2017 Fishing Review and What's I Store for 2018
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www.RISAA.org FEBRUARY, 2018 • Issue 230 401-826-2121 Representing Over 7,500 Recreational Anglers The Watch... 2017 Fishing Review and What’s I Store For 2018 The 2017 season was a mixed bag Everything seemed delayed about commonly called ‘albies’ in the three weeks in 2017 due in part to water northeast. temperatures. In the spring the water They went deep into upper was cool and the striped bass took a Narragansett Bay all the way to while to arrive. And in the fall, the Barrington Beach and around water was warm; still 63 degrees in Conimicut Light. False albacore have November so the tautog, squid and not been seen this far up the Bay in 25 cod seasons were delayed. years. Here are some highs and lows of The most intense contact was the 2017 fishing season and what we around Pt. Judith both toward can expect in 2018. Westerly and north to Narragansett Beach. Many believe it was the Epic false albacore bite RISAA member SUSAN LEMA displays a 11+ pounds volume of peanut bunker (immature The false albacore run was the false albacore that she landed on October 9 while Atlantic menhaden) that caused the best in years in 2017. False albacore fishing off Point Judith epic false albacore run. are part of the tuna family and are (continued on page 3) R.I.S.A.A. / February, 2018 Recognizing a few important people It was great to see so many of you at him so he attended our banquet and we Feb 6-8 • ASMFC Winter Meeting, our 20th Anniversary Annual Banquet on gave him our Appreciation Award. Arlington, VA January 20. We had 150 members and Jonathan Stone, Save The Bay guests who shared the evening. This award was presented by Rich Feb 20 • 6:30 PM RISAA Board of While the Tournaments Committee Hittinger, our first VP, who had recently Directors gives awards to the top anglers, each year working with Jonathan during efforts to the Board of Directors present awards to protect menhaden. Feb 26 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly Seminar people we feel deserve recognition from Rich said, “I am honored to present us. So here’s a few words about this year’s this next award to someone who leads the Mar 9-11 • 15th Annual New England special recipients. largest environmental protection group in Saltwater Fishing Show Kimberly Sullivan - RIDEM the State or RI. RISAA recognizes the For many years we have been fortunate dedication of his organization and his Mar 20 • 6:30 PM RISAA Board of to have a great working relationship with personal commitment to Narragansett Bay, Directors our R.I. DEM staff, especially in Marine the watershed, and all of the abundant Fisheries. But when it comes to working wildlife in the Bay. One of the many Mar 26 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly with kids we go to their Aquatic Resources examples of how Save the Bay has worked Seminar and Quarterly Meeting Education division, and that means to protect the resources of the Bay was Apr 9 • 7:00 PM Fly Fishing Committee working with Kim Sullivan. the effort put forth during 2017 to protect Spring Meeting In recognition of her dedication and the abundance of Atlantic menhaden. I am, service to teaching the youth of Rhode pleased to present this Conservation Apr 16 • 7:00 PM Kayak Committee Island, and for her advocacy in bringing Award to Jonathan Stone, Executive Spring Meeting awareness of the outdoors through Director of Save the Bay. education to the public, and for her MEMBERS OF THE YEAR Apr 24 • 6:30 PM RISAA Board of assistance to the RISAA with the Youth Each year the Board selects the member Directors Fishing Camp and other projects, we who has done the most for our Apr 30 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly proudly presented Kim with our Award of organization during the proceeding year. Seminar Appreciation. This year, the board felt TWO awards BRADLEY WAUGH needed to be presented. May 21 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly After he joined RISAA 16 years ago, GARY JOHNSON has been a member Seminar he introduced himself and became friends for 7 years; attends every Take-A-Kid with several board members at the time. Fishing Day, helped at the Youth Fishing June 23 • Take-A-Kid Fishing Day Most members don’t know his name, and Camp, volunteers for our N.E. Saltwater that’s because he always worked in the Fishing Show from move-in to move-out June 25 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly background. and every minute in between and chairs Seminar He convinced us that we needed to not our Merchandise Committee, one of the July 27 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly only be involved in fisheries management, hardest jobs. Seminar