Bluefin tuna running hard

 Alex Appolonia of North Kingstown with the 80 pound bluefin tuna he caught last week when fishing with his father and uncle at the Dump (about 50 miles offshore).

 The Maridee II crew with the 40” bluefin they caught last week 50 miles offshore.

 A total of fifty veterans, family members, friends and care givers fished on charter boats from the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association last week.

Steve Brustein and Kevin Fetzer caught over 22 keeper fluke and black sea bass fishing in the windmill area off Block Island Saturday.

Bluefin tuna running hard

Fishing offshore can be very exciting and challenging.  You travel long distances, sometimes in rough seas and bad weather. 

However, when a bluefin tuna hits your rig going 30 miles/hour it all becomes very exciting.  And, you see things offshore that are remarkable.  Sites you do not ordinarily see along the coastal shore and in the bays.

You see porpoise, all types of whales and more exotic fish like marlin, mahi mahi and Wahoo.  And, the big prize that most seek is the tuna. 

Last week bluefin tuna (BFT) fishing exploded off Rhode Island shores.  The bluefin were not 100 miles out at the canyons, nor were they off Cape Cod but about 50 to 60 miles offshore at a place called the Dump.  Here’s what happened.

Matt Conti of Sung Harbor Marina said, “All the bait and food is at the Dump not further out at the Canyons.  Whales were at the southern sections of the dump with some large fish being caught and they are catching 40” to 60” bluefin tuna with yellowfin tuna mixed in at the northern end of the Dump.  Most guys have switched to tuna fishing from shark fishing but there are still plenty of sharks around too.”

I spoke with Matt yesterday and he said, “The northeast wind and rough seas kept boats at the dock
Tuesday and Wednesday this week, however, it may be a good thing as the water may cool just a bit and keep all the bait in place.”

Alex Appolonia of North Kingstown caught an 80 pound bluefin at the Dump Thursday.  He was fishing with his father Eric on his Uncle David Appolonia’s boat.  

Avid offshore fisherman Richard Pastore said, “We started fishing at the Fingers which is just above the center of the Dump at about 7:30 a.m. on Saturday with whales, birds, dolphin and a one degree temperature break.  Schools of medium size bluefin tuna were breaking on the surface… at 8:00 a.m. a fish hit and almost spooled me until I finally turned it.  A few minutes later we gaffed a 51” BFT which weighed about 100 pounds. An hour later the black bar hooks up again with another identical fish. Their bellies were jammed with sand eels to the point where I don’t know how they expected to swallow the 14” squid that they hit on my spreader bar.” 

Capt. Rick Bellavance said, “The charter boat Maridee II got into some 40 inch Bluefin tuna on Sunday within 50 miles from Point Judith.  “I spoke with my brother Doug Thursday at 9 a.m. and they had boated their fist bluefin.” said Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly. 

Charter Fishing Association says ‘thanks for serving’

Last Tuesday, July 26 twelve charter fishing vessels from the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association took veterans fishing aboard their vessels out of the Port of Galilee.   It was the third year in a row that veterans, many of them with disabilities, family members, friends and care givers (about fifty of them) where out on the water with charter fishing association members in Rhode Island.

Everyone on the trip caught fish.  Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the RIPCBA, said, “The veterans caught black sea bass, scup, fluke, striped bass and sea robins. We thank them all from the bottom of our hearts for their service and tremendous sacrifices.”

Jenny McLaughlin, adaptive sports case manager from the VA Boston Healthcare System said, “I continue to be humbled by the number of captains that continue to come out each year and volunteer/donate their time and boats for our Veterans to fish… the captains and mates did great accommodating each Veteran and their ability.”

Tautog season opens

The recreational tautog season opened August 1 and will run through October 14^th with a three fish/person/day catch limit.  In the next period of the season, from October 15^th to December 15^th the catch limit will jump to six fish/person/day. A maximum of ten fish per vessel applies during all periods.

Where’s the bite

Freshwater fishing has slowed with warming water.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence said, “Largemouth bass are still being caught at Turner Reservoir in Rumford and at Ten Mile River.  Pickerel perch, bass, trout and carp (on the north side) are being caught a Lincoln Woods.”

Summer flounder and black sea bass.  Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown, said, “The windmill area at Block Island was pretty good Sunday for fluke and there are plenty of black sea bass being caught too.”  Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick said, “It seems that the fluke and black sea bass action has moved south of the Jamestown and Newport Bridges and out in front.”  This weekend I fished with Kevin Fetzer and Steve Brustein at the Block Island windmills and did well with black sea bass and fluke to 24 inches. “The fluke bite is now off Block Island or along the coastal shore with few fish being caught in the Bay.” said Dave Henault of Ocean Stale Tackle.

