http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/sports/fishing/secret-fishing-spots-around-point-judith-rhode-island.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/fishing/secret-fishing-spots-around-point-judith-rhode-island.html Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:41:44 -0600
Outside the East Wall. On the outside of the East wall fishing in close you can work plugs and soft plastic baits in the pockets created by the wall. Be very careful as it can be dangerous when the wind is out of the south or southeast, driving you straight at the wall. You can also troll along the edge of the wall if the weather is calm, but be careful of the many lobster pots waiting to ambush you.

Outside the West Wall. On the outside of the West wall in close you can work plugs and soft plastic baits in the many pockets found along that wall. Be very careful as it can be dangerous when the wind is out of the south or southwest, driving you straight at the wall. Also beware of the fish trap located outside this wall. Trolling is also another option but beware of the many lobster pots on this side.

Outside the Center Wall. On the outside of the Center wall in close you can work plugs and soft plastic baits in the many pockets found along that wall. The best pocket is right to the east of the apex of the center wall. Be very careful as it can be dangerous when the wind is out of the south or southwest, driving you straight at the wall. It is best ot work your way along the wall, hitting each pocket not spending a lot of time in any one area unless you actually catch a fish, then fish there till you stop catching and move on. Trolling is also aother option but beware of the many lobster pots on this side. South of the center wall there are many rocks on the bottom which provide structure for bait to hide in. Sea Bass, Scup, and Stripers can be caught in this area. Drifiting with bait or trolling are some of the methods that can be used here.

The Rocks at Point Judith. In front of (south) the rocks at point judith you can work plugs and soft plastics, or use live bunker, shad, or scup to catch stripers. The water is under 20 feet deep here. Also there are some rocks that are submerged, be very careful and pay attention to your GPS chartplotter, most of them show the position of these rocks. You can also troll this area, just stay away from the lobster pots which are not so much of a issue here.

Inside the center wall when big waves break over the top onto the inside. Under these conditions bass will hang on the inside looking for bait which is thrown up over the top of the wall by the wave action, so they can pounce on it while the bait is still disoriented. Topwater plugs or soft plastic baits that mimic the fish they are feeding on will work.

Near the fish trap inside the east wall. The fish trap inside the East wall catches a lot of fish and many times there are fish struggling against the net to get free. The vibrations put out by these struggles will attract predators. Plugs and soft plastics can be used to catch them. Be careful of the ropes and buoys, you can get tangled up or drift into them if you’re not careful.

East side of Point Judith. In close to the shore on the east side of the point there are some large boulders and pockets that can hold fish. Care needs to be taken when approaching as many of the rocks are submerged and not visible except by the eddies that occur around them. Plugs and soft plastic baits will produce here. Trolling can also be productive in somewhat deeper water here away from the rocks. In the fall many boat charters can be seen in this area.

Inside the Harbor of Refuge. In the early morning you can sometimes see fish chasing bait on the surface. If you pay attention the rewards can be many. This is not always accompanied by bird activity, so don’t assume that birds are your only indicator. Also, the fish don’t necessarily jump out of the water, they may just swirl the surface, and these swirls are harder to spot. This is good advice anywhere outside the harbor of refuge as well.

All of these areas around Point Judith are best fished in the morning between 6:00am and 10:00am. It is also necessary for the tide to be running. In the fall they can be extremely productive areas. Try them out and see what you think.

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Chris Bell has had many jobs over the years, as a modelmaker, PC technician, CAD training instructor, and website designer. He has fished RI waters extensively for many years and is now involved in running Point Judith charter boats, sailing on the Adventure from Jim's Dock in RI

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/sports/fishing/drift-fishing-structure-for-saltwater-bass.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/fishing/drift-fishing-structure-for-saltwater-bass.html Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:45:06 -0600
When you drift fish a spot, it is important not to motor over the top of the area of structure where the fish are holding, much like the many fishing charters which frequent RI waters. No matter how quiet your engine might be, it will spook some if not all of the fish. I have always noticed that even in deeper water (but still under 30’) you can troll a few times over a spot but then usually the bite will die off as fish are spooked by the motor noise. Some spots at Block Island and along the RI south shore are so sensitive that one pass over the top will ruin the fishing. So when you go back up-drift, do not motor directly back over your drift path. I cannot emphasis this point enough, I have seen too many anglers ruin good fishing by motoring over the top of the fish. I especially don’t sppreciate it when they motor over the spot I’m personally fishing. You should make it a practice to steer well away from someone who is fishing a spot unless you have a very exact idea of what that person is doing and where the fish are hanging, and how to approach fishing it. In any event, you should never get too close to someone else while bass fishing.

When approaching a spot you intend to drift fish, do not approach too closely. Unless you’re very certain of the direction of drift, stop at least a quarter mile away and let the boat drift so you know what direction it will be going, this will allow you to approach and properly position the boat to drift over the structure. Do not get closer that 100ft to the structure under power. Use your GPS track to see how you drift and to avoid motoring back over that area. If you have the track turned off, you should turn it on and leave it on. If it gets too cluttered, you can always erase the current track.

