participants vie for the opportunity to represent Rhode Island at the Lions National VIP Tourney being held in October in North Carolina. 

The event is free of charge to all VIP’s and their guides. To be eligible participants are must be legally blind, at least 17 years old, are physically able to fish from a party boat, and must be accompanied by a guide (transportation and/or guides will be provided if needed).

VIP’s and guides must fill out an application to participate.  Visit http://www.lions4sight.org/index.htm or call Ken Barthelemy at 401-529-6173 for information.

Where’s the bite

Freshwater fishing has been very good.  Angler Steve Brustein of West Warwick, RI said, “I ended up going to Johnson pond (Saturday) and caught some large mouths, a few perch, and 1 pickerel.  I was fishing with shiners (and planned to do some relaxed fishing) with the live bait doing the work, but the bite was fairly active so I went through a dozen shiners in an hour and never sat down.” 

Tautog bite is fair with anglers catching fish with few reports of big fish.  Noted local tautog expert Scott Kiefer of Coventry (he caught a 16 pound tautog in 2013) said, “Finally got the boat in and went out and was able to get a few short tautog. At least there was a bite, worms were the food of choice.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “Two customers caught their limit of tautog (three fish/angler/day) at Conimicut Light this week. Some boats did well and others did not, it’s just a matter of position and being over the fish.” “Tautog fishing picked up this week with anglers landing keepers at Hope Island, the Spindle and Ohio Ledge.” said John Wunner of John’s Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown.  “We have weighed in some nice fish to nine plus pounds last week but anglers are saying the bite is slow and sporadic… the fish are down there but they are just not very aggressive.” said Greg Bruning of the Tackle Box, Warwick.

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing has picked up this week with anglers catching shorts with keepers mixed in as summer flounder moves closer to coastal shores.  Gisele Golembeski, who fished with her husband Saturday said, “Tried outside the West Gap... nada. We headed out to Block Island to try our luck there. Nice smooth ride over. Lots of shorts, but ended up with 3 keepers. Biggest was a nice 6.42 pound fish.”  Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait, Westerly said, “Fluke fishing has picked up.  Customers are catching keepers in 50 to 60 feet of water along the southern coastal shore.” Roger Simpson of the Frances Fleet said, “Fluke fishing has wildly improved this past weekend. (the biggest fish Friday) was caught by Chris Mace, Boston, MA with a buck tail jig at 9.2 pounds…Saturday with a handful of anglers again scoring keeper counts in the four to six per fish category, Mr. Lee from Palisades Park, NJ had the biggest fish of the day again on a jig with a fish that just hit the 10 pound mark.”  Captain Bob Masse said, “Left Oakland beach around 7:00 a.m. heading for Austin Hollow fishing for fluke. Got one keeper size 19 ½” and one sea robin. It's a start.”

“Striped bass and saltwater fishing in general exploded this week. School bass can be found in just about any cove in the Bay with soft baits and top water lures (particularly at night).  Some keepers were caught by kayak anglers fishing with tube and worm.” said John Wunner of John’s Bait, North Kingstown.  The bass bite is on this week in East Greenwich Cove said angler Steve Brustein of West Warwick who landed school bass Sunday.  “School bass in the 23” to 27” range are being caught at Sabin Point, Barrington Beach and off the bridges with anglers using clam tongue and worms.  One customer squid fishing in Bristol said the bass were working the schools of squid with one bass hitting a squid with its tail sending it flying 15’ into the air. By the way, some squid fishermen had five gallon pails full of squid.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait.  “Anglers fishing the north side of Conimicut Point from shore caught a 29” and 35” striped bass.  They said the keepers were mixed in with school bass.  Eight to ten school bass to one keeper.  The bass were feeding on Atlantic menhaden.” said Greg Bruning of the Tackle Box, Warwick. Mike Cardinal of Cardinal Bait said, “Anglers continue to land school bass from shore with keepers mixed in along the coastal beaches.”

Scup fishing is just starting to warm up.  Roger Simpson of the Francis Fleet said, “Those folk who have tried to catch a few scup at night with fresh squid have managed a few handfuls of jumbo porgies to 1.5 pounds.”

 



Worm hatch strong, bass can be elusive

 

Squid are in:  John Migliori of Newport with a squid he caught on the Goat Island Bridge in Newport last week.  Migliori said, “Squidding at Goat Island is better than it has been in a few years.”

