The Big Four of Little Rhody
The first wave of bluefish hits the reefs and beaches in late May. They feed on herring, squid, silversides, and sand eels. These blues range from 3 to 6 pounds, and they can be finicky in their eating habits. Racer blues, with their big heads and emaciated bodies, also arrive, fresh off their migration. They may bask at the surface without eating for days, and when they do eat, they prefer natural-colored patterns tied on with monofilament (instead of wire) tippets. Usually bluefish favor brightly colored streamer flies or attack poppers. You should carry wire bite guards or wire shock tippets and pre-rig a variety of large and small flies between #4/0 and #2 in both natural and bright colors to cut your rigging time during the bite.
Bonito arrive when the water temperature remains consistently in the high 60s, usually around early July. You’ll see them around Watch Hill Light, Napatree Point, and along the breachways of Quonny and Ninigret Ponds.
The West Wall along Point Judith Pond also is a consistent spot for bonito, and they race down East Beach during higher tides. The bonito feed on silversides, sand eels, and bay anchovies. Some anglers fish for them with small epoxy flies, small flatwings, and Ultrahair Clousers fished on floating lines. Others fish sinking heads and leaders with 10- to 12-pound fluorocarbon tippets. Bonito leave in mid-September when the water temperature drops back into the 60s.
By mid-August, the first schools of false albacore arrive to chase bay anchovies, small butterfish, silversides, and sand eels. The albies feed in the same spots as the bonito but also along the mouth of the Narrow River, off of Beavertail in Jamestown, and along the rocks by Newport’s Cliff Walk. Point Judith’s West Wall is also a good spot for albies. As with the bonito, small epoxies are the flies of choice.
Also known as “Appleknockers” since they stay around until the apples fall from the trees, albies leave Rhode Island around mid-October.
Fall fishing extends well into December. As the out-migration starts, the bass school up and sweep along the beaches and reefs on their way to Maryland waters. Reverse the spring fish migratory order, and you should have a winning fishing plan.
The Birds
Shore birds key in on the diverse bait populations along the Rhode Island coast. If you watch them closely, you can find fish. Watching the birds and being able to identify them will help you determine the bait.
Black-backed gulls are trash-mongers, so watch when they dive. Oftentimes they simply pick up crabs in shallow water, but when the herring, menhaden, or mackerel are in, they concentrate on the big baitfish.
Gannets focus on herring. These birds spend their summers in Newfoundland and usually arrive in the fall, though they’ll sometimes arrive on the Rhode Island coast earlier.
Shearwaters feed on mackerel and squid and look like smaller gulls. Petrels are mainly ocean birds that feed on squid, shrimp, and plankton.
Terns, due to their small size, dive for small baitfish—silversides, sand eels, or bay anchovies—and when they are mixed with gulls, they may feed on small chunks of larger baitfish that have been chopped by bluefish.
When terns fly swiftly along the water’s surface, they are probably trying to keep up with bonito or albies. When they wing high and drop down they are probably working a school of stripers or blues.
Cormorants feed aggressively on baitfish. Look for large flocks on the water, and watch to determine how long they remain beneath. Short dives mean they are feeding on fish; long dives mean they’re searching.
A good bird identification book, such as an Audubon or Peterson’s field guide, will help you identify these bird species.
Gear
Veteran anglers fish 9 to 91/2-foot rods for 7- to 11-weight lines. Large-arbor reels with fast retrieve rates, ample backing capacities, and smooth, dependable drags are particularly helpful when fishing for bonito and albies.
Floating, intermediate, and sinking heads are the three most popular fly lines. For floating lines I like the Orvis Striper Wonderline (8 to 11 weights); for intermediate lines I favor the SA Striper Coldwater Sinking (7 to 11 weights). I mostly use the dark gray, but the clear works equally well and may be better for clear water. For fast-sinking heads, the Airflo Depth Finder, the Orvis Depth Charge, and the Cortland Quick Descent are great choices. Many anglers who frequently change fishing locations use the Rio Dredger VersiTips; there are three tips that range from 200-400 grains and easy-to-use loop-to-loop connections for quick changes. Be sure to match your grain weight with the flex profile of your rod; generally speaking, a 300- to 350-grain loads an 8-weight, a 350-400 a 9-weight, and a 400-450 a 10-weight. A head that’s too heavy can break your rod. It’s best to try several different grain weights on your rod to see which casts the best.
Stripping baskets, lights for night fishing, Bogagrips, and pliers are useful for bluefish, and you’ll need insect repellent for fishing the salt ponds or estuaries. Korkers or spikes for your boots are necessary if you plan to fish the rocks, and for night fishing you should wear a low-profile floatation vest for safety. Nautical charts and tide charts round out your gear bag.
Boat rentals. Many anglers rent small aluminum skiffs with outboards from Ocean House Marina in Charlestown to fish the channels, flats, and rock gardens in Ninigret Pond. Ninigret also has a consistent worm hatch. For more information or for reservations, call 401-364-6040.
Fly selection. Rhode Island has a rich fly-tying heritage. Ken Abrames is well-known for his flatwing style of flies. He ties his saddles in so they are parallel to the hook shank. The hackle’s lateral movement closely resembles the swimming movement of baitfish.
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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