Hefty Schoolies/ Slots Arrive

It was an evening of hefty schoolies and
slots along the oceanfront for me. The
fish were running 24 to 28 inches. 
Bucktail jigs were the best lures today.

 I hit a banner afternoon today along the south shore oceanfront as I found good numbers of hefty schoolies and slots in the 24 to 28 inch range. It was my first brush with better size migrating fish this spring.  I got them all on big bucktail jigs (1 oz. homemade Spire Point jigs) spiced with 4 inch curly tails.  The oceanfront was very windy and rough today, ideal conditions in my book, and that contributed greatly to the good fishing.

The big problem right now along the oceanfront is weed.  That thick, red weed is all over the beachfront, but there are clean spots here and there.  It's a matter of finding those clean, fishable places that have fish. So, it might take some looking to find these better fish. I hit multiple places today before finding fish.

With May right around the corner, expect to find more and more larger stripers along the oceanfront.  Also in the coming days, the Bay should perk up as the fish make their way northward and into the warmer waters of Narragansett Bay.

A Disappointing Start

 

Here's one of the bigger ones I
landed this week. So far, spring
fishing along the oceanfront has been
a disappointment.

The spring migration is underway.  The fish have been around for most of the week.  But, unlike past years that brought huge numbers of schoolies in the early going, this year has delivered sparse numbers of them so far. No other way to spin it....so far, spring fishing has been a disappointment.

I got out four times this week and did a lot of casting in a couple of different spots.  I landed exactly 19 stripers that ranged from 12 inches to 25 inches.  Most were in the 14 to 18 inch range, typical of early season schoolies. All were landed on Cocahoes on a half ounce jighead.

The oceanfront has been rough and churned up with persistent strong winds out of the south quardrant for the last two weeks. That has brought tons of weed to the south shore beachfront.  A lot of spots are not fishable due to the weed and some places have weed piled up on shore that can be measured in feet rather than inches. That hasn't stopped a lot of guys from trying as there has been big numbers of fishermen in the more popular early season spots. 

In summary, lots of fishermen, few fish being caught. Hopefully things improve this week.

Sea Lice Tell the Story as the Scouts Arrive

 

Here is my first migrating
striper for 2022.  It fell for a
Cocahoe on a half ounce jighead.

The scouts have arrived along the RI oceanfront.  These "first" stripers are the frontrunners of the main migration of striped bass that should arrive in force any day now.

I made a lot of casts along the shore today in multiple spots and came away with my first two migrating stripers for 2022.  I know these were new fish because they were loaded with sea lice.  Sea lice is an indicator that these fish came in from the ocean.  Holdover stripers do not have sea lice.

My first ones fell for a Cocahoe on a half ounce jighead, a lot lure along the oceanfront in the early going.  That jig can be fished alone or off a float. 

Check out the sea lice on this fish that I landed
tonight.  Most migrating fish will have sea lice.

Not Much to Report

Wish I could tell you that it was a new,
migrating fish, but judging from the 
spot where I caught it, I'm pretty
sure it was a holdover.

 I wish I could tell you that the migrating fish were in, but they are not.  I've been trying along the oceanfront, and I know other fishermen who have been trying. I spent a lot of time casting yesterday with no luck on new, migrating fish.

I did, however, manage to try a holdover location and came away with a near slot. I was quite surprised that this fish hit a Rebel Jumpin' Minnow on the top.  The traditional thinking is that jigs are the way to go at this time of year, but after trying a jig for quite a while with no luck, I decided to snap on the minnow.  Several casts later, this fish blasted the topwater lure, and I was on.

I plan to continue hitting the oceanfront in the next couple of days. The way I see it, any day now!

Coming Attractions

 

Fan tailed lures like the Cocahoe
Minnow mounted on a jighead
are hot lures in the early going.

The clock is ticking down to the start of the striper fishing here in RI.  Within weeks, migrating stripers should hit the south shore oceanfront of the state. During most years big numbers have moved through in the early going.

Dates: My logs tell me that the first big numbers will be landed along the oceanfront around the 15th of April, give or take a week depending on water and air temperatures. Last year I got my first ones on April 14.  In 2020, it happened on April 15. About ten days after the first ones are landed along the oceanfront, they will begin to appear in the Bay.

Sizes: If you are looking for keepers, you started way too early. The first fish are generally small, averaging 12 to 16 inches.  You might find a 24 inch fish here and there, but the majority will be small. Keepers arrive around May 1.

Light Tackle Rules: Most fishermen are fishing light with rods of 7 or 8 feet matched with small spinning reels.  Some will use 10 lb. test mono; others go with 20 lb. test braid.

Jigs Rule: Jigs of all kinds rule the early season fishing. Most fishermen will be using a fan tailed body like a Cocahoe Minnow a jighead.  Other will catch them on small bucktail jigs under 3/4 ounce spiced with curly tails. Still other fishermen might use a fork tail body like a Zoom fluke on a jighead.  White will be your best colors.

The Passing of Surf Legend Dick Geldard (Dropper Dick)

 It was with sadness that I learned of the passing of Dick Geldard today.  I knew Dick well, fished with him often and during the season we often compared notes on places that were hot. 

Dick Geldard holds a keeper 
striper that was taken last fall in
Narragansett. He was a surf legend
along the RI south shore 
oceanfront.

Dick will forever be known as one of the best surf fishermen that ever fished the RI shoreline.  Dick was in his eighties but still fished along the rocks and sands of the south shore just about every day up until his passing. He could maneuver along rocky shores like a mountain goat, and he had the stamina to outfish and outlast fishermen fifty years younger than him.  He had a zest for life and was one of the most enthusiastic fishermen I have ever met. 

He knew the RI oceanfront like no one else.  He knew every hole, pocket and rip that existed along the shore from Narragansett to Westerly, and he knew how to fish them. He was deadly with a bucktail jig, and he made all his own jigs and floats which Snug Harbor would carry. His bucktails were in high demand. I saw many occasions where he would just hand them out to fellow fishermen.  One day I went back to my vehicle which was parked at a Weekpaug Beach and there was a bucktail under my windshield wiper.  It was one of Dick's signature moves to let me know he was there earlier.

Dick was well known as a tournament fishermen and often won the surf striper category in the club tournaments and other tournaments held in Narragansett. He also fished extensively in freshwater.  He also often talked about fishing for smallmouth bass in Maine with his son. They went up to the cabin for weeks at a time.

I'm sure I will feel Dick's presence when I start fishing the oceanfront in the spring.  He had his spots that he loved and cherished, and we often fished those places together. He will be missed.

From the Kayak....First Schoolies; First Slot

My first striper of the year was a holdover
that I caught from the kayak.  It hit an unweighted
Super Zoom fluke trolled from the yak.

 I went out today on my first voyage of the year in my Old Town Sportsman 10-6 Pedal kayak. I was on the hunt for holdover stripers, and I found some.  I landed two schoolies and a small slot fish.  I got all of them trolling zoom flukes (unweighted) along with a small Rapala X-Rap swimmer. The slot took the swimmer and the schoolies took the fluke.  I also had quite a few other hits, but as is typical of fussy holdover stripers, they were not taking. 

This year I set up two trolling rod holders in the tracks on the kayak.  I just added a Yak Attack Omega Pro rod holder to go with my Scotty rod holder, so now I am able to troll two rods in search of fish.  Trolling is a breeze in the pedal kayak since it is hands free.

Holdover stripers exist in many of the river systems in southern New England. It's the only game in town right now since the migrating fish are still about a month away.