VIP fishing:  Visually impaired persons fish aboard the Frances Fleet party boat.   The 7^th Annual VIP Tournament will be held on June 22 this year.

Where’s the bite

With warmer weather and a lot of bait (Atlantic Menhaden and squid) in Narragansett Bay and along coastal shores fishing broke wide open this week with tautog, fluke and striped bass.  Here’s what is going on.

Striped bass bite for smaller school bass was very strong all along coastal shores and in Narragansett Bay.  Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly said, “Many fish were caught in the River (Pawcatuck) this week with s 28” keeper caught from shore at Weekapaug.”  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said, “There were more striped bass in Greenwich Bay this week than in years.  Everyone was catching school bass with an occasional keeper (one in fifty fish).”  Last week’s warming water combined with bait fish (Atlantic Menhaden) being in the Bay in large numbers seemed to be the combination of conditions needed to activate the bass.  Dave Pickering, noted author and shore striped bass fisherman said, “The hot artificial combination that has been scoring big time has been a Red Gill teaser set up on a leader along with a white, 7 1/2 inch Slug-Go at the terminal end.  The leader that holds this all  together is made with 30 lb. test mono and is about 2 1/2 feet long.  The teaser (Red Gill) dangles about 6 inches off the leader's swivel.  This is cast out and twitched along with short pulls of the rod tip as you retrieve at a slow to moderate speed.  The Slug-Go moves erratically in the water and stripers simply cannot resist slamming it.”  Several anglers have reported worm hatches in coves and rivers in both the east and west passages of the Bay with striped bass feeding on the surface.  Reports have been from Allen Harbor, East Greenwich Cove and areas in the Mt. Hope Bay area.  A few warm days have created ripe conditions for worm hatches. Fly fisherman Ed Lombardo said, “Fished the Barrington and Warren Rivers last week… we did very well in the Warren River with dark olive streamers and black colored streamers as well. A lot of mummy chubs showing in the river. The bass we caught had sea lice and where in the 12" to 18" class, lots of fish and lots of fun!”

Tautog fishing was heated up this week too.  Angler Larry Norin said he fishied off shore this week for tautog, “Left Point Judith at 7:00 a.m. Three guyes fished for two and a half hours and we caught eleven fish, nine keepers to six pounds, all on crabs in 30-40 feet of water.” Ken Landry and friend caught tautog to 11 ½ pounds using both clam worms and green crabs. “They fished at Plum Point Light, General Rock and Ohio Ledge.” said Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait.  Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters said the tautog bite has been slow as not many anglers are targeting them this spring.

Fluke fishing is heating up with commercial fishermen starting to land fish along the southern coastal beaches.  Noted fluke angler Cathy Muli said, “Got the word there's small fluke on the beach  here, draggers are working out front.”  So Cathy and her husband Pat gave it a try this weekend. “There were only three boats out (ours being one of them) from Watch Hill to Weakapaug Breachway.” They picked up a few fish, all under 18” (recreational minimum size is 18” this year, 8 fish/angler/day).  Cathy said, “I used the Jackpot Digger Jig with a new addition to the line… a fluorescent squid skirt on a glow jig head. That's what I was using tipped with a strip of squid.  Pat, on the other hand, was using the white/red bucktail jig. We got out late 12:30 p.m. stayed 2 hours… Nothing to write home about but at least we know they're moving in.”  Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet reports that, “(Last week) hi hook took home six fine keepers with everyone on board getting at least 2- 3 fish apiece to take home. Pool fish was 5 lbs…. This past Saturday's fluke fishing was also pretty good with a nice pull of keepers... From mid week on they have been marking increasing amounts of bait as well.”

Squid fishing has blown wide open with the Frances Fleet reporting great squid trips, “Patrons are landing a half of bucket (five gallon pail) each which is equal to last year’s best trip,” said Roger Simpson.  John Migliori of Newport said, “Squidding at Goat Island is better than it has been in a few years.”

Worm hatch strong, bass can be elusive

Several anglers reported worm hatches in rivers and coves in Narragansett Bay this week. All it took was a few days of warm weather. Reports are from both the East and West Passages of the Bay and we can expect worm hatches in such places as Salt Pond in Narragansett, East Greenwich Cove, Allen Harbor, Wickford Cove, the Barrington and Warren Rivers in the West Passage as well as areas in Mt. Hope Bay.

