Striped bass bite improves... five more ways to catch them

Michael Weaver of Plymouth, New Hampshire caught this keeper bass aboard No Fluke Charters of East Greenwich using a weighted T-Man bubble gum tube & worm while fishing in 13 feet of water north of Conimicut Light.

Alan Stewart of Westport, Massachusetts with bass he caught off Prudence Island in 80 feet of water using a whole native squid.

Craig (left) and Jay Conway (right) of North Kingstown, Rhode Island fished No Fluke Charters on Memorial Day and caught six striped bass, the largest was 32”.

Striped bass bite improves... five more ways to catch them
Striped bass fishing continues to improve in Narragansett Bay, along southern coastal shores and around Block Island. Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters, Pt. Judith, RI said he and his parties have been catching nice bass off Block Island. Rick said, “The keepers were 29” and in the low 30”s… perfect for eating”. Alan Stewart of Westport, MA said he “Caught a striped bass in the mid - 30”s near Prudence Island using native squid on the bottom in 80 feet of water. We also caught a 24 inch fluke in 50 feet of water - first time for a fluke in that area as the bottom was rocky.”

Tony Lauro fished outside of Allens Harbor in North Kingstown and said, “As I finished letting the line out on a white umbrella rig, I caught a fish on it before I even got it back in the rod holder. 15 minutes later, caught another on the Rapala (a diving swimming lure). Both fish were 29" and caught in 25 feet of water trolling between 3 and 3.5 knots.”

Monday the bass bite was on in the East Passage. Jay and Craig Conway caught six bass, the largest 17 pounds, 32”. Sunday morning I caught two keepers at 29” and 30” in Greenwich Bay between Sally Rock and Sandy Point. Saturday Michael Weaver of Plymouth, New Hampshire fishing on No Fluke Charters caught nine bass and two keepers north of Conimicut Light. The restricting of menhaden boats north of Conimicut Light and in Greenwich Bay has improved fishing.

Bob Oberg said he “Fished the upper bay this Saturday from 5:30 am to noon in my kayak. Caught 18 stripers, including 7 keepers to 35 inches. Most fish were in the 26" - 30" range with tube and worm. Was hoping to snag pogies, but I only saw about a 3 foot circle of them rise to the surface and they were gone by the time I could put down my fishing rod and pick up my snag rod. Saw a couple of small ripples and a couple of small clouds go under my boat, but that was it.”

There are a number of ways to catch striped bass, last week I related five methods. Here are five more:

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. Surface plugs or poppers. Great way to catch school bass in the spring.
3. Swimming lures. My favorite is a grey Yozuri Crystal Minnow.
4. Parachute squid jigs. Often used in ocean water (or where there are squid). Anglers successfully use this method off Newport, Narragansett and Block Island.
5. Trolling with tube and worm. The idea is to get the bait down to where the fish are. Big fish often at bottom waiting for prey. I have found less line beneficial in tight quarters where maneuvering is tough. Use lead line in Bay and wire offshore in deeper water. Use different colored tubes until you find one that works.

Bluefin tuna stays off endangered species list
After an extensive scientific review, NOAA announced today that Atlantic bluefin tuna currently do not warrant species protection under the Endangered Species Act.
NOAA has committed to revisit this decision by early 2013, when more information will be available about the effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill, as well as a new stock assessment from the scientific arm of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the international body charged with the fish’s management and conservation.
NOAA is formally designating both the western Atlantic and eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stocks of bluefin tuna as “species of concern” under the Endangered Species Act. This places the species on a watch list for concerns about its status and threats to the species.
“NOAA is concerned about the status of bluefin tuna, including the potential effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill on the western stock of Atlantic bluefin, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “We will revisit the status of the species in early 2013 when we will have a new stock assessment and information from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the oil spill. We will also take action in the interim if new information indicates the need for greater protection.”

DEM opens Bay Line, call 222.888

The Department of Environmental Management announces that its seasonal 24-hour Bay Line telephone information line is now open. The Bay Line number, 222-8888, is toll-free within the state.

