No Fluke

Experienced or not, it’s a great time to fish

Here are three great spots to fish from shore

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Fishing memories last a lifetime. And, the good news, you do not need a lot of money to start creating them for you, family members and friends. Fishing connects you with the environment, it is a healthy outdoor activity, and in Massachusetts and Rhode Island we have plenty of bay and ocean fishing access points.

Make fishing an adventure. Start with your local  bait and tackle shop. Greg Vespe of Tiverton, expert angler and member of the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council, said, “The bait and tackle shop is the first stop you make to help plan and purchase what you might need for your fishing adventure. I take my grandchildren there to help pick out bait and purchase needed supplies for the day. Bait shops are filled with live bait, frozen bait, gear and tackle that children cannot see anywhere else.” Tackle shop associates are also excellent resources who can point you to local fishing spots and suggest what you might need to catch fish there.

For me, early morning close to sunrise or late afternoon, early evening to dusk, are good times to fish away from the crowds. Here are three public fishing spots that have produced fish for anglers. 

The Larry Mouradjian Rocky
Point Fishing Pier, Warwick

This is a T-shaped pier with built-in benches and a covered shaded area. Tom Giddings, owner of the Tackle Box in Warwick, said, “The Rocky Point Pier has become a fish magnet or attractant. So many people have fished there since it opened four years ago that fish know they can get a good dinner there. Customers have caught scup, fluke, sea robins, black sea bass, striped bass and bluefish there.  It is a great spot to fish.” Bring a cart that you can wheel down from the parking lot.

Colt State Park Fishing Pier, Bristol

The pier is on Narraganset Bay in the East Passage, just a few hundred yards away from the East Bay shipping channel that acts as a fish conduit, pushing bait and fish up the bay. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle Providence, said, “The fishing pier at Colt State Park is a great place to fish, along with the shoreline at the park.  Anglers catch scup, sea robins and black sea bass, with bluefish, school striped bass and keeper striped bass there, depending on the time of year.”

Pier Five/Monaghan’s
Dock, Narragansett

This pier has parking and good access. It is one of the few ocean-facing piers in Rhode Island. Anglers have caught scup, summer flounder (fluke), bluefish and striped bass from the pier. And in late summer and fall it is one of the few shore locations where you can catch false albacore.

New right whale slow zones

On June 27, 29 and July 2, Atlantic Right Whales were spotted by offshore wind farm observers and via the Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey. These sightings have kicked in voluntary slow zones.

Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the Dynamic Management Area (DMA) where right whales have been detected.

The slow zones are Southeast of Nantucket,  Southwest of Martha’s Vineyard and east of Atlantic City, N.J.

Give right whales room. North Atlantic right whales are on the move along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. If seen, remember that approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law.

The slow zones are effective until July 17 but can change if additional sightings occur. For up to date information visit Reducing Vessel Strikes to North Atlantic Right Whales | NOAA Fisheries.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass and bluefish: Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown, said, “Striped bass fishing, particularly around Block Island, has been outstanding. Anglers are catching nice fish with just about any method. Trolling umbrella rigs, tube and worm, using flutter spoons, and often soft plastics.    Chad Ketch of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, Middletown, said, “We have an outstanding bass bight in front of Newport. Anglers are hooking up trolling tube and worm, using eels, and there is a surface bite during low light conditions at dawn and dusk.”

Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box said, “We had large schools of bluefish enter the bay under the bridges this weekend.”

“Zak ‘Attack’ Baker of Sagamore Beach was slowly reeling his blue mack Magic Swimmer, bearing 2 hooks, through the flooding east tide when his lure got hit hard, followed by strong tugs. Zak was thinking he might be fighting a 40-pounder, but the battle ended with a bass of about 20 pounds on each hook,” said East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author.

Fluke (summer flounder),
black sea bass and scup

“The fluke bite is excellent off Newport, with some nice black sea bass mixed in,” said Chad Ketch of Sam’s Bait & Tackle. Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, said, “The fluke bite along the southern coastal shore and around Block Island has been good some days and bad others. Anglers are catching black sea bass too when fluke fishing.”

Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said “Fluke reports have been mixed, with the south shore beaches having a slight edge on Block Island for numbers of keepers, but Block usually producing the largest fish. The best bight seems to be in front of East Beach and Misquamicut. The black sea bass bite has been solid, big numbers of small fish around with a fair number of keepers. Scup fishing has been very good.”

Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box said, “The fluke bite, along with plate size scup and squeteague, are being caught at Rocky Point fishing pier and in front of Warwick Light.”

Tuna

“Bluefin and yellow fin tuna bite has been outstanding at the Fishtails and Atlantis, with anglers getting multiple hook-ups.  Giant fishing is restricted to commercial fishing right now, but that bite has been outstanding as well, at the Gully and Butterfish Hole,” said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina.

Freshwater

“The largemouth bite has been very good, with shiners working well for customers.  Ponds producing well for customers include Johnston Pond and Lake Tiogue, Coventry,” said Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box.

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.

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