Shellfish Advisory Panel meeting coming up

The Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council will hold their Shellfish Advisory Panel meeting Wednesday, September 18 at 4:30 p.m. 

Topics on the agenda include shellfish harvest seasons for Greenwich Bay, Bissel Cove/Fox Island and Bristol Harbor; DEM Office of Water Resources, Shellfish Program water quality update FYI only or recommendation for future agenda items; and Providence River SMA 2024 harvest summary update FYI only or recommendation for future agenda items. 

For agenda details and background information visit the Division’s calendar page, go to Sept. 18, at Public Meetings Calendar | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (ri.gov).

This meeting will be in-person for Panel members and those wishing to attend in-person at the URI Bay Campus, Coastal Institute, Hazard Room, South Ferry Road, Narragansett.

The Zoom webinar link for the meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85940205762?pwd=ARLF8SzQnRPyEpTDrhmymX1DQb0RMS.1 [us02web.zoom.us]. The dial in listen only number for the meeting is 1-929-205-6099.

Fly fishing classes for adults

The Aquatic Resource Education Program of the RI Department of Environmental management will hold their annual adult Introduction to Saltwater Fly Fishing Workshop, Saturday, Sept. 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Narrow River, Narragansett at the Sprague Bridge parking area. Volunteer instructors start at 8 a.m.

Learn fly casting, knots, fly choice and more from some of the area’s best fly instructors. Instruction on land in the morning then you get to test your newly learned skills fishing in Narrow River in the afternoon.

All equipment will be provided including fly rods, reels, and waders (if reserved). The cost of the program is $30/person which includes a box lunch.

I took this introductory session two years ago and learned how to fly fish.  And then caught fish on a fly rod that afternoon. No fish guaranteed but this is a program worth considering.

Expert fly fishing guide Ed Lombardo will lead volunteer instructors from fly fishing clubs throughout the region.

To register email Kimberly Sullivan at Kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov or call her at 401.539.0037.

Massachusetts Summer Flounder Fishery Closure

Effective Sept. 6, commercial fishing vessels are prohibited from landing summer flounder in Massachusetts for the remainder of the 2024 fishing year, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer and is announced in the Federal Register.

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries closed the state fishery starting on Aug. 28, 2024. So, NOAA is closing the Federal summer flounder commercial fishery in Massachusetts to align with the closure of the state fishery and promote consistency between state and Federal management measures.

For more details, read the Federal Register  website at Federal Register :: Public Inspection: Fisheries of the Northeastern United States: Summer Flounder Fishery; 2024 Commercial Quota Harvested for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater. The largemouth bite is good a night when cooler and in the day in the lower water column as the water is warm on the surface. This is changing as the water is cooling.

Striped bass, bluefish, bonito. East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “Fishing had slowed down until last weekend’s new moon changed our luck. Birds are diving for bunker with loads of rain bait everywhere as fish are breaking up and down the Canal. “Wild Willi” Williams was bouncing a green mack Savage off the bottom a couple of hours before first light when he was hit hard as an intense battle ensued and he finessed a 27-pound striper to the rocks through the east flood tide, then reeled in another linesider that weighed 20 pounds.” 

“Inshore fishing for Striped Bass and Hickory shad has been very poor to say the least this year. We fished Narrow River yesterday, the Breachway last week ,the three of us fished very hard, many spots that usually hold fish, but nothing, not even a strike! The bait has finally arrived but no fish. Some of my friends who fish the beach at night have had some success, but not that well. Hopefully, the best times are ahead, mid-September to December,” said Ed Lombardo, expert fly fishing guide

“Mixed reports of bonito and false albacore popping up along the south shore out to Block Island. Various colored epoxy jigs and metals seem to be working well. Still a larger volume of bonito around than albies. Stripers are moving around chasing bait. Some bigger fish are being caught in the pond. They have been eating soft plastics and top water spooks. Eels at night seem to still be producing well. Around the Charlestown Breachway the bite is best at night. Schools of bass have been seen cruising through during the day. Bait is all over the place, rain bait, silver sides, peanut bunker, bunker, mullet, snapper and more,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown.

Fluke (summer flounder), black sea bass and scup. The black sea bass bite off Newport was good this week with keeper size fish being caught in the Rose Island area, Brenton Reef and off the Sakonnet River.   “The fluke reports held up strong this week with anglers still doing well locally with a few nice size fish over 5 lb’s coming in,” said O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle.

Tautog. I fished for tautog in the General Rock area last week and caught just short tautog (under the 16-inch minimum size), monster scup and multiple black sea bass. Angler John Migliori of Aquidneck Island caught a 7.46 pound, 21-inch tautog this weekend from shore. It was his first keeper of the year.

Bluefin tuna. The school bluefin tuna bite continues to be good offshore. “Tuna reports have been good for those that have been able to get out. Still a fair amount of bluefin in close with a few larger ones around. Yellowfin have been on the outskirts with anglers occasionally hooked them. Mahi can be found on high flyers and around floating debris,” said O’Donnell.

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.