Bay Line provides Rhode Islanders with a central telephone number to leave a recorded message about any sign of Bay-related environmental problems throughout the summer season for appropriate follow-up. It also offers updates on water quality in Narragansett Bay, and referral numbers for information about any current restrictions on beaches or fishing. Callers may also pose questions about the Bay.

Reports of Bay water quality conditions, updated weekly on Bay Line, are compiled from data provided by a network of monitoring stations in the Bay that monitor oxygen, temperature, salinity, pH levels, and, in some cases, water clarity and the presence of algae blooms. The Department, in cooperation with the University of Rhode Island, has begun the seasonal deployment of additional monitoring instruments.

Where’s the bite

Striped bass fishing is outstanding. Fished the upper Bay last week and the striped bass were pushing the bait to the surface, you might have thought they were bluefish. Took two fish, one 30" and one 33" fish using T-Man weighted bubble gum tubes in 13 feet of water as close to the bottom as we could get them.
Blue fish bite is good. I caught ten small blue fish off Buttonwoods in Warwick using a large surface popper this past Sunday. Lenny Lake of Warwick a fly fisherman said he has been catching 8 to 10 bass per outing in Greenwich Bay and Cove. Last Thursday he was landing a 20” striper, just ready to pull the fish into the boat, when a twelve pound blue fish came up out of the water and bit the striper in half.

Fluke fishing is good with fish just starting to get big. Francis Fleet reports fish to eleven pounds taken this past weekend with most customers taking home two to three nice fish. This fishery is expected to do nothing but accelerate over the next three to four weeks as the bio-mass has been enhanced and the legal size has been reduced to 18 ½ “ by DEM this year.

Squid fishing remains good this week. They are still here.

Favorite ways to catch striped bass

Dave Sweet of Narragansett used a Tony Accetta #14 chrome spoon with yellow feathers to catch this 33” striped bass off Narragansett. Dave said, “They mimic the sand eels pretty well”.


Favorite ways to catch striped bass

The reports are in… striped bass are all over Narragansett Bay and along southern coastal shores. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said, “A customer caught a 38” fish off Hope Island and Jamestown this week.” Al Conti of Snug Harbor Marina said the bass are making their presence known at Block Island’s North Rip. Good reports of school bass with keepers mixed in all along the East Passage and even a good bite in Greenwich Bay (perhaps keeping the menhaden boats out of Greenwich Bay and the upper East Passage is working).
With all this action why is it that some days, you just cannot get a bite… you scour waters trolling lures and tube & worm, cast in the shallows and around structure with soft plastics, hard plastics and surface poppers. You hit all your favorites spots, where you have caught fish and where others have caught fish… and still… no bass.
Do not lose faith. It’s a matter of persistence, mixing it up, paying attention to water movement (tide and current) and yes trying to match what the bass are eating (or would like to eat).
Thursday at 5 a.m. I said, “Today I’ll fish Greenwich Cove… catch school bass… as the fog and time I have to fish is limiting.” Captain Jim White of White Ghost Charters (noted author and Bay fishing expert) said, “You have to mix it up… present different baits to the striped bass until you find one that works.” In the past I would try to fish with one or two favorite lures with limited success. This morning I lined up seven lures all ready to go with fluorocarbon leaders. I had two surface poppers and swimming lures and three soft plastic baits. I tried all seven, found one that worked (a Yozuri Crystal Minnow) and caught six bass in 45 minutes. So mix it up to find out what works before you settle on a bait or fishing location.


Favorite Ways to Catch Striped Bass (will share more ways to catch bass next week)
1. Trolling with umbrella rigs. Technique often used to troll off Block Island and in deeper parts of Narragansett Bay, off coastal shores with a variety of squid, shad, and eel umbrella rigs. Hook two fish at the same time and you will experience a great fight.
2. Casting soft plastics, various bait types and weights to fish different depths. Many anglers love this technique and use it successfully in the spring. Make sure the plastic baits are scented if not add some scent. Who wants to eat plastic?
3. 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.
4. Live eels. Used by shore and boat anglers, some fishing guides use this as their primary method to catch killer stripers. Hook the eel through the mouth and out one eye.
5. Live menhaden. Snag the live bait with a weighted treble hook or net them. Hook the bait through the bridge of the nose, find a pod of fish and put the live menhaden into the pod. Used when menhaden are running strong, particularly up the Providence River in early spring.

