Weekly Friar Fish Rapper

[dex]

We Do It All Here At The OT BOARD


FISHING REPORT

Striper painting, movie to debut in Middletown

By Dave Monti Special to the Journal

On Thursday, Saltwater Edge Outfitters in Middletown will unveil "Striper Magic" a limited-edition canvas by underwater photographer and cinematographer, Mike Laptew.

“We commissioned this work to pay tribute to the striped bass, one of the most important game fish on the East Coast and to focus attention on the need for sound management and proper catch and release techniques,” said Peter Jenkins, owner of the Saltwater Edge.

In addition to the unveiling, Laptew will debut a 20-minute film, "The Making of Focus on Fish/Striped Bass" a fine art, fishing film that delves into the underwater world of striped bass and the many other creatures that inhabit our waters. The film includes highlights from over 10 years spent chronicling bass behavior.

Lapew’s commentary during the film will add insight and help anglers catch more striped bass. The breathtaking underwater footage of vast kelp beds, sheer cliffs, gorges, and bedrock reefs will enthrall anglers and non-anglers alike.

The public is invited to attend. Appetizers and light refreshments will be available after 6 p.m., with the unveiling at 7 p.m., followed by the film. The Saltwater Edge is at 1037 Aquidneck Ave. in Middletown.

Free fishing in Mass.

The State of Massachusetts is hosting free saltwater fishing on Father’s Day weekend (June 15-16). So grab your rod, gather up the family, and head to the Massachusetts shoreline for some great fishing. There is no need for a saltwater fishing permit in state marine waters, out to three miles, until the weekend is over.

If you need assistance to know where to go fishing, find tackle shops, or boat ramps visit https:// www.mass.gov/recreational-saltwater-fishing.For fishing regulations on bag limits, seasons and size limits visit www.mass.gov/service-details/recreational-saltwater-fishing-regulations.

If you get “hooked” on saltwater fishing, you can purchase a permit online. Funds raised through permit sales go toward improvements to saltwater access and programs that support marine recreational fishing in Massachusetts.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass. Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle in Warren, said, “We have weighted in some large fish, Sunday we had a 39.6-pound fish caught with a live pogie on light tackle between Hog Island and Prudence Island. But the fish are in Mt. Hope Bay too off Common Fence Point and they are catching bluefish too in the 18- to 20-inch range.” Elisha Cahill of Sung Harbor Marina said, “Bass fishing at the Island and along the southern coastal shore is still not great. A lot of smaller fishing being caught from the beaches. And the worm hatch at Potter Pond is just about over.” Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle in Providence said, “Capt. BJ Silvia had Al Gag of Al Gag’s Lures out fishing this week and he caught a 40-pound fish with one of his Whip-It lures. Most anglers catching large fish are south of Conimicut Point and the pogies are down deeper than usual.” Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick, said, “Keeper bass are being caught on pogies in Conimicut to Potters Cover, Prudence Island.” Angler Mike Swain of Coventry said, “Catching bass with live pogies seems to be working this year. I worked the area between Prudence Island and Poppasquash Point in Bristol Saturday and caught a nice 35-inch fish, but I had to work for it in an area where no one else was fishing.”

Fluke fishing is good off Block Island and the south side is yielding some big fish. Angler Dereck Koloa said, “Saturday we picked up a 22-inch and 29-inch fluke and some shorts but a slow day overall due to wind and tide not being in line. We had success using bucktails with gulp and spearing.” Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said, “Last Wednesday we had the best catching of the week with nearly a full boat limit of keepers to 10 pounds.” Macedo said. “Most fish are being caught in the lower Bay, we have a lot of customers now targeting them since tautog season closed.” Henault said, “Fish are being caught south of the bridges both in the east and west passages. Squid fishing has been on and off too.” When squid are in fluke fishing is usually enhanced. Ferrara said, “Customers are starting to catch fluke off Warwick light, with a good scup bite at Rocky Point and Ohio Ledge.” Cahill said, “Some large fluke are being caught on the south side of Block Island, in the Fishing Lanes and off Carpenter’s along the southern coastal shore. Anglers are working for large fish. Customer Richard Browning caught an 11.5 pound fish. But caught a number of smaller fish before catching a big one.”

Offshore fishing for tuna is starting to percolate. Cahill said, “School bluefin and yellow fin are being caught on both the east and west ends of Atlantis Canyon. And, we have heard reports of some giant bluefin being caught in commercial nets at Cox Ledge. So stay tuned we may have giants soon at Cox Ledge.”

Cod fishing on Shark’s Ledge is producing. Angler Paul Boutiette said, “My bride and I spent a few hours Sunday cod fishing a Shark’s Ledge. Between the multitudes of large dogfish we caught six cod. Four keepers and two shorts, all cod caught by jigging a 16 oz. cod jig with two white bucktail teasers. Cod bit on both the jig and teasers. Used clams on one rod for a while but was only getting dogfish on that one, so I stopped fishing with bait.”

Freshwater fishing continues to be good for largemouth bass in ponds that have warmed nicely.

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides Association and the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Follow Capt. Dave on twitter @capt-DaveMonti. He’ll be tweeting about ‘Where’s the bite’, fishing regulations, national fishing policy, and issues that impact the fish. Forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at dmontifish@verizon . net or visit www. noflukefishing.com.

[friar82]

My God, Dex

You have this reptile's head spinning. Between your sex-starved husband posts and this, I thought you were posting something about strippers being noticed in RI, to which I would submit they are ever present at the clubs around Providence (none of which I have ever visited, I might add).

[dex]

Thanks ‘82 and one man’s poison is another man’s pleasure

Friar Fish Wrapper is my brain child as I try to play Gadabout Gaddis to the Friarman’s 2nd favorite hobby

We are becoming a worldwide internet behemoth here at OT but I never want to lose that personal touch

Ps someday I will tell you about a night at Club Fantasy many moons ago that will double you over laughing

I just don’t think you are ready for the Score’s of the East side of nyc story st this point. Brother Joe perhaps

[pcdad]

It’s hard to be a saint in the city.

