Three Weeks to The Finish Line- 3 Scenarios

 Realistically, there are about three solid weeks left to the striper season along the oceanfront. What will happen is anyone's guess in this crazy fall season of unpredictability.  I've set up three scenarios that I think could happen and I've set the probabilities for each (just my opinion).

Scenario 1-  The season is over.  Everyone is complaining that this is the worst November ever for numbers of fish.  I have to agree since the last week has really been a grind though I've gotten a few good fish.  But, no numbers and little bait along the oceanfront. Those 2 big northeasters moved a lot of fish, and a good number of fishermen have hung it up. (Is it over ?- 25% chance)

Scenario 2- No problem, it's coming! Some optimists out there will claim the water is warm, the weather is warm and the big numbers of fish still haven't arrived. I say not much bait out there and not much fish north of us. I have to agree that the air and water is warm and there is some bait in 'Gansett Bay that might come out and get things going. (Is a Bonanza on the way ?- 25% chance)

Scenario 3- A few small pushes of fish could develop with a good day here and there and poor fishing in between. Hey, this is the way it's been all fall. If you are in the right spot at the right time you might find good numbers of fish. Many of the diehards seem to be in this corner. ( Diehards stick with their game and pick off fish here and their and maybe find a late season blitz!- 50 % chance)

I'm a #3 guy and plan to continue to fish the RI oceanfront on a regular basis until Thanksgiving.

Turning Nocturnal

 

Here is the large overslot that I landed last night.
Fishing has generally been an after dark affair
for the last week.

In the last week, I've turned into a nocturnal being as I have been fishing more after dark than before dark.  And, it has paid off with some catches of big fish.  While most of the fish I have been catching have been slots, I got a decent overslot last night.  I got it on a Slug-go once again.

It is amazing how the fishing activity along the RI oceanfront has gone down to just about nothing. Yesterday I tried at first in the daytime and caught nothing.  I also saw NO ONE fishing. I guess the word is out that the fishing is poor. Before dark I found one guy casting, but he left as it got pitch dark.  So, here I was alone once again slugging it out.

In two hours of fishing after dark I landed a slot and an overslot.  Yes, not hot and heavy, but worthwhile. There are fish around but you might have to put in some time at night to find them.

Daytime Action Poor; Nighttime a Grind

The best fishing this week for me has been
after dark when I have been finding some
slot fish.  My hot lure has been a 9-inch Slug-go.

 It has not been a good week along the oceanfront.  The once abundant micro bait has thinned out or disappeared in most places.  The oceanfront has calmed down and looked like a lake most of the week. And the stripers have basically disappeared. This should be prime time, but we are looking again at a lull in striper fishing along the oceanfront.

The only action I have been able to find is at night. I've turned to nighttime fishing most of the week because that has delivered some fish for me.  Most have been slot fish and it's been one to three fish on just about every outing.  But, it's been a grind.  I've been making a lot of casts for only a few fish.  I have not found any numbers of them.  Most of my success has come while fishing a rainbow trout colored Slug-go (discontinued color) which is one of the best colors they have ever made.  I'd write to Lunker City to suggest they bring this color back, but they don't respond to e-mails.

While the fishing has been poor here along the oceanfront, my son Jon has found great success south of here along the CT shore.  Tons of peanut bunker are stacked up there, and the fishing has been great.  There are also some peanuts in 'Ganett Bay, and he's also found some fish there.

Peanut bunker have been non-existent along the RI oceanfront this fall and that has been one reason we are seeing this inconsistent fishing. We are looking at about three solid weeks of fishing left. I'm hoping we see a late push but I wouldn't want to bet on it.

Micro Bait Continues to be All We Have

 All fall the prevalent bait, or I should say the only bait I've seen has been bay anchovies.  This micro bait as some call it has been around in big numbers at times with schools measured by the acre. I've seen whole shorelines turn brown with this bait.  But, it also comes and goes, and that has led to some very inconsistent fishing. 

I have not seen any of the traditional fall bait this year.  No peanut bunker along the oceanfront.  I saw some in 'Gansett Bay, but nothing out front.  I never saw any mullet although some fishermen reported some along the outflows a month ago.  There has been no adult menhaden. I haven't seen adult bunker all year, a troubling situation.  And, no ocean herring, a big November bait that has disappeared in recent years.

So, with just micro bait around to feed on, the stripers have been fussy and hard to fool at times.  It has really frustrated a lot of fishermen who toss big plugs for a living. I've had to resort to small stuff to fool the fussy stripers. The egg float and fly has been my best producer in the last month followed by an Albie Snax.

People are talking a lot about the striper situation and the lack of small fish. An equally troubling situation is the disappearance of traditional baitfish which stripers need to thrive. But I'm guessing little will be done since the fishing managers have done a dismal job of managing the striped bass population.  

Look at the video below of a school of bay anchovies moving along a rocky shoreline:

Photo of the Day- "Great Striper Day Using the Float and Fly"

Today I was into some of the biggest striper blitzes I 
have seen this year. All my fish fell for the egg float 
and fly. Yes, they were fussy as they were feeding
on micro bait.

 

Photo of the Day- "Opportunity"

 

In my last post I talked about fishing opportunities in a northeast blow.
Well, today I found very good numbers of stripers in some
very rough water and big time winds. I landed a combination
of hefty schoolies and slots on my float and jig. And, I never
saw another fisherman.
My kind of fishing day!

Another Round of NE Winds and Rough Water.....Opportunities?

The egg float and bucktail jig
were scoring in today's rough water.

 Looks like another northeaster is brewing for mid week.  I was at the oceanfront today, and I can tell you that the water was really charged up today.  Big waves were pounding the shore already.

Yes, opportunities exist in these types of conditions.  Stripers just love rough water and will come incredibly close to shore in the white turbulence looking for food. I have several "northeaster spots" that I fish in these conditions.  These are safe places to fish that generally produce. They did today as I landed good numbers of stripers just working these white water spots with my egg float and bucktail jig, a proven producer in rough conditions where stripers are hunting for small bait.  I saw no bait and no fish breaking today, but clearly they were in the water in front of me looking for bait. 

If you do get out in the coming days, proceed with caution. There will be some really rough and dangerous water. Stay safe, find a safe perch to cast from and good luck.