As related in an earlier column this year, fishing worm hatches for striped bass can be exciting and frustrating at the same time. Cinder worms are small spawning worms almost tadpole like in their movements.  They have a wormlike body up top with a tail that wags through the water propelling them in an erratic fashion at fast speeds in circles through the water.

Striped bass (bluefish too) key in on the spawning worms (often in May and June) and feed actively on the surface, close enough to the shore to be well in range of anglers casting with spinning reels or wading fly rod fishermen.  They are also fished from boats on saltwater ponds, coves and in saltwater estuaries of all types.

When the worm hatch is at its peak using a fly or bait that resembles a cinder worm may not be a good idea.  If there is too much bait around the bass may not bite, however, if you present something different to the bass, to gain their interest, you could hook up with some nice striped bass.  It’s all about getting the bass interested in what you have to offer and they can be finicky and difficult to catch during a hatch.  However, when the hatch starts to slow down it may be a good idea to present bait that looks like a cinder worm as the bass may be hunting for the worms as they are getting scarce. 

Fluke fishing seminar this Friday at Watch Hill Outfitters

Watch Hill Outfitters, 157 Main Street, Westerly, will hold a free seminar on summer flounder (fluke fishing) Friday, May 16 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Mike Wade, owner of Watch Hill Outfitters, said quest speakers will be Capt. Tom Logan of Fish-On-Charters and Cathy Muli of Jackpot Digger Jigs. Fishing gear and rig manufactures will be on hand as well.  Call 401.207.4952 for reservations and information.

Fluke fishing and cooking seminar May 19

A RI Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) summer flounder (fluke) fishing and cooking seminar will be held Monday, May 19.  Captains Ron Hartman and Rich Hittinger along with local fluke expert Bob Murray will share tips from over their combined sixty years of fluke fishing experience.  Chef Ralph Battista, executive chef and owner of Luigi’s Restaurant & Gourmet Express, Johnston, will talk about cooking fluke.  Chef Battista is an avid angler who also loves to fish aboard his vessel Hook’n & Cook’n.  Seminar at 7:00 p.m., West Valley Inn, Blossom Street, West Warwick.  Non-members are asked to make a $10 donation, RISAA members attend free.

Fishing Tournament for visually impaired adults

The RI Lions Sight Foundation (RILSF) will host their 7th Annual VIP Fishing Tournament for Visually Impaired Persons (VIP’s) of Rhode Island on June 22, 2014.

The Tournament, which takes place on a party fishing boat out of Galilee, RI, is supported through donations from RI Lions Clubs and individual donors. This year, the Tournament will also receive support from the Pabst Brewing Company through the Pabst Blue Ribbon Northeastern Fishing Tournament held from June through September (visit www.pbrfishing.com).

The event includes breakfast and a half-day of fluke fishing followed by lunch and an awards presentation.  Participants vie for the opportunity to represent Rhode Island at the Lions National VIP Tourney being held in October in North Carolina. 

The event is free of charge to all VIP’s and their guides. To be eligible participants are must be legally blind, at least 17 years old, are physically able to fish from a party boat, and must be accompanied by a guide (transportation and/or guides will be provided if needed).

VIP’s and guides must fill out an application to participate.  Visit http://www.lions4sight.org/index.htm or call Ken Barthelemy at 401-529-6173 for information.

DEM and DOH to Kick off Great Outdoors Pursuit this Sunday

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the RI Department of Health (DOH) will kick off their Great Outdoors Pursuit (Pursuit #1) Sunday, May 18, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Lincoln Woods State Park.  Subsequent “Pursuit” events will take place the same time of day on June 22 and July 27 with the final “Pursuit #4” taking place Saturday, August 9.   The aim of the program is to encourage Rhode Islanders to reconnect with the great outdoors, get active and have fun.

“Our Great Outdoors Pursuit gets families outdoors, where they can enjoy nature, get fit and have fun.  Reconnecting children and families with the natural world will ensure a healthy future for our children and for our planet.” said DEM Director Janet Coit.

Four of the Pursuits take place on specific dates in set locations and are guided by DEM staff and their partners. Guided Pursuits include free outdoor adventures such as biking, hiking, nature walks, fitness challenges, kayaking, fishing and rock climbing. They also include music, environmental and health-related exhibits and free raffles, give-a-ways and samples.