“Bluefish in the Bay at Ohio Ledge and Barrington Beach have been big in the 12 and 13 pound range.” said Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Huge blue fish in the 40” range are being caught in the Seekonk River and other parts of the Bay.”

“The Scup bite has been very strong at Warwick Light, Sabin Point, Colt State Park, the Mt. Hope Bridge and the fish have been big… some topping 20”.” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle.  Anglers continue to catch scup around any structure in the Bay.  Add water movement that pushes around the bait and the bite improves tremendously.

“Striped bass fishing remained strong at night at Block Island and is better during the day than it was with anglers successfully using eels as bait.” said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina.  “Anglers are catching striped bass off Newport in the Brenton Reef area.” said Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait.  Neil Hayes of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown said, “Customers are catching striped bass off Newport and Jamestown using both eels and Atlantic menhaden.  Block Island has been good for bass too.”

Bonito are here.  No reports of big numbers being caught yet but anglers at Block Island and along the coastal shore have hooked up.  Angler Eric Appolonia reported catching a bonito when trolling with an umbrella rig at the southwest ledge area of Block Island two weeks ago.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle report a customer caught one in the Pt. Judith area this weekend.

Tautog season opens with a slow start… Director Coit issues “Final Decision Memo”

Members of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association recently donated 283.5 pounds of food and $100 to the Johnny Cake Food Pantry in South County. The funds and food were raised by guests and Captains of the association at their annual banquet which was held at Spain Restaurant in Narragansett.

Tautog season opens with a slow start… Director Coit issues “Final Decision Memo”

Tautog season opened this past weekend with windy and stormy weather which deterred anglers from fishing. Craig Castro, Erickson’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick, RI said, “Conditions were horrible Saturday. Thet wind was blowing hard. One of my employees works for Sea Tow and saw boats on the water that shouldn’t be there.” John Littlefield at Archie’s Bait & Tackle, East Providence, RI said, ”I had a couple of customers that fished the wharves with worms and caught a couple of shorts but that’s it.” John Wunner of John’s Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown, RI, said, “I had no customers that went tautog fishing this weekend, the weather was terrible. But the fresh water business has been good. We sold a lot of minnows. Customers are doing well with bass in local ponds.”

The weather caused a slow start to the tautog season this past week. Bad weather on Saturday and Sunday prevented most from fishing. Tautog has been identified as an overfished species. Tougher regulations (see below) were put into effect last year and this year to help rebuild the fishery.

Fishing community wants stiffer penalties for striped bass poachers

Commercial and recreational striped bass organizations expressed their point of view on stiffer penalties for striped bass poachers. Testimony was heard last week by the Senate Marine Fisheries Committee, chaired by Senator Susan Sosnowski (D-North Kingstown and New Shoreham).

Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) and RI Marine Fisheries Council member, said, “Striped bass belong to all of the people in the state of Rhode Island… so poaching hurts us all… it is an outrage.” Medeiros continued, “Striped bass are worth about $100 each, yet fines for catching them illegally are only $25 per fish. We need tougher laws to deter poaching.”

Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party and Charter Boat Association (RIPCBA) said, “The Rhode Island Party and Charter Boat Association supports tougher penalties for those taking striped bass illegally”. Chief Steven Hall of the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) Division of Law Enforcement said, “Some people are earning as much as $3,000 per weekend poaching striped bass from fishing grounds such as Block Island. We are advocating for enhanced penalties in part to deter poaching due to the lack of manpower. If poachers find their behavior profitable and know we might have difficulty enforcing the law due to manpower they are encouraged. Stiffer penalties will serve as a deterrent.” Chief Hall cited a Rhode Island poaching case last year where DEM law enforcement officers found eleven illegal striped bass in a secret compartment on an angler’s boat.

Others testifying included Mark Gibson, from DEM and Ken Booth from the RI Commercial Rod & Reel Association. Senator Sosnowski’s task force will consider the fishing community’s sentiment for tougher laws and draft appropriate legislative recommendations for this season.

DEM to hold hearing on proposed increases to State beach fees

The DEM will hold a public hearing on proposed increases to fees for daily parking and season passes at state beaches on Friday, May 13. The 10 a.m. hearing will take place in Room 300 at DEM Headquarters, 235 Promenade Street in Providence. Rhode Island state beach fees were last raised in 2002.

