Winter meeting sets table for RI fishing regulations

Students enhance navigation, seamanship and boating skills at U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary classes.

Winter meeting sets table for RI fishing regulations

 The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) winter meeting being held in Alexandria, Virginia this week will finalize many fishery management plan (FMP) recommendations for a variety of species we fish for in Rhode Island.  The ASMFC develops management plans and regulations for summer flounder (fluke), winter flounder, Atlantic menhaden, striped bass, black sea bass, scup and other species that travel up and down the east coast.

Robert Ballou, one of Rhode Island’s ASMFC commissioners from the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM), said at an input meeting held in RI last week, “We had representation from the for-hire charter captains and private recreational anglers.  Interest was high on the striped bass agenda item; particularly the for-hire (charter and party boats) industry conservation equivalency proposal.” 

 The ASMFC approved one fish at a 28” minimum size for recreational anglers coastwide at their last meeting in 2014, this represented a 31% reduction in harvest.  The 2013 striped bass stock assessment determined that the female spawning stock biomass (SBB) has continued to decline since 2004 and is estimated at 128 million pounds just above the SSB threshold of 127 million pounds, and below the SSB target of 159 million pounds. So something had to be done to curtail harvest.  Last year anglers could take two fish at 28”.  

The ASMFC also approved a conservation equivalency plan accepting state proposals that aim to reduce the number of fish taken by 25%.  Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association said, “Our proposal for two fish at 32” (a 27% decrease in harvest) is above the 25% reduction threshold for conservation equivalency plans.”  Bellavance said “We need two fish at 32” to insure customers continue to fish on our vessels.”

The ASMFC’s striped bass technical committee related options provided to reduce fish landings by 25% only have a 50% chance of working.  They only have a 50% chance working because the technical committee developing options were concerned that if reductions were too severe or too conservative that they would be harmful to the social and economic well being of those harvesting striped bass for a living (quotas for commercial striped bass fishermen have also been reduced by 25%).

Many private recreational anglers are advocating for one fish for all recreational anglers and others say that any conservation equivalency plan for the for-hire charter and party industry should achieve a least a 31% reduction.  Robert Ballou said, “We along with our neighboring states (CT, MA, NY) are on the same page with a two fish solution for the for-hire industry that will be the same for all.” 

Last week ten bait & tackle shops in Rhode Island expressed their concern over the support ASMFC representatives have given the 27% RI Party & Charter Boat Association proposal. The letter said, “We urge you to maintain the 31% harvest reduction your public demanded.  If you consider a “two fish” option the recreational anglers of Rhode Island would ask the charter boat captains and mates contribute to reducing mortality by not taking their recreational share while on a “for-hire” trip (presently captains and mates are allowed to take two fish each on charter trips).  This will help mitigate the negative impacts of a continued harvest of two reproducing females by each of their paying customers.”

The ten bait and tackle shops that signed the letter included The Saltwater Edge,  Watch Hill Outfitters, Quaker Lane Outfitters, Ocean State Tackle, The Tackle Box,  Breachway Bait & Tackle, Block Island Fishworks, Cardinal Bait & Tackle, Pete’s Bait & Tackle, and Quonny Bait & Tackle.

Summer flounder (fluke) data shared at a January ASMFC input meeting showed that RI overfished last year and more conservative regulations may be on the way. In 2014 the projected harvest was 126,724 fish and through Wave 5 RI’s share of the regional harvest was 181,601 fish.

Travis Barrio, RISAA board member and ASMFC summer flounder advisory panel member said “We are advocating for adaptive regional management like last year allowing Rhode Island to be separate and not making it accountable for fish caught in other regions along with guidelines for one year rather than two.” Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the RIPCBA said, “Combining with others could reduce our (recreational) bag limit, enhance our minimum size and shorten our season.” 

Atlantic menhaden’s management plan recommendations are also in dispute pitting recreational anglers against the interests of the commercial Atlantic menhaden fishery.  A recent 2015 stock assessment indicates the species is not overfished and overfishing is not occurring.

 

However, Wild Oceans’ president Ken Hinmand said “Some in the menhaden industry would have you believe it (the new assessment) means there are plenty of fish out there; that there’s no need for catch limits now, including those put in place two years ago… (However)  the concern of anglers and environmentalists about the status of menhaden has always been about its vital role as a prey species for predators up and down the east coast (like striped bass, blue fish, tuna, etc.). So it’s important to understand that this latest evaluation of the menhaden stock addresses only its ability to sustain harvest and avoid depletion, not its capacity to provide adequate forage for other species in the ecosystem. In this way it’s no different than every other assessment performed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission since 1999, when an expert review panel recommended future assessments use a reference point responsive to menhaden as a forage species…which maximizes population abundance. Unfortunately, that change in the way we judge the status of Atlantic menhaden is still on the ASMFC’s “to-do” list 15 years later.”

 
Black sea bass is still problematic for the ASMFC.  A new stock assessment is not scheduled to be available for use by fish mangers until 2016. Present data indicates that anglers are overfishing quotas yet private and commercial fishermen claim there are an abundance fish in our local waters. 

