Fluke anglers come in all sizes

Summer flounder (fluke) fishing has been off the past three or four years; however, the species is not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring, according to the latest stock assessment. Whether they are hard or easy to catch, one thing is for sure — anglers young and old love to catch and eat fluke.

Last week, Richard Hellwig (5 years old) caught his first saltwater fish, a summer flounder, fishing with his father, Brian, and grandfather, Richard. Young Richard said, “This is the first saltwater fish I caught. Catching them is a lot of fun (Richard caught about a dozen fluke last week).” Richard and his family were fishing off Warwick Neck with gulp and squid strips.

Also last week Joeseph Early of Bristol, an upperclassman at Catholic University of America, caught a 26” fluke when fishing with his father, Jared Early (also of Bristol). Jared said, “My son Joseph caught the fluke using native squid strips when fishing a few miles off Sakonnet Point.”

So, no matter the size of the angler, summer flounder is a favorite fish to catch and eat in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. 

Fluke regulations in Massachusetts include a minimum size of 17.5” from a vessel and 16.5” from shore with a five fish/person/day limit. In Rhode Island, the fluke regulation is a 19” minimum size, six fish/person/day with special shore areas where anglers are allowed two 17” fish. 

Tournament time

Fish the Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament from 5:30 a.m. on July 25 to noon on Sunday, July 26. Fish from Rhode Island beaches to 15 miles south of Block Island for nine species, with 100% of tournament entry fees donated to the Block Island Fire Department and Rescue. Register online at BI Inshore Tourney | bi-FishWorks (sandualypointco.com).

Where to fish when the water heats up

The average Narragansett Bay water temperature for July is 71.6 degrees F; this July it has already hit a high of 77 degrees F. In some South County estuaries and ponds the water has reached 90 degrees F. So, the water is not just warm, it is hot.

The key to fishing when the water is hot is water movement. You need to fish an area that gets flushed often or has structure, under or near bridges, rock clusters, jetties, pylons, outcrops, points, ledges or peninsulas on land and wrecks. Structure creates greater water flow that often mixes things up, tosses bait around and serves to cool things a bit.

Examples of structure includes the Jamestown, Mt. Hope and Newport bridges, which serve as manmade fish magnets, funneling water, bait, and fish.

In Narragansett Bay, Conimicut Point and Warwick Neck, Sandy Point, Prudence Island, and other points of land and structures serve to funnel water around them and are good places to fish during the summer.

The Cape Cod Canal pushes water, bait, and fish, at high velocity often up to five knots. And wind turbines at our wind farms do the same thing, pushing water around them, creating greater water flow and serving as artificial reefs, with extensive algae and mussel growth on them creating habitat and more fish.

So, when the water gets hot, fish on or near structure.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater: Jeff Sullivan of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, Middletown, said, “The early a.m. and twilight p.m. top water bite for largemouth bass has been very good. Fishing the edges of drop offs has been proven beneficial as largemouth bass dart out from the depths to the shallows where blue gills and other smaller fish are feeding.”

Striped bass and bluefish

East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “Some say the canal is dead, but I like the prognosis that it is on life support and could make a recovery any day now! Canal Rats are catching some scup and an occasional black sea bass, but I didn’t hear of one striped bass being hooked in the Big Ditch last week notwithstanding the continued presence of sand eels, silversides, rain bait and several small schools of mackerel. Let’s hope the insiders find out about the macks!”

Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said: “The bite has slowed a little from the pace we saw earlier in the season, but fishing is still very good. Bass are starting to settle into their summer haunts. The larger fish continue to favor live baits and big soft plastics worked near the bottom. Smaller fish have been hanging around the reefs and are easier to get on umbrella rigs, metal flues, and smaller artificials.”

“Striped bass fishing is still very, very good around Newport and Block Island, with bass to 52” being caught regularly at Block Island,” said Jeff Sullivan of Sam’s Bait & Tackle.

Summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass, squeteague and scup

Prior to Saturday’s storm, I caught a 26” squeteague at Warwick Light on a pink skirted fluke rig with gulp.  The choppy seas, high winds and big tide were pushing the boat along at about 1.5 miles per hour.  Bottom fishing has been mixed with a good scup bite in most places.

Jeff Sullivan of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, said, “The fluke bite is not as good as it should be. Nice fish are being caught, but not in abundance. However, we still have a strong black sea bass bite in RI Sound.”

“The fluke bite continues to improve still plenty of shorts, but the number of keeper fish is definitely increasing. 30-55 feet seems to be the sweet spot right now, and local fishing has been every bit as productive as Block for many anglers.  Sea bass fishing remains very good. Jigging continues to outproduce bait rigs on most local structure,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle.

Tuna

The tuna bite has slowed a bit, however giant bluefin are being caught. Capt. Rick Bellavance and crew of Priority Too Charters boated their second giant bluefin of the month last week. Capt. Bellavance said, “Greg L and crew landed a giant bluefin tuna while standing up with a lighter 50 class rod, and two-plus hours later we got it! Great job.”

Jeff Sullivan of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, said, “There are some school tuna mixed in closer to shore with giants south of Block Island, but the bulk of them are further offshore.”

Dave Monti holds a master captain’s license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net  or visit www.noflukefishing.com .