The proposed increases will enable DEM to maintain current services at the state’s seven saltwater beaches in South County at a time when the state is facing severe budget constraints. The increased fees will generate $1.8 million for the state General Fund. The proposed rates are comparable to fees charged by similar private and municipal facilities and Connecticut state beaches.

On The Water Striper Cup fishing tournament

On The Water magazine’s annual five month tournament, the “Striper Cup”, starts May 2, 2011. To sign up and get your free t-shirt, lure and commemorative pin, visit http://onthewater.com/Stripercuphome_2x.html. David Westfall, the RISAA “Striper Cup” team committee chairman said, “Last year, Team RISAA took second place in this tournament. This could be the year RISAA could win it!” Westfall continued to say to enter as a RISAA team member all an angler has to do is be a RISAA member in good standing. “Make sure you put RISAA on the team line.” said Westfall.

DEM Director Coit issues 2011 saltwater regulations

Janet Coit, DEM director, issued a “Final Decision Memo” on many 2011 saltwater regulations Friday afternoon. The memo issued to Robert Ballou, acting chief of the Division of Fish and Wildlife, outlines her final decision pertaining to regulations reviewed at the RI Marine Fisheries Council public hearing held February 22, 2011. Highlights of Director Coit’s decisions that appeared in her memo are noted below. Visit DEM’s website for a new 2011 Recreational Marine Fisheries minimum size and possession limit chart.

Menhaden: regulations prohibit commercial boats from fishing in the Providence River north of a line from Rocky Point, to Conimicut Light to Nayatt Point. East Greenwich Bay is also off limits to commercial menhaden boats.

Fluke (or summer flounder): recreational minimum size is 18 ½ “, 7 fish/angler/day, a May 1 to December 31 season.

Tautog: regulations include a shortened season (no fishing in June and July), a three fish limit for all fishing April 15 to May 31 and August 1 to October 15; a six fish limit from October 16 to December, 15; with a ten fish per boat limit for all season periods (does not apply to charter or party boats).

Striped bass: no change from last year… two fish at a minimum of 28”.

Winter flounder: 12” minimum size, 2 fish/person/day; split season April 24 to May 22 then September 24 to October 23. See DEM web site for complete list of closed areas. New this year a prohibition of possession of winter flounder in Point Judith Pond including the Harbor of Refuge.

Scup: no change from last year, recreational minimum size is 10.5”, May 24 to September 26, 10 fish/person/day. Party and charter boat minimum size is 11” with a split season, June 8 to September 6, a 10 fish/person/day limit and from September 7 to October 11 a 40 fish/person/day limit.

Doormat fluke and tautog fishing seminar

This Monday, April 25 RISAA seminar will feature two great topics and speakers… refining the hunt for doormat fluke by Charley Soares and tautog fishing by captain John Sheriff. The meeting starts a 7:00 p.m. at the West Valley Inn, West Warwick, with an optional dinner served by the West Valley Inn staff from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. RISAA members are admitted free (and this month, one of their guests can be admitted free too). Donation for non-members is $10.

Tautog experts share tips

October 11, 2010

Kevin Bettencourt (left) of the East Bay Anglers and his Dad Albert Bettencourt (right) are tautog fishing experts. Last week they limited out north of Conimicut Light in Warwick. Their fish were in the 3 to 7 lb. range. Kevin said, “Chumming is a critical part of tautog fishing.”

Tautog fishing is fun. I like to relax with friends and family, shoot the breeze and enjoy a great Rhode Island fishery all at the same time. Tautog (or Blackfish) is a great eating fish with a dense whitish meat.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) regulates tautog fishing. Fish have to be sixteen inches and catch limits changed this fall. The catch limit for private recreational anglers on and before October 15 is three fish/person/day, which jumps to six fish/person/day on October 16. However, new this year, is a ten fish per boat limit. The season ends December 15. The boat limit does not apply to charter and party boats.

You learn to fish two ways, by personal experience, and by what you learn from others. Over the past month, I have asked noted Rhode Island anglers, fishing guides, charter captains and bait & tackle shop owners in Rhode Island for tautog fishing tips. I plan to share these tips over the course of the season. So here is the first installment on tautog fishing tips.
Fishing in the fall is cold. Dress appropriately. If you dress in layers, you can take them off as the sun warms you.. Do not forget the gloves, I usually have at least four pair with me … water proof neoprene gloves, light cotton gloves, heavy winter gloves… whatever the conditions, be ready, and of course the gloves get wet.

Boat placement is important. Find structure wit 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 Ferrara and his son Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick suggest 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.

