Fishing Report: Symposium tackles 'Climate Impacts' on anglers

The 2022 Baird Symposium wrapped up on June 24, 2022, with a reception and premiere screening of a video on "Climate Impacts on Recreational Fishing and Boating." The event took place at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography in Narragansett.

Anglers, climate/fisheries scientists and non-governmental organizations that participated in the symposium expressed a number of key findings that deserve further exploration.

Anglers and charter captain panelists confirmed an abundance of warm-water fish in the region, such as scup and black sea bass, and the departure of cold-water fish, such as winter flounder and American lobster.

New and abundant bait profiles are in our waters, including a variety of mackerel species, herring and Atlantic menhaden with silversides, sand ells, peanut bunker and squid having a strong presence also.

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The abundant bait is attracting pelagic fish in greater numbers, such as mahi, bluefin tuna, cobia, even wahoo, offshore.

Additionally, anglers felt that the migrating and spawning behavior of some species are being affected. For example, fishing author and kayak fishing expert Todd Corayer said: “In December, we caught striped bass to 36 inches with lice on them in our coves and estuaries. These fish decided not to migrate; they were out in front in our ocean (as the lice would indicate) and when it got cold, they came into our sanctuaries. I caught over a dozen nice keeper-sized fish in two days. The fishing continued through January and February.”

Scientists, offshore wind industry and non-governmental organizations presenting at the symposium highlighted a number of initiatives that are being conducted to address climate impacts. Meredith Moore, director of the Fish Conservation Program at the Ocean Conservancy, said: “We need to adapt fisheries management so it can react to climate impacts faster throughout the management process.”

Greg Vespe, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, said: “Fishing crosses every social, ethnic and financial demographic there is … to have climate impacts on recreational fishing recognized by the URI Graduate School of Oceanography by our U.S. Senators and Janet Coit, chief of NOAA Fisheries, gives me great hope that we can be proactive on how we address rapidly changing fisheries.”

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Greg DeCelles of Ørsted North America, which constructed the Block Island wind farm, said, “As part of our research and monitoring plans, we are conducting acoustic telemetry tagging studies on pelagic fish such as sharks, bluefin tuna, cod and false albacore. … We expect wind farms to be fishing destinations for anglers.”

Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Coit, attended the Baird Symposium reception.  “I would like to  recognize  Jennifer McCann [director of the U.S. Coastal Resource Center and director of Extension Programs for Rhode Island Sea Grant] for her work bringing forward science- based discussions on key climate and renewable energy issues over the years.”

Rhode Island Sea Grant and the Coastal Resource Center at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography hosted the event. Lead supporting sponsors included Ørsted, owners of the Block Island Wind Farm and Ocean Conservancy.  Participating organizations included the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, NOAA Fisheries Northeast Science Center, the American Saltwater Guides Association, Safe Harbor Marinas, Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, Save the Bay and The Natures Conservancy.

Visit https://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/special-programs/baird for recordings of both workshops and the key learnings video, which is expected to be posted in the next few days.

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass and bluefish.   “Striped bass fishing in the East Passage, particularly the Providence River, has been outstanding this past week," said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait and Tackle in Riverside. "Customers are catching fish in the slot [28 inches to less than 35 inches] and above slot size at the Providence Hurricane Barrier, at Sabin Point, both from shore and from kayaks and boats. One customer caught 16 fish in one outing, most of them in the mid-20-pound range. Anglers are trolling tube and worm, live-lining and fishing with chunks of Atlantic menhaden.”

Conner Glynn of the Tackle Box in Warwick reported: “Customers are catching striped bass and bluefin at Conimicut Point, Rocky Point and India Point Park in Providence.” Declan O’Donnell of Misquamicut Bait and Tackle in Charlestown said: “Striped bass continues to impress with reports of nice-sized bass being caught both along the coastal shore and out at Block Island. There are even nice-sized bass back in the pond where yours truly had a fish up to 27 pounds last week.”

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing is improving. Greg Vespe, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association said: “We managed to catch fluke north and south of the Newport Bridge last week. Coit, the assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries [and former director of the state Department of Environmental Management] caught a 29-inch fluke Saturday when fishing north of the Newport Bridge."

Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait and Tackle in Warren reported: “The fluke bite picked up quite a bit off Newport. Anglers are catching keepers and, last Friday, Bob Hurrie caught a 13-pound fluke off Newport with Capt. Kurt Rivard of K&M Coastal Charters in Warren.”  Glynn said: “Anglers are catching fluke with jigs at Rocky Point and Warrick Neck.”

Black sea bass and scup. The scup bite is good just about anywhere there is structure like ledges and jetties and water movement. Rocky Point in Warwick, Colt State Park in Bristol and Sabin Point in East Providence offer good scup bites. Black sea bass fishing for keeper-size fish (16 inches minimum this year) is spotty. Larger fish are being caught in the ocean along coastal shore and at Block Island.

Freshwater fishing remains strong in area ponds for largemouth bass. “Little Pond and Gorton Pond in Warwick are yielding nice-size largemouth bass for customers,” said Glynn.

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. 

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI Fishing Report: Symposium tackles 'Climate Impacts' on local anglers