[dex]

Just call me Simon Templar Daddy-O

[dex]

FISHING REPORT
Striped bass on the move
By Dave Monti Special to the Journal


Bill Bradley, Erica O’Donnell and Ray Ludvigson, from left, all members of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers, with some of the summer flounder they caught earlier this week in the West Passage of Narragansett Bay. [SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL / DAVE MONTI]

Greg Vespe, president of the Aquidneck Island Striper Team and Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) board member, reports that “the bass are beginning to drop out of Narragansett Bay for the next couple of weeks, so I recommend targeting the points and outcroppings near the mouth of the bay, which was where I had success this week with striped bass.”

Vespe has caught a number of striped bass this year at places like the Fort Adams area in Newport. “Bass are transitioning so it’s hard to target them as they are moving around a lot as the head out. ... That’s why I like the points in the lower bay both East and West passages and the Sakonnet River. All the points to me offer the bass a staging and feeding area to stop at as they pass through.”

“The dropping east tide brought stripers from Buzzards Bay into the Cape Cod Canal,” said "East End" Eddie Doherty. Doherty is a Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author. “Some nice fish were caught on Monday, including several 30 pounders and a 48-pound monster. On Wednesday morning, I caught a 31- and a 35-inch striped bass. I was using a five-ounce Hurley olive/ white rat tail on the dropping tide.”

I fished with Erica O’Donnell, Bill Bradley and Ray Ludvigson in the West Passage and they picked up five nice keeper fluke to 24 inches, eight sea bass to 23 inches and 10 scup in three and a half hours of fishing. Later in the week the same area yielded a 26-inch fluke for West Philadelphia resident Michael Garmisa.

Here are some fluke fishing tips:

■ Wind and tide should be in line as you want to drag (or drift) over the front of the fish, as they set up looking into the current. This way they see your bait. Drift over the back of the fish and they may never see your bait.

■ Fish low/high bottom breaks. This means fishing channel breaks, edges of structure, etc. My largest fluke have been caught on edges.

■ Match the hatch tipping with squid, bluefish, bass, silversides, mummies and minnows. Often times, whatever we catch (or seems to be in the water where we are fishing), I will cut up and strip for the fluke rigs.

■ Trailer teasers work. My largest fish have been caught with the trailer stinger bucktails.

■ Power drift (putting boat in and out of gear to go slow) for movement at slack tide.

■ Both jigs and traditional fluke rigs work.

■ Power drift perpendicular when wind and tide are not ideal.

■ Personal favorite is big bait — Capt. Monti’s fluke cocktail — squid rig tipped with squid, fluke belly and horizontal minnow. I believe that big baits catch big fish; you will catch fewer fish but they will be larger.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass. Atlantic menhaden increased in the Providence River this week. Tom Giddings from the Tackle Box in Warwick says: “Anglers are now using pogies as they can be found in the river. However, anglers fishing with eels at night are landing bass in the 30-inch to 45-inch range. And, the bluefish bite in the bay has been very good.” Elisa Cahill of Sung Harbor Marina in South Kingstown says: “Surf fishermen are catching smaller bass with keepers mixed in. And, some anglers fishing from the West (Passage) and off the Center Walls of the Harbor of Refuge are catching bonito. Some are pretty good size. The day bass bite at the North Rip and the Southwest Ledge is yielding smaller fish with the night bite on eels yielding 40- to 50-pound fish.”

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing improved greatly once the wind and tide started to work together on Saturday. Elisa Cahill says: “A customer caught a 10.9 fish from the beach last week.” Cahill reports cod at the East Grounds and Sharks Ledge as well. “Customers are catching fluke off Warwick Light and Warwick Country Club as well as off Quonset Point,” says Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box. John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait says “The fluke bite off Newport has not been good. However, last week the black sea bass bite was good with anglers catching decent size fish.” Doug Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters says: “Fluke along the coastal shore are being caught but it is spotty There are 6-pound fish but the larger ones are at Block Island. We weighed in a 12-pound 11-ounce fluke caught there earlier this week.”

Black sea bass/scup. Black sea bass fishing opened June 24 and the season has gotten off to a great start with anglers catching their limit of three fish/person/day. Most are catching them when fluke fishing with squid. Wade says: “Sea bass are kicking in with some nice fish being caught along the coastal shore.” Littlefield says “Scup fishing has improved 100 fold in the bay. Anglers are catching their limit at Sabin Point, Colt State Park and at the White Church bridge in Barrington.”

Offshore. Hans Lugus of the fishing vessel Twister caught a 325-pound thresher shark on Friday. Cahill says “Shark fishing is on. Just in time for our Shark Tournament July 6 and 7." Visit www.snugharbormarina.com for details.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing for over 40 years. He holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter

Boat Association and a member of the RI Marine

Fisheries Council. Contact or forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at [e-mail] or visit his website at www. noflukefishing.com.

[dex]

FISHING REPORT
328-pound shark wins Snug Harbor tourney
By Dave Monti Special to The Journal


The crew members of the “Knot Reel Teeth,” from left, Jim DeAngelo, Richard Napolitano, Chris Napolitano, Matt Charland and Ryan Napolitano, show off the 328-pound mako shark that earned first place in the 38th annual Snug Harbor Shark Tournament last weekend. [COURTESY

OF DAVE MONTI]

“The thresher shark picked up our squid and ran with it. That first run was spectacular. We fought the shark for an hour and 45 minutes,” said Richard Napolitano, recounting the battle for the fish that took first place in the 38th annual Snug Harbor Shark Tournament.

Napolitano was quick to point out that his sport-fishing vessel, "Knot Reel Teeth," successfully caught, tagged and released five other mako and blue sharks during the tournament, as they normally do. This serves as a great data resource for fish managers.

“We had just moved the boat to a new location, put out two rods, and as soon as we put out the third with squid ... that’s when the 328-pound mako hit," Napolitano said. "We chased it around a bit and then the shark sounded and we had to get it up. We finally circled the fish, with [his son] Chris putting on the pressure by pumping and reeling, pumping and reeling, trying to disrupt the fish. Finally, the fish turned on its side and came up.