West Bay Anglers Striper Tournament
The West Bay Anglers will hold their 2011 William Beaudry Jr. Memorial Striper Tournament from June 4, 12:01 a.m. thru June 12, 1:00 p.m. First place prize for largest fish is $500 with 2nd and 3rd place cash prices too. Prizes awarded at the Warwick FOP at 1 p.m., June 12. Rules and applications online at http://www.westbayanglers.org/ or at local bait & tackle shops including Ericson’s, Johns Bait , Lucky’s, Ray’s Bait & Tackle and the Tackle Box. Entry fee is $25, open to all anglers, must register by 5 p.m., June 3rd.

Fishing tournament June 26 for visually impaired adults
The RI Lions Sight Foundation will host its 4th annual fishing tournament for Visually Impaired Persons(VIP) of Rhode Island. The half-day tournament will be held on a Francis Fleet party boat out of Galilee RI where the participants will be competing for one of several trophies and; for an opportunity to represent Rhode Island at the Lions National VIP Tourney on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in October. Applications for the tournament and on the Lions can be found at http://www.lions4sight.org/index.htm and http://www.rilions.com/ or contact Ken Barthelemy (kenbar123@aol.com) at 401-529-6173.

Where’s the bite
Striped bass fishing is great. Bass all over the Bay and off southern coastal shores. Ken Robinson caught his first bass at 32” one mile south of Popasquash Point, Bristol. Rocco Patriarca also hit his first bass with menhaden south of Colt Sate Park on Sunday… a nice 40 ½” fish was the longest of five with the heaviest fish weighing in at 24.5 lbs. Alan Stewart reports catching 20 keepers in the Westport River mostly using surface plugs. Alan said, “I also have had some luck with 3" storm shads… one side note, I've now caught two six+ pound Tautog bouncing storm shads off the rocks on the bottom in 9' of water for stripers.”
Tautog fishing in the Bay north of Hope Island in the West Passage and in Mount Hope Bay and north all the way up the East Passage to Providence has been outstanding.
Squid fishing reports have been good. Catching them in Newport and Galilee. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Most guys have been buying small Pink, Orange and Luminescent rigs.”

Where to fish opening day

Kim Bissonnette of South Kingstown fished for bass in a small pond in Wakefield this past Sunday. Kim said, “We landed six bass in 6 to 10 feet of water using 5” stick baits and Carolina rings with 3x type floating lizards (June bugs).” Opening day for trout season in RI is this Saturday.

Where to fish opening day Opening day for the trout and general freshwater season is this Saturday. The official opening time is 6:00 a.m., but the ritual will start well before this time. Often it starts with fresh coffee on the banks of a Rhode Island pond well before sunrise, a camping trip the night before, or an early morning breakfast at home. Rhode Island ponds such as Silver Spring Lake in North Kingstown will take on a festival atmosphere with tents, campers, outdoor eating and lots of anglers of all ages. If you should have the desire to participate in the ritual it does not take a lot of effort and it will create some nice memories. Ponds being stocked The Department of Environmental Management’s (DEM) Division of Fish & Wildlife announced that more than 20,000 anglers are expected to turn out at dawn on opening day. Approximately 80,000 hatchery raised brook, brown, and rainbow trout with an average individual weight of one and a half pounds are being stocked by Division staff in more than 100 ponds and streams for opening day (visit www.dem.ri.gov for a complete listing). Popular ponds that have been stocked by DEM prior to opening day include: Barber Pond, South Kingstown; Carbuncle Pond, Coventry; Chickasheen Brook, South Kingstown; Frenchtown Park Pond, East Greenwich; Hunt River, East Greenwich and No. Kingstown; J.L. Curran Reservoir, Cranston; Meshanticut Brook, Cranston; Moosup River, Coventry; Pawcatuck River in several towns; Seidel’s Pond, Cranston; Silver Spring Lake, North Kingstown; Tiogue Lake, Coventry; Tiverton Trout Pond, Tiverton; Tucker Pond South Kingstown. Several ponds on opening day are restricted to children 14 years of age and younger. Visit DEM’s web site (www.dem.ri.gov) for a listing Where to get a fresh water license and trout stamp A 2011 fishing license is required for anglers 15 years of age and older wishing to catch fish. A Trout Conservation Stamp is also required of anyone wishing to keep or possess a trout or to fish in a catch-and-release or 'fly-fishing only' area. Fishing licenses and the Trout Conservation Stamp ($5.50) can be obtained at any city or town clerk's office or authorized agent such as bait and tackle shops and Benny’s. A current list of license vendors is available on the DEM website, www.dem.ri.gov. Licenses may also be purchase on line or obtained at DEM’s Boat Registration and Licensing Office located at 235 Promenade Street in Providence. License fees remain at $18 for Rhode Island residents and current members of the Armed Forces, $33 for a combination hunting and fishing license, $35 for non-residents, and $16 for a tourist three-consecutive-day license. Anglers over 65 must have a license, which for them is free, but do not need a trout stamp.