Black sea bass abundance has moved north in recent years as the ocean water has warmed. So you might say climate change has impacted this fishery in a positive way for Rhode Island fishermen.   With this abundance shift and the importance of the species to both commercial and recreational fishing in Rhode Island fish managers need to take climate change into account when developing plans.

Unfortunately, we will have to wait until 2016 for the new stock assessment to play a role in managing black sea bass.  For now, in 2015, recreational bag limits, fishing seasons and minimum sizes will likely be more conservative.

Visit the ASMFC website for this week’s meeting agenda, supplemental meeting material and news at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Meetings/Winter2015/CombinedSupplementalFiles_Jan2015.pdf. 

Rhode Island will hold a 4:30 p.m. workshop and 7:00 p.m. public meeting on Monday, February 16 to discuss how ASMFC regulations will impact specie management plans and recreational fishing in Rhode Island.  Anglers are urged to attend. Once reviewed by the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council and approved by DEM director Janet Coit, these will become saltwater fishing regulations for 2015.

Visit www.providencejournal.com/sports for State Park winter fun ideas (ice fishing, skating, cross county skiing and more).  Also see information on boating, sailing and navigation skill courses being offered by the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary this winter.

Where’s the bite

Ice fishing (and skating) is taking place on some ponds in Northern Rhode Island.  Check with recreational departments in cities and towns for safe ice conditions.  For lakes and ponds in state parks call the DEM ice information telephone line at 401-667-6222.

Cod fishing is still on but party boats have been unable to sail due to bad weather conditions.  

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing on Narragansett Bay for over 40 years.  He holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. Contact or forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net or visit his website at www.noflukefishing.com.  

Now is the time to sharpen your boating and navigation skills

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is once again offering some outstanding boating courses to help boaters develop and/or sharpen their skills.  Local Flotilla’s, which is the basic organizational unit of the Auxiliary,  are offering courses in a number of locations. 

This winter the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary North Star Flotilla of Warwick is offering three courses starting this week at Toll Gate High School (building B), 575 Centerville Road, Warwick.  With all the snow we have been getting it is important to note that if Warwick Schools are canceled, then the boating classes are CANCELLED. The courses include Boating Skills & Seamanship, Sailing Skills & Seamanship and Navigation (Beginning & Advanced).  The Power ($85) and Sail ($105) classes meet twice a week on Monday and Thursday for eight weeks. The navigation class meets Thursdays for 15 weeks and the cost is $160, the first three weeks for beginners is $45 and the rest of the course (advanced navigation) is $115. 

 Courses, originally scheduled to start Monday will now start Thursday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m.  It is not too late to register as classes are taught in module style.  Students can park in back behind the school by the football field.

You can visit the Flotilla’s web site at www.northstarflotilla.com or call Capt. Nick Butziger at 401.739.6028.

DEM urges all to enjoy State parks

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is encouraging children, families and individuals to get outdoors and enjoy the recreational resources that Rhode Island state parks and management areas have to offer.  Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling and ice fishing are among the many outdoor activities that residents and visitors can experience at state parks and recreation areas across Rhode Island. 

Ice Fishing

DEM's Division of Fish & Wildlife has stocked about 3,000 trout in ponds throughout Rhode Island for the winter fishing season.   Locations include Carbuncle Pond, Coventry; Olney Pond, Lincoln; Barber Pond, South Kingstown; Silver Spring Lake, North Kingstown; Upper Melville Pond, Portsmouth; Meadowbrook Pond, Richmond; and Round Top Ponds, Burrillville. 

Fish & Wildlife staff routinely clears the parking lots at many fishing and hunting access areas in the winter, including the upper and lower lots at Browning Mill Pond in Arcadia Management Area, Tefft Hill, Frosty Hollow Road, and Breakheart Pond.

DEM reminds fishers that ice on the ponds must have a uniform thickness of at least six inches before it is considered safe.

Ponds not suitable for skating

At press time, the ice at monitored areas at Lincoln Woods State Park in Lincoln, Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, and Meshanticut State Park in Cranston is unsuitable for skating at the present time. For the latest information on ice conditions at these three locations, call DEM's 24-hour Ice Information telephone line, 401-667-6222.

Residents should contact their local recreation departments regarding skating opportunities and conditions in individual communities.  Ice must have a uniform thickness of at least six inches before it is considered safe.  DEM has an ice safety guide that can be found online at website, www.riparks.com .

Cross-country Skiing and Snowshoeing

The Department is reporting good snow conditions for cross-country skiing at Pulaski Memorial Recreation Area in Glocester.  Due to deep snow conditions, the trails have been partially tracked and all routes are open.  DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation maintains four one-way loop ski trails at Pulaski, ranging from less than one mile to four miles long. The management area's 10 miles of tracked trails offer beginner and expert cross-country skiers a variety of terrain on which to ski. For example, the half-mile long Pulaski trail has several small inclines and stays close to the start point. The three other trails – Hemlock Glen trail, Covered Bridge trail, and Woods trail – cover longer distances, and each has some downhill terrain.

While Pulaski Memorial Recreation Area is the only state facility offering tracked ski trails, Colt, Goddard, and Lincoln Woods State Parks and state management areas, including Arcadia in Exeter and Big River in West Greenwich offer open areas where patrons can enjoy snow-related recreational activities. 

