Thursday, May 9
The boat finally got splashed this week for the first time this spring. It goes without saying, “It’s great to be back on the water again.” Not much hurricane damage in the upper bay that we noticed. Structures and depths remain the same in all the respective spots we fished over this week. It’s early in the season, but so far the upper bay hasn’t responded to any signs of positive changes with fish migrations or bait supplies. The screens have been barren in the two trips this week.
There have not been any terns or seagulls searching anywhere. A few cormorants were seen diving coming up empty, even the osprey is sitting on their perches just seem content on watching. Just hoping it’s the cold weather delaying the start and nothing major. By this time last year, we were off and running. Bottom fishing remains good for tautog with lots of boats anchored over the local bolder fields using half cut crabs and clamworms. Not many boaters yet going for stripers. In many cases unless fishing improves the cost of fuel keeps many away. Gas prices are starting to rise again as we approach Memorial Day. Not a good trend.
Captains Log:
Most of the stripers released on recent trips were bright fish, no sores, without sea lice, maybe some holdovers? Reports around the south county ocean front yield plenty of small schoolies on small bait. Not so in the upper bay where striper fishing remains spotty.
Joe Herbert was on board Tuesday morning. It was great day weather wise with calm winds and temperatures reaching near seventy. Manage to christen the start of the season with our first keeper. All toll 14 stripers were released for a morning of rewarding fishing.
Joe Herbert caught this keeper on the first trip of the season. What a way to start the year.
Dave Pollack and Ted Stebbins fished the high outgoing tide all morning on Wednesday morning, a perfect tide. They managed to boat 35 smaller stripers. Many of them were smaller size fish hopefully a good sign for the future. There was plenty of good ribbing going on all morning with plenty of tight lines and doubles to keep everyone busy. A storm blew in near noon with a cold front and higher winds soon changed conditions. Dave later switched to a high/low rig and had success with both flies. Ted had bragging rights with the largest fish of the day near keeper size.
Dave Pollack beginning the year on a good note
Ted Stebbins is usually seen fishing the Cape in the summer months but his first love is till Narragansett Bay.