Fish lodged in structure. Here is a tip from George Poveromo’s “Rock’em Sock’em” article that appeared in one of last year’s issues of Saltwater magazine. When a fish is hooked and it has muscled its way back to structure, apply pressure forcing a respectable amount of bend in the rod. If the fish is not moving, hold the rod vertically to the water, tighten the line and pull or pluck the fishing line like a banjo string. The sharp vibrations emitted work their way back down to the fish through the line and irritate it. The fish, in a state of confusion, may back out of the hole to free itself from the irritation. Once you sense this has happened start reeling in the fish. I used this technique last year and it worked. If this does not work try letting the line just go limp for a couple of minutes. With no pressure on the fish, it may dislodge itself. To my surprise, the rig often frees itself, the fish may get unhooked, or you are free and catch a fish.

Feel the bite… tap, tap and then get ready for a tug of war. Captain George Cioe said, “I believe with the first tap the tautog is positioning the bait for consumption.” So at the second tap I raise the rod up firmly feeling for the weight of the fish (no need to jerk the rod up hard). Once the fish is hooked, keep the rod up and pressure on so the fish is not able to run for cover. Captain Rich Hittinger, a long time angler out of Point Judith said, “If you get two bites with no hook-up your bait is gone. Reel in and re-bait.”

Where to fish for tautog. From shore, look for rocky coastline like Beavertail Point on Jamestown, locations off Newport and off jetties at South County beaches. From a boat, I have had good luck at Plum Point light house next to the Jamestown Bridge, the rock wall north of Coddington Cove in Portsmouth, off Hope Island, around Brenton Reef in Newport, Whale Rock, Ohio Ledge in the East Passage and any other places there is structure, debris, rock clusters, wrecks, etc.

· Chumming for tautog will enhance your catch dramatically. Kevin Bettencourt from the East Bay Anglers and his Dad Albert have been fishing for tautog in Narragansett Bay and southern coastal water off Newport, Jamestown and Narragansett for many years. Kevin said, “Chumming is a critical part of tautog fishing. If you want to land numerous tautog you must establish an effective chum line. This can be accomplished with grass shrimp or crushed asian/green crabs. Don't be afraid to feed them! If you don't, they won't stick around long!” Robb Roach of Kettlebottom Outfitters from Jamestown said chumming is very important… “I chum with crushed mussels or crushed periwinkles.”

DEM has groundbreaking

DEM and the US Army Corps of Engineers joined federal, state and local officials at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Ten Mile River Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project last week at Hunt’s Mill Dam in East Providence. The restoration project will include fish ladders to provide for upstream migration of adult Blue-black Herring, Alewife, and American shad to historic spawning areas on the Ten Mile River and in Turner Reservoir.

DEM stocking rainbow trout
DEM’s Division of Fish and Wildlife is stocking approximately 4,000 rainbow trout in several locations throughout the state for the fall freshwater fishing season. Ponds stock will include Meadowbrook Pond in Richmond, Carolina Trout Pond in Richmond, Olney Pond in Lincoln, Stafford Pond in Tiverton, Barber Pond in South Kingstown, Silver Spring Pond in North Kingstown, Carbuncle Pond in Coventry, and Round Top Ponds in Burrillville. Additional fishing areas will be stocked next week.


Where’s the bite

There is no excuse. Get out and fish this week. The weather conditions look good at press time, the fish are biting and winter will soon be here. Water temperature has dropped and the new moon phase is great for fishing.

Striped bass are on the move and being caught off coastal beaches from Newport to Watch Hill. Many reports of keeper striped bass being caught in the Bay too. Block Island fishing for bass is still very hot.

Blue fish bite off coastal beaches and in the Bay is good. They are finally working bait pods pushing them to the surface, exciting the birds.

Tautog fishing is great too. Many reports of keeper fish taken in the Bay around Conimicut Light, Plum Light, at Coddington Cove, General Rock in North Kingstown and off coastal shores where there is structure.

Fishing license, new regulations and tautog season all in play this week

Captain Dave caught two tautog this Sunday at Coddington Cove in Middletown, RI. This 22’ fish took a green crab in about 15 feet of water right on top of the jetty.

This was a busy week for saltwater fishing. Rhode Island’s fishing license law took effect Friday, April 16 along with new 2010 fishing regulations. A new volunteer electronic recreational saltwater fishing logbook was announced by the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and Thursday, April 15 was the start of the tautog season.

