Last week, the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association seminar on striped bass featured “Old Salts and Young Guns” who spoke about the strategies and tactics they used to catch trophy stripers.
Peter Vican of East Greenwich, the Rhode Island striped bass record holder (who actually topped his old state record with a 77-pound, 6.4-ounce striped bass in 2011, was a panelist along with two of Rhode Island’s “Young Guns,” Capts. Kurt Rivard and Brandon Hagopian.
Here are some highlights from the seminar:
Peter Vican: “I have used circle hooks for years. I think they protect the line. When bass are hooked, they often rub their face in sand to get rid of the hook. Circle hooks hook the fish in the corner of the mouth, which protects the line. The fish hooks itself with no hook set. My first state-record bass was caught on a rod in the rod holder when I was having a cup of coffee. The circle hook did all the work.”
Capt. Brandon Hagopian: “My favorite tide is a drooping tide. As it drops, the bass make their way into deeper water, even better if it is a full moon. At night, I heavy up on the leader [as much as an 80-pound test] because the fish cannot see it, but during the day I lighten up a lot and run with 40-pound leaders.”
Capt. Kurt Rivard: “We have more striped bass being caught today than I can remember in my 31 years of fishing. In regard to line, … I now use braid exclusively. With all the stretch in monofilament line, I use to have to run the length of the boat to set the hook. Braid is much more responsive. We have successfully used longer leaders to catch larger fish. Maybe that’s because with a longer leader, the fish doesn’t see the sinker.”
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Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament a big success
The Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament ended last Sunday with a winning striped bass measuring 51 inches, caught by team Frayed Not led by Capt. Richard Lipsitz of North Kingstown.
More than 90 anglers participated in the two-day event. “We doubled the number of anglers we had last year,” said Capt. Chris Willi of Block Island Fishworks, the tournament host, “and with a matching grant for Capt. Nick’s Rock & Roll Bar, we were able to make a $4,350 contribution to the Block Island Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department. “Thanks to Ørsted [owners of the Block Island Wind Farm] and their sponsorship of the tournament, we were able to donate 100% of tournament fees to the Fire & Rescue Department.”
More than $10,000 in prizes, gift cards and tournament swag were awarded at the “After Party,” which took place at Capt. Nick’s Rock & Roll Bar on Block Island at 2 p.m. Sunday. The tournament included shore, fly fishing, youth and boat divisions as well as striped bass and bluefish for all divisions plus black sea bass and fluke for boat and youth divisions. Also a team prize with photo division prizes taken with the Block Island Wind Farm in background were awarded for best fish, scenic and team photos.
Tournament cosponsors included The Saltwater Edge, Middletown; Ocean State Tackle, Providence; Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown; and Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly.
Visit SandyPointCo.com/bi-inshore-tourney for Tournament results.
Where’s the bite?
Striped bass and bluefish. “The striped bass bite at Block Island and along the southern coastal shore is very good,” said Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina in South Kingstown. “Anglers are catching large bass above the slot size [28 inches to less than 35 inches]. Eels, jigging with wire on the troll, and trolling tube and worm and umbrella rigs are all working.” Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters reported: “The reefs off Westerly are loaded with large bass. Anglers continue to catch fish of all sizes using eels.” Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box in Warwick said: “Customers continue to catch large bass at Block Island with eels, particularly at night.”
Summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass and scup. The fluke bite off Block Island was not great this weekend as anglers fishing the Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament had difficulty hooking up with keeper summer flounder. The first place Tournament fluke was a 24.5-inch summer flounder caught by the Green Mountain Boys team, who also took the first place team prize, tied with two others. “The scup bite in the Bay for 13- to 18-inch fish is outstanding,” Giddings said. “Anglers are hooking up at Conimicut Point and the Rocky Point Fishing Pier. Summer flounder is being caught at the Newport and Jamestown bridges and off Newport, where a 14-pound and a 16-pound fish were caught last week.” Cahill reported: “Fluke fishing is actually much better along the coastal shore than out at Block Island. For the time being, I would suggest fishing closer to shore.”
“Freshwater largemouth bass fishing is now down deep due to warm water with angles using drop shot to get down,” Giddings said. “If I had the time, I would be surface fishing at night because these fish have to surface to eat.”
Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business that focuses on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy and fisheries-related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net or visit noflukefishing.com.
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