XMAS Ducks

I went out with Ron on 12/24 in a Tidal River and had a fantastic day. We paddled the