Big Numbers of Big Bass All Over RI!

 

Jon Pickering unhooks a slot 
limit keeper from the kayak.

It usually doesn't happen this way.  At this time of year we usually see a big exodus of large stripers out of the Bay and into the deeper and cooler waters of the lower Bay and the oceanfront.  But, fishing doesn't always go the way it's supposed to go.  And, so here we are on July 5, and it is loaded with large stripers from the upper regions of Narragansett Bay all the way to Block Island.

It's no secret that the good fishing usually moves to the oceanfront in July.  But, the big surprise of the last few days is how very good the Bay is fishing. My explanation is this.  The very cool weather and cold rains of the last few days have lowered the water temperature about 10 degrees in most places.  That is significant enough to get fish active or even moving back into areas where water temperatures were in the upper 70's just a week ago.  Additionally, big schools of menhaden seem to be all over the Bay. Maybe that is also due to the cool weather? Find those menhaden schools and you are likely to find big stripers or even big blues around them or under them. The menhaden thing is mostly a boating deal.  Sorry, shore guys, the hot fishing right now is mainly from boats.

Here is one of many keepers
 that we landed
yesterday from the kayak.

My son and I fished yesterday in the kayaks on a gloomy morning.  We did find the menhaden and sure enough, big bass in the 30 to 40 inch range were under them. At times, they were so active that we could not get a snagged one to the kayak to transfer it to a circle hook.  In some cases, snag a pogie and we were onto a striper immediately. Together we landed 18 slot keepers and over keepers and one big blue. All my fish were released in good shape. At the same time we were doing this, I heard of other fishermen far to the north and south of us catching loads of big stripers also.

Fishing for large stripers is really hot in RI right now.  With a big weather change on the way, it's hard to predict if this great fishing will continue or not.