Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament big success
The Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament ended Sunday, July 23, with a winning striped bass measuring 48”, caught by team ‘Frayed Knot,’ led by Capt. Richard Lipsitz of North Kingstown, with the Best Scenic Photo in the Block Island Wind Farm going to Dariusz Kolodziejczak.
Twenty-five teams participated in the two-day event. Capt. Chris Willi of Block Island Fishworks, tournament host, said, “In an environment where many tournaments are having trouble, we increased participation by a third, for a total of 122 anglers, and we were able to make a $6,000 contribution to the Block Island Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department.”
Capt. Willi said, “Thanks to Ørsted (owners of the Block Island Wind Farm) and their sponsorship of the tournament, we were able to donate 100 percent of tournament fees to the Fire & Rescue Department, along with a gift from Capt. Nick’s Rock & Roll Bar, where the tournament awards ceremony was held.”
More than $10,000 in prizes, gift cards and tournament swag were awarded at the ‘After Party’ on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The tournament included shore, fly fishing, youth and boat divisions; striped bass and bluefish for all divisions, plus black sea bass and fluke for boat and youth divisions; also a team prize with photo division prizes taken with the Block Island Wind Farm in background were awarded for best fish, best scenic and best team photos.
Tournament co-sponsors were Whalers Brewing, South Kingstown; Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown; The Saltwater Edge, Middletown; Ocean State Tackle, Providence; Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown; and Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly.
Visit www.SandyPointCo.com/bi-inshore-tourney for full Tournament results once they become available.
Where’s the bite?
Tuna: Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said, “Offshore reports have been very good, with bluefin and yellowfin tuna being caught south of the island. Most of the action has been on the troll, but a few fish are being caught jigging.”
Summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass and scup
Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “The fluke bite in local waters has been good still, a lot of shorts but some really nice fish mixed in (7-8 lb). A new batch of squid just moved in with plenty of other bait in the water to keep them satisfied. A trick while targeting fluke when the tide is slow or slack is to cast out, let your bucktail sink to the bottom, and then retrieve.”
Last week angler Shaina Boyle of Smithfield caught a 27” fluke drifting north of the Newport Bridge with an incoming tide.
John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside said, “Fluke fishing and black sea bass fishing have not been good. Anglers are catching both species in the Bay but mostly shorts. The scup bite remains strong in the bay.”
Striped bass
Striped bass fishing in Providence River continues to be pretty much just a nighttime bite. John Littlefield of Archie’s said, “The striped bass bite in the Providence River is not good. The water is very, very warm. Last week it was 82 degrees in the upper portions of the river.”
The bass bite at Block Island on the South West Ledge remains strong, with multiple bass in the 40” to 50” range being taken. Some were taken in the Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament this past weekend.
Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, “Striped bass fishing is still very good, but as the water continues to warm the bite is better earlier in the morning or at night. Also try live eels on deeper pieces of structure to try to lure the fish out. The ponds have been coming alive on the incoming tides, with stripers coming airborne after sand eels.”
East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “The topwater bite has been phenomenal at the Canal, as stripers of various sizes continue to rip up the surface at all different times, but every level of the water column has also been a gold mine, with small sand eels and seven-inch macks the prominent bait.”
Greg Vespe of Tiverton caught his personal best last week, a 51”, 52-pound striped bass he caught off Newport free swimming an eel with Capt. Mike Littlefield of ArchAngel Charters.
Freshwater
Freshwater fishing for largemouth bass continues to be good early morning and at dusk when things cool off or when anglers target shaded areas under trees.
Dave Monti holds a captain’s master 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.