but also politically, and was instrumental MICHAEL WARNER has not been in us forming a Political Action Committee. eligible to received this since he has been Aug 27 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly After we held two successful winter on the Board for the past 9 years (Board Seminar seminars, renting the Coventry High School members can’t receive this award), but auditorium and cafeteria with a mini trade now that he has retired form the board, it Sept 24 • 7:00 PM RISAA Monthly show, he said we needed to go big. With was our chance to thank him for 15 years Seminar his connections he convinced the bosses of service to RISAA The Official Newsletter of the at the RI Convention Center to give us a Rhode Island chance. Because of his urging we started Saltwater Anglers Association the New England Saltwater Fishing Show. PLEASE REGISTER TO HELP Published Monthly Over the years, he has also financially N.E. SALTWATER FISHING Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers supported RISAA, our Foundation and our SHOW SIGN UP Association, Inc. PAC - always in the background. We need YOUR help! P.O. Box 1465 He now lives in Ft. Lauderdale but was https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SWShow Coventry, RI 02816 visiting RI and it was our chance to thank - 2 - R.I.S.A.A. / February, 2018 The RISAA Legislative Committee’s mission is to provide, in partnership with the Affiliated Clubs, a forum for improving the knowledge and understanding of fishery-related and government issues that affect recreational anglers. An informed membership encourages involvement and advocacy. The Legislative Committee will strive to advocate responsible fishery decision. The Committee is comprised of RISAA Members and delegates from the Affiliated Clubs. The Committee meets two or three times a year, depending on the number of fishery and/or legislative issues that develop. 2017 Fishing Review and What’s I Store For 2018 (continued from page 1) This was offset with a good, but spotty summer flounder Striped bass Cape Cod Canal bite best in years bite in the area of the wind farm at Block Island with a very “The striped bass bite for customers fishing the Cape Cod strong black sea bass bite there. n Canal has been staggering. It is better than it has been in The bite was fair to good along the southern coastal shore. years,” said Dimitri Mancini of Continental Bait & Tackle, Cranston. What’s in store for 2018 and a preliminary look at “Hogy soft plastic lures are working well. It has been a regulations? very successful lure for our customers fishing the Canal and (Official RI regulations to come in March) comes in a variety of colors with white and pink working the best lately,” Mancini continued. STRIPED BASS “The striped bass bite at the Cape Cod Canal continues to The striped bass season should be solid in 2018 as be outstanding,” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, recruitment classes are good with many fish maturing to Providence. “Anglers are landing bass in the 40 pound range minimum size of 28 inches. This, coupled with a good supply of from shore. The Whip-It Fish, a soft plastic lure by Al Gag’s Atlantic menhaden (one of their primary food sources) in the Lures is working very well for Canal fishermen.” water, should Regarding Narragansett Bay and Mt. Hope Bay, many said be good the striped bass season was half as good as 2016. Anglers did striped bass catch large fish in the Bay, just not as many. season in The striped bass season for anglers fishing from shore, 2018. along the southern coastal shore from Narragansett to Watch Striped Hill, was good. bass regulations for 2018 will likely remain the same, one fish/ Steve McKenna, noted person/day with a minimum size of 28". shore angler and author, The stock is not overfished; however, it is close to having said in November, “Fishing “overfishing occurring” as the spawning stock biomass (SSB) from shore for striped bass is just above the threshold, but below the target as was the case has been great. Since last year. September I have landed 2015 was a good recruitment year and the 2017 Maryland about 300 striped bass. One Young of the Year Survey indicated a high abundance relative or two in the 30 pound to 2016 so there is room for optimism. range, many in the twenties and teens.” SUMMER FLOUNDER (fluke) Large fish (but fewer Summer flounder fishing will likely remain challenging as it fish) were caught at Block was last year as the stock is still in questionable shape overall Island this year. Capt. Andy with overfishing Dangelo of Maridee II occurring the past Charters said this fall, “We Steve McKenna seven years relative to had a lot of big fish on the the biological south side of the Island this week.