Providence RI 7/15/05

BAY

Bass and bluefish are still biting throughout the Bay. Schools of menhaden are holding the game fish in the upper reaches of the Bay: in the channel of the Providence River, the Pawtuxet shore, and the east side of Patience Island, according to David Henault of Ocean State Tackle. There are schoolies along Poppasquash, says Ken Ferrara of Ray's Bait & Tackle. For larger fish, he recommends trolling a tube-and-worm rig in the lower Bay, tight against Goat Island, Rose Island and Hope Island where the fish tend to range between 32 and 38 inches long. Off Beavertail and Annawan, they're a little larger.

Bluefish are everywhere, from the Providence River to Jamestown; they're especially abundant in Greenwich Bay, Ferrara says.

Fluke fishing has been good in the waters off Shepley's Dock at Oakland Beach, where fish as large as 6 pounds were biting Wednesday, Ferrara says. To the south, fluke have been biting in the waters off Austin Hollow.

Scup and seabass are taking bait along the shore of Newport and Jamestown, Hope Island and around General Rock off North Kingstown.

BEACHES AND SALT PONDS

Striper fishing continues to be extraordinary on the reefs from the West Wall in Jerusalem to Stonington. Newport angler Susan Estabrook, fishing with Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle, took bass to 24 pounds on the reef next to the fish trap off the West Wall and the rockpile directly off the Charlestown Breachway on an outgoing tide. Mouchon recommends fishing with eels, but his cousin, Thom Pelletier of Quaker Lane Outfitters, says that live hickory shad are more effective. To the west, the bite is busy from Quonochontaug to the Connecticut Reefs. Sugar Reef is especially active, according to Kevin McCarthy of King Cove Outfitters.

Off Aquidneck Island, larger bass are appearing on the reefs of Rhode Island Sound even though there are a lot of dogfish there, says Sam Toland of Sam's Bait & Tackle. He recommends deep trolling a tube-and-worm rig.

Scup are biting on all the rockpiles from Newport to Stonington, and the bite will continue to improve as the water warms, says Toland. For shore fishermen in South County, good bets include Monahan's Dock in Narragansett, the breachways, and the waters behind Joyce's Pub in Matunuck.

Fluke fishing is improving off Bailey's and Second Beaches, says Toland, but Mouchon reports that the bite has been an on-and-off affair off Washington County. Bob Neilson of Wildwood Outfitters recommends fishing with a chartreuse fluke rig tipped with squid or spearing. Fluke have moved into Quonochontaug Pond, where they're nailing small jigs tipped with squid strips and live mummichogs, says Don Cameron of Captain Don's Bait & Tackle.

Bluefish are scattered all along the coast, but the action has been particularly consistent at Charlestown Breachway as the tide spills out. Inside the salt ponds, where the blues are smaller, the limit is still 10 fish per day.