Rhode Island / New England Fishing !!!HELP!!!

[golver1]

This is my first season with a boat (though still not running from my post last year, going to the yard for full professional repair soon) I am not going to waste anymore time with Do-it-myself repairs since I missed all of last season trying to fix it myself and get in the water.

I had a few questions I was hoping to get some help with....

When does the season start here?
What to fish for when and where?
Good websites with up to date or current fishing reports of the area?
I only know freshwater and have fairly limited Saltwater experience. I have been shark fishing on a charter once, so I know how to make chumm. LOL. But that is about it. I don't really know what fish like to hit, what baits, etc.

I have 7'foot spinning combo with 25# on it.
Also 4 trolling reels I plan on switching on and off 2 rods:
1.) Penn 85 with 30#
2.) Penn 285 Del Mar with 30#
3.) Penn 60 Longbeach with 50#
4.) Penn 350 Leveline with 50#
(thank you ebay)

I do not have a downrigger. Also I have only a handfull of crank/trolling lures because I dont know what to get yet.

Any information I could get would be extremely helpful.

Thanks and Fish on!!!!!

[chumbucket]

Join this site and start reading. Use the search for specific info, then ask questions. It's a friendly site with lots of good info that relates to New England fishing. There's the MSBA (Mass Striped Bass Assoc) Fishing Expo this weekend at the Independence Mall in Kingston, MA and also the upcomping RISAA Fishing show coming up as well.
Stripers will be showing in a month or two. Tautog in about a month.
http://www.striped-bass.com/

http://www.risaa.org/

[macojoe]

What he said! I live on Cape Cod, and we are a little later the RI.

April - Cod, Tautog
May - Tautog, Stripers, Fluke , and the spring Makckrel run.
June - Bass, Fluke, Blues, Scup
July - Bass, Fluke, Scup, Blues, Banito
Aug - Bass Blues scup Fluke Banito albacore
Sept - Bass blues scup fluke
Oct - Bass cod tautog

Thats it for me I am down Nov, to April

[CT_V-20]

golver, I'm on the other side of you from MJ in Long Island Sound.

Flounder will come in April and May. We use sandworms (mean little f*ckers that will bite you if you give them the chance), 2 oz weight to get them on the bottom and flounder hooks. Some corn in a chumpot won't hurt either. Gravelly bottoms work well around here. I anchor, but some drift. Kind of boring but it's fishing!

Bass will be around beginning in May. Sandworms work for these guys too. So do bucktail jigs, rattle traps and diamond jigs. Use the lures around structure. A local bait shop should be able to recommend some places too. These fellows will be around 'till fall. Bass fishing at night is great and you can live line bunker for them.

BLues start showing up in June. We use bunker chunks on the bottom. Get a thing called a "fish finder" which is a weight holder that slides on your line for presentation and use steel leaders. Bunker might be called something different there. Blues are good through September here. By mid summer these guys will be feeding on the surface and you can throw poppers or rattle traps to them and hang on! Look for birds diving on the splashing schools.

I'm sure others here will have lots of other ideas. This is just what I do most.

MJ, do you not have flounder there? Or is it a terminology thing? We do have fluke here too.

[macojoe]

we use to have a ton of Flounder in these waters!! But they are a thing of the past now!!
They still have them but the time effort and expence to go get them is not worth the time!!

Not to mention that from Marc 1 to April 30 you are allowed 3 fish
May 1 to Feb 28 you are allowed 8 fish.
And they have to be 13 inches

The ones you do catch are just leagle and so thin that its not worth me to even think about them let alone go after them.

[CT_V-20]

I didn't know that. THanks. How do you catch fluke? I've never fished for them and I know from your pictures and posts that you do.

[macojoe]

Read here. I was asked before and I told all in this thread!!

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=blue;action=display;num=1109107946

[CT_V-20]

That's good stuff MJ. I need to check my baitshop and see if we have squid or sand eels. I don't even know the season down here but I can find out easy enough (nobody is surprised when I ask a dumb question).

[macojoe]

I buy my squid in bulk at a fish whole sale place,. See if you can get it there. It will be cheaper and you will get the BIG squid!! They are thicker and stay on the hook better.
If all else fails by it in 3 pound boxes at your local Stop&Shop much cheaper then the bait and tackle!
Sand eels are great also!! but like I said, all you got to do is catch one and your are set for the day!! use the Fluke belly and you have all the bait you want!.

[chumbucket]

If you can't make it to the MSBA Expo, try to make it to the RISAA Show. Macojoe and I went to the MSBA one today and there's no way you can walk out the door without gaining some better understanding of what you're asking. Attend some of the seminars they'll be having. Some of them look very similar to what they had here today. Very interesting stuff and full of info regarding what, when, where, how, etc. Catch up with Al Gags. Funny SOB! ;D

[golver1]

Thanks for all the info guys.

Quick question. *My wife just went out and bought me two 9' medium-heavy action rods rated 15-30#.

Is 9" to long for anything but dropping in from the beach? *Will these be alright to troll and fish from the boat with?

[chumbucket]

I personally don't like anything much more than 7' from the boat. Anything much more than that and it gets a bit crowded in the cockpit. Most of the times, you're not looking for great distances from the boat and a 7' rod that's right for the bait or lure weight you're throwing will give you all you need.

[macojoe]

What he said!!

All my rods are 7 footers!

9 gets to be to long when you have that thrashing Bass, and you have to stick the rod but over the other side so you can get the fish close enough to the boat to get it in.

A old friend of mine who taught me all once said to me, "Never get a rod longer then the beam of the boat" Just for that very reason above.

But to each his own. But I have found this advice to be right on the money!

[Capt_K]

I have to agree with MJ, Shorter rods are much easier to handle when you get a fish along side.
MJ and CB if you are going to the RISAA show please look me up. I'll be working the show all day each day. Ask for Ed K or Capt K most guys know me I would like to meet you. Capt K
PS I most likely will be in the seminar area, as that is my job.

[macojoe]

When is that show?? and were?? I have heard of it but have never been.

[chumbucket]

April 1-3. I put a link to RISAA's site up top here. ::)
Wanna go? We can spend some more money. ;D

[macojoe]

weres it going to be??

[Capt_K]

RISAA fishing show Rhode Island Convention center
April 1,2 and 3 If you go to risaa.org and click on the show web site all the info is posted.. Capt K

[chumbucket]

Capt_K, don't play with him. He's just being too lazy to go back and click on the link. ::) ;D
Whaddya say Bud? We can meet in Wareham or something, then ride down together. :-*

[Capt_K]

Well I hope you make it,looks like its gonna be a good show. I was at Mass bass this weekend, had a good time. Capt K

[macojoe]

ok ok what day you want to go?? Sat?? The boss says I can go!! ;D

[chumbucket]

;D ;D ;D ;DI'll call ya.

[macojoe]

Sounds good to me!!

And were was the link you say you posted?? I can't find it??

[chumbucket]

::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

http://www.risaa.org/