What you use to fish an area of structure depends on the current hatch and how deep the area is. The “current hatch” means use something which resembles the bait they are currently feeding on. Depths under 20’ can be fished with plugs and soft plastic baits. Over 20’ can usually only be fished with soft plastic baits using lead jigheads. When retrieving a plug, you should vary your retrieve speed, as prey species cannot keep up a fast swimming speed at all times, they “pulse”, going fast then slow then fast in alternation, and predators like striped bass expect this behaviour and will strike during the slowdown. Reeling 4 turns fast – 4 turns slow and continuing to alternate can emulate this behaviour. When using soft plastics, you need to allow them to sink to the level where tha bass may be holding. For a ¾oz to 1oz jighead, this is 1 second for every 2 feet of depth. So if you are working in 18 feet of water, no more than a nine-count before you close up the bail and begin your retrieve. As with the plugs, it is necessary to provide a retrieve which pulses the bait. This is achieved by jigging the rod upward, then moving it down slowly, reeling as you go to keep the line tight. If slack is allowed in the line then you will never feel the hit, as they prefer to hit the bait when it is falling.

Drift fishing has three important aspects that you need to understand if you want to master it. Most important is boat positioning, this one is the hardest to get right. The next is bait presentation, which is just as important. The last is proper timing: you want to fish the spot when the fish are there and the tide is cooperating to give you the right conditions for the fish to feed. Keep these in mind and you will be able to catch more fish on your excursions around Rhode Island and Block Island.


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Chris Bell has fished Rhode Island waters for 11 years. Before that he was a writer and PC administrator.   He now guides Rhode Island fishing charters out of Jerusalem on several boats and in the winter writes on various aspects of fishing for stripers, flounder, and other species and fishing techniques.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/sports/fishing/rhode-island-fishing-charters-listing-site.html http://www.articletrader.com/sports/fishing/rhode-island-fishing-charters-listing-site.html Sat, 06 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500
While anglers do eat some of their catch, Sport fishing is not done primarily for food. Sport fishing’s primary reward is in the thrill of catching the fish, and often fish caught are tagged and released back to the water. Sport fishing is done with hook, rod and reel, though methods vary depending on what type of fish are being hunted. Competitive sport fishing often does not allow all the fish to be kept, so many anglers who practice sport fishing do not keep all of their catch.

For the most part, any fish that are kept through sport fishing are kept as trophies. Trophy fish that are the most highly prized are rare species and very large species of fish. Such fish are often mounted and displayed. Sport fishing competitions are gaining in popularity, and more and more anglers are gaining interest in the sport. In competition, extra points are awarded to anglers who use thinner, weaker lines to haul in their prey. Thinner lines add an extra degree of difficulty to sport fishing, though for beginners it’s best to start with stronger lines and work your way slowly toward thin, weak lines. Light tackle is used in sport fishing, making casts fly far and wide.

A lot of sport fishing is done in fresh waters, especially in the US and Canada. Freshwater fish hunted by sport fishing anglers include walleye, sturgeon, pike, salmon, and trout. Artificial spinners and flies are great for catching trout in freshwater lakes and streams, for anglers who prefer not to use live bait. For those who would rather use live bait, anglers prefer worms and grasshoppers when fishing lakes and streams for trout.

Beginning anglers shouldn’t tackle a sport fishing competition right away. Hunting large prey is an acquired skill, and beginners shouldn’t start casting their lines in competition if sport fishing for the first or second time. No angler should enter the world of competitive sport fishing unless they’re used to fishing with thin, weak lines and bringing in large fish. Competition adds an extra level of difficulty and excitement, and speed can be a factor in large sport fishing competitions. An angler who is not completely comfortable and experienced with sport fishing should not attempt to compete.

There are many ways that a beginning angler can learn the art of sport fishing, however. Many local freshwater fishing areas host courses for beginning anglers who wish to learn more about sport fishing, and very often experienced anglers are more than happy to coach beginning anglers and offer tips and advice.

Many anglers who have tried their hand at sport fishing have found a great love for hunting the large prey that haunt the waters. For those who find sport fishing very enjoyable, competitive sport fishing can be very thrilling and fun once a certain degree of skill has been learned.

Since sport fishing can be done from land or boat, beginning anglers should use whatever method suits them best. Anglers who are more comfortable on land should fish by land, gaining some skill and experience in this medium before going out on a boat. No angler should ever go out alone, and a fishing buddy should be with you no matter your level of experience. Beginners should take a more experienced angler to the waters with them, especially when sport fishing is the aim. Bringing in large prey is not an easy task, and sometimes you’ll need an extra pair of hands, especially when still in the learning stages. To truly learn sport fishing, you must go out and catch some fish. The best thing to do is take a friend or two, gather up your gear, and head to the nearest body of freshwater.

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Chris Bell has been in the computer industry for 12 years. He has created the site http://www.rhodeislandfishingcharters.com to provide a free place for all RI charters to be on the internet. He has designed and built networks, servers, websites, Desktops PC's and the like. Fishing was a hobby and after 10 years it became a business, too.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>