July 28, 2011 Newport This Week Page 23
REEL REPORT
Youthful fishermen with their black sea bass catch after a recent outing aboard Fishfinder II. Top row: Chris Gemma, Andrew Mancini and Kenneth Mancini. Bottom row: Matt Gemma, Ben Gemma and, trip highliner, Dan Gemma.
Take Kids Out to Catch Sea Bass and Scup By Tim Flaherty The strong tides and currents of last week have waned and so has the fishing. We took bass on most trips last week, but we had to work very hard at it. The striped bass bite was soft and the annoying, large scup were tearing up our bass baits all week at the reefs. The post-heat wave cool front, thankfully, delivered fresh breezes and provided great drifts for black sea bass fishing. On several trips, plenty of big “blue heads” landed in the fish box. Black sea bass are a prized local catch and are a delicacy, served only in the finest restaurants. This species is in the grouper family and they primarily prey on crabs and, at this time of year, small lobsters. These voracious bottom feeders search the rocky holes into which baby lobsters burrow; typical behavior for young lobsters. Black sea bass have an interesting technique for getting a lobster out of these holes: They place their mouths over them, then flair their gills. This action creates low pressure in the hole and the lobsters are sucked out, directly into the mouth of the sea bass. Although it is a very successful survival strategy for the species, it is also has become major concern for local lobstermen, whose product peaks in demand at this time of year. Remember anglers, this year, R.I.D.E.M. regulations require black sea bass to be a minimum of 13 inches in length to keep. This is a change from last season’s regulation. Scup fishing has been excellent with fish to 20 inches being taken last week. Drifting baits at the reefs can provide almost constant action during slack tides, as well as at the change of tides. With scup abundant, it becomes an excellent time of year to teach young children how to fish the ocean.
Scup are tenacious fighters and will provide kids with great action. What’s better than to see a 7-yearold hook into a 20 inch scup? Scup fishing can teach children how to properly set the hook at the precise moment; how to work the rod with the left arm and retrieve with the right. They also learn how to discriminate between different types of fish hitting the hook. All this requires great concentration and focus. After repeated instruction and encouragement, kids will have learned the technique that will, hopefully, have them hauling the bigger species over the rails in the future. More importantly, the excitement and sense of accomplishment that young ones get from landing any fish can be something good to behold. Summer fluke fishing has finally arrived with big ones being taken at Bailey’s Beach, Seal Ledge, as well off Second Beach. The fluke have been chasing large schools of squid and small baitfish called silversides. We always check the stomachs of fish we catch to determine what they have been eating. You should, too. This will help you to decide what type of bait to use. The fish we examined had been feeding on small, whole squid. Remember anglers: These “fluke runs” don’t last long, so get fluke fishing, now! Sam Toland, of Sam’s Bait Shop in Middletown, has reported that tuna fishing has been slow. Sam is the acknowledged “Tuna Guru of Aquidneck Island.” An avid angler, Toland carefully studies offshore currents, eddies, water temperature, and many other factors to determine the best places to fish. This year, the Gulf Stream, where the tuna roam, has remained well offshore, requiring tuna anglers to travel great distances to find them. Often, trips can be in excess of 100 miles, just to get to the offshore
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tuna grounds. Toland expects the tuna bite will improve in August. Tight Lines! Capt. Tim, of Flaherty Charters, Castle Hill, Newport, is an island native, who taught high school and college history. He has been bay angling for over 50 years as was his father, Frank
Tougher Law on Fishing Limits Current recreational fishing limits on striped bass allow a person to catch up to two a day, and each has to be at least 28 inches long. For commercial licensees, the limit is 30 inches, although striped bass as small as 26 inches are allowed to be taken from floating traps. Under the new law, which takes effect immediately, penalties for violating the limits on stripers will be at least $100 for each striped bass taken, possessed, or offered for sale, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both. For the second violation, the jail time is the same, but the fines increase to at least $200 per fish, the state could seize any boat, fishing tackle or other implements used in violation of the law. And for third and subsequent offenses, the fine increases to at least $500 per fish in addition the 90-days jail sentence and forfeiture of the equipment used. Previously, state law allowed a fine of only $50 per fish taken in violation. The sponsors say the law isn’t aimed at the recreational fisherman who might unwittingly take home a fish that’s a bit too small; it’s meant to give the state a tool to shut down those who habitually flout the regulations.
NEWPORT TIDE CHART DATE
HIGH
AM
hgt
PM
LOW hgt
AM
28 Thu 6:27 3.2 6:46 4.0 12:24 11:50 0.2 29 Fri 7:16 3.5 7:33 4.3 1:08 30 Sat 8:02 3.8 8:19 4.4 1:50 31 Sun 8:48 4.1 9:06 4.5 2:29 1 Mon 9:36 4.3 9:54 4.5 3:08 2 Tue 10:25 4.5 10:44 4.3 3:46 3 Wed 11:16 4.5 11:35 4.1 4:24 4 Thu 12:09 4.5 5:06
hgt 0.4– – 0.2 0.0 -0.2 -0.3 -0.3 -0.3 -0.2
PM
hgt
Sunrise
Sunset
– – 12:40 1:31 2:21 3:11 4:00 4:50 5:44
5:35
8:08
0.0 -0.1 -0.2 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.1
5:36 5:37 5:38 5:39 5:40 5:41 5:42
8:07 8:06 8:05 8:04 8:02 8:01 8:00
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