Waterways stocked with trout

By CAPT. DAVE MONTI

The states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island have been busy for the past couple of weeks stocking ponds with trout for fall fishing.
Stocking locations in Massachusetts are updated daily, visit Trout stocking report | Mass.gov for an interactive map. Click any point on the map for more information and do not forget your fishing license—buy online at MassFishHunt.
In Rhode Island the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) conducted fall trout stocking, in advance of the Columbus Day holiday weekend, in selected areas. Visit www.dem.ri.gov/fishing, or call 401-789-0281 or 401-539-0019 for information.
The largemouth bass bite has been outstanding this week too. Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren, said, “Monday I caught fish after fish in the 4 to 6 pound range. The largemouth were holding in areas where they traditionally stage at the start of Fall.”

Cape Cod Canal striper fishing still hot
Connor Swartz of Red Top Sporting Goods, Buzzard’s Bay, said, “We continue to have great top water action with a lot of bait still in the water with a great striped bass bite from slot sized fish 28”<31” to 38 to 40 pound fish. So fishing is pretty good. Anglers are also catching bonito in great abundance.”
“Bait is still holding in the Canal. A healthy 39-inch bass exploded on Slap Shot Scottie Ewells green Left hook, just one of many nice fish caught on the surface. Multi colored lures did the trick at various levels of the water column. Bruno DeSouza caught five bass including a 33-inch fighter with an Al Gags wacky mack soft plastic paddle tail jig on the west ebb tide,” said East End Eddie Doherty, expert Canal angler and author.

Fly fishing clinic for women
The Rhode Island Chapter of Trout Unlimited in conjunction with the South Kingstown Land Trust will conduct a Fly Fishing Clinic for Women on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Kingstown Land Trust Barn, 17 Matunuck Beach Road, Wakefield, RI.
Sheila Hassan of Cast90, a Fly Fishers International Master Casting Instructor, will lead the Clinic. Key Clinic instruction components include an overview of fly fishing rods, reels and lines; essential fly fishing knots and terminology; how to make a roll cast and basic cast; as well as false casting and shooting line.
The $25 program cost includes lunch. Register in advance by Oct. 16. The clinic is limited to twenty women. Register at https://secure.etransfer.com/RICTU/WomensClinic.cfm (cut and paste link) or email Susan Estabrook at susan@ysrinc.com and please put “women’s clinic” in subject line.

Where’s the bite?
Striped bass, bluefish, bonito. “We saw a big uptick in the amount of school and keeper bass in Apponaug Cove and Greenwich Bay this past week with larger fish being caught off Newport and in the East Passage,” said Tom Olson of Ponaug Bait & Tackle, Warwick. Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait &a Tackle, Charlestown, said, “This time of year I tell the blitz hunters that stripers will feed during the middle of the day when there is an abundance of bait so fish for them. We still have time and a lot more fish need to move through our area. So don’t stop looking. If you are fishing the beach during the day fish rock structure and sand structure. Look for the beach lip, sandbars, cuts and troughs.
Jeff Sullivan, expert angler and associate a Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren, said, “We set out to tautog fish Sunday but were soon distracted by thick schools of large bonito. We fished most of the morning from the Sakonnet to Newport. Most fish were caught with SP Minnows. The epoxy jigs were actually spooking them when they hit the water.”
Cod fishing. Cod fishing off Rhode Island has been hit or miss. Some days fishing good at East Grounds off Block Island and at Cox Ledge or Sharks Ledge and other days it is off. Rich Hittinger, angler and 1st Vice President of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association said, “The cod fishing was great yesterday (Saturday) on the RISAA trip out of Hyannis. The trip was with the Helen H and was actually on the Capt. John which they now own. We were fishing somewhere east of Monomoy Point near the shipping lanes and the area was no secret because there were dozens of other boats fishing the same general area. We caught many cod with most anglers getting at least 3 (limit in that water is 5 per angler at 23-inch minimum). We also caught pollack and haddock. I caught four nice cod with two right around 12 pounds. The pool contenders were both at 20 pounds.”
Tautog. “Tautog fishing has been on fire. With customers easily catching their limit and having fun pulling up by catch. Many reports of guys catching Weakfish, stripers, and even fluke on crab. I’ve also heard some reports of decent fluke fishing. It appears a lot are heading out of the bay and are staging up putting on a good feed before heading into deeper water,” said O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle.
Tom Olson of Ponaug Bait & Tackle, said, “Tautog fishing exploded this week with customers catching their limit of three fish with the General Rock and Hope Island North Kingstown, RI areas working well for anglers.”
Connor Schwartz of Red Toop Sporting Goods, said, “The tautog bite in Buzzard’s Bay is hot with fish being taken the east end of the Cape Cod Canal too.”
I fished the General Rock, North Kingstown area Friday and caught and eight pound tautog and two other keepers in about two hours of fishing. I intentionally monitored the Revolution Wind cable installation barge and its safety vessels on channel 16, there was no activity in the area on this day. “Tautog fishing was actually better in the Bay than out in front of Newport this past week as more bait now seems to be holding in the Bay,” said Sullivan of Lucky Bait.
Tuna. O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, said,” Tuna bite remains good with some fish still around the Gully and some giants in local and off Block Island. Bait on the bottom or chunking seems to be getting it done.”

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.