All users of state management areas are reminded that they must wear 200 square inches of fluorescent orange material -- equivalent to a hat or cap -- during the hunting season which ends on February 28.

Snowmobiling

George Washington Management Area in Glocester provides designated trails for those operating snowmobiles. Snowmobiling is also permitted on the roadways in Arcadia, Burlingame, Wickaboxet and Woody Hill Management Areas, Burlingame State Park and Campground, Lincoln Woods State Park, Snake Den State Park, and on open fields at Colt State Park. All snowmobiles must be registered by DEM's Office of Licensing and Registration, located at 235 Promenade Street in Providence.

Regulations regarding snowmobile use in state parks and management areas are available online at http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/fishwild/parkmgmt.pdf .

                                                                               

Providence Boat Show big success

 

The Sea Hunt Gamefisher 27 with a new side door for boarding passengers or fish. 

 

The Shanti Bar, “Peaceful nutrition for life's queasy moments.”

Providence Boat Show big success

The 2015 Providence Boat Show went off without a hitch.  Allison Phaneuf of the Rhode Island Marine Trade Association (show sponsors) said, “Attendance was up 6% Friday and the crowd today (Saturday) has been good.” 

Over 100 manufactures had vessels on display including power boats, sail boats, dinghies, personal watercraft, kayaks and canoes.  The show featured an enhanced fishing area with excellent workshops, and a new Washington Trust Pavilion presentation area with local chefs, book authors and world class sailors.  I thought the Boat Show was great.  Here’s what I liked.

Sea sickness can be nasty.  And, over the counter tablets can make you drowsy.  Well, how about a Shanti Bar?  It doesn’t make you drowsy and they claim to be “Peaceful nutrition for life’s queasy moments.” 

I bumped into Shanti Bar inventor Neheet Trivedi, a MIT Sloan Business School graduate that was walking the show testing the interest level in his new motion sickness product. “We first developed the Shanti Bar to reduce nausea during pregnancy and then found that motion sickness at sea was a huge market for us too.” said Trivedi. The bar (which tastes like blueberries) was developed out of research that demonstrates the successful role protein, ginger, and vitamins play in reducing nausea.

Trivedi said, “We set out to design a food product based on research that's easy-to-eat, portable, safe, tasty and healthy, and includes the necessary ingredients to prevent nausea. We also tried to keep the calorie level low, fewer than 200.” 

Shanti Bar is sold on vessels owned by Boston Harbor Cruises and can be purchased online at www.theshantibar.com.

Debbie Wood (of Wood Boat and Motor, Warwick) shared some of the attributes of the new Evinrude E-TEC G2 and I was impressed.  This engine is a monster delivering the power you need with high efficiency and high design.  Wood said, “This engine is extremely efficient with no scheduled dealer maintenance for five years or 500 hours and it is backed by a five-year engine and corrosion warranty.”  Evinrude says the engine is the first outboard ever designed to perfectly match your boat, inside and out.  “Over 400 color combinations are available including color panels for the engine side, top and front panel areas”, said Wood.   The engine is available in 200, 225, 250 and 300 horsepower.

Zim Sailing, Warren, RI provides one-design sailboats, parts, accessories and services.  They had a Hartley Wanderer, a family- friendly 14-foot sailing dingy of display that looked like it would be fun for sailors of any skill level.  The boat features interior seating, a dry storage locker and a roller-furling jib. The Wanderer is comfortable yet stable and is made in the UK.  However, Zim Sailing has designed and built their own vessels too; including high performance sail boats said Allie Gray, Zim Sailing’s performance sailing associate.  “We built the Zim 15 as a performance dingy for those looking for more excitement.  The entire boat weighs about 200 pounds completely rigged.  It is a racing dingy for two.”  The suggested price on the Zim 15 is $11,500 and the Hartley Wanderer is offered at $10,450.

Capt. Jack Sprengle of Warwick who produced the boat show fishing seminars said, “We have had as many as 50 people attend some sessions with people standing in the isle. Captains marketing their charter businesses and our guest speakers are doing very well.”  I managed to catch the end of Capt. BJ Silvia’s (Flippin Out Charters) presentation on tautog, “A prize tautog (over ten pounds) can come any time… so you have to be ready any day… at high tide, low tide, at the start of the day, or at the end of the day.” said Capt. Silvia.

“Inland Marine of Chepachet, RI has been in business for 40 years.” said Ross Lemieux.  Ross and his three brothers own and run the business that their father started.  They had the Sea Hunt Gamefisher 27 on display at the show and it was spectacular.  Its side entry door, recessed trim tabs and hydraulic steering are standard features hard to beat.  And they come ready to fish with multiple insulated fish boxes and a live well with cockpit and bow bolsters.  Lemieux said, “This vessel is ready to fish but it is great for family cursing too with an enclosed head.” The show special price was $104,000.

