NO FLUKE

Fish mangers to determine striped bass regulations

Captain Dave Monti
Posted 9/25/14

Last week the Rhode Island commissioners to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) held a striped bass input meeting at the URI Bay Campus.

Steve Medeiros of the RI Saltwater …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in
NO FLUKE

Fish mangers to determine striped bass regulations

Posted

Last week the Rhode Island commissioners to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) held a striped bass input meeting at the URI Bay Campus.

Steve Medeiros of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) said in a position letter to the ASMFC, that RISAA (who represents 7,500 recreational anglers and thirty affiliate clubs) supports new coastwide assessment reference points for striped bass, wants to maintain the present regulation that says new implementation plans must reach targets in one year (rather than three) and supports option B7 of the Proposed Management Options for the Coastal Recreational Fishery which would allow two striped bass to be taken, one fish in a 28"-34" slot and one fish at a 36" minimum. The present regulation for striped bass is two fish at a 28" minimum.

This position was the most conservative spawning stock option… reducing catch from 2013 levels by 28% in one year rather than three and the selection of two fish with one slotted at 28" to 34" will take some pressure off large egg bearing striped bass. However, not everyone is in agreement.

Rick Bellavance, president of the RI Charter and Party Boat Association said yesterday, "We support a two fish option as one fish would be economically devastating to our industry." The fear is that people would not go fishing on a charter boats to catch just one fish. Bellavance said, "Going to three years rather than one leaves a lot of options on the table for the commission. We are also concerned that with one year the striped bass technical committee may feel there is not enough data available on striped bass slot limit success, so they would recommend a one fish option that would be economically burdensome. The three year option will also take some pressure off the commercial and social impacts that these reductions will have on commercial striped bass fishermen as well as party and charter boats. We can get to where we need to be in three years so we support a three year reduction to get to 25%."

Many of the recreational fishermen at the hearing felt that the ASMFC should achieve a 25% reduction in one year and were advocating for management plan options that would allow one fish to be taken rather than two. Nicole Lengyel, ASMFC striped bass technical committee member (and RI DEM marine biologist), who ran the hearing last week said all of the one year options (whether one or two fish with slot options) have a 50% chance of succeeding.

The ASMFC is expected to review striped bass public comments and come to a decision on new regulations at their October meeting. Fishermen and other interested groups are encouraged to provide input on to the ASMFC striped bass draft addendum either by attending state public hearings or by providing written comment. The draft striped bass addendum is on the Commission website (www.asmfc.org) under Public Input. Public comment will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. (EST) on September 30, 2014. Comments on striped bass should be forwarded to Mike Waine (mwaine@asmfc.org) at 1050 N. Highland St, Suite A-N, Arlington, VA 22201; or faxed to 703.842.0741. Title comments as "striped bass" comments.

Pabst tournament

winners

The 2014 Pabst Blue Ribbon Northeast Fishing Tournament concluded Saturday with an awards ceremony at the Ocean Mist, Matunuck, RI. Cash prizes for the season long tournament were awarded for first, second and third place in four divisions including striped bass by boat, striped bass by shore, bluefish and summer flounder (fluke).

Fluke winners were: 1st place, Christopher Wallis, East Haddam, CT, 12 lbs. 14.4 oz., 31", $5,000; 2nd place Christopher Sottile, North Stonington, CT, 12 lbs. 3 oz., 30.25", $3,000; 3rd place Thomas McMahon, Charlestown, RI, 11 lbs. 3 oz., 30", $2,000.

Bluefish winners were: 1st place, Michael Larson, New York, NY, 17 lbs. 1.6 oz., 37.5", $5,000; 2nd place, John Stavola, Old Saybrook, CT, 16 lbs. 6 oz., 33", $3,000; 3rd place, Richard Rade, Montauk, NY, 16 lbs. 1.5 oz., 40.5", $2,000.

Striped bass by shore winners were: 1st place, John Bruno, Bronx, NY, 47 lbs. 5.6 oz., 48 3/8", $5,000.; 2nd place, Chad Braga, Swansea, MA, 45 lbs. 5 oz., 49", $3,000; 3rd place, Kevin Brignole, Narragansett, RI, 35 lbs. 7 oz., 46", $2,000.

