What to fish for and where? I ask myself that question every day… if I am not fishing, I am thinking about fishing. This season has been great—a lot of species to fish for and all you have to do is decide where and how to fish for them.

If I were going fishing from shore this week I would fish off the southern costal beaches and jetties at Matunuck, Charleston and all the way to Westerly. Or I might try the coastal shore in Newport or at the mouth of the Sakonnet River. Colt State Park and Independence Park in Bristol have been good too for scup and an occasional bluefish.

If I were in a boat and the weather was clear I might venture offshore to Cox Ledge to fish for cod, as the cod bite has been fairly good. Fish off Newport or Pt. Judith for flounder and black sea bass. If I were in the Pt. Judith area, I might spend some time casting to bonito if sighted, or even troll a bit for striped bass.

I might also make a trip to Block Island for striped bass, fishing with eels, jigging or trolling with tube and worm.

So there are a lot of options, it’s now a matter of choosing where to go and what to fish for.  Good luck with your decision… and remember it’s not all about the fish… it’s about connecting with the outdoors as well as spending time with family and friends.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shellfishing for over 40 years.  He holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. Visit Captain Dave’s No Fluke website at www.noflukefishing.com or e-mail him with your fishing news and photos at dmontifish@verizon.net.