Where’s the bite

Cod fishing has been good when the boats have been able to get out.  The Frances Fleet reports, “Friday started on the slow side but a quick relocation paid some impressive dividends as the Captain put anglers into a very respectable pick of bigger green cod fish. Hi hook took home 5 nice fish. Sizes were generally 8 lbs or better, however there was a half dozen fish over 15 lbs and the biggest tipping the scales at 25 lbs! A nice catch of red hake and a lot of big ocean perch also filled up the bags and coolers. While fresh shucked clams seemed to have the edge overall this week, jigs were responsible for some good catches as well.”

Fishermen schooled on schools

Gary Shepherd, biologist from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA shows fishermen what scientists look for when dissecting fish during growth and population research.

 

 

Fishermen schooled on schools

Last week 25 commercial and for-hire recreational fishermen along with industry participants went to school to learn about fish populations, how they grow, what impacts them and how we aim to keep them at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) levels.  The Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) workshop, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, was sponsored by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, a non-profit research center dedicated to being a catalyst to find solutions to ocean and fisheries challenges. 

“At this workshop, you are going to find out where all the numbers come from.” said John Williamson,  MREP implementation program member.  The “numbers” Williamson was referring to are fishing quotas or allowable catch limits (ACLs) for various fish species. Participants were also schooled on ecological drivers of fish abundance, conservation, sampling survey techniques, stock assessments and the effects of climate change on fish populations along the east coast.

Last week’s MREP session focused on science issues as they relate to fisheries, a second workshop scheduled for March will address management issues. The MREP was founded in 2001 to provide fishermen the tools and information needed to foster conservation while creating an understanding of the science and management tools used to regulate fisheries.  Additionally, it helps policy and science professionals to become more familiar with the workings of the fishing community. Programs are run in several locations throughout the year.

Seven scientists from NOAA labs, university based fisheries programs and from NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center instructed participants on topics such as ecological drivers of fish abundance, conservation, sampling, statistics and fish surveys, stock assessments and the effects of climate change on fish populations along.

Highlights of the session included an explanation of “Maximum Sustainable Yield” and how it aims to take the maximum number of fish out of the water that will allow for continued, good healthy growth of fish species in terms of fish size and numbers of fish.   If too many fish are taken out of the water the biomass could decline to dangerously low levels and have difficulty recruiting new fish to desired levels.  If too few fish are taken a species may experience slow fish growth or not enough population growth due to crowding, less food supply, decease and the species could experience major decline.

Gary Shepherd for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center at Woods Hole, MA led a presentation on fish population biology.  Shepherd demonstrated how to tell a fish’s age by examining lines or growth rings on their scales with a microscope and/or by counting growth rings on their otolith which is a small calcareous concentration at top of a fish’s spine (and/or in the inner ear of vertebrates).  He then dissected several fish including tautog and scup to relate what biologist normally do in the field checking and recording fish ages and stomach content to gain insight on fish population growth. 

Another highlight was Dr. Rob Latour of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, who has accumulated data on the prey of fifty common east coast fish species as well as what they eat. If you are interested in what a fish eats you can register for Dr. Latour’s data base at: http://www.vims.edu/research/departments/fisheries/programs/multispecies_fisheries_research/interaction/fish_food_habits/index.php .

Dr. Jonathan Hare, director of NOAA’s Narragansett, RI laboratory related the impact of climate change on a variety of fish species commonly caught on the east coast such as yellowtail flounder, summer flounder, black sea bass and a host of others. 

Dr. Hare related since 1920 waters on the east coast continental shelf have increase by 1 to 2 degrees centigrade as the abundance of fish populations such as flounder and black sea bass have shifted north.  Cold water fish like cod have also left near coastal waters as they have warmed.

 

Fishermen at the workshop testified to seeing a difference in fish abundance in a number of species as well as seeing warmer water species that they do not normally see come into our waters. You can now track 80 northeast species (650 in total) on a new Rutgers University website called OceanAdapt at http://oceanadapt.rutgers.edu .

 

Victor Hartley of the charter fishing vessel Capt. Robbins said, “I have a better understanding of what I need to do as a fisherman to impact fisheries research, policy and regulations.”

The future looks bright too as we explore new and better ways of doing things.  Like eco-system based management models that take into account environmental factors, food supply, climate change, fishing effort/catch and other factors. Programs such as the Marine Resource Education Program provide an important link with education, enhanced communication, and foster a better understand between fishermen, fishing communities, scientist and fish mangers.

Boat Show this weekend

The Providence Boat Show is this Friday, January 23 through Sunday, January 25 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. “This year we put a special emphasis on all the elements boaters need to enjoy their time on the water. Boats and gear are the foundation, but boaters also need exposure to new information to spark their imaginations about all the great things they can do on the water,” said Wendy Mackie, CEO of the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA), which owns and manages the show. “We took every type of boater into consideration to create this year’s event: from seasoned salts to those just getting involved in the sport—whether they want to sail, fish, powerboat, or kayak.”

 

Besides boats highlights this year include a boating and a fishing seminar tracks.  Boating session will focus on boating safety and equipment of all types.  A full range of fishing seminars organized by Capt. Jack Sprengle of East Coast Charters will feature a variety of local captains and fishing guides speaking on ten topics from how to land trophy bass, spear fishing strategies, how to troll, land large cod, and how to catch swordfish and sharks.

