NO FLUKE

New England for Offshore Wind launches

By CAPTAIN DAVE MONTI
Posted 8/26/20

At press deadline Wednesday, the New England for Offshore Wind coalition planned to hold a launch press conference. The coalition of environmental advocacy organizations, health and business alliances believes offshore wind is a crucial resource to the

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NO FLUKE

New England for Offshore Wind launches

Posted

At press deadline Wednesday, the New England for Offshore Wind coalition planned to hold a launch press conference. The coalition of environmental advocacy organizations, health and business alliances believes offshore wind is a crucial resource to the region. In a press advisory the coalition said, “Offshore wind energy will help our region fill an energy gap as old dangerous and polluting fossil fuel power plants start to go offline.”

The advisory said, “Offshore wind is the biggest lever we can pull to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and boost our economy by creating new jobs to get people back to work at the same time.”

I plan to participate in the press conference speaking program as a recreational fisher and charter captain from Rhode Island. Other planned speakers include Susannah Hatch, Environmental League of Massachusetts; State Senator David Watters, New Hampshire; Sena Wazer, Sunrise Connecticut; and Hillary Bright from the BlueGreen Alliance.

As column space allows, highlights of the press conference will be provided next week.

NOAA extends Gulf of Maine cod and haddock seasons

Last week NOAA Fisheries extended the recreational Gulf of Maine (GOM) cod and haddock seasons for the 2020 fishing year. In summary the action: 1) extends the fall for-hire recreational fishing season for GOM cod; 2) adds a springtime GOM cod recreational fishing season for all recreational anglers; and 3) extends the springtime GOM haddock recreational fishing season for all recreational anglers.

In response to this action, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is proceeding to implement complementary measures for state-waters

Gulf of Maine cod. Prior to this federal rule change, the recreational GOM cod season was scheduled to occur from Sept. 15-30 with a one-fish per angler bag limit and 21-inch minimum size for all recreational anglers. With this rule change, the for-hire fishery has been extended an additional 14 days to Sept. 8 – Oct. 7; private recreational anglers will still be subject to a Sept. 15-30 season. Additionally, an April 1 – April 14 season has been added for both for-hire and private recreational anglers. During these open seasons, the one-fish per angler bag limit and 21-inch minimum size shall remain in effect.

Gulf of Maine haddock. Prior to this federal rule change, the recreational GOM haddock season was scheduled to occur from April 15 – Feb. 28 with a 15-fish per angler bag limit and 17-inch minimum size for all recreational anglers. With this rule change, the fishery will be extended to include the entirety of April with the closed season only occurring from March 1-31. No changes to the bag limit or size limit were made.

For additional information visit www.mass.gov/marinefisheries .

Where’s the bite?

Tautog

fishing continues to get off to a strong start. Joe Castaldi of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown, said, “Customers are catching some nice tautog early in the season. They are catching them in deeper water off Newport, at Plum Light and the other high structure places anglers catch them in the fall.” “Some anglers have started targeting tautog from shore and have been success at Colt Stare Park with a lot of short fish being caught.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside. The tautog limit right now is Rhode Island and Massachusetts is three fish/person/day, 16-inch minimum size with a ten fish boat limit that does not apply to charter or party boats. Effective October 15 the limit increased to five fish.

Striped bass and blue fish bite

continues to be strong along our coastal shore from Newport to Watch Hill and at Block Island. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “The bass bite off Newport and at Block Island has been very good. When anglers are not taking them on the surface trolling large umbrella rigs baited with shad lures are performing well.” Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly said, “We have never seen so much bait in the water. It started with mature Atlantic menhaden, then peanut bunker (immature Atlantic menhaden) and then large spearing. All this bait is being chased by a variety of mackerel, striped bass and bluefish. Anglers are catching 12 and 18-inch school bass and right next to them an angler might catch at 34 inches or a 40-pound fish. The bait and fishing has been epic. I do not know how else to describe it. Customers are catching fish from jetties and the beaches as well as the reefs off Watch Hill and at Block Island.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle said, “One customer caught four nice striped bass using ells off Newport near Brenton Reef but could not keep any as they were all larger than the slot limit.” The slot for striped bass coast wide is 28 to less than 35 inches, one fish/person/day.

Summer flounder, scup and black sea bass

. “Fluke fishing remains difficult. Customers are not having much success and are searching to catch keepers,” said Joe Castaldi of Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle. Areas south of Block Island at the wind farm and beyond continue to yield large fluke but it is not consistent. Mike Wake of Watch Hill said, “We weighed in a few double digit fish caught about a mile south of the Block Island Wind Farm but fishing for fluke has been very difficult this season. The fish have not come close to shore. The only thing I can attribute it too is the bait or food situation. They just did not have to come close to shore to feed this year. The black sea bass bite continues to be good around Block Island at the East and West fishing Grounds as well as in the Southwest Ledge area and along the coastal shore anywhere there is a rock pile.” On charter trips last week we struggled to catch 3 to 4 keeper fluke per trip, and the black sea bass (BSB) situation seemed to slow too. Some nice BSB fish were caught in the 20 to 23-inch range but there was not the abundance of large fish caught previously caught at the mouth of the Sakonnet River. “Areas producing scup in the Bay include Sabin Point, Colt State Park and the Conimicut Light area.” said Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. Dave Henault of Ocean State said, “Scup to 13” are being taken at Kettle Pont (East Providence) near the medical office building.”

“Freshwater

fishing for largemouth is where most of the action is. Anglers are hooking up at Stump Pond, Smithfield; Only Pond, Lincoln Woods; and Turner Reservoir, East Providence”, said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle. “Fishing fresh water has slowed as many ponds and lakes are very warm.” said Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. Wade of Watch Hill said, “Anglers continue to fish freshwater and enjoy the ease of social distancing. Chapman’s Pond, Westerly has been yielding pike and largemouth bass.”

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and a charter fishing license. He is a RISAA board member, a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association, the American Saltwater Guides Association and the RI Marine Fisheries Council. Forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at www.dmontifishdmontifish//www.noflukefishing.com/> and his blog at www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com .

BIG CATCH: “This is the biggest fluke I ever caught,” said Mason Coffey (11 years old) as he displayed a 22-inch summer flounder and 21-inch black sea bass he caught off Newport when fishing with his father, Travis Coffey and friend Dan Gonyea.(Submitted photo)

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