Striped bass by boat winners were: 1st place, Peter Vican, East Greenwich, RI, 59 lbs. 8 oz., 49.5", $10,000; 2nd place, Jean LeComte, Portsmouth, RI, 56 lbs. 3 oz., 51", $5,000; 3rd place, Frank Bridges, West Barnstable, MA, 56 lbs 1.6 oz., 55", $3,000.

Where's the bite

Bonito and false albacore bite has been on for a couple of weeks now. Strong numbers of fish were first reported in the Watch Hill area then spread all along the southern coastal shores to Pt. Judith. Anglers say the fish are moving east. So the hope is that Newport to the Sakonnet River will be receiving them as well this week. Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown said, "This week anglers fishing the Mud Hole for yellowfin tuna caught as many as 80 bonito. So they are offshore as well as along the coast. Coastal anglers are using deadly Dicks and small silver lures of all types and fly fishermen are hooking up as well." Capt. Rick Bellavance of Priority Too Charters said, "To our surprise we caught a couple of bonito when trolling umbrella rigs for striped bass." Tuesday Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said, "We still have plenty of albies and bonito around all along the southern coastal shore."

Offshore fishing for yellowfin and bluefin school tuna has been good. Roger Simpson of the Frances Fleet, Galilee, RI said, "Tuna fishing continued in high gear… the Friday afternoon trip was about as good as it gets with a modest group of anglers enjoying an all out yellow fin tuna crush on fish in the 50 to 80 lb range along with four big eyes all in the 150 to 200 lb range." Matt Conti of Sung Harbor Marina said, "Anglers are hooking up with yellow fin at the Fish Tails and have landed as many as six to eight bluefin per boat. The charter fishing vessel Big Game boated bluefin to 50 pounds last week."

Shore fishing has been good along the coastal shore. Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, "Large scup were caught this weekend from the Charlestown Breachway. And Monday night we had some nice 25 pound fish taken between the walls with anglers fishing with buck tails and a nice fish landed from the Park taken with an eel." "A strong scup bite continues at Sabin Point and Colt State Park." said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle. Snapper bluefish can be found in just about every cove, river, harbor or saltwater pond including Ninigret Pond, Wickford Harbor, the Warren River, Salt Pond, etc.

Striped bass fishing has slowed at Block Island and along the cost said Matt Conti, "However, we will likely get more bass in waves as they migrate south so bass fishing will hopefully pick up again." John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle, Riverside, RI said, "Some small bass are being caught in the upper Bay, however, we have reports of fish to 36" being caught at Conimicut Light. Guys trying to fish Brenton Reef this weekend had to come inside the Bay as the seas were too rough. The decision to move was a good one as they landed several keepers chucky Atlantic menhaden and using eels in the Newport Harbor area landing bass to 34 pounds."

Fluke fishing has slowed and not many anglers are targeting them said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait. Matt Conti of Snug Harbor said, "When conditions are right anglers are landing fish south of the southeast side of Block Island."

Sea bass and scup fishing is good in the Bay and along coastal shores. Anglers Alex and Eric Appolonia of North Kingstown landed sixteen jumbo sea bass Sunday about a mile and a half south of Pt. Judith while fishing in heavy seas using as much as 16 ounces of weight to hold down their squid rigs for the sea bass. I fished in the Bay this weekend twice and found sea bass and scup to be prevalent at General Rock in North Kingstown and at the rock cluster on the Northern side of Hope Island. No tautog there though.

Tautog. Ken Ferrara of Ray's Bait & Tackle, Warwick said, "Everything is two to three weeks behind this year so tautog fishing will get stronger as the water cools." No good tautog reports this week, not many anglers are targeting them. Capt. Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle said, "We have had a couple of tautog caught by accident when anglers were targeting sea bass and scup."

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing for over 40 years. He holds a captain's mas"ter license and a charter fishing license. Visit Captain Dave's No Fluke website at www.noflukefishing.

com or e-mail him with your fishing news and photos at dmontifish@verizon.net.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here