The largest fishing show in the Northeast is coming soon

The New England Saltwater Fishing Show is Friday, March 6, to Sunday, March 8, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.

If you like to fish on saltwater, you are in for a big treat. The show is the largest saltwater fishing show of its type in the Northeast. The show features tackle, rods, reels, lures, electronics, charter guides, boats, engines, accessories, clothing and much more. More than 300 fishing related manufacture booths are at the show.

“You will not want to miss the show specials offered by exhibitors and the great ‘how to’ seminars being offered by some of our area’s top anglers and charter captains,” said Scott Travers, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, show sponsors. “Learn strategies and tactics to target the species that we all love to catch, eat or release …  striped bass, summer flounder, tautog, tuna and a host of others.”

Fishing Show seminars are being given by experts on a wide range of fishing topics, from how to catch the fish we like to catch, eat and/or release, to fishing with light tackle from shore, kayaking, or boat. Learn about fishing tactics and strategies from top fishermen and charter captains.

The RI Breakers, our very own professional fishing team and a member of the Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) League, will have two booths at the show.  They plan to have a fighting chair that will allow anglers to have the experience of fighting a billfish, as well as the team and league schedule for the season.

One new seminar twist is a fish conservation seminar hosted by yours truly on Saturday, March 7, at 5 p.m. that aims to communicate how growing fish to abundance is a smart move so there are more fish in the water for all of us to catch, eat and/or release. The Fish Conservation Seminar will feature the Atlantic Shark Institute and all the work they are doing with great white sharks and other species; the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program and the work they do including supporting dam removal to open up our rivers to herring runs for spawning; and Rhode Island Sea Grant at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography that will talk about its Angler Survey and their Baird Symposium, “Climate Impacts on Recreational Fishing and Boating.”

Visit https://www.nesaltwatershow.com for show details as they develop, including a complete list of topics, speakers and presentation times as well as a list of exhibitors.

The New England Saltwater Fishing Show will be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin St., Providence, on Friday, March 6, from 1 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 7m from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are $15 at the door, children 11 and under are admitted free and can visit the kids casting area. Sunday, March 8, is Family Day, with all women admitted free.

Speak out and help shape fishing regulations

The Rhode Island Division of Marine Fisheries will hold a public hearing to solicit comments on important recreational fishing regulations for 2026, including new or modified black sea bass, bluefish, false albacore, and Atlantic bonito regulations. Additionally, a new regulation/way to measure the total length of striped bass will be available for public comment.

The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m. at URI Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett. You can also participate online by Zoom.

Interested parties are invited to attend the hearing to provide oral comments concerning the proposed rules; or in lieu of oral comments, written comments may be submitted until 4 p.m. on Friday, March 6. Written comments are strongly encouraged. Send comments by mail or email to: Peter Duhamel, DEM Division of Marine Fisheries, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, RI 02835, peter.duhamel@dem.ri.gov.

New black sea bass regulations being considered include a size reduction from 16.5 inches to 16 inches, as well as an early season start, and an increased catch or bag limit. It is unlikely that all three will be approved, so anglers do have some options to weigh in on, including others not listed above.

Additionally, the catch limit for bluefish is likely to increase from 3 to 5 fish for private anglers and 5 to 7 fish for charter/party boat anglers.

Anglers are asked to weigh in on a new regulation for Atlantic bonito and false albacore. A 16” fish size limit with a five fish (mixed bag) limit.

For details on the public hearing, with all options listed and background information on agenda items visit the calendar page for the hearing date, Feb. 17, at Public Meetings Calendar | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

Fly fishing seminar at Knights of Columbus

United Fly Tyers of Rhode Island will host a seminar by fly fishing guide and expert Ed Lombardo, titled “Fly Fishing for Trophy Striped Bass in some of R I’s Best Tidal Rivers.”

The seminar will take place Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Knights of Columbus, 475 Sandy Lane, Warwick.

The workshop will cover rivers to fish, water anatomy, terminal tackle, flies to use and casting techniques.

For information visit UNITED FLY TYERS OF RHODE ISLAND.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater fishing: Parents need to make children aware of the perils of thin ice. Check with local cities and towns to find out if ice is safe to fish or skate on. For license and trout stocking information in Rhode Island visit www.dem.ri.gov/fishing, the state plans to stock select ponds this week; and in Massachusetts visit www.mass.gov/service-details/trout-stocking-report.

Saltwater fishing: When they are able to sail, party and charter boats are catching cunner, ling, and mackerel with some tile fish trips about to be targeted offshore. Schedules have been very limited.  Check with the Frances Fleet (www.francesfleet.com), sailing from Pt. Judith,  the Island Current (https://islandcurrent.com) and Wise Kraken Charters (Wise Kraken Charters ("Stella Marie"): year-round deep sea fishing in RI, both sailing from Sung Harbor, South Kingstown.

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master 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. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net, visit www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com or www.noflukefishing.com .