No Fluke

Fisherman’s pray

Captain Dave Monti
Posted 7/30/15

Greg Vespe is an avid fisherman with a particular knack for catching striped bass. He is a noted lecturer and often works with Capt. BJ Silvia of Flippin Out Fishing Charters. Here is his account (I …

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No Fluke

Fisherman’s pray

Posted

Greg Vespe is an avid fisherman with a particular knack for catching striped bass. He is a noted lecturer and often works with Capt. BJ Silvia of Flippin Out Fishing Charters. Here is his account (I say prayer) of his 1,000th striped bass which he caught this weekend.

"Sometimes it's all about catching that next fish... sometimes it's about slowing down and reflecting on the fish you just caught.

My smallest bass of the night was the most special... reaching a milestone that began many moons ago on the Delaware river when a kid drifted a tinsel jig and mackerel strip intended for channel cats was nailed by my first striped bass and culminated 3:35 a.m. this Sunday morning when an eel drifting just inside the fence at the Southwest Ledge off Block Island got picked up by my 1,000th striped bass.

This was a special moment of what has been a wonderful journey. Lots of memories. So many lessons learned… first keeper, first surf keeper, first eel bass, first trip to Block Island, etc. And, the first time I scared BJ Silvia with my hookset.

None of this could have been accomplished without the help and patience from so many better fishermen than me who have helped me along my path. Members of the Aquidneck Island Striper Team, the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and all my fishing partners over the years I thank you all.

So much more to still learn and BJ Silvia is running out of hair and probably patience."

Where's the bite

Striped bass and bluefish. Kim Petti of Fin & Feather Outfitters, North Kingstown said, "Customers were catching both striped bass and bluefish with fly fishing gear at Prudence Island. Some made a trip to Cape Cod and landed blue fin tuna on the southeast corner of Stellwagen Bank." Angler Mark Pachico of Middletown, RI said, "I caught a 47 pound striped bass at Block Island on Friday on a live eel with captain Eric Chappell fishing for the Aquidneck Island Striper Team. This was the best fish of the night

with another 40 pound fish and four fish in the 30's. The bite was best on the incoming tide as we didn't do much on the next tide." Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence said, "With pogies thick in the upper Bay and rivers we have some bass in the Bay but the water has warmed and have a strong bass bite in cooler water at Block Island." Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown said, "The bass bite on Block Island is very good. We weighed in a 44 pound fish this weekend. They are catching them with eels at night and tube and worm during the day." Lorraine Danti of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren said, "The striped bass are really stacked up at Block Island now. We have weighed in fish in the 40 and 50 pound range, most seem to be caught at sunset with eels but others are being caught during the day." Angler Eric Appolonia of North Kingstown said, "My son Alex and I and his friend Ethan Bowie were out at Block Island and the bass fishing was hot. We got out at 10:00 a.m. and had all caught a fish by 11:00 a.m. on the Southwest Ledge." Eric was trolling with tube & worm.

Offshore fishing continues to improve. Elisa Cahill of Snug Harbor Marina said, "Hot Reels captained by Lou DeFusco landed a 90 pond wahoo and Big Game Charters landed a 17 and a 24 pound mahi along with yellow fin tuna over 50 pounds. All the action seems to be in the Shipping Lanes." Avid offshore angler Richard Pastore said on the RISSA blog Saturday, "Went down towards the Fingers looking for 68 to 70 degree temperature break. About five miles north of the Fingers (which are on the north side of the Dump) we spotted whales, bait jumping, shearwaters (birds) and dolphins in 69 degree water. We set in and trolled south starting at about 7:00 a.m. Shortly thereafter, double hookup on flat lines of small bluefin tuna (SBFT) followed by a single SBFT on flat line. We kept moving south into Fingers and 70.5 degree water. Double hook up on spreader bars of 55 pound BFT. Followed by another double hook up of 55 pound BFT one in the cooler the rest back in the water. Turned back north and five miles north of Fingers, 69 degree water we got a double hook up of SBFT on flat lines. High flyers produced small mahi on smallest blue deadly dicks allowed to sink while free spooling."

"Fluke fishing is very good at the East Fishing Grounds and in the Green Hill area." said Elisa Cahill of Sung Harbor Marina. Lary Norin and Rick Sustello report a great fluke bite east of Block Island Saturday in 75 feet of water. Norin said "We were drifting about 2 knots or 1.3 with the drift sock and needed 8-12 ounces of lead to hold bottom. Green flash spinner jigs were used, I used bluefish, fluke belly and squid. We had the best three consecutive drifts ever. Immediate nonstop action with mostly keeper jumbo fluke. We boated 10 fish over five pounds with the biggest being a 27 inch slab." Fishing in the Jamestown and Newport area was good this week with reports of fish under the Bridges as well as along the shore. Dave Sweet and his son Jason (12 years old) fished the southern coastal shore this weekend. Dave said, "We moved to second spot in towards Matunuck and the five cottages area. Again, no drift, but did notice that the breeze had picked up a bit further offshore, so we went south a mile or so and hit some nice fishing in about 60 feet of water. Jason had high hook with his personal best, a 22" fluke."

Snapper blues or skipjacks (referring to juvenile blue fish) are in and there are a lot of them in our coves and estuaries. "We heard 100 Acre Cove has a huge school of skipjacks. They are great fun for kids to catch." said Lorraine Danti of Lucky Bait & Tackle. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, "Skipjacks are in with anglers catching them from shore, from docks all over the Bay."

Scup are everywhere in the Bay. Lorraine Danti of Lucky Bait & Tackle said, "Customers are landing 19" and 20" scup at Colt State Park and the bridges in Warren and Barrington."

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing for over 40 years. He holds a captain's master 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.

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