Teams of children and adults will be challenged to visit different facilities and take part in outdoor adventures and learn about environmental and health issues over a 12-week period. They earn points for each “Pursuit” event they attend and can win prizes valued up to $1,000 at the Grand Finale. Each team must include a minimum of two people – one member over age 18 and one member under age 18. There is no limit on the number of members that each team may have.

This year program partners include United Healthcare, Verizon, Clivus New England, Fort Adams Trust, Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, the YMCA, and Coast 93.3.

For more information contact Robert Paquette at (401) 667-6200 (robert.paquette@dem.ri.gov) or Terri Bisson at (401) 222-2776, ext. 4402 (terri.bisson@dem.ri.gov).

Fishing tournament for visually impaired adults

 Last year’s VIP winners:  Winners of last year’s RI Lions Sight Foundation Visually Impaired Persons fishing tournament for the blind are first place Louis Musco Jr., second place Elliott Mitchell and third place winner Janice Musco.

Rocky Point proposal: Kevin and Meghan Costice got engaged at the entrance of Rocky Point Park on February 29, 2012.  This was just one of the many memories shared by attendees at the Rocky Point Foundation.  Shown here with their baby boy Travis. 

Fishing tournament for visually impaired adults

The RI Lions Sight Foundation (RILSF) will host their 6th Annual VIP Fishing Tournament for Visually Impaired Persons (VIP’s) of Rhode Island on June 23, 2013.  The tournament will take place on a chartered party boat out of Galilee RI.

The Tournament is sponsored and organized by the RILSF and is supported through donations from RI Lions Clubs and individuals. The event includes breakfast and a half-day of summer flounder or fluke fishing, followed by a luncheon and awards presentation at a local restaurant. The event is free of charge to all VIP’s and their guides.  

The only requirements for eligibility are:  must be Legally Blind, at least 17 years old,  are physically able to fish from a party boat, must be accompanied by a guide, transportation and/or guides will be provided if needed.

In addition to competing for trophies in the RI Tournament, three of the top winners will be eligible to represent Rhode Island at the 2013 National VIP Fishing Tournament to be held in October on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This Tournament will also include competing in the 4^th Annual New England Lions Tourney where participants compete against VIP’s from the other participating New England states.  Rhode Island has won two out of three New England Tournaments and two of five national tournaments.

The trip to North Carolina for Tournament winners is dependent upon the availability of funding for transportation.  Donations in any amount are welcome and will cover cost of the event.  However donations for participants are voluntary.

Visit http://www.lions4sight.org/index.htm or http://www.ncvipfishing.org/ for information.

Rhody Fly Fodders set summer fishing scheduled

Rhody Fly Rodders have announced their summer meeting fishing schedule and according to Pete Nilsen members will meet around 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and fish until dark.  Members and non-members are invited to attend.  Participants are urged to bring hot dogs or burgers and a chair.  The club will provide the grille, chips and water.  Event dates and times are: Thursday, May 23, Bristol Narrows (in-coming) – High tide – approx 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, June 18 – Goddard Park (boat ramp) (out-going) – High tide – approx 3:50 p.m.;  Thursday, July 18 –– Sepowet Marsh (out-going) – High tide – approx 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, August 15 –– Quonochontaug (boat ramp) (out-going) – High tide – approx 3:00 p.m.; Thursday, September 26 –– Narrow River (Sprague Bridge) (out-going) – High tide – approx 1:30 p.m.

Erickson Bait & Tackle not for sale

Craig Castro of Erickson Bait & Tackle, 1257 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick, said, “The bait shop is not for sale, we are open welcoming all customers. The “For Sale” sign in front of our shop is the landlords, he is selling the building. We are open for business as usual.” Compete for Prizes at the 6th Annual Great 

Outdoors Pursuit

On Sunday, May 19 at Lincoln Woods State Park, the Departments of Environmental Management and Health will launch the 2013 Great Outdoors Pursuit, a summer-long program and game designed to help children, families and individuals enjoy the recreational resources Rhode Island state parks have to offer to encourage more physical activity by trying new outdoor activities. The event will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The game will take Rhode Islanders to seven different state parks and forests over a 13-week period. Teams can register for the game at: www.riparks.com. Teams of children and adults will be challenged to visit different facilities and take part in outdoor adventures and learn about environmental and health issues.