 

Additional highlights include top chefs from seafood restaurants who will be on hand to demonstrate sea-to-table cuisine. Attendees can also learn about the Volvo Ocean Race and their planned May visit to Newport for the race’s only North American stopover. 

 

Visit www.providenceboatshow.com  for show information and details.

Where’s the bite

Cod fishing continues to be good.  Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said, “Saturday was a solid day of cod fishing with lots of action at the rail from both short fish and keepers.  Top fish on Saturday was ten pounds.  The top fish for the week was 20 pounds.”  Party boats sailing for cod fish at this time include the Seven B’s at www.sevenbs.com, the Frances Fleet at www.francesfleet.com and the Island Current at www.islandcurrent.com .

 

How to shellfish recreationally January 26

Guest panelist Roger Tellier of North Kingstown said, “There’s nothing better than a little neck on a half shell fresh out of the water… Where else can you go and in a few hours harvest quahogs, steamers, mussels, oysters and scallops…”  Join Roger, Barry Fuller, Paul Kennedy and Capt. Dave Monti as they have a panel discussion on shell fishing recreationally in RI.  The RI Saltwater Anglers Association seminar takes place this Monday, January 26, 7:00 p.m. at the West Valley Inn, West Warwick.  Non-members welcome, $10 donation to the RISAA Scholarship Fund, members attend free.  Visit www.risaa.org for details.

 

ASMFC input meeting January 29

A meeting of Rhode Island's commissioners to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) will be held on Thursday, January 29, 6:00 p.m. in the Hazard Room in the Coastal Institute Building at the URI Bay Campus in Narragansett. The purpose of the meeting is to review and discuss the agenda for the upcoming February 3-5 ASMFC meeting in Alexandria, VA which will include important striped bass, summer flounder, black sea bass and other spice management plans Rhode Island will have to follow in 2015. Visit http://www.asmfc.org/home/2015-winter-meeting for the meeting agenda.

Striped bass size and quantity down

 

 “Nearly 90 percent of the anglers who responded to the our striped bass survey said they caught fewer fish in 2014 than in previous years, and 71 percent said the fish they did catch were smaller,” said Brad Burns, president of Stripers Forever, a conservation organization that advocates game fish status for wild striped bass. “The survey response from 830 anglers, most of whom have fished stripers seriously for more than 10 years, has been increasingly negative since 2006.” said Burns.

In a press advisory, Stripers Forever said, “The Stripers Forever survey clearly shows that the organization's members want fishery managers to go much further by banning the harvest of large, prime breeding size stripers until the resource biomass stock is healthier. The survey respondents also favor setting aside a high percentage of the current commercial harvest quota for conservation and they are willing to finance a striped bass conservation stamp to pay for buying out the commercial fishery.”

For survey details visit: https://www.stripersforever.org/2014-annual-angler-survey-results .

 

 

 

 

 

RI’s DeFusco takes national fishing stage with George Poveromo

George Poveromo (shown with dolphin) was host  of the Saltwater Sportsman’s national fishing seminar series this Saturday at the Casey Theatre, Regis College, MA. 

Capt. Lois DeFusco of Hot Reels Sportfishing charters, Pt. Judith, RI likes using jigs for black sea bass.

RI’s DeFusco on national fishing stage

How do I get started tuna fishing? How do I catch large black sea bass? What lures work best for striped bass in the spring?  These questions and others were answered Saturday at George Poveromo’s 28^th Salt Water Sportsman’s National Fishing Seminar series held at Regis College in Weston, MA. Poveromo is an editor-at-large for Salt Water Sportsman and is the host of George Poveromo’s World of Salt Water Fishing television program on NBC Sports.

Poveromo and co-host Tom Richardson, host of New England  Boating TV and former editor at Salt Water Sportsman led panel discussions on a variety of fish species on how, where and when to catch them.

Dr. Mitchell Roffer of Roffer’s Ocean Fishing Forecasting Service (www.roffs.com) was one of the national speakers.  Dr. Roffer is an authority on locating productive water surface temperature breaks and ocean-circulation features for near shore and offshore game fish. His satellite images provide anglers with maps showing real time temperature breaks and water circulation patterns.

National and local captains like Louis DeFusco of Hot Reels Sportfishing charters (www.hot-reels.com), Pt. Judith, RI provided anglers with information on how to enhance their odds of catching more and larger fish.

Capt. DeFusco, one of the black sea bass and tautog session panelists said, “My greatest success fishing for black sea bass has been  in areas where there are rock piles and structure like Nebraska Shoal (between Charlestown and South Kingstown) using jigs rather than bait rigs to target them.”

DeFusco’s favorite places to target tautog include reefs off Beavertail, Jamestown and Brenton Reef, Newport.  “Around Thanksgiving I am fishing n in 65 to 70 feet of water.  In the spring and early fall they are in 10 or 12 feet of water.” said DeFusco.

Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (www.RISAA.org), who was in the seminar display area with an information table said, “George Poveromo runs a great seminar and has been very gracious allowing RISAA to share membership information with anglers and promote our New England Saltwater Fishing Show taking place at the RI Convention Center February 27 to March 1.” 

With prizes from national sponsors such as Bass Pro Shops, Mako boats and Penn reels/rods and many others Poveromo’s National Seminar series was a big hit with anglers once again here in New England.  Visit www.nationalseminarseries.com for the seminar schedule as it visits other east coast locations.