“My son, Chris, did a great job on the fish; my son Ryan orchestrated the whole thing from the cockpit while I was at the helm. We also had two other crew that did a great job helping to harpoon and tail-tie the fish. ... Hats off to Jim DeAngelo and Matthew Charland for their great work."

Jim Sansaua took second place with a 230-pound thresher, according to Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina.

The tournament started at 5 a.m. on Saturday and ended at 5 p.m. on Sunday; the first- and second-place winners were both caught on Saturday. Proceeds from the tournament go to the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and the Recreational Fishing Alliance.

New cod, haddock rules

The NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional office last week announced changes to cod and haddock recreational regulations.

The Gulf of Maine cod season will open Sept. 15-30 with a one-fish, per-person, per-day limit. The minimum size is 21 inches. There will be no April season.

The haddock season is May 1 to Feb. 29 and April 15-30 with a 15-fish, per-person, per-day limit. The minimum size is 17 inches.

The minimum size for Georges Bank cod will be 21 inches, while the possession limit remains 10 fish per person, per day.

For more information, visit fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass: Fishing has moved out of the Narragansett Bay. “The bass bite in the Providence River slowed this week with not many fish being taken," said Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box in Warwick. Bruce Miller of Canal Bait & Tackle in Sagamore, Mass., said: “The bass bite on the [Cape Cod] Canal has been OK this week but not as good as last week. Anglers are still hooking up with 30- to 40-pound fish using jigs on the west side of the Canal.”

Black sea bass/summer flounder: “The fluke and black sea bass bite has been very good with anglers staying inside or fishing Cleveland Ledge, where the bite has been outstanding,” Miller said. Anglers continue to hook up with fluke around the Jamestown and Newport bridges, with some finding fish out in front along the coastal shore.

Scup: Fishing continues to be very good just about anywhere there is structure and water movement. “Many customers have said the scup have been larger than ever before," Giddings said. "They are also catching more sea robins and dogfish than ever before from shore at Conimicut Point.”

Offshore: A report from noted offshore angler Richard Pastore: “We headed out at 5:30 a.m. from Wick-ford on Wednesday to Tuna Ridge and the temperature break we saw [on satellite]. At Tuna Ridge, temperature change went from 69 to almost 73 in a couple of miles. Flat seas, no bait and a few birds. Set in about 7 a.m. heading south toward NW corner of the Dump. We put out black squid and brown squid splash bars on the outside tracks about 150 feet back in the outriggers. Inside lines were a black and blue Islander with a Ballyhoo and green machine daisy chain with a bird leading the way. Twenty minutes out, the brown spreader bar explodes and almost tears the outrigger off the boat. The fish came out of nowhere. The fish dumps about half of a spool of a 50-wide Penn reel until my son, Joseph, finally slows him down. Ten minutes later, fish is pinwheeling next to the boat. We gaffed the fish, a 50-pound real fat bluefin tuna loaded with squid.”

Freshwater: No major trout fishing or bite is reported. All the action is focused on largemouth bass, with anglers using medium to large shiners to hook up. “The largemouth bass are in post-spawn now and customers are catching them at Stump Pond, Smithfield; the Turner Reservoir, East Providence; and at Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods," Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said. “Freshwater fishing continues to be fantastic for customers," Giddings said. "Largemouth bass, white perch and carp at Roger Williams Park all continue to be good. Customers are hooking up with bass at Carbuncle Pond, Coventry; Warwick Pond; and Olney Pond, Lincoln.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is an RISAA board member, a member of the R.I. Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater

Guides Association and the R.I. Marine Fisheries Council. Follow Captain Dave on twitter @captdavemonti. He’ll be tweeting about

"Where’s the bite," fishing regulations, national fishing policy and issues that affect the fish. Forward fishing news and photos to Captain Dave at [e-mail] or visit noflukefishing.com.

[dex]

As other anglers do, I like to fish for striped bass. It was designated Rhode Island’s official state fish in 2000. It is also the state fish in New York, Virginia and New Hampshire.

On Aug. 8 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which regulates striped bass in state waters, will be discussing striped bass and options on how to rebuild the species, which has been and is being overfished. This means that, based on the best available science, the Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) of striped bass is too small to sustain the fishery. If we continue to take fish at the rate we are taking them, the science says the stock will continue to crash.

If you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island and do not want striped bass to continue to crash, send an email to your Massachusetts or Rhode Island commissions that sit on the ASMFC. Visit www.asmfc.org/about-us/commissioners for commissioner email addresses.

We need to rebuild striped bass now. In your note to your state’s commission, simply state the need to return striped bass fishing mortality to the target in the current management plan (known as Amendment 6) and that it needs to be done by 2020.

Ask commissioners to oppose the motion to begin a new amendment to the management plan, which could result in new goals and objectives that reduce striped bass abundance and harm the long-term health of the spawning stock. For information about striped bass stock status visit saltwaterguidesassociation.com/blog/.

Warm-water fishing

It’s not even mid-summer and the water in Buzzards Bay on Wednesday was 73 degrees, warmer than the usual average of 68 degrees. Narragansett Bay was 75 degrees this week, even hotter in low-water coves and sanctuaries.

When water gets hot and things are compounded by poor flushing of our north-facing coves, the oxygen levels drop and fishing can be challenging. Bait fish leave the area and the fish we like to catch (and eat) often leave for cooler, deeper water that is better oxygenated. Fish such as black sea bass, scup, summer founder, even bluefish and striped bass may be harder to find in the bay.

So, how do you catch fish when it seems like there are no fish to be found? The key is water movement. Fish areas that get flushed often and have structure or edges where water movement is brisk and often deep. This includes structure such as channel pads, under or near bridges, rock clusters, jetties, outcrops, points or peninsulas on land and wrecks.

For example, the Cape Cod Canal gets flushed with each tide. The shipping channel in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay, from the southern tip of Prudence Island to Providence, serves as a “fish highway,” flushing that side of the bay. Places such as Warwick Neck, Providence Point, Sandy Point and the T-Wharf on Prudence Island, Poppasquash Point in Bristol, Sally’s Rock in Greenwich Cove, and Quonset Point in North Kingstown all serve as natural structures that can whip water around them. The Jamestown and Pell bridges also serve as fish magnets. So when the water is warm, take advantage of structure and fish where the fish are.

