Fishing Report: It's time to consider the importance of Atlantic menhaden

Over the years, anglers have advocated for conservation measures for Atlantic menhaden (commonly called pogies or bunker). Anglers that believe in ecosystem-based management feel we need to leave enough Atlantic menhaden in the water as forage fish for striped bass, bluefish, tuna, whales, osprey and other animals that rely on these fish for sustenance.

This month, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have scheduled hearings to gather public input on Draft Addendum I to Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic menhaden. The addendum considers potential changes to current provisions for commercial allocations, the episodic event set aside (EESA) program and the incidental catch and small-scale fisheries (IC/SSF) provision.

Rhode Island will hold an online webinar hearing Thursday, Sept. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m.  Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/rt/5354398851672344078 and select the hearing(s) you plan to attend from the drop-down menu. Hearings will be held via GoToWebinar, and you can join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

The Massachusetts meeting will be held in person on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 30 Emerson Ave. in Gloucester. For information, contact Nichola Meserve at (978) 619-0017.

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Where’s the bite?

Striped bass and bluefish

The striped bass bite in upper Narragansett Bay improved this weekend.  Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle in Providence said: “The water is still warm and sort of defies what is happening but keeper slot-size bass were caught all the way up to Pawtucket this weekend.  Anglers are catching fish with swimming and mid-water lures five to seven inches in length with some anglers using chunks of Atlantic menhaden.”

John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle in Riverside reported: “The water is still very warm, 77 degrees in the upper Bay but this weekend we had bass at Rumstick Point and Barrington Beach but they were picky with anglers trying to hook up using jigs, tube and worm and lures of all types but the striped bass were not feeding.  The bluefish bite remains fairly strong at Rocky Point, Warwick Light and Barrington Beach.”

"East End" Eddie Doherty said: “The bluefish that had invaded the Cape Cod Canal are now accompanied by enormous schools of striped bass. Last Wednesday brought the first real blitz of the season when hundreds of schoolies, slots and larger striped bass rode by the Railroad Bridge on an east flood tide just after first light. The fish were hanging close to the Cape side where the partial shade provides slightly cooler water temperatures.

Expert angler Bob Weir from Taylor Point landed some fish on the beach at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, including a slot at noon that fell for a white Al Gags soft plastic jig halfway through the west tide. The boiling surface magic has continued every morning with multiple catches of big fish.”

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Bonito and false albacore

Now is the time to fish for bonito as the fish caught were larger this week. Still a lot of small fish around but nice fish are being caught, too.  “Angler Dave Garzoli weighed in a 9.2-pound bonito for the RI Saltwater Anglers Association tournament," Henault said. "Anglers are hooking up with bonito off Narragansett and at the East Wall of the Harbor of Refuge in Narragansett. We had one report last week of false albacore in front of Newport but no reports of anglers hooking up.” The bonito bite on Cape Cod has been good as well with larger fish being caught.

Summer flounder, fluke, black sea bass

“Anglers have not been able to hook up with keeper black sea bass in the Bay," Littlefield said. "They are catching smaller fish. One customer said the ratio this year is about five keepers compared to the 125 small black sea bass that he has caught.  However, scup fishing remains strong with customer Albert Bettencourt of Riverside catching his limit with fish ranging from 1.5 to 2 pounds and a strong bite off Conimicut Point and Warwick Light.

Scup fishing was good in the lower Bay around the bridges with fish to 15 and 16 inches being caught fairly often.  The summer flounder (fluke) bite is still very spotty in the lower Bay, south of the bridges and out in front of Newport with the keepers being caught just in the 18- to 19 -inch range. Henault said: “The best fluke bite is in the Block Island Wind Farm area, off Newport and the Sakonnet River, and off Scarborough Beach in Narragansett.”

Tuna bite

The yellowfin and bluefin tuna bite is still strong close to shore. Angler John Stavrakas said: “We saw a bunch of life near the Gully (whales, dolphins, birds, slicks) and went lines in there. By 8:30 a.m., we had two nice yellowfin in the boat (48 and 54 inches). Spent the morning trolling within sight of Block Island. I couldn’t believe we were catching yellowfin within sight of the Island — nice yellowfin at that.”

Cod

“Monday we fished Cox Ledge for cod," angler Paul Boutiette said. "My jig was stuck on the bottom, so I thought, but it began to move. I knew I had a nice cod on and prayed it was not over the new upper slot of 28 inches. The fish weighed 7.78 pounds and measured 27½ nches. It is sad to say that any cod 8 pounds or more is probably now illegal to take, when a few short years ago, I caught a 19.6-pound cod at Cox Ledge.”

Freshwater fishing

Freshwater remains sluggish with water still being very warm.  “We have anglers fishing for largemouth but things are slow," Henault said. "Some pickerel being caught in northern Rhode Island and Massachusetts ponds; however, it will now be a matter of waiting for the early fall stocking of trout by the states of Rhode Island and Massachusetts once the water cools a bit.”

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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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story listed the incorrect location of the Harbor of Refuge. It is in Narragansett.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI, MA set hearings to consider the importance of Atlantic menhaden