State saltwater fishing license
The license is available online at http://www.saltwater.ri.gov/ and will be sold at bait shops starting June 1. The cost is $7 per year for RI residents and $10 per year for non-residents. There is a temporary 7-day license available for $5. The license is free for anglers over 65 years of age and for active military personnel stationed in Rhode Island.
No license is required for anglers under 16 years of age, for anglers fishing on licensed party and charter boats, for anglers who are on leave from active military duty, and for anglers who are blind or permanently disabled.

The RI license enables the holder to fish in RI and federal waters as well as in all state marine waters throughout southern New England and other states that have reciprocal agreements.
The license program is designed to improve the quality of marine recreation fishing data which will in turn help insure that recreational fishing regulations are fair and based on sound science. Data from RI and other states will be put into a national data base allowing the new Marine Recreational Information Program to survey current fishermen.

Here is the part I like… all of Rhode Island’s saltwater license fees will be put in a restricted account and can only be used for marine recreational fishing such as program administration, to improve the management of Rhode Island’s marine recreational fisheries or to enhance recreational fishing access.. This law is good. It was written by DEM in conjunction with the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association.

2010 saltwater fishing regulations
New 2010 saltwater fishing regulations have been announced by DEM The regulations govern fishing for summer flounder, black sea bass, scup, and weakfish (there are no changes for striped bass or tautog); commercial regulations were also announced. Visit http://www.dem.ri.gov/ for details, here are some highlights.

Summer flounder: The season opens on May 1 and runs through December 31. The minimum size is 19.5”, possession limit remains at 6 fish/person/day.

Black sea bass: Season runs from May 22 through September 12. The minimum size is 12.5”, possession limit remains at 25 fish/person/day.

Scup: The fishery has two modes. For the general mode (everyone except those fishing on party and charter boats), the season runs from May 24 to September 26. The minimum size remains at 10.5” with a 10 fish/person/day catch limit. For the party and charter boat mode the minimum size is 11”; the season runs from June 8 to September 6 with a 10 fish/person/day. The possession limit then increases to 40 fish/person/day from September 7 through October 11.

Weakfish: The fishery remains open year-round, and the minimum size remains at 16”. However, the daily possession limit is t 1 fish/person/day).

Striped bass: The regulations for 2010 are the same as last year: a year-round season, a 2 fish/person/day possession limit, and a 28” minimum size.

Tautog: The regulations are the same as last year: 16” minimum size, the season opens on April 15 at a 3 fish/person/day possession limit, then closes for the month of June, and then reopens from July 1 through October 16 at 3 fish/person/day, increasing to 8 fish/person/day from October 17 through December 15.

New volunteer electronic recreational saltwater fishing logbook

DEM’s Marine Fisheries Program and the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program has developed a volunteer electronic recreational saltwater fishing logbook. Information is presented in graphic and tabular format. Anglers will be able to see their catch history in real time. For more information and to sign up go to http://www.saltwater.ri.gov/ .

Where’s the bite

Tautog season opened April 15. Several fish caught at Spindle Rock and Ohio Ledge said Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait and Tackle in Warwick. I stopped by to see Ken for the first time since he was out ill at the end of last season and he is doing well. Ken is an outstanding angler and bait and tackle shop owner. He has helped thousands of anglers with good advice including me. Nice to have you back Ken. I caught two tautog Sunday at Coddington Cove, Middletown (one was 22”). Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, reports a slow tautog bite in the Bay but off-shore fishing is good with thirty fish being taken off Westport. Dave said that turbulent water with a lot of particles is not good for tautog fishing. It keeps the fish off shore in deeper water.

Striped bass season is underway. Steve McKenna of Cranston and an employee of Quaker Lane Outfitters reports an outstanding school bass bite at the West Wall in Narragansett. Most were caught in the late afternoon and just before dark. The fish were primarily caught on three and four inch pearl Cocohoe minnows and the new Bomber mud minnow in the four inch model. Both soft plastics were fitted on ½ lead head jigs for casting weight. Steve said, “There is a lot of bait in the area. More bait than I have ever seen in many a year.” This is encouraging, especially since Steve has been one of Rhode Island’s best shore striper fishermen for over 30 years. Craig Castro of Erickson’s bait & Tackle, Warwick, reports customers catching school bass off Chepiwanoxet Point, Warwick using soft plastic baits.

Freshwater bite remains good. Craig Castro of Erickson’s Bait and Tackle reports a good trout bite at Carbuncle Pond and all ponds/lakes stocked by DEM… Lincoln Woods, Silver Spring Lake and others noted on DEM’s web site (http://www.dem.ri.gov/ ).