This holds true for freshwater fishing, too. Fish deeper water, areas that are shaded and areas that have some water movement when the water gets hot.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater. Lorraine Danti of Lucky Bait & Tackle in Warren said: “Anglers are doing better in deep water ponds as the water temperature is rising in smaller ponds, creating algae bloom and poor water quality. Stafford Pond in Tiverton is producing bass for customers.” Stafford Pond is relatively deep with a maximum depth of about 22 feet. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick said: “Shiners are a problem. We have only been getting half of what we order, but customers that are fishing are doing well. Fishing in Gorton Pond in Warwick has been good, producing a seven- and a six-pound bass for customers last week.”

Striped bass fishing remains strong at Block Island. “We weighted in three 50-pound fish from Block Island last week. The bite is very strong there. However, anglers have been hooking up off Gooseberry Island, too,” said Danti. Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet says: “Night bass fishing has been very good at Block Island. Last Wednesday did have the best tides and we had a full boat limit by 10 p.m.” Fishing in the Brenton Reef and Seal Rock areas off Newport is producing bass. However, they are mostly school bass with some keepers mixed in. Expert Cape Cod Canal fishermen Eddie Doherty of Mattapoisett said: “The bluefish have invaded the canal this week. ... An 18-and a 25-pound striped bass were caught.”

Fluke, scup and black sea bass. This week we did fairly well off Newport’s Brenton Reef fishing for fluke and black sea bass. The keepers were smaller fish, many just the minimum size of 19 inches, but the bite was good. The largest black sea bass caught there was about 21 inches. Ferrara said: “Areas south of the Jamestown Bridge are producing. We had a customer land a 27-inch fluke. Areas around Dutch Island, Austin Hollow and off Beavertail are all producing keeper fluke and sea bass for customers.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides Association and the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Follow Capt. Dave on twitter@CaptDaveMonti. He’ll be tweeting about ‘Where’s the bite’, fishing regulations, national fishing policy, and issues that impact the fish. Forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at [e-mail] or visit www.noflukefishing. com.

[dex]

Warmer waters mean more black sea bass
By Dave Monti Special to the Journal

Black sea bass are everywhere. You can’t go saltwater fishing in most places without catching them.

“One reason why we have so many black sea bass is that the young of the year [newly born sea bass] are living though the winter," said Jason McNamee, chief of Rhode Island's marine resource management. "The winter water is not as cold as it used to be. So we have had a couple of years when these small fish have returned to shore in the spring, creating an abundance of fish.”

McNamee spoke Monday during a R.I. Saltwater Anglers Association seminar on black sea bass, part of a panel with Capt. Eric Thomas of Teezer Charters and Kraig Ruth, chairman of RISAA's kayak committee. Rhode Island’s black sea bass catch limit until Saturday is three fish per person per day. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 31, the catch limit changes to seven fish per person per day. In Massachusetts, the season ends Sept. 8 with a limit of five fish per person per day. In both states, the minimum size is 15 inches.

Black sea bass facts n Black sea bass are primarily black, but they have the ability to adjust their colors ranging from gray, brown and black to a deep indigo hue. The larger fish are male, McNamee said. “Dominant males tend to be the most colorful and the largest fish, with humps on their heads, which in part may be a way they communicate their dominance.”

• They spend most of their time around the bottom and can be found near rocky areas, jetties, rips and, like a lot of bottom fish, they like structure.

• Black sea bass are hermaphroditic fish. They begin life as female, then some turn male.

• Black sea bass put up a good feisty fight but they do not grow to be huge fish; however, record sizes in the Northeast have been caught in recent years, fish in the 20-to-25-inch range are common.

• The largest black sea bass tend to be in deeper water on or near structure.

• Ideal water temperatures for black sea bass are between 59 and 64 degrees.

• Rigs often used to catch black sea bass have two hooks approximately 12-16 inches apart with a bank sinker to hold bottom. However, Capt. Rick Bellavance of Priority Too charters said, “Black sea bass fishing could not have been better this year, with limits of blue males common. A simple one-hook rig with squid is all you need.” They can also be caught with jigs and many prefer this method.

Where’s the bite?

Summer flounder (fluke) and black sea bass. The fluke bite improved this week and the black sea bass bite remains strong, particularly off coastal shores in Newport, at the mouth of the Sakonnet River and at Block Island. Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said: “We had some of the best fluke fishing of the whole summer last week. The week started out with a very strong catch on our last 12-hour fishing trip. Most of the boat left with a limit of fluke and sea bass.” Harrison Gatch of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly, said: “Fluke fishing has been off but anglers are hooking up with nice black sea bass along the coast.” On my charter boat, we continue to reach angler limits of large sea bass at the mouth of the Sakonnet River with fluke to 25-inches at Elbow Ledge off Sachuest Point, Middletown. In the West Passage south of the Jamestown Bridge, Merry Bisragane of North Smithfield caught three fluke (up to 22 inches) fishing about 90 minutes at Austin Hollow off Jamestown. Kevin Fetzer of East Greenwich and his party had a boat limit of black sea bass to 22 inches Saturday at the mouth of the Sakonnet River.

Striped bass and bluefish from the shore has been good. Gatch said: “Surf fishermen report a good school striped bass bite, but boat anglers are catching larger bluefish and keeper striped bass. Block Island is still hot with an early morning [before 10 a.m.] bite and an early evening and night bite. Eels are working as well as the Gravity Eel. It’s a soft plastic lure that is working real well.” Bluefish in the 18-inch range are being caught in the mid- and lower portions of Narragansett Bay, both in the West and East Passages and in Coves. I caught two in five minutes from a dock in Wickford this Thursday. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “Bluefish are running from Conimicut Light all the way up the River to Providence. They are all different sizes.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside, said: “Blue fishing has been good, with anglers catching them at Sabin Point and off Barrington Beach. They move in a couple of times a day, usually in the early morning and then later in the afternoon.”