Ice fishing for charity

The annual Kevin Thatcher Memorial Ice Fishing Tournament will be helped Saturday, January 31, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Crystal Lake.  The tournament will benefit “Between the Cracks.”, a local non-profit charity that helps families in need. Crystal Lake Golf Course, Big Bear Bait & Tackle and Ted’s Bait Shop are tournament sponsors.  The entry fee is $10 and sign-up will start at 6:00 a.m. at the Crystal Lake Golf Course parking lot on Rt 202, Bronco Hwy on the Burrillville/Glocester Line.  Cash prizes for the largest bass, pickerel and perch.  Best cook on the ice award will receive the “Golden Pork Chop Trophy”.  Contact Steve Rawson for information at 401.568.4244.

Rhody Fly Rodders meet January 20th

The Rhody Fly Rodders will meet Tuesday, January 20, 6:30 p.m. with Capt. Ray Sachelek of Cast-a-fly Charters as guest speaker.  Capt. Sachelek (a noted fly fishing guide and tyer) will give a presentation called “Tuna Helper – A Recipe for Success”.  Peter Nilsen, president of Rhody Fly Rodders said, “The presentation will be all about the hunt for false albacore, bonito and small tuna. This will be a comprehensive presentation with a wealth of information on the subject.” Seminar is open to the public.  The meeting which will take place at the Riverside Sportsmen’s Association, 19 Mohawk Dr., East Providence, RI is open to the public.  For information contact Peter Nilsen at 401-245-7172.

 
Joe Carr passes

Joe Carr, owner and operator of Carr's Fly Shop in Hope, RI passed away this weekend.  Peter Nilsen of Barrington, president of the Rhody Fly Rodders, said, “There will never be another fly shop like Joe's.  He was a great guy; always willing to help and really enjoyed the members of Trout Unlimited TU225 (fishing club) who visited his store.  Joe was a key supporter of our local fly fishing community, and he was well-respected by all of us fly anglers.  We all will miss Joe.”

Anglers aim to separate RI from other states

 The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) held an input meeting at the URI Bay Campus last week on Draft Addendum XXVI for the summer flounder fishery management plan (FMP).  The ASMFC develops management plans and regulations for summer flounder fishing in RI and other coastal states.  The meeting was chaired by Kirby Rootes-Murdy, ASMFC fishery management plan coordinator. Robert Ballou, one of Rhode Island’s ASMFC commissioners from the RI Department of Environmental Management, interested recreational anglers as well as representatives from the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association (RIPCBA) and the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) were in attendance.

Travis Barrio, RISAA board member and representative said “We are advocating for adaptive regional management like last year allowing Rhode Island to be separate and not making it accountable for fish caught in other regions along with guidelines for one year rather than two.” Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the RIPCBA said, “We are concerned about the options that bring RI into the same region as other states, mostly because of the uncertain data and how dramatically it can change from year to year. Combining with others could reduce our (recreational) bag limit to even less fish and shorten our season by quite a few days.”  Capt. Bellavance has also disputed the accuracy of the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) data used to measure effort and catch to develop harvest estimates. Both the RISAA and RIPCBA were in agreement on the summer flounder management plan options the ASMFC should consider for Rhode Island.

 Summer flounder abundance has moved north in recent years as the ocean water has warmed. So you might say climate change has impacted this fishery in a positive way for Rhode Island fishermen.   With this abundance shift and the importance of the species to both commercial and recreational fishing in Rhode Island, fish managers believe it is time to look at old and new data and science to consider changes to the way summer flounder are managed. A summer flounder management plan amendment that address a lot of these issues is in the works for the future.  Last year a public scoping meeting on the issue was held.  However, the scoping meeting is just one of the first steps in the long process of amendment development. It will be followed by selection of key issues, a draft amendment and implementation options as well as a number of public hearings.

 However for the time being, 2015 will likely bring more restrictive fishing regulations for recreational anglers in RI as the summer flounder projected relational harvest was overfished last year.  In 2014 the projected harvest was 126,724 fish and through Wave 5 fish managers say Rhode Island’s share of the regional harvest was 181,601 fish.  The ASMFC board plans to select management measures and approve them next month (February) at their next.  Public comment on the draft addendum (which can be found at www.asmfc.org) can be sent to Krootes-murdy@asmf.org , the subject title in the email should read:  Draft Addendum XXVI.

Where’s the bite

For ice conditions in your city or town check with local police and at Olney Pond in Lincoln Woods State Park, call DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation at 667-6200.  DEM has an ice safety guide that can be found online on its parks website at www.riparks.com .

Cod fishing is very good with vessels reporting more cod compared to the same time last year. Boats were not able to sail most of last week due to sever cold and bad weather, however, the Frances Fleet sailed Sunday with good results.  Top fish for the day was 20 pounds with bait rigs and jigs both working well.  Party boats sailing for cod fish at this time include the Seven B’s at www.sevenbs.com, the Frances Fleet at www.francesfleet.com and Island Current at www.islandcurrent.com

Capt. Bounds shares record tautog story

  Angler Kenneth Westerfeld of Bayside, NY with his 28.8 pound tautog.

