Learn how to fish for striped bass in the wash… the surf and waves on Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. at the Rhody Fly Rodders seminar Riverside Sportsman’s Association, 19 Mohawk Drive, East Providence, R.I. Capt. Eric Thomas of Teezer77 Guiding Services will explain how to fish for stripers in surf and breaking waves focusing on how to stay safe as you maneuver your boat and present your fly or lure to have the best chance to catch a striped bass. For information, contact Peter Nilsen at pdfish@fullchannel.net.

ASMFC releases annual report

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) released its 2015 Annual Report to the public last month. The report can be found at http://www.asmfc.org/files/pub/ASMFC_AnnualReport_2015.pdf. 

The Annual Report describes the Commission’s activities and progress in carrying out its public trust responsibilities for the marine fisheries under Commission stewardship. This includes species commonly fished by recreational anglers in Rhode Island such as summer flounder, striped bass, black sea bass, tautog, Atlantic menhaden, scup and many others.

Included in the report are figures displaying the historical trends in stock status or landings for each species managed by the Commission. Also provided is a summary of the significant management actions taken by Commissioners in 2015 to maintain and restore the abundance of Commission-managed species. 

How do fish feel about warming water?

I can only imagine how the fish must feel. The water is warming. They all feel the difference, but how they react to it is key.  

Some species have the ability to move away from the effects of warming water and others don’t. And then again, some species like the warm water and it produces greater abundance (like black sea bass), yet others do not like warm water and leave the area if they can (cod). Those that cannot leave the area become less abundant and could eventually disappear from the area (sea scallops and quahogs).  

A study released by the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) last month titled the “Northeast Climate Vulnerability Assessment” sheds some light on how 82 species in northeast waters (many fished by recreational and commercial fishermen) are impacted by climate change. 

Fortunately for us, Dr. Jonathan Hare, one of the world’s most respected scientists studying climate change and its impact on fish, lives right here in Rhode Island. Dr. Hare, fisheries oceanographer at NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), is director of NOAA’s Narragansett Lab and is the lead author of the study.

“Our method identifies specific attributes that influence marine fish and invertebrate resilience to the effects of a warming ocean and characterizes risks posed to individual species. The study will help us better account for the effects of warming waters on our fishery species in stock assessments and when developing fishery management measures,” said Dr. Hare.

The study method for assessing vulnerability categorizes species that are “generalists” as less vulnerable to climate change than those that are “specialists.” For example, Atlantic cod and yellowtail flounder are more generalists, since they can use a variety of prey and habitat, and are ranked as only moderately vulnerable to climate change. The Atlantic sea scallop is more of a specialist, with limited mobility and high sensitivity to the ocean acidification that will be more pronounced as water temperatures warm. Sea scallops have a high vulnerability ranking.

The study also goes a long way to further explain what is happening in our area with warm water fish being more abundant and cold water fish less abundant in our area.

The study’s summary of results helps put the species rankings into contest. The specie summaries, that discuss what is known about the effects of climate change on the species, will be covered in future articles, particularly those species commonly fished by recreational and commercial fishermen in our area.

The study appears in its entirety on PLOS One, an online scholarly science journal, at http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0146756.

Hearing run to Gorton’s Pond

At press time we were checking on the herring run to Gorton’s Pond from Apponaug Cove. A reader reported that the new culvert built to accommodate the new Apponaug traffic pattern had low water flowing through it that would not support the annual herring run, which should start in the next several days.  Historically, the herring would flow into Little Gorton’s Pond behind the old Ericson’s Bait location and then into Gorton’s Pond. It would be a disappointment to conservationists if this annual herring run has been stopped. More on this next week.

Fly Tying at Longfellow’s Wayside Inn 

The Wayside Inn, 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury, Mass. will host its 9th-annual Fly Tying Demonstration and Bamboo Rod Building on Sunday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature amateur and professional fly tyers. 

Fred Kretchman from Kittery, Maine is a professional bamboo rod builder and sole appraiser for Lang Auction for bamboo rods. He will show how the art of building bamboo rods works. 

Mr. Tom Foley of Tom’s Custom Framing will have an exhibit of framed classic flies. Tom Foley and Joe Simone will demonstrate live aquatic insects, an exhibit that is a big hit with children and families.

Flies hand-made by exhibitors will be available for purchase, with all the proceeds benefiting the spring restocking of Josephine’s Pond. For information, contact Armand Courchaine at (508) 982-1931 or email ajflyfish@yahoo.com.

In 2006, Josephine’s Pond, located on the grounds of Wayside Inn’s 120-acre historic site, was dredged and is stocked with trout yearly. A group of “The Friends of Josephine’s Trout Pond,” was established to promote care and conservation of the pond, and to educate the public to the thrill of recreational fly fishing.

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. 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.