Horseshoe crabs were here before the dinosaurs

“Horseshoe crabs have been around for 350 to 450 million years, long before the dinosaurs. And they have been so successful that they have remained largely unchanged for millennia,” said the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) in a recent article highlighting more conservative regulations introduced this spring to bolster the state’s horseshoe crab population.

Beginning this year, spawning horseshoe crabs received the added protection of a continuous, seven-and-a-half week, no-harvest closure from mid-April through June 7. This new rule replaced the state’s intermittent five-day “lunar closures” that surrounded each new and full moon in the spring.

In Rhode Island, according to the Department of Environmental Management’s website, the horseshoe crab bait fishery season is closed five weeks in the month of May.

The new Massachusetts regulation aims to enhance conservation by maximizing the spawning potential of the local populations. Based on data collected by DMF that describe the timing of spawning activity, this closure will protect about 90 percent of spawning crabs, allowing them to deposit eggs on Massachusetts beaches undisturbed.

Don’t hold your breath for quick results, as the greatest benefit of this new regulation will likely be observed on spawning beaches in about 10 years, when the young crabs produced by this year’s eggs will return as mature adults to spawn, said the DMF.

The fishery is also managed by two quotas that DMF feels are conservative and sustainable: the quota for crabs harvested as bait is 140,000 crabs — far below the state’s 360,000 crab allowance in the interstate management plan; and the quota for crabs retained for biomedical purposes is 200,000 crabs, shared by the two licensed companies.

While DMF has added the spawning closure to its management approach, it is important to recognize that Massachusetts horseshoe crab populations appear to be increasing in recent years. Nonetheless, DMF’s philosophy is to manage this species conservatively, with precautionary management and rigorous oversight.

Block Island fishing tourney

There is still time to register for the Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament, which takes place within the three-mile limit around Block Island.

“We made online registration easy, and there is still time to register. The tournament starts Saturday, July 27, at 5:30 a.m., and ends Sunday, July 28, at 12 noon,” said Capt. Chris Willi of Block Island Fish Works, tournament host.  There will be an ‘After Party’ at Capt. Nick’s Rock & Roll Bar, Block Island, on Sunday, July 28, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Limited dockage may be available after the tournament for four to five hours in Old Harbor at the Town Dock. Contact the Dockmaster on Ch. 12. 

“This is a length only tournament.  When anglers want to make a tournament entry, they take a photo of their catch with the tournament smartphone app against the tournament supplied ruler and send their entry in electronically,” said Capt. Willi. “So, it is not necessary to attend the ‘After Party’ to receive your tournament prize. However, those attending the after-party will get a chance to win one of twenty-five $100 tackle shop gift cards.”

Capt. Willi said, “We have over $10,000 in gift cards, swag and prizes, with fluke, black sea bass, striped bass and bluefish categories, with shore, fly fishing, youth, team and photo divisions.”

Anglers can pick up participant bags at one of seven locations, including Block Island Fish Works, Block Island; Ocean State Tackle, Providence; Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren; the Tackle Box, Warwick; Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown; Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown; and Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly.

Register online at BI Inshore Tourney | bi-FishWorks (sandualypointco.com) or call 401-742-3992.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass and bluefish: Jeff Sullivan, expert angler and associate at Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren, said, “We are still catching large striped bass off Newport, with large top water lures working well. The big fish are still going for these lures; usually it is the smaller bass. There is still a bass bite in the East Passage from Newport to Mt. Hope Bay, however the bluefish bite has not been good.”

“The Cape Cod Canal came back to life, with some slots caught on the surface by John Morgan on a west ebb tide with his blue Atom Striper Swiper that he has been throwing for 20 years! Other surfcasters landed slots, including ‘Paulie the Painter’ Gravina with his handmade white paddle tail jig. This correspondent got into an early morning east flood bite as my white Guppy Jobo Jr. fooled well fed 30- and 33-inch bass, with the slot going to the family table of our youngest daughter, Chrissy. Both fish ate the bucktail single tailhook,” said East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author.

“Bass fishing has been very good locally and out around Block Island. Bigger fish have showed up on the local reefs and in the pond and have been taking eels and rigged soft plastics. Some customers have been lucky enough to find bass feeding on mackerel, and that has presented great top water opportunity,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown.

Fluke (Summer flounder),
black sea bass and scup

“The fluke bite is excellent off Newport, with the best bite coming over transition areas where rough terrain meets sand. Our best luck has come in about 50 feet of water, but the fluke bite in the Bay has not been good,” said Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle.

Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, said, “Fluke fishing has been okay, with the better bite coming inshore. Some nice black sea bass have been caught locally and off the center wall of Point Judith. A technique that seems to be showing good results is casting a ball head jig with a gulp grub and covering more ground as the boat is drifting.”

Bluefin and yellowfin tuna

“Giant bluefin tuan were being caught close to Block Island at the East Fishing Grounds to the Dump last week, with the giants pushing up sand eels to the surface with school bluefin tuna in the 40- to 60-pound range mixed in,” said Jeff Sullivan of Luckey Bait & Tackle.

“Freshwater fishing for smallmouth bass has been outstanding on Cape Cod ponds and lakes as well as at Stafford Pond in Tiverton,” said Jeff Sullivan. “I have been using micro lures to connect with smallmouth successfully.

Dave Monti holds a master captain’s license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verison.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.