No Fluke

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than… a bonito or false albacore?

Captain Dave Monti
Posted 7/24/14

Bonito and false albacore are speedsters know to strip line off a reel at lightning speed. They are two of the most challenging fish to catch, yet they are the most fun.

Steve Medeiros, president …

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No Fluke

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than… a bonito or false albacore?

Posted

Bonito and false albacore are speedsters know to strip line off a reel at lightning speed. They are two of the most challenging fish to catch, yet they are the most fun.

Steve Medeiros, president of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) said, "These are smaller size members of the tuna family. Their keen eyesight and senses makes them very hard to catch and very few anglers can be call 'expert' at catching them."

This Monday, July 28, 7:00 p.m. learn how to target and catch bonito and false albacore at a RISAA seminar being held at the West Valley Inn, West Warwick, RI. Guest speakers will be Capt. Eric Thomas and Roger and Susan Lema. Capt. Thomas from Teezer77 Charters, Portsmouth, RI was a featured speaker on false albacore and bonito fishing at the New England Saltwater Fishing Show; and Roger and Susan Lema are two local expert anglers that target these fish (and do a lot of catching) every day once they arrive.

Non-members are invited to attend and are requested to make a $10 donation to the RISAA Marine Fisheries College Scholarship Fund, RISAA members attend free. Visit www.risaa.org for additional information.

Meet with RI's ASMFC commissioners

A meeting of Rhode Island's Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) members will be held on Thursday, July 31, 4:00 p.m. in the Large Conference Room in the Coastal Institute Building at the URI Bay Campus in Narragansett. The purpose of the meeting is to review and discuss the agenda for the upcoming August 5-7 ASMFC meeting in Alexandria, VA with our commissioners. Anyone may attend and offer input on the agenda items. The agenda for the ASMFC meeting is available on the ASMFC's website at www.asmfc.org/home/2014-summer-meeting. Key issues expected to be on the agenda include eels, striped bass, fluke and spiny dog fish. For further information contact Bob Ballou at Robert.Ballou@

dem.ri.gov.

Family fishing fun

As a fisherman, I have adopted the saying… "It's not always about the fish". Just as important are the lessons we learn from fishing… discipline, patience, creativity, self reliance, environmental awareness, conservation and how to have an adventure. However, the most important fishing lessons are obtained through the conversations and relationships we develop with fishing companions. To this day, some of my fondest fishing memories include fishing with my father, son, wife, brothers, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Everyone who catches a fish is happy. I have a wall in my office with photographs of people (young and old) who have caught fish on my boat and every one of them has a smile on their face. Fishing feeds our sense of self worth, makes us feel successful and gives us a sense of accomplishment. A sense of accomplishment and enhanced self image that is particularly important to young people.

So I thank the four families I took fishing this week. Their spirit reminded me of what is important about fishing… the relationships we build with family and friends.

Where's the bite

Striped bass fishing continues to slow in the Narragansett Bay but is strong on Block Island and off Newport. Manny Guerzon of Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown said, "Block Island and Newport have been good for striped bass. Customers are catching them at night and day using eels." John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle, East Providence said, "Small bass in the 16" to 22" range are being taken from shore in the Providence River. However customers are still catching their limit using chucks of Atlantic Menhaden at Nayatt Point and in the Barrington Beach area." Angler Bill Sokolowski said, "Headed out to the SW Ledge (Block Island) at 3:00 p.m. (Saturday). Current was at its max. Skies overcast. I ended up first catching a good size bluefish. Then on the same eel a 42 pound then a 38 pound striper."

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing has been good along southern coastal shores, at the Sakonnet River mouth, off Newport and the Harbor of Refuge in Narragansett and around Block Island. However in Narragansett Bay it has been a bit slower. I experienced a strong summer flounder bite off Newport Saturday when the wind and tide were in line, however, with a northeast wind, conditions were not ideal Sunday and Monday in Narragansett Bay for most of the day. Angler Eric Duda said, "Fished about 2 miles south of the Sakonnet Light house on Saturday. Left at 8:00 a.m. and returned at 3:00 p.m. Light wind until about noon, 1-2 foot seas. Caught about 14 fluke, 7 keepers, largest around 22". Tons of small BSB in 14" range, kept 2 big ones." Roger Simpson from the Francis Fleet reports good fluke and black sea bass fishing on nearly every trip this week. Roger said, "A good number of big fluke this week with quite a few fish in the 8 to 9 lb range… with a trio of fish in the 9 lb range (Friday) battling it out for the pool." Minimum size for summer flounder in RI is 18" with an eight fish/angler/day limit.

Scup. Manny Guerzon of Quaker Lane Outfitters said, "Scup are everywhere just wet a line with some squid on it and you will catch them." "Scup and Tommy cod, the first I head of this year, are being taken at Sabin Point (Providence) from shore, and the scup fishing is very good at Colt State Park, Ohio Ledge and Conimicut Light" said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait. Michael and Logan McDermott landed scup to 15" while fishing on the west side of Jamestown north of the bridge last week. Scup minimum size is 10" with a 30 fish limit. Visit www.dem.ri.gov for special areas from shore were the size limit is 9 inches.

Black sea bass. "We had a six pound black sea bass caught Saturday and customer Mike Swain of Coventry and his two fishing partners easily caught their limit when fishing in the Breton Reef area off Newport Saturday." said John Wunner of John's Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown. Black sea bass minimum size in RI is 13" with a three fish/angler/day limit. Anglers catch them as they target fluke, fishing the bottom with squid.

Weakfish or squeteague continue the comeback in our waters as they have for the past three years. Anglers are catching them in the Warwick Light area when targeting summer flounder. Loran Lemay of Bristol, RI caught a 21" weakfish using a bucktail. His mother Bobbi said, "He was ecstatic."

Offshore. Matt Grennan reports on the RISAA blog, "Fished the claw to the northwest corner of the dump today, went 4/5 on small bluefin. Kept one and put tags in the rest. Water temps were 66-70 and green was the color. Just FYI for anyone interested, there are a ton of whales feasting on sand eels in 120' sse of Block Island. Probably only 8-10 miles from the island."

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.

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