Birds have been working offshore for several days now and the seas which were too large yesterday had settled to a still intimidating 3 to 5 feet, but the water was clean, oxygenated, and beautiful tonight. It looked perfect. While it wasn’t going to be an all night fishing trip, it was a serious Pencil Popping as the sun set mission. Plugs under 3.5 ounces need not apply.
I started at slack high tide on one rocky point, not ideal, but the water starts to move quickly where I was once the tide turns so it wouldn’t be long before good conditions would develop. Birds continued to passionately chase schools of fish a couple miles out and few big center consoles braved the high seas to get to them. An hour in and having not even raised a fish, I was about to call it quits and head down to the boat as well.
A half or so after that it was time for a change so I moved down the shoreline to a broken down jetty, also known as the “rockpile” to the locals. (The fishing was weak overall and the birds were WAY more excited off to the East so this doesn’t really qualify as a spot burn) It was still quite rough and being high tide I almost switched to the wetsuit since I wasn’t sure I could get onto the rockpile without getting really wet even with a drytop. A few waves to the face later I made it though, with minimal water down my waders. I didn’t go to the tip right away as a few big waves had crashed on it recently but I got brave and moved right to the end as the tide picked up pace. With conditions now perfect, sure enough, I saw a good striper roll on the surface. Shortly after a nice bass hit my Pencil, my first real striper in the
whitewater this year. You forget how much stronger bass are in the whitewater. The bass was a little disappointing once it got close and I got a look at it, but after a nice fight and some scary moments landing it since I got hit hard by several waves I Boga’d a nice 20 pound bass.
The bass had briefly been pushed into the rocks of the jetty and my 80# leader was shot. Between the roar of the ocean crashing into the rocks, fish being in the water in front of me, and quickly re-tying a leader I was completely oblivious to what was going on behind me. Right as I closed up my
plug bag and got ready to cast I caught something out of the corner of my eye that was right on top of me, 4 feet way at the most. I kid you not a beautiful blonde in a bikini, barefoot, and soaking wet from head to toe from having braved her way onto the jetty was standing right next to me. She also decided to announce that she was there by asking “What kind of fish was that you just caught” at literally the same time I became aware of something being near me. Like most fisherman I was fully focused on what I was doing, and I didn’t see or hear her approach until she was RIGHT NEXT TO ME.
I was so startled I just about ended up in the water.
Now between the big waves, my heart rate, and the shot of adrenaline from being completely startled I have to admit I wasn’t completely on my game. You just don’t expect beautiful women in bikinis to sneak up on you way out on a slippery jetty in big seas on big rocks. Apparently she fishes but “hadn’t been out yet” this year. Some small talk later about fishing, I don’t remember exactly what was said, she closed with “
we were just watching the sunset and saw you catch that big fish, I just had to come out and see what it was”. I looked over my shoulder to see who the “we” was and unfortunately the boyfriend (I would assume) was sitting on a bench over looking the Sound. Oh well.
Regardless, if you’re a cute blonde who was out on Ocean Drive in Newport watching the sunset on 6.2.08 who climbed out on a slippery jetty to see what I caught and you want to get in touch with me my email is
pete@saltwateredge.com. I’m even more charming when you don’t scare the bejeezus out of me.
06-02-2008, 09:57 PM
Newport, RI Whitewater Report and Random Encounter on the rocks 
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