Striped bass regulations may change for 2012 The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board has initiated development of Draft Addendum III with the goals of reducing striped bass fishing mortality up to 40% and further protecting spawning stock when it is concentrated and vulnerable. The addendum was initiated in order to allow managers to promptly respond to the results of the stock assessment update in the fall if necessary. Provisions of the addendum, if passed, could be implemented prior to the start of the 2012 fishing year. ASMFC cited a 66% decline in estimated recreational catch from 2006 to 2009, a 25% decline in striped bass abundance from 2004 to 2008, and lowered recruitment (fewer young fish) in recent years. Diminished water quality in the Chesapeake Bay during summer months that can contribute to increase mycobacteriosis in striped bass was also cited. A variety of fishing management measures including a change in bag limits and minimum size will be considered if stock assessment data in the fall indicates adjustments should be made to enhance the fishery. Tautog fishery down, more conservative regulations warranted At an ASMFC Tautog Board meeting on March 25, the committee determined that tautog overfishing has occurred since 2005. These findings and the remaining information contained in the 2011 assessment update were approved by the Board for management use. In order to end overfishing and initiate stock rebuilding, the committee approved Addendum VI which requires states to implement measures to achieve a 56% reduction in exploitation by January 1, 2012. The Technical Committee recommended implementing the target at 0.15 or lower to stop overfishing and improve chances of rebuilding. Tautog’s slow growth rate, late maturity, and spawning behavior makes it particularly susceptible to overfishing and limits stock rebuilding. Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party and Charter Boat Association and a member of the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council, represented Rhode Island at the ASMFC meeting. Captain Bellavance said, “We are likely to see stiffening of tautog regulations in Rhode Island due to the Tautog committee’s decision.” A two month hiatus in the summer (rather than one month) is likely this season. Additionally, a reduced fall bag limit to six fish/angler/day (rather than eight) is likely. A ten fish per boat maximum catch (like last year) is likely to occur as well. Rhode Island DEM director is expected to announced tautog and other saltwater species fishing regulations in the next week or two. Rhody Fly Rodders presentation on South County worm hatch Capt. Bob Hines will speak about the worm hatch in South County estuaries at the Tuesday, April 19 Rhody Fly Rodders meeting. Meetings start with “Tying Time” at 6:30 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. meeting. Meetings are held at the Riverside Sportsman’s Club, East Providence, RI. Visit www.rhodyflyrodders.com for details.

Where’s the bite Freshwater season officially starts this Saturday on opening day. Kim Bissonnette and his friend Dayton Martin (both from South County) fished a small local pond in Wakefield Sunday. Kim said, “The fish have not moved into the shallows yet, but we did find some active fish in deeper water adjacent to flats. We landed six bass… This early, and the conditions as they were (cold and windy), the best way to find some fish is low and slow.” Cod fishing is still good and crowds are small, so now is the time to give it try. Weather prohibited boats from fishing part of last week. Best bets for fishing include the Seven B’s at www.sevenbs.com and the Francis Fleet at www.francisfleet.com both out of Galilee Rhode Island. Bait Fish. Angler Peter Nilsen reports his friend Alan Libby, a fish biologist with RI Fish & Wildlife, reports that the herring (or Alewives) are in along South County streams. This is very good news as the spring run of striped bass cannot be far behind.