For the first couple of weeks this will be just about all schoolie fishing done with light tackle. It just ain't complicated in the early going. A few lures is all you need to get in on plenty of action. Here is a list of the 4 "must have" lures that are the most effective.
1. Cocahoe Minnow- This is the very best lure along the oceanfront and sometimes works well in the Bay. This plastic fan tailed body is threaded onto a small jighead of 1/4 to 5/8 oz. Light colors like pearl or glow are your best bets. Cocahoes come in a small size (3 in.) or the large "queen" size. Either one usually works though I carry both sizes. These are hard to find, but Quaker Lane in N. Kingstown usually has a good supply.
2. Zoom Flukes- This is your best bet in Narragansett Bay. The plastic fork
tailed body is threaded onto a small jighead as described above. Light colors are best. I prefer an albino color. These come in two sizes that work, a regular fluke or the "super" fluke. Can't find a Zoom fluke, then try the Fin S fish. 3. Bucktail Jigs- Ah, the ole reliable bucktail. You'll need to add a plastic tail to them for added action, but they still produce with amazing effectiveness at both the ocean and in the Bay. I like a half oz. homemade flathead jig with a 3 inch Bass Pro triple ripple tail.
4. Shrimp Fly Teaser- Not a main lure but is real hot as a teaser rigged ahead of the jig. The shrimp is by far the best early season teaser and will even outperform the jig at times along the oceanfront.