Incredibly DEAD for this Time of Year

I went down fishing this morning hoping to catch some action on the high tide before the arrival of the big blow and heavy rains predicted for later in the day.  There was a northeast wind blasting at the eastern shoreline of Narragansett.  There was very good white water and it was rough, conditions that have produced much of the fall.  Unfortunately, I found no fish while casting in multiple spots.  The only sign of life was a bunch of gannets divebombing out in front of Point Judith along with lots of cormorants going down for bait (see photo).

Most fishermen from Narragansett to the far south beaches of RI are complaining about the lack of stripers.  It has been dead now for about 10 days since that last northeaster a week and a half ago.  With the exception of a few big fish showing up in the breachways in the late night hours, the fishing has been horrible, and this should be prime time based on past years.  I've blanked now three times in a row. With the decreased numbers of stripers around, the game has changed.  The resident population of stripers is just not there in any numbers, and it is a matter of waiting until the next school or two of migrating fish passes our way. Who knows when or even if that will happen? 

How to Fish a Bucktail JIg in a Deep Channel

Many people have asked me exactly how to fish a large bucktail jig in a deep water channel.  Well, here goes...a video explaining it.  The critical key to using the jig in moving water is to get it and keep it on the bottom.  After casting, you want to finger the line off the spool until you feel a slight pause.  That's when the jig hits the bottom.  Next, start the retrieve.  You want a sharp pull of the rod tip and reel slightly, then pause.  Do this again.  As the jig straightens out in the current, it is rising.  At that point, reel in. Check out how this is done in my You Tube video.

Add Enticers to Your Bucktail Jigs

I fished the Upper Bay yesterday.  It was hot for schoolies as I landed 13 fish.  They were all caught on quarter oz. flathead, white, bucktail jigs spiced with plastic grub tails.
The bucktail jig is a real hot lure right now and it will continue to catch fish right up until late November.  When using bucktail jigs, it is imperative that you add some type of enticer to your jig's hook.  Here's the way I play it.  On small bucks of 1/2 oz and under, I use a 3 inch triple ripple grub tail sold by Bass Pro in a white color.  For mid sized bucktail jigs of 1/2 to 1 oz., I will use 4 inch triple ripple tails.  On real big bucks over 1 oz, I generally use Uncle Josh pork rind strips of 5 1/4 inches.  Adding these enticers really makes a difference in the effectiveness of your bucktail jig.

Ben Pickering Lands 50 Inch Striper

The Pickering success in 2011 just keeps on rolling.  My son, Ben, who has been having fabulous luck this fall with numbers as well as big fish has come up with the fish of a lifetime as he landed a 50 inch striper (measured) from the surf late last night.  The huge bass engulfed a black Bomber swimmer.  According to Ben, the fish took out a lot of line and the fight went on for at least 20 minutes before he was able to get the beast ashore.  As he pulled it onto the shore, the line broke, but the fish by now was on dry ground and he was able to rush over and grab his prize.  After unhooking the fish and taking a pic, the trophy fish was revived and released. He said the girth of the tail was so large, he had to use two hands to swish it back and forth in the water to revive it!  Great job and true sportsmanship.
The only pic he got was from a cell phone....not great quality, but nevertheless, a remembrance of the event.

In a Major Downturn

We are in a big time lull at a time when things should be hopping.  Big winds have battered the oceanfront for the last week and that has driven out the bait as well as the bass and blues.  It has left the Gansett shore a dead zone as far as fishing is concerned.
I went down today and the oceanfront was very fishable.  Problem was that there was very little around.  I managed to scratch one schoolie in front of Point Judith on a swimmer, and that was it from afternoon until well after dark.  I saw no bait in close and no birds working way out.  Heck, I never even saw another fisherman until after dark when I found one lone caster vacating a spot. To make matters worse, my son Ben reported that he saw several seals along the Gansett shore this morning, not good news for any stripers in that area.
Some fishermen are wondering if this is it.  I say we are in for some more very good fishing especially in early November.  We just have to wait for a pile of bait to lure those migrating stripers close to shore .  My advice is to start looking along those south shore beaches and breachways.  They become the best bet area as November arrives.

Five Top Producers for the Next Month

We're heading into the home stretch.  There's about one good month of striper fishing left along the oceanfront and after that, it's a crap shoot.  Here's my line-up for the best artificials to use in the coming month to catch stripers here in RI.
1.  Some type of small jig.  I like a plastic Cocahoe minnow in white threaded onto a small (1/4 to 1/2 oz.) jighead when fish are on small bait.  I also like flathead bucktail jigs with curly tails when there is a mix of bass and blues.  You can use these jigs alone or off a wooden float. Great for schoolies in the daytime.
2.  Needlefish plug.  I've gotten away from poppers and use the needlefish much more these days, especially in rough water or with a wind in my face. Works well in daytime and at night.
3.  Skinny plastic.  It doesn't matter whether you use Hogys or Slug Gos.  Both work well.  I like a black color after dark and I like to use the new swimbait hooks. I don't weight my skinny plastic as weighting takes away from the movement. Best with a wind at your back.
4.  Plastic swimmers.  I like the Bombers in a six inch length.  Light colors or black back models work well. Good at night in skinny water.
5.  Big bucktail jigs with pork rind.  This is my go to lure in deep, moving water such as you'd find in some of the breachways.  The fish are on the bottom in day or night and a big buck of 1-2 oz. will get you there.
That's it.  No need to stock a ton of artificials. A few others to consider include metal (Kastmasters), poppers, Storm shads and large wooden surface swimmers.

Disappointing Day in NE Wind

I would have predicted this would have been a great day of fishing in this northeast wind and stormy weather.  But, I would have been wrong!  The northeast wind has led to fantastic fishing all fall along Narragansett, but it was not to be today.  I slugged it out all afternoon and evening and came away with five schoolies, only fair results for the time I put in.  Problem today was that there was too much of a good thing.  The ocean was already churned up and sandy from a big west wind for the past several days.  The vicious northeast wind just churned up the soup.  Most of the afternoon the wind was very strong and the rain was coming down in horizontal sheets.  You could not even face into the rain and wind as the rain was like needles stinging your face. The waves were choppy six to eight footers along Point Judith and the water was a sandy colored white.  It was simply too much.