Bonito, false albacore and chub mackerel. The coastal shore is experiencing a good bonito bite, with chub mackerel being in the area for three weeks now. Gatch said: “We have not had many reports of false albacore in the area at all.” Expert bonito angler Sue Lemma said: “The Bonito were in Salt Pond all the way up to the fishing fleet and charter boat docks earlier in the week.”

Freshwater fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass remains very strong. Littlefield said: “Customers are catching bass at Brickyard Pond, Barrington, the first time I have heard positive news there in a while. Anglers say the water quality is better now and the fish are responding.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is an RISAA board member, a member of the R.I.

Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides

Association and the R.I. Marine

Fisheries Council. Follow Captain

Dave on twitter @captdavemonti. He’ll be tweeting about "Where’s the bite," fishing regulations, national fishing policy and issues that impact the fish. Forward fishing news and photos to Captain

Dave at dmontifish@verizon. net or visit noflukefishing.com.

[friar82]

Yet another in-state, Movie Debut for our resident - illuminati to attend?

[dex]

FISHING REPORT
Declining striped bass stocks require action
By Dave Monti Special to the Journal


Mason Yeh, of Connecticut, shows off a bonito caught off Newport as he was saltwater fly-fishing with Capt. Rene Letourneau of On The Rocks Charters. Yeh caught bonito, striped bass and bluefish, all on the same trip.

[PHOTO COURTESY

OF DAVE MONTI]

How do we rebuild striped bass? The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has put out Addendum VI to the striped bass management plan for public comment that mandates an 18% reduction in harvest coastwide just to stop overfishing.

The most recent stock assessment shows the species is overfished and overfishing is occurring. If we continue to harvest at this rate, the species will continue to decline to extinction.

The ASMFC manages striped bass coastwide in state waters from shore out to the three-mile limit. Striped bass fishing is not allowed in federal waters three miles to 200 miles offshore.

Harvest reduction options outlined in Addendum VI only have a 50% chance of being successful. For me, this is not enough. Striped bass is the No. 1 species targeted by anglers on much of the East Coast — 90% of striped bass are allocated to recreational fishery, 10% to the commercial fishery.

According to the “Fisheries Economics of the U.S.” report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), recreational fishing in Rhode Island generates $412 million in sales impact annually to the state’s economy. The report notes that commercial fisheries have a sales impact of $333 million. Striped bass is the major species driving recreational sales impact.

Anglers do not harvest fish by pounds for money like commercial fishers; they harvest for the experience of fishing as well as for food. So the objective of a recreational angler is not to harvest as much as possible. The fish in the water, the anticipation and expectation that you can catch a fish is worth more to recreational anglers than dead fish on shore. Growing the stock to abundance so there are more in the water for all to catch and eat is of vital importance.

We need to start thinking about making the ASMFC manage species more like the species that are managed in federal waters under the Magnuson Stevens Act. Under the MSA, allowable catch limits (ACLs) are established with payback provisions if sectors overfish, and most species adhere to a rule-of-thumb, 10-year rebuilding timeline. Data presented with Addendum VI shows that striped bass would not be rebuilt until 2033.

For options that anglers need to weigh in on, as well as details on Rhode Island and Massachusetts public hearings, check the online version of this article at providencejournal.com/sports .

Newport Boat Show next week

The 49th Newport International Boat Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 12-14 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 15 on the waterfront along American’s Cup Avenue in Newport.

Visit newportboatshow.com for information, show seminars, events, for course schedules, to register for courses as well as to buy tickets.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass, bluefish, bonito and mackerel. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said: “Bonito, chub mackerel and Spanish mackerel are running all along the southern coastal shore from Pier 5, Narragansett, to Westerly with these fish being taken in front of Newport and the Sakonnet River, too. Anglers are using Epoxy jigs, Daddy Mac jigs and soft plastics to target them.” Capt. Rene Letourneau of On the Rocks Charters had two customers score a R.I. Slam — they landed striped bass, bluefish and bonito in the same outing off Newport. “It was their first time saltwater fly-fishing,” Letourneau said.

Bluefish and keeper striped bass have infiltrated Narragansett Bay. We caught bluefish and a 30-inch striped bass off the dock in Wickford Cove this week. The cove was loaded with needlefish with a fair amount of Atlantic menhaden and snapper blues in the water, too. Henault said: “The striped bass bite is good at Block Island and up in the Bay at places like Conimicut Point, Sabin Point and Salter Grove. We have a lot of small bluefish with keeper bass mixed in being caught. The fish are very fast-moving so they are likely chasing peanut bunker.”

Eric Weybrant of Exeter fished Block Island this week with his daughter, Rowan Alexander, and friend, Bryan Goes. “We started drifting eels around the peanut and hooked up with a 38-inch striped bass within the first 20 minutes,” Weybrandt said. “There was a nice rip on the North side of the ‘ledge,’ where the water drops from 50 feet down to 80. We had drifted off the edge into the deeper water and were reeling in to reposition when a nice 42-inch fish grabbed an eel and took off.”

Summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass and scup. Bottom fishing for anglers is good with scup being caught just about any place in bays and along coastal shores where there is structure and water movement. The fluke bite continues to be good at Elbow Ledge. We continue to catch large black sea bass in the 20- to 23-inch range at the mouth of the Sakonnet using squid in combination with soft plastic. Red seems to be working best with white a second-best choice. Three anglers on my vessel caught their limit in 60 minutes of fishing at the Sakonnet this weekend.

Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said: “Monday started out with the marathon trip boxing around 140 keeper fluke. We had two fish around 10 pounds and five other fish over 8 pounds. Tuesday-Thursday saw up-and-down results but quality fish on all trips. Fluke fishing is not over yet! Sea bass fishing was rock solid with full boat limits on every trip.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is an RISAA board member, a member of the R.I. Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides Association and the R.I. Marine Fisheries Council. Follow Captain Dave on Twitter @captdavemonti. He’ll be tweeting about “Where’s the bite,” fishing regulations, national fishing policy and issues that impact the fish. Forward fishing news and photos to Captain Dave at [e-mail] or visit noflukefishing.com.

