SWE Fishing Report: 6.22.07

[Pete_G]

Summer patterns are developing and the fish are on the move:


From the surf it has been a slow pick of fish, with only a few notable catches in the past week. Dennis Zambrotta caught and released a 40 pound bass that was grubbing along the Newport shoreline. Steve McKenna also had a good week while testing out the new 12” Lunker City Sluggo, catching bass up to 28 pounds. Other then that, occasional good bass into the twenty pound range sandwiched by slow fishing for anglers willing to put the time in have been the rule. Some people predicted an incredible run of bunker would really slow down the guys that enjoy fishing Newport, Jamestown, and Narragansett from shore and to some degree that seems to have come to pass. But that might all be about to change… Needlefish, Redfins, Pencil Poppers for the guys fishing during the day, Sluggos and of course the trusty eel have all taken fish in the suds this week. There were birds in the air from time to time this past week off Newport, so it seems some bait has been entering the waters. The birds that were working were terns and if we had to guess they’re probably feeding on the small sand eels that some fish have coughed up as we landed them.



There’s not much to say that hasn’t been said about Upper Narragansett Bay. But, the big news is that it seems to be wrapping up. Right on schedule the fish are moving South towards the mouth of Narrangansett Bay, so shift where you’re fishing accordingly. It has been epic though; when bass in the 40 pound range become normal for those who have mastered live lining bunker or fishing chunks, it can only be considered world class striped bass fishing by anyone’s standards. There’s been at least 2 confirmed 60’s this year so far, a whole bunch of 50’s, and ridiculous numbers of 40’s. If you can snag a bunker and live line it you’re almost guaranteed striper bigger then 20 pounds. 30 pound fish are barely raising an eyebrow for guys that are regularly out there. Big plugs can compete with the live bait if it’s early in the day and the spot being fished is known to be productive, but overall it’s tough to beat the pogie.



Fly anglers are continuing to connect to some of these bigger stripers with the biggest flys they can throw. From the boat this isn't much of a problem but from shore it can be tough. Big flatwings and other sparse patterns that suggest bulk without being tough to throw are some of the better options for shore anglers trying to deal with big flies and the wind. In areas where bunker don't rule the scene smaller flies to imitate the small sandeels and silversides that are in the water are also safe bets.



From spots away from the mainland came some additional good fishing news. Both surf and boat fisherman found good fishing on Block Island as well as Cuttyhunk this past week. Both spots were a little finicky, in regards to timing and what you used but the overall theme is very positive. Daytime fishing from shore was surprisingly good with bass up to 25 pounds falling all over themselves for big Pencil Poppers like the Gibbs Canal Special.




Looking ahead, with the fish from the Upper Bay on the move it seems a good bet that the upcoming weeks along the coast could be very interesting. The 7 day forecast includes some of the first real summer time heat, so it will be interesting to see how everything reacts. We have a lot of trouble believing the big bass will leave until those bunker do, no matter how warm the Bay water gets. There’s always warm water down deeper in the lower part of the Bay, so if they want to they can probably handle even an intense heat wave. June is often when the Newport surf becomes more reliable in regards to big fish. With the bass coming South, it’s time to go hit the surf or take the boat out into the open ocean. Enjoy the great weather and fishing!


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