 Capt. Bounds (far right) and Ken Westerfeld with tautog and his five fishing buddies

Matt Kryszczynski from Stamford, CT with cod fish he caught on the Seven B’s Saturday.

Capt. Bounds shares record tautog story

 
Last Friday Kenneth Westerfeld of Bayside Queens, New York landed a 28.8 pound, 35” tautog which if verified will be the new all-tackle International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) world record. The current world record of 25 pounds was set in 1998 by Anthony Monica fishing out of Ocean City, New Jersey.

Westerfeld said on his facebook page, “Well I can only thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ for bringing me this bite, and Capt. Kane Bounds for putting me on this wreck.” 

Capt. Kane Bounds of Fish Bound Charters, Ocean City, Maryland said, “Ken did it, he managed to land a very impressive 28.8 pound tautog.  We were fishing a small wreck about 20 miles southeast of Ocean City, MD in 75 feet of water.  The water was 47 degrees.  Ken was using 50 pound test braid line and a Snafu rig with a white (Jonah) crab about the size of a large whole green crab (the type of crab we commonly use here in RI and MA).” 

The Snafu rig, often used when targeting large tautog is a double hook rig where two hooks on either end of an eighteen inch line are placed in one crab with the sinker and leader to the main line tied into a loop in the middle so the crab sits on the bottom when fishing.  Visit YouTube and search for Snafu rig to learn how this rig is tied and used.

 Capt. Bounds said, “The fish started to fight about half way up and it took Ken about five minutes to bring it in. What was unusual is that this fish was a male, we have caught a number of large tautog in the 15 to 20 pound range in the past and they have all been female. The second largest fish of the day was 12.8 pounds. ”

It is no longer legal to fish for tautog in Rhode Island as the recreational season ended December 15, 2014, with the spring season scheduled to start sometime in April, 2015.

Narragansett Surfcasters to hold surf day and used tackle sale

The Narragansett Surfcasters is having their 2nd Annual Surf Day and Used Tackle Sale Saturday, January 24, 2015, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Narragansett Community Center, 53 Mumford Road, Narragansett, RI. “This is a great opportunity to pick up quality tackle at a reasonable cost, attend three great seminars and have some food and refreshments.” said Cliff Richer, club vice president.   

 Local plug and lure builders will have items on display as well as rod builders, reel repair technicians, antique/collectible plugs and a lot of new and used quality tackle displays.  Seminars will include Reel

Maintenance by Dave Morton of Beavertail Reel Repair at 11:30 a.m.; Kayak Fishing  by Capt. Howard Reed of Narrow River Custom Rods/Galilee Bait & Tackle at 12:30 p.m. and Fishing the Block and Cuttyhunk by Tommy McGuire at 1:30 p.m. 

Food will include Rocky Point famous chowder & clam cakes, chili, meatball sandwiches, hot dogs, etc.

$3.00 admission donation for adults for the club’s "Take a Kid Fishing Day". For information visit www.narragansettsurfcasters.com .

 DEM stocks ponds with trout

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) plans to stock eight ponds with 3,000 trout this week for the winter fishing season.   Carbuncle Pond, Coventry; Olney Pond, Lincoln; Barber Pond, South Kingstown; Silver Spring Lake, North Kingstown; Upper Melville Pond, Portsmouth; and Round Top Ponds, Burrillville will be stocked with trout.

“Even though there is no ice currently, we have had many beautiful days for fishing this winter. Getting out in the fresh air is a great way to start the New Year and generate excitement for Opening Day in April.” says Catherine Sparks, assistant director for Natural Resources.

A current fishing license and a Trout Conservation Stamp are required to keep or possess a trout. The daily creel and possession limit for trout Dec 1, 2014-February 28, 2015 currently stands at two per day.

How do you know if ice is safe?

Ice must have a uniform thickness of at least six inches before it is considered safe by DEM.  It generally takes at least five to seven consecutive days of temperatures in the low 20’s for safe ice to form.  In addition to the requisite cold temperatures, ice thickness is also determined by factors such as the size and depth of a pond, presence of springs or currents, and local temperature fluctuations. For ice conditions in your city or town check with local police and at Olney Pond in Lincoln Woods State Park, call DEM's Division of Parks and Recreation at 667-6200.  Visit www.riparks.com for an ice safety guide.

Where’s the bite

Cod fishing remains strong with the Seven B’s, Francis Fleet and Island Current party boats reporting good fishing.   Capt. Russ Benn of the Seven Bs said, “Cod fishing was very good Saturday. There were a number of cod in the 8-12 pound range… High hook had 8 keepers and the largest cod was just shy of 19 lbs. High-low bait rigs, with fresh clams, outperformed the anglers using jigs. The Seven B’s will be sailing Friday thru Sunday leaving at 5:00 a.m. Captain Andrew Dangelo will be at the helm for the Cod fishing season. Call him at (401) 788-6012 for reservations.”    Roger Simpson of the Frances Fleet said Saturday they had “a nice turnout and a very good catch of fish. Well over 100 nice green cod on board with the pool fish just over 20 lbs and a dozen other fish right behind in the mid to upper teens.  Hi hook took home eight fish and both bait and jigs did well with the fish spread evenly around the Lady Frances. Fishing in general is very good.”

