I can remember sitting on my deck at home and throwing littleneck quahogs on the grill to cook.  They would open easily… we would add lemon and hot sauce and eat them as appetizers.  The odds were 50-50 that you would get one cooked but dried out as all the natural juices of the quahog would roll out.  

Tim Gilchrist of Great Grates has solved this challenge.  As a young man Tim dug quahogs at Quonnie and Ninigret Ponds in Rhode Island. He designed and patented Great Grates which are a set of grates (now used nationwide) to prevent juice loss and allow numbers of littlenecks, mussels or oysters to go from grill and oven to the table.  The grate keeps the shellfish horizontal and level so the juice does not roll out.

Today Tim is offering Great Greats as a holiday gift and they are on my holiday gifts for fishermen list.

Holiday gifts for fisherman

1. Great Grates shellfish cooking grates.  $37.90 for one, or $55 for two sets (includes shipping).  Set includes triangular rack that can hold sixteen shells, comes with hardwood serving tray and sauce cup.  Visit www.greatgrates.com or email inventor/owner Tim Gilchrist at greatgrate@yahoo.com. 

2. Summer flounder (fluke) fishing lures.  $5 to $7 each. One of my favorite fluke baits is a luminescent white, green or red plastic squid rig with a large wide gap hook.  A large hook because I like to load them up with bait.  Capt. BJ Silvia of Flippin Out Charters makes a great rig, You can get three for $26 which includes shipping.  Visit www.flippinoutcharters.com . ThomCat Fluke Rigs, another great rig, is made locally by Capt. Tom Pelletier.  Capt. Tom is an associate at Quaker Lane Outfitters, North Kingstown.  You can by the rigs at Quaker Lane or email Tom at thomcatfluke@cox.net for an introductory offer… six rigs for $22.50 (including shipping).

3. Penn Battle II spinning reels. $99.95 (model 1000) to $129.95 (model 8000). I discovered this reel last year and now own five 5000 and 6000 models that I use for my charter business for striped bass, summer flounder and tautog fishing. The reels need no separate backing to keep line from slipping on their Superline Spool as it has a rubberlike center that seats and holds braid line to the spool without slipping.  Available at many local bait & tackle shops as well as West Marine stores.

4. Waterproof charts.  $26.95. I take these charts to bed at night to help plan my fishing trip for the next day after checking the weather, wind and tide.  The set I have includes Narrgansett Bay, Rhode Island and Block Island Sound. These waterproof charts are great on the boat and cover fishing areas in complete detail, and pinpoint dozens of fishing areas and the fish caught in each area. Choose from areas from Maine to the Bahamas, and points inland too. Available at West Marine stores or online at www.westmarine.com. 

5. United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island membership, $30.  If you know a fly fisherman, fresh or salt water, they will appreciate this gift. Members meet in workshop form and learn how to tie flies each month.  Beginners welcome.  Meetings held the first Wednesday of every month visit www.uftri.org .

6. Inland Fishes of Rhode Island, $26.75. Book available through DEM written by biologist Alan D. Libby and illustrated by Robert Jon Golder.  Contains illustrations, detailed characteristics used to identify each species, habitat descriptions, life history information, and a distribution map for each species.  Purchase at DEM offices (call first to make sure they carry it at their location) or visit www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/inlandfishes.htm. 

7. Saltwater Sportsman and On the Water magazines, $18 and $25.  Saltwater Sportsman, $18 for ten issues and On the Water, $25 for printed or digital versions.  My favorite saltwater fishing magazines.  Both feature how-to articles, regular features on fishing gear, tackle and tactics. Visit www.onthewater.com or www.saltwatersportsman.com.

8. Membership in the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA), $50.  Purchase a gift membership for a family member or friend. The association is created by and for recreational saltwater anglers and the monthly seminars and education programs on fishing techniques and how to improve catches are great. Visit www.risaa.org .

9. Montana Fly Company fly fishing tools.  $9.99 to $15.99. Strong and durable forceps, scissors, clamps and nippers for use when fishing or while tying flies at home. Tools are made from high quality steel and feature a two-tone design with subtle logo placement. Visit www.montanafly.com.

10. General fishing or learn how to fish charters, $450 to $800 (depending on number of people, species targeted, boat size, etc.) for a half day.  Hire a charter to help teach adults or children how to fish or to take experienced anglers fishing. Visit www.rifishing.com, the Rhode Island Party & Charter Boat Association web site for a list of boats and captains.  Can also find party boat trips there for under $100.

Where's the bite

Striped bass fishing for school sized striped bass continues to be OK along the southern coastal shore.  Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly said, "We still have a lot of bait in the water and temperatures are warm for this time of year.  It's December and the water is 55 degrees along the southern shore and 54 degrees at Block Island and Montague.  The bass along the shore have been small. The largest last week we heard off was about 30 inches." Angler Richard Mandeville reports on the RISAA blog, "Spent good part of Black Friday on South County beaches…North wind made casting a dream… Started on Misquamicut… Couple of guys at light house end (Taylor Swift's little bungalow!) They caught a couple of very small school bass, but that was it." 

"Tautog fishing has been spotty as the water has been dirty form all the storms last week.  It has been either hit or miss with all the action taking place in deeper water in Newport area… Washington's Ledge.",  said Matt Conti of Sung Harbor Marina, South Kingstown.

Cod and black sea bass. Dirty water from storms hampered cod fishing on some days last week. "Customers have been landing fish at the East Fishing Grounds and the southwest corner of Cox's Ledge. Anglers continue to catch nice size sea bass as well." said Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina.  Roger Simpson of the Frances Fleet said, "Saturday anglers… had a steady pick of cod and sea bass through the day… hi hook honors went to two anglers with five nice cod apiece and there were others who boxed three and even four cod apiece. David Smith from Indian Orchard, MA took the pool with a fine green cod of nearly 25 pounds (which matched the largest fish caught this year)." 

"Squid fishing has been good in Newport off docks and bridges and at Block Island's ferry dock at Old Harbor." said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing on Narragansett Bay for over 40 years.  He holds a captain's master license and a charter fishing license. Contact or forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net or visit his website at www.noflukefishing.com.