Rocky Point Foundation casts a big net

Last week the Rocky Point Foundation held a public hearing on the future of Rocky Point Park at Rhodes on the Pawtucket in Cranston and hundreds of Rhode Islanders attended sharing their ideas about possible Park uses.  In March of 2013, the sale of the remaining 82 acres of the former amusement park was conveyed to the state of Rhode Island and plans call for it to be converted into a State Park.  Suggestions at the hearing were far reaching including a camp ground, beach cabanas, a public venue for concerts, a fishing pier, a dock for recreational boating,  a water taxi service to other State Parks and a host of other ideas.  Visit www.rockypointfoundation.org for information on how to make a donation or how to get active in the Foundation.

Where’s the bite

Tautog fishing remains good with anglers often catching there limit (three fish/person/day) when fishing in popular Bay and near coastal waters including Conimicut Light, Ohio Ledge, Rocky Point, General Rock, off Narragansett and other popular tautog fishing spots.  Make sure the tide is moving when fishing.  They are biting on green crabs, Asian crabs, worms and one angler reports catching his limit using quahogs. Last week Dan O’Hara of Cranston reported caching there boat limit at Plum Lighthouse next to the Jamestown Bridge, “I went Saturday to the lighthouse next to the Jamestown bridge. We caught 20, 10 were keeper size. We started at 10:30 a.m. at dead low tide and the action picked up soon after on the incoming. Used green crabs, 4 oz sinker.”  Craig Castro of Erickson’s Bait & tackle said tautog fishing has been excellent all over the Bay with customers catching them on green crabs and worms.

Striped bass fishing remains good from shore and from boats.  Al Johnson of Warwick said, “I started fishing at 4 p.m. Sunday and caught three nice keeper striped bass, the largest being in the mid-thirty inch range when fishing from shore at Conimicut Point.” The Providence River is thick with Atlantic Menhaden. Adam Maziarz reports on the RI Saltwater Anglers Association blog Sunday, “Providence River from the Squantum Club to Bold Point was so full of pogies…that no one was catching any bass.
I went south to Prudence Island and caught a few keepers and some shorts off the north point. We even caught some 5-7 lb blues. Bass were everywhere for a few hours, busting all over the surface chasing silver sides.”  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “Striped bass fishing has been hot along the East Bay Bike Path and at Sabin Point with bass up to 44"s taking clam tongues, sea worms and pogey chunks. Bridge fishing on the bike path in Barrington and Warren has been active with a lot of schoolie bass and small tautog but persistent fishermen are rewarded with occasional keepers of both blackfish and striped bass.”

Squeteague. “Domenic Petraca caught three 10 pound weakfish (squeteague)… off Prudence Island's Mount Tom.”, said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle.

Striped bass fishing in the Bay is hot; here are ten ways to catch them

Janice Masco with a Francis Fleet mate and the fluke she caught during a past VIP Fishing Tournament. The RI Lion’s Sight Foundation has sponsored the tournament for five years. It is designed for visually impaired persons (VIP) and is June 24 this year.

Striped bass fishing in the Bay is hot; here are ten ways to catch them
Striped bass fishing has been very strong. Last Friday, noted local kayak angler Bob Oberg reported an excellent striped bass bite in mid-Narragansett Bay in nine feet of water trolling tube and worm. Bob said, “Fishing heated up at the peak of incoming tide…caught nine stripers including one 29 incher and one 35 incher. (It was) a rush to have a nice fish on the line so early in the season.” Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle called Sunday morning and said customers were experiencing a great bass bite in Mt. Hope Bay. Don Williams reports on the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association blog that he hooked up with bass big time Saturday as they fed on sand eels on a local reef. Don said, “… the largest was 34" - all stuffed with bait. All caught on the fly rod!”
These reports have been pouring in. Take advantage of the great striped bass bite. Here are ten ways to catch them.
1. Chunking fresh or frozen menhaden. You can anchor (and chum); drift fish or fish the moving bait pods with chunks. Some anglers use a weight slide to get the bait down.

2. Live menhaden. Find a school and snag live menhaden with a weighted treble hook or net them. Hook the bait through the back or bridge of the nose and put the live menhaden back into the school.

