Fishing Report: AnglerCatch app is a good catch for anglers

Ever wonder how many striped bass you caught last June, or when the summer flounder (fluke) bite kicked in for you the past few years?

Or better still, what the weather, seas and winds are like at your favorite fishing spot in the Bay, around Block Island or offshore? Maybe if you had this information in advance, you would plan your trips differently — plan them better.

Now you can get your historical fishing information (like a log book) complete with photos of the fish you caught. You can also find out tides, wind and sea conditions anywhere through buoy weather with your smartphone or tablet in one simple app called AnglerCatch.

And, at the same time, you will be providing fish managers at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management or the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries with important recreational fishing data to supplement what is already collected while participating in a pilot project for science. This information will help bolster recreational fishing data so better fisheries management decisions on regulations can be made.

You will not be giving your fishing spots away, as the data is used in aggregate. Everyone feels different about their fishing spots. I share as much information with readers as I can. I have hundreds of fishing spots because those hot spots change from day to day, month to month and year to year, by sea and weather conditions, water temperature, tides and many other variables.

Once again, no need to worry about burning your fishing spots as your data is looked at in the aggregate, and if you chose not to share any location information, that is OK, too.

As a charter captain, I have been recording my catch electronically on either an iPad, tablet or smartphone for the past 14 years. It provides me with helpful log information and makes me feel good, as I am contributing to better fisheries data and fish conservation.

Download the AnglerCatch app for free at your favorite app store. The company that designed the software, Harbor Light Software, has an outstanding help line if you should run into difficulties. All of this is free as AnglerCatch was developed by a partnership of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, the DEM and Harbor Light Software.

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Where’s the bite?

Freshwater. John Dionne of Smithfield caught a 7.6-pound largemouth while fishing at Bowdish Lake in Chepachet. “I caught the fish using a chatterbait with a swimbait trailer last Friday," Dionne said. Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box in Warwick reported: “Fish are in the pre-spawn mode gravitating to low water that is warm so the largemouth bass is still very good and this week pickerel and pike fishing really picked up, too.” Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle in Warren said: “Anglers are still catching trout in stocked ponds and the largemouth pre-spawn bite is very good.”

Tautog

“Tautog fishing in the Bay and at India Point Park in Providence remains very strong,” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle in Providence. “The tautog bite has been outstanding this spring," said Capt. Mike Littlefield of Archangel Charters in Newport. "Anglers are catching fish on mussel beds in the 20- to 30-foot range using green crabs. Most everyone seems to be catching their limit.” Declan O’Donnell of Misquamicut Bait & Tackle in Charlestown said, “Customers are catching keeper tautog off the breachways and along the Narragansett shoreline.” Giddings reported: “Customers fishing the Rocky Point Fishing Pier and along the coast there are catching some nice tautog in the 18- to 20-inch range.”

Striped bass

Striped bass. “The striped bass bite is good with some nice fish being caught when feeding schools of herring and Atlantic menhaden are on the surface," Sullivan said. "Areas off Newport and Point Judith Light are producing.” Giddings reported: “The bass bite in the Bay is excellent with Greenwich Bay producing now, too, as well as the West Passage. Mostly school bass with keepers in the 30-inch range mixed in.” O’Donnell said: “The cinder worm hatch has started in some South County salt ponds with the bass bite there pretty good. Fishing is also good with slot fish being taken from the West Wall, local breachways, beaches and ponds. The outgoing tide seems to be producing more fish than the incoming tide.” "East End" Eddie Doherty reported: “Jack Barton caught his first slot of the season last week just before dawn near the railroad bridge on the Cape Cod Canal. There was an unconfirmed report of a 40-inch striped bass caught in the west end, so hopefully this fish will be leading the parade of other plus slot fish into the canal.” Henault said: “Anglers are catching school striped bass with keepers mixed in on the Seekonk River as well as the lower Providence River and upper and mid-Narragansett Bay areas. Mt. Hope Bay is producing bass for anglers, too.”

Squid

“Squid fishing has been insane," Sullivan said. "Best bets this week included the Sakonnet and Newport areas with a strong bite in Hyannis, Mass., as well.” Littlefield said: “Squid fishing has been very good at the Sakonnet River, off Newport and at Jamestown. Last week, I fished with Greg Vespe, ‘The Squid Whisperer,’ and we filled five full [5-gallon] buckets in about five hours.”

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Scup

“Scup fishing is picking up in Narragansett Bay with large scup in the 14- to 15-inch range being caught at Rocky Point,” Giddings reported.

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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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Fishing Report: AnglerCatch is a good catch for anglers