Last week I volunteered at the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers fishing camp and wrote about it below. While giving campers my standard safety talk when they boarded my vessel it reminded me of how important it is to put safety first when fishing or boating.

My first safety rule is: wear a life jacket whenever possible. You prepare yourself for other accidents when wearing a life jacket. It is like an insurance umbrella policy, providing general coverage. I insist that passengers on my center console boat wear one too.

Today’s life jackets are designed not to limit physical activity. I wear a water activated self-inflatable CO 2 life jacket. My wife bought me my first one because I often fished alone. The jackets offer you a first line of defense against boating and fishing accidents.

As the fishing season is in full swing now, I plan to share fishing safety tips in the next week or two.

Fishing camp was a whole lot of fun

“I want to catch fish, bigger fish and more fish.”

“We caught a big striped bass, but it broke off at the boat. We probably should have used a net.”

“I’ve never caught a saltwater fish, actually, I have never caught a fish.”

Those are some of the comments campers made at the start of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) and the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) youth fishing camp held this week at Rocky Point State Park, Warwick. The campers, from seven to twelve years old, and volunteers working at the camp primarily came from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Camp is funded by RISAA, DEM and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services.

Jason Ferschke, a Saltwater Angler volunteer and Chief of the Natick, MA Fire Department, said, “Fishing camp is great. My wife and I tried to volunteer our vessel for fishing last year, but bad weather cancelled camp. So, we ae happy and very excited to do so this year. We love to fish and share our knowledge with others, especially our youth.”

Fishing appeals to our sense of adventure, teaches us patience and how to take care of the environment. Topics covered over the three day camp include fish identification, conservation, use of spinning and conventional gear and tackle, basic marine biology, how and why to use different baits and lures, boating safety, casting form shore and fishing from private boats as well as a party/charter boat. And, this year fly tying and an introduction to fly fishing was provided.

Hats off to RISAA, DEM, the United Fly Tyers of RI, and Safe Harbor Greenwich Bay Marina for donating dockage for vessels during camp.

We need more youth fishing initiatives like this to encourage our next generation of anglers and conservationists. Visit the RISAA fishing camp YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/8k2P0zMeb8o .

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass and bluefish. Angler Greg Spier said Friday, “Fished south of the Mount Hope bridge and first double hook up of striped bass. One keeper and one short using tube & worm, red and orange. Turned around to troll the same area, again almost in the same place, double hook up again. Two shorts but still pretty excited. Tried again for a hat trick and just had one hook up, again same spot. From caught to the grill in less than two hours.” Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “The striped bass and bluefish are mixed in together with the best bite off Newport.” “Mackerel and bunker have entered the Canal and hopefully will stick around. A whale gracefully gliding through the east end was the biggest action for a while until 15-year-old Matt Sadr, already an experienced surfcaster, convinced an 18-pound linesider to swallow his Striper Gear pink touched white Shaddy Daddy on a mid-morning west tide. A 37-inch bass fell for this Canal Rat’s Striper Gear green mack Rocket in between heavy downpours on a breaking tide. The well fed, fat fish took line off my reel and fought much higher than his weight class,” said East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author. Tom Olson of Ponaug Bait & Tackle, Warwick, said, “The bass and bluefish bite has been way off this year in Greenwich Bay. Reports of anglers catching short fluke, scup and squeteague off Warwick light.”

Fluke (Summer flounder), black sea bass and scup. “Big scup continue to be caught throughout the Narragansett Bay with no reports of fluke in the Bay but great action off Newport. Those catching fish seem to be catching large fish, some in the 10 plus pound range,” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle. Declan O’Donnell of Breakaway Bait L& Tackle, Charlestown, said, “Fluke reports are a hit or miss some customers last week did very well locally and out at Block Island other customers struggled to find a few keepers (>19”). The bite can be good in one area and then the next day the fish have moved to a different area. Back side of Block has still been more productive than the south shore. Black sea bass fishing has been consistent especially if you are targeting them on rock piles and wrecks. Jigs and bait on the bottom are the key. Double teaser rigs with a sinker on the bottom is a fun way to catch them and adds a little bend in the rod if you double up.”

Bluefin tuna bite has been fairly good from 20 miles south of Block Island to just a couple of miles south of the wind farm. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, said, “Customers have had success catching school bluefin tuan south of Block Island. Most are trolling for them and getting good results.”

Freshwater. “The rout bite in stocked ponds is still on with a good largemouth bass bite in Stump Pond, Coventry; Turner Reservoir, East Providence; and Olney Pond, Lincoln Woods,” said Henault of Ocean Sate Tackle.

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.