Party boats sailing for cod fish at this time include the Seven B’s at www.sevenbs.com, the Frances Fleet at www.francesfleet.com and Island Current at www.islandcurrent.com.

Catch, keep and fish with live bait

 

Steve Brustein and Capt. Dave Monti with the fish they caught at Cox’s Ledge on the Seven B’s party boat out of Pt. Judith, RI.

 

Mitch and Doug DiPalma of Wakefield, RI with eleven year old Mitch’s first cod caught on the Seven B’s Saturday.

The Saltwater Sportsman’s National Fishing Seminar Series with host George Poveromo (shown with yellowfin tuna) will be held Saturday, January 10 at the Casey Theatre, Regis College, Weston, MA.



George and Mike Fotiades of Narragansett, RI with the cast net they use to batch bait for fishing.

Catch, keep and fish with live bait

“Ever since George was three years old he had a curiosity for fish at the shore.  As he got older he would catch them with a hook and line or net them and if that didn’t work he would throw rocks at them.  His fascination for fish at the shore got us (me) interested in catching our own bait.” said Michael Fotiades of Narragansett, RI.  Mike and his 13 year old son George spoke about catching, keeping and fishing with live bait Monday night at a Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) meeting.

“You need to catch bait where you are going to fish.  What is in the water is what the fish are eating. So if you catch bait (silversides or mummies) in upper Narragansett Bay and then travel to a new location in the lower Bay to fish it is not necessarily going to work as the fish may not be feeding on that bait in the new location.” said Michael Fotiades. 

Small baits commonly caught in this area with nets or traps include silversides, bay anchovies, sand eels and mumichogs or killifish.  Larger bait fish caught with nets or hook and line include chogee or cunner, mullet, Atlantic menhaden, shad and scup. 

“You need to follow the recreational fishing regulations even if you are catching the species for bait.” said Fotiades.  For example the scup limit this year was 30 fish/angler/day at a 10” minimum… so that is all you cn catch for bait as well as human consumption.

To keep bait live the overarching tip is temperature and oxygen.  “The idea is to keep the bait you catch at the same temperature and water oxygen level. This may mean using a bait well with a circulator or simply changing or adding water to a bait bucket every 15 or 20 minutes.” said Fotiades.

The presentation finale was handled by George Fotiades who demonstrated how to prepare and throw a cast net.  The idea is to start with a small net (five or six feet) and practice, then step up to larger nets eight, nine and ten feet, which are more difficult to throw. “We often use this five foot net.  And we catch all the bait we can use.” said Fotiades. 

There are a number of YouTube videos on how to throw a cast net and there seems no one right way to throw one.  I searched for “how to throw a cast net” and found several helpful videos on the subject.

Saltwater Sportsman’s seminar Saturday, January 10

The Saltwater Sportsman’s national fishing seminar series with host George Poveromo will hold its New England seminar Saturday, January 10, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Casey Theatre at Regis College (235 Wellesley Street, Weston, MA).  Poveromo is an editor-at-large for Salt Water Sportsman magazine and is the host of George Poveromo’s World of Saltwater Fishing television program on NBC Sports. The $55 seminar  fee includes a day of fishing instruction from local, regional and national fishing captains and guides, a course text book, a year subscription or extension to Salt Water Sportsman magazine, goodie bag, door prizes and more. Register at www.nationalseminarseries.com.   

Cod fishing is good

I went out on the Seven B’s party boat out of Pt. Judith Saturday and went cod fishing. I met Mitch and (his dad) Doug DiPalma of Wakefield, RI.  Doug said, “We had a great day fishing. Mitch is so excited about catching his first cod fish.”

Just prior to leaving the dock at 6:00 a.m. Capt. Andy Dangelo said, “This is our fist cod trip of the season and it is a sellout… we have a full boat.  Now we’re going to try to find the cod.”  And he did taking his 55 passengers to the northern end of Cox’s Ledge about 20 miles south, southeast of Pt. Judith.  It took us about two hours and fifteen minutes to get to the fishing grounds where we were joined by other party boats… from the Frances Fleet, the Island Current and the Viking (from Montauk).

Capt. Andy Dangelo moved the boat several times, each time some of the passengers would catch a fish or two.  The weather was great and I heard no complaints on the boat… some anglers caught one to three fish and some top anglers landed six or seven keepers.

Dave and his son Mitch Aster from Fitchburg, MA enjoyed the day too.  They boated several sea bass and cod.  “We fished with the Seven B’s in September because the Frances Fleet boats were full and we were glad we did the crew was very attentive.  We had a great time, so this is why we returned to the Seven B’s today.” said Dave Aster.

Cod fishing is great fun for adults and children.  So if you think fishing is over, think again.  I know I will be keeping my eye on the weather and when the temperature gets to 45 or 50 once again I’ll be grabbing my fishing rod and gear for a trip to Cox’s Ledge for cod.

Party boats sailing for cod fish at this time include the Seven B’s at www.sevenbs.com, the Frances Fleet at www.francesfleet.com and Island Current at www.islandcurrent.com.