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FISHING REPORT
Options to protect striped bass considered
By Dave Monti Special to the Journal


Jamie Wong, of Cambridge, Mass., with his father, left, and two children — Lucia and Xavier — with the black sea bass they caught north of the Pell Bridge on Saturday. [SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL / DAVE MONTI]

More fishing trips for striped bass occur than any other species. It is the No. 1 sport fish on the East Coast. Recreational industry leaders this week weighed in how to reduce its harvest after the most recent stock assessment striped bass report said the species is being overfished.

A minimum 18% reduction coast-wide has been mandated by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). The reduction will not rebuild the stock, just stop the overfishing.

What’s your opinion on how to reduce the striped bass harvest? However you feel, let fish managers and commissioners of the ASMFC know.

The ASMFC manages striped bass coast-wide and will conduct public hearings on striped bass Addendum VI management plan options. Anglers can also mail in comments or send via email. Visit www.asmfc.org for Addendum VI reduction options, stock assessment highlights and comment instructions.

Industry leader perspectives

The American Saltwater Guides Association (ASGA) supports treating commercial fishing and recreational fishing equally. For Ocean Fisheries, ASGA supports sub-option 2-A1: one fish at 35 inches minimum, which would achieve an 18% reduction. Chesapeake Bay Fisheries ASGA supports sub-option 2-B1: 1 fish at 18 inches minimum, which would achieve a 20% reduction.

Option 3.2, the Circle Hook Provision ASGA supports option B where states would be required to use circle hooks.

Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association (RIPCBA) supports Option1: Status Quo. This means that regulations would continue to operate as they are … one fish/person/day. Commercial regulations would remain the same, too.

Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) supports treating commercial fishing and recreational fishing equally. RISAA supports sub-option 2-A1: one fish at a 35-inch to 40-inch slot, which would achieve a 21% reduction.

For Chesapeake Bay Fisheries, RISAA supports sub-option 2-B1: one fish at 18-inch minimum, which would achieve a 20% reduction.

Option 3.2, the Circle Hook Provision, RISAA supports option C: states would be required to promote the use of circle hooks by developing public education and outreach campaigns.

Public hearings

Rhode Island's public hearing is Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. at Corless Auditorium, URI Bay Campus, Narragansett, R.I. In Massachusetts there is a public hearing on Oct. 3 at the Mass. Maritime Academy, Admiral’s Hall, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

Public comments accepted in writing or via email until 5 p.m. on Oct. 7.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass, bluefish, bonito and false albacore. East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fisherman and author says: “The canal is heating up. I caught three keepers, including a hungry 18-pounder that inhaled my Hurley 5-ounce white paddle tail Canal Killer on an early east tide. There were some nice fish caught this week in the 20- and 30-pound class.” Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle in Warren says: “It’s been bluefish, bluefish and bluefish. They have been all over the East Passage from snapper blues to fish in the 12-inch to 24-inch range. There are a few striped bass mixed in. We have not seen a bluefish run like this in years. On Monday the false albacore were all the way up to Barrington Beach along with the bluefish.”

Tautog fishing is slow. Tom Giddings says: “Anglers caught mostly small fish off Jamestown this week. They seem to be in but just have to get larger. We fished off North Kingstown at General Rock and most of the fish were short tautog this weekend. Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait said: “One customer limited out (three fish) on tautog at the Stone Bridge in Tiverton.” Angler Derek Kolodziejczak reports on the RISAA blog that, “We fished the south side of Whale Rock (Sunday) in depths of 16-to-30 feet. We had plenty of action but managed only one keeper tog. Lots of scup, if you wanted them.”

Black sea bass, scup and summer flounder. Anglers on my boat caught seven keeper black sea bass to 20 inches, two fluke and as many keeper scup as they wanted in the Pell Bridge area. Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet says: “The fluke fishing is off with black bass sea bass taking off like a rocket. We had near full boat limits to five pounds. The sea bass limit is now seven per person.”

Cod. Angler Paul Boutiette says: “Arrived at Cox Ledge Monday with my wife at 11:30 a.m. and the current shifted at 3 p.m. and rods heated up. Began pulling in cod rapidly and ended up with seven cod, including a 10.1-pound beauty, five BSB and one Pollock. Both clams and jigs worked.”

Tuna bite. Capt. Blount of The Frances Fleet says: “We had great results on our three-day trip. We managed 30 yellows to 100 pounds. Trolling seemed to have the best results with 22 of the fish.”

Freshwater. “The largemouth, perch and pike bite have all been good. Little Pond in Warwick is closed due to algae, but prior to the closure the fishing there was good, too,” according to Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box.

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association, the American

Saltwater Guides Association and the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Follow Capt. Dave on twitter @

CaptDaveMonti. He’ll be tweeting about ‘Where’s the bite’, fishing regulations, national fishing policy, and issues that impact the fish. Forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at [e-mail] or visit www.noflukefishing.com.

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FISHING REPORT
Fall’s a great time to get hooked on fishing
By Dave Monti Special to the Journal

Fishing, whether in freshwater or saltwater, is great in the fall. Anglers have a lot of choices. Some are catching trout in ponds and rivers stocked by the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and the saltwater fishing is outstanding.

“Fall is the best time of year to fish,” said Capt. Rick Bellavance, president of the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association. “Anglers are catching tautog, cod, scup, bluefish, striped bass, false albacore and tuna.”

The black sea bass bite is still very strong, with a limit of seven fish per person per day until Dec. 31 in Rhode Island waters. The tautog limit is three fish/angler/day until Oct. 14 and then jumps to five fish/angler/day for the rest of the year with a maximum of 10 fish per boat.

The weather is clearing this weekend, so get out and fish.

State stocks ponds with trout

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) began stocking trout in ponds across Rhode Island this week, too.

