Productive Pattern: Rough Weather Lights up Fishing

It has been a rough October weather wise with lots of big wind, rain, heavy seas and white water. However, that type of weather has just lit up the fishing. It seems that the rougher the water, the better the fishing. We've also seen a series of northeasters pound the coast in recent weeks, and the fishing could not be better in these storms. By day, the bass and blues are rolling in the white water and at night the big keepers are lurking in the breachway waters. The nasty weather has set up some of the best October fishing I have ever experienced.

If you are looking for action in rough water, head to rocky locations. These places can take a pounding in rough water, yet the water in these spots remains clean and productive. I especially like that Gansett shore from Narragansett Beach to Galilee in rough, northeaster type days. It has a proven track record of producing. You will have to search this area for fish as pods of them can be found anywhere in this five mile stretch.

In recent weeks, a few plugs have been especially productive. The float and jig has been the top producer for schoolies, especially in low water rocky locations in the daytime. Small needlefish plugs are a close second. Cocahoes mounted onto 3/4 oz. jigheads have also produced. At night, I have been hitting the big bass in the breachways with Bombers, Hogy lures and plastic eels mounted onto jigheads.

So long as the weather remains lousy, the fishing along our rocky coast should remain good.

Ole Fashioned October Sizzles

It like the good ole days here in RI with some of the best October fishing for stripers and blues I have ever experienced. Let's call it a great ending for a dismal year. I have been into blitz after blitz of bass and blues for the last month with the daytime fishing for schoolies and even small keepers being excellent and nighttime fishing for big fish going real well. The rocky shoreline from Bonnet Shores all the way to Galilee has been very hot and is giving up the most fish. Less consistent fishing is being reported along the south shore where rough weather has taken its toll on the sandy beachfront. In the last four outings I have taken well over 100 stripers from schoolies of 24 inches to keepers of 38 inches.

Northeaster Article in Fisherman Magazine

My latest article that appeared in this week's issue (Oct. 15) of The Fisherman magazine is called Taking on A Nor'easter, Rhody Style.

What an appropriate time to run this story since we are in the midst of a northeaster right now. The article outlines the advantages to fishing in this kind of weather as well as outlines spots and productive lures to use. Over the years, I have had some of my best fishing in this kind of weather for big fish as well as lots of schoolies.

I was out yesterday during the start of the latest nor'easter and was not disappointed. While I came away with a few schoolies, I did take one big fish of 38-40 inches in some skinny white water. Yes, it is the prime to fish, yet as I looked around me I only saw a couple of other fishermen who were also scoring. The few who cast a lure into the teeth of a northeaster know how good it can be here in RI!

Big Fish Landed by RI Surf Casters

In the last week, there have been a number of big stripers landed by RI surf casters. These have been stripers in the 40-50 inch range. The reason for all this has been an influx of schools of mullet that are roaming the shores from Newport to the far south beaches of Westerly. Big bass are in hot pusuit of this bait. If you find mullet around or are attempting to imitate this bait, try the following lures: swimming plugs such as Bombers, wooden surface swimmers, large shad lures, and fat needlefish. These are plugs that will work in daylight as well as at night.

I was out last night and joined the 40 inch club of the week with a 41 inch striper (see pic at right). The big fish are around the mainland shore right now. Look for mullet and you just may find the fish of your dreams!

Check out On The Water Article!

My latest article is in the October edition of On the Water magazine. It is called Breachway Strategies and outlines how to fish RI's major breachways or outflows. These places offer some of the most productive fishing for big fish along RI's coastline, and fall is the prime time to fish them. I was out last night in one of them fishing with my son and he landed a decent 34 inch striper (see pic at right). I have caught more keeper bass in the last month fishing various breachways than while fishing any other locations. They are hot right now.

Needlefish is Hot Right Now

The needlefish is a hot plug right now. I was out several times in the last week and have taken good numbers of keeper stripers and big blues using this plug. It will far outfish a popper which is the plug most fishermen are using. I think its subtle movements mimic the movement of bait much better than a popper. It is also an effective plug to use in both daylight and nighttime.

Many fishermen have no idea how to work it. On the retrieve, you want to give the rod tip a lot of action, but with multiple quick jerks of the tip to get the plug to move and dip. Avoid the long strokes that you would use when fishing a popper. The plug also works real well in rough water.

I make my own needlefish plug and I make a "fat" version and a skinny model. I especially like a white belly and a yellow back on my versions. I also like to add a buicktail/hackle tail. The biggest blue I caught from shore in recent years fell for a needlefish. Some of the biggest stripers I have caught have also fallen for this plug. Get rid of the poppers and become a needlefish fishermen if you like working the surface.