3. Surface plugs or poppers. Great way to catch school bass in the spring.

4. Swimming lures. My favorite this spring is a grey Yozuri Crystal Minnow.

5. Parachute squid jigs. Often used in ocean water (or where there are squid). Anglers successfully use this method off Newport, Narragansett and Block Island.

6. Trolling with tube and worm. The idea is to get the bait down to the bottom where the big fish are. Use lead line in Bay and wire offshore in deeper water. Place a fresh clam worm on the hook. Use different colored tubes until you find one that works. Bubble gum colored tubes seem to work in spring in the Bay, amber tubes when fishing the southwest side of Block Island.

7. Trolling with umbrella rigs. Technique often used to troll off Block Island, in deeper parts of Narragansett Bay, off coastal shores with a variety of squid, shad and sand eel baits.

8. Casting soft plastics. Many anglers love this technique and use it successfully in the spring. Make sure the plastic baits are scented if not add some scent.

9. Buck tail jigs with pork rind squid strips. Have had success with this method to get under schools of blue fish and to the striped bass on the bottom.

10. Live eels. Used by shore and boat anglers, some fishing guides use this as their primary method to catch trophy stripers. Hook the eel through the mouth and out one eye.

Tim Coleman, author and fisherman, found dead
According to local news reports, Timothy Coleman, a well known fishing columnist, book author and fisherman was found dead last Thursday on the “sand trail” in Weekapaug area of Westerly, RI. He was found near an inland pond with his fishing gear. His death did not appear suspicious. Coleman, 65, wrote a weekly saltwater fishing column for The Day newspaper for ten years and had been managing editor for The Fisherman magazine’s New England edition from 1974 to 2001.

I have quoted Tim in many of my columns and we actually met a couple of years ago at the Springfield Sportsmen’s Show. When we met, he casually mentioned he was a fishing writer. After the encounter I realized who he was and thought how humble is was for him to refer to himself as just a “fishing writer”. The Rhode Island fishing and environmental community is saddened by his death. Steve McKenna of Cranston, RI, noted shore angler and friend, said, “Tim was a wonderful guy and he will be missed.”

Fishing tournament for visually impaired
The RI Lions Sight Foundation (RILSF) will be hosting its 5th Annual VIP Fishing Tournament for Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) of RI on June 24, 2012. The half-day Tournament will be held on the Francis Fleet out of Galilee, RI. Participants will compete for trophies and the opportunity to represent Rhode Island at the Lions National VIP Tourney on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in October. The event is free of charge and includes transportation and guides if needed, gifts, breakfast and a morning of fluke fishing. Participants must be legally blind, at least 17 years of age and physically able to fish from a party boat. Applications for the tournament can be found at www.rilions.com or contact Ken Barthelemy, tournament chair, at 401.529.6673 or kenbar123@aol.com.

Where’s the bite
Freshwater fishing for trout and bass remains very strong. “Anglers continue to catch trout as some of the ponds as they have already been restocked by DEM.”, said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence. Visit www.dem.ri.gov for a list of stocked ponds.
Tautog. Elisa Martin of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown, said, “Customer George Latos caught a 9 and a 10.4 pound tautog along the southern shore.” Customers of Quaker Lane Outfitters weighed in tautog from eight to ten pound this week said Steve McKenna. “Anglers fishing off the Wharf Tavern and the Barrington bridge are catching a lot of tautog. About one in ten fish have been keepers.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait and Tackle, Riverside. He said the bite has been excellent at Conimicut Light and fair at Ohio Ledge.
Striped bass. Elisa Martin from Snug Harbor said, “Bass anglers continue to catch small fish off the west wall at the Harbor of Refuge but all are waiting for a few warm days for the worm hatch to really take hold in our ponds.” Steve McKenna noted shore angler, author and associate at Quaker Lane Outfitters said, “The fishing has been outstanding. I would rate the season as A- so far. Last Friday I caught a 20 lb bass at Matunuck.” Shore anglers have been catching bass using worms from Sabin Point to Bold Point, “32 to 37 inch fish are quite common with a lot of smaller school bass mixed in.”, said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. “The bass have now worked their way up to Pawtucket.” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle. The “String Beans” area under the power lines on the East Providence side remains hot for bass anglers.
Squid fishing was soft last week with the cold front moving in. They are expected to return as things warm up.