The following waters will be stocked with rainbow and brook trout before Columbus Day: Burrillville — Round Top Ponds; Charlestown — Lower Shannock, Pawcatuck River; Exeter — Breakheart Pond, Browning Mill Pond, 165 Check Station, Wood River; Glocester — Spring Grove Pond; Hopkinton — Barberville Dam, Hope Valley Fishing Area (Dow Field Ball Park), Wyoming Pond, Wood River; Lincoln — Olney Pond (Lincoln Woods State Park); North Kingstown — Silver Spring Lake; Richmond — Graniteville (Route 95 underpass), Meadowbrook Pond, Beaver River, Woodville; Richmond — Beaver River; Scituate — Hope Mill Landing, Upper Pawtuxet River; South Kingstown — Barber Pond; Tiverton — Stafford Pond.

For daily stocking updates, follow DEM’s outdoor education page on Facebook at face-book.com/RIFishwildlife .

Rhody Fly Rodders meet

The Rhody Fly Rodders, the oldest saltwater fly-fishing club in American, will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at the Riverside Sportsmen’s Association, 1 Mohawk Dr., East Providence. The public is invited to attend. For information, contact the club’s president, Peter Nilsen, at [e-mail].

This annual pizza-party kickoff meeting will feature a showing of “Kiss the Water,” a documentary about Megan Boyd, an expert fly-tyer and salmon fisher, that is set on the northern coast of Scotland.

Where’s the bite

Freshwater fishing is likely to pick up this week, with Massachusetts and Rhode Island stocking area ponds with trout. Neil Hayes of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown said: “The warmer weather at the beginning of the week turned on the large and smallmouth bass. Anglers did well fishing the South County ponds, but that may change with colder weather promised later in the week.”

Angler John Migliori said: “I fished one of my favorite ponds on Aquidneck Island and landed a nice largemouth bass on a new spinner lure I had just purchased. By the way, I changed the hooks out for larger, stronger hooks, which I do with all fresh and saltwater lures.”

Striped bass, bluefish and false albacore. “False albacore left the upper reaches of Narragansett Bay and the Providence River but anglers are doing well with bluefish of all sizes at places like Barrington Beach, and striped bass, school-size fish, have been around just about everywhere,” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. “One customer has been catching keepers at night in the Warren River using eels.”

Hayes reported: “Customers are catching false albacore, blue fish of varying size and school striped bass [with keepers mixed in] on the surface at the Wickford Harbor inside and outside the jetty. Quonset Point is holding much the same.”

Angler Roger Lema of Narragansett said: “Inside the Harbor of Refuge were all the school bass you want, from 18 inches to 28 inches. This weekend, we caught over 100 fish casting a Cocahoe Minnow.” Mike Wade of Watch Hill reported: “False albacore fishing has been very, very good, particularly on the high tides. And the bass fishing is good all the way to Watch Hill, with an angler catching a 46-pound striper off Weekapaug Breachway earlier this week.”

Tautog fishing continues to be slow in shallow water, which is not usually the case this time of year. “Customers are catching a lot of short tautog from Conimicut Point and north up the River,” Littlefield said. “Off Newport, we had a slow pick early this week but did manage five nice keepers to 23 inches south of Seal Ledge.”

Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet said: “There have been some reports around of fish showing up and it is only going to get better with the temperatures dropping.”

Cod/offshore. “Last weekend’s tuna trip was nothing short of amazing,” Blount said. “We left super early to take the long ride, but it paid off. We picked a few fish on the troll, but once we set the hook for the night, there were six fish on. We boated 32 yellowfin in an hour. Jigs were the way to go, with high hooks having seven and eight fish. There were all sizes from 28 inches to 75 pounds. It was something that was just short of amazing. We also went 1-for-4 on swords on the night with losing a fish over 200 pounds boatside due to a tangle.” Cod fishing has been plagued, but scup and sea bass are abundant. Wade reports a good bluefin and yellowfin bite. “Customers are doing well in the shipping lanes,” he said.

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is an RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides Association and the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Forward fishing news and photos to Captain Dave at [e-mail] or visit noflukefishing.com and his blog at noflukefishing.blogspot.com.

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ISHING REPORT
Now’s the time to fish for tautog
By Dave Monti Special the Journal


Lucia Wong caught two tautog at the same time while fishing with Capt. Dave Monti, right. [PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE MONTI]

Anglers across the region reported catching their limits in tautog this week. Before the storm, anglers on my boat caught 15 nice keepers to 25 inches, all in about three hours of fishing with two 16-inch and 12 undersized fish released. It was a remarkable day.

So if you have not fished for tautog, now is the time to give it a try while the catching is good.

Tautog (or blackfish) is a great eating fish with nice tasting white meat. As of Oct. 15, the tautog limit in Rhode Island and Massachusetts is five fish/person/day with a 10 fish/ boat limit that does not apply to party or charter boats. The minimum size is 16 inches and the season ends Dec. 31. Here are some rod-bending tautog tips.

Find structure to find tautog. Tautog can be fished from shore or boat and, in both cases, they like structure (rocks, wrecks, bridge piers, dock pilings, mussel beds, ledges holes and humps along the coast). So, no structure, no tautog.

Fish where the fish are. This is particularly true with tautog because they are a territorial species. You have to find the tautog. They are not going to find you. So if you get no bites, move to another spot. When you find them, you find them and the bite is on.

Boat placement is important. Find structure, estimate wind/drift direction and anchor up-current from where you want to fish and drift back to the spot as the anchor is setting. Once in position, fish all sides of the boat. Ken Landry of Ray’s Bait & Tackle in Warwick suggests casting a bit to cover as much area as you can. If still no bites, let some anchor line out to change your position; if still no bites, it is time to move the vessel.

Tautog baits: Green crabs or Asian crabs are the baits of choice in the fall. When using green crabs, make it easy for the tautog to bite and take the bait. I like to break off most of the legs and claws, leaving one per side on the end, cut the crab in half and hook it through one leg socket and out another.

Tautog rigs should have as little hardware as possible to avoid bottom tie-ups. I make single hook rigs with about 7 or 8 feet of mono-filament line and attach it to the main braid line directly with a dropper for a presnelled “Lazar Sharp” brand hook (you need sharp hooks to get through tough tautog lips). The hook hangs about 3 inches below the sinker loop, allowing it to float just above the bottom or lay on the bottom.

Where’s the bite?

Tautog. Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said: “Customers are catching tautog all over the Bay. Spots that have been good include Coddington Cove in Middletown, Hope Island and off Jamestown. Anglers are going through a lot of small fish but all are catching keepers.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle in Riverside said: “Anglers fishing from shore at Jamestown, Beavertail Point and along Newport are catching their limit. However, in the Bay, anglers had to work through a lot of fish with about a 9 [short] to 1 [keeper] ratio.”

Black sea bass and scup. In Bay waters, the fish are smaller; however, along the coastal shore, they tend to be larger. Many are catching scup and black sea bass when tautog fishing.

Freshwater bite for largemouth bass has been good, with anglers targeting trout with success at stocked ponds. For stocking updates, follow DEM’s outdoor education page on Facebook: face-book.com/RIFishwildlife . Littlefield, of Archie’s Bait, said: “Customer Albert Bettencourt and his grandson, Shane, have been catching largemouth bass from 5 to 6 pounds at Turner Reservoir. Some days, shiners have worked and other days the bass were jumping on from lures.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is an RISAA board member, a member of the R.I. Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater

Guides Association and the R.I. Marine Fisheries

Council. Forward fishing news and photos to Captain Dave at dmontifish@ verizon.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com and his blog at www. noflukefishing.blogspot.com.

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FISHING REPORT

Warm waters, early hunger has them biting

By Dave Monti

Special to the Journal

Fishing exploded this week with a hot school striped bass bite on saltwater in Rhode Island and an aggressive freshwater trout bite at stocked Rhode Island and Massachusetts ponds, lakes and waterways.

Freshwater fishing had been pretty good for largemouth bass as fish are eating during the prespawn period. “The bass bite has been good with fish fattening up during the pre-spawn,” said Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box in Warwick. “And now with an open trout season, anglers will be targeting fish in stocked ponds.”

In Rhode Island, the trout season opened early this year on April 6, whereas Massachusetts was already open for trout fishing. Both states have put in place COVID-19 precautions for fishing in general, such as no more than five people in a group, the 6-foot social-distancing requirement, etc.

A major freshwater condition in Rhode Island is that anglers with last names beginning with A through M may fish on even calendar dates and those beginning with N through Z may fish on odd calendar dates. State parks and beaches remained closed as well as closed state parking lots. Check with townowned ponds and lakes as to available parking before you leave your home. For information on stocked ponds in Rhode Island and fishing regulations, visit dem.ri.gov/fishing.

In Massachusetts, the trout bite has been outstanding in stocked ponds. Bruce Miller of Canal Bait & Tackle in the Sagamore village of Bourne said: “Fishing for trout has been fantastic in ponds stocked by the state.” Visit mass.gov/servicedetails/ trout-stocking-report for a list of stocked ponds and licensing information.

Striped bass bite early

Asurprisethisweek—theschool striped bass arrived in force in Rhode Island bays, estuaries and covers. I checked my fishing logs and reports for the past five years and the school striped bass run this year has started two to three weeks earlier than usual. As expected, warm ocean waters have brought bait and striped bass early. The past five years have been the warmest in recorded history. Atlantic menhaden andotherbaitsthatstripedbass like to chase are here in abundance, too.

Kevin Fetzer of East Greenwich said: “Atlantic menhaden were swirling at Chepiwanoxet Point in Greenwich Bay in Warwick Wednesday. I watched an angler there land school striped bass. He said he had been catching them there all week.”

KenFerraraofRay’sBait& Tackle in Warwick said: “The pogies are in with large numbers in Apponaug Cove and in Greenwich Bay with school bass chasing them.”

“Good-size school bass to 27 inches are being caught at the head of Salt Pond and in Potter Pond as well.Theyarealmostkeepers,”said Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina in South Kingstown.

John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle in Riverside said: “Anglers are catching striped bass in the 22-inch to 23-inch size in the Providence River just north of the Hurricane Barrier near the power plant. Donotknowiftheyareholdover or migrating striped bass.”

The Cape Cod area is just starting to show signs of bait and school


Capt. Dave Monti with a spring striped bass caught two years ago off Poppasquash Point in Bristol. Smaller school bass have already arrived in Rhode Island, about two weeks early. [COURTESY OF DAVE MONTI]

bass.Thatregionisgenerallybehind Rhode Island as the bass migrate north. “It will be a while before the larger ones show up. Generally, that happens around Mother’s Day [which is May 10 this year],” said Miller of Canal Bait & Tackle.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, fishing should be enjoyed as a solitary experience, with just the members of your immediate household and not as a group activity. If you arrive at a favorite fishing spot and find that crowds are forming or the parking lot is full, please leave and choose a different location or return at another time or day.

Bait and tackle shops open

Call your local bait and tackle shop, as many are open for online sales, curbside pickup or limited indoor sales. Big-box retailers that sell bait also might be open.

Freshwater. “PowerBaits and meal worms are the baits of choice for trout when first released from the hatchery,” said Neil Hayes of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle in North Kingstown. “It’s the type of food they are used to eating. Once we are out of the month of April, anglers tend to move to artificial, like rooster tails.” Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said: “We have curbside service and are stocked with trout rigs as well as popular PowerBaits and meal worms for trout fishing.” There was confusion as to whether city ponds were open this week. “The information of an early opening took us by surprise,” Ferrara said. “At first, local policedidnotallowfishingatWillet Avenue Pond, Riverside, but once theybecameawareoftheearlystate openingoftroutseason,fishingwas allowed.”

Saltwater. “Tautog is starting to pick up; we had a customer catch a 21-inch tautog off Jamestown this week,” Giddings said. Tautog season opened on April 1 this year, 16-inch minimum size, three fish/person/day. Ten-fish-per-boat limit. Spring school bass are in our estuaries, coves and rivers, about two weeks early. The regulation this year is a slot limit of 28 inches to 35 inches, one fish/person/day. Dave Monti is a charter captain, member of the American Saltwater Guides Association, RISAA, RIPCBA, serves as vice chair of the RIMFC and is a marketing communications practitioner. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon. net, visit noflukefishing.com or noflukefishing.blogspot.com.