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Today's big bass at Prudence

This morning's catch

Fishing aboard the charter boat Can't Imagine, Billy Silvia's unnamed clients caught stripers as large as 28 pounds off Potter Cove this morning on menhaden.

Right next to them, Prudence Island angler Ray Heal caught a 46-pounder.

We're trying to get photos of that one.

Anglers are also catching some large bass on the Providence River, says David Henault of Ocean State Tackle. Even shore fishermen are snagging menhaden to catch bass as large as 34 pounds this week.

Posted by Tom Meade  at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments 1

Big bite is on

Sara Bagwell with two bass she caught this morning on the Sakonnet River

Randy Bagwell, skipper of River Rebel Charters, wrote Thursday: “We went out early this morning on a bait run for the charters we have over the next several days. While we did very well catching pogies I set my daughter Sara up with a live line and she boarded a pair of 20-plus pounders. The bait is still in the Tiverton Basin along with some large blues and striped bass if you can get your bait under the blues.”

The bite from Prudence Island to Pawtucket presents “the opportunity of a lifetime,” says Kenny Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle, but he adds, “Nobody is fishing.”

Large schools of baitfish have been appearing around Bold and India Point, generally on the dropping tide. Bass have been getting there first, and then bluefish show up. Boaters have an advantage because they can move around searching for bait and predators. There are so many fish on the upper Bay that both high- and low-tide changes are productive, said Kenny Ferrara the elder. Shore-bound fishermen have been scoring on the low tide. They have been taking fish between 35 and 40 inches long near the sewer plant in East Greenwich.

“Steve McKenna nailed a 37-pound fish from the surf on a live eel in Narragansett on Wednesday night,” said Bill Nolan, “and he had a couple others just a bit smaller. He said the action was non-stop for the better part of an hour just after dark.” The bass and bluefish bites in Narragansett have been strong for a week, said Bill McEvoy of King Cove Outditters.

Posted by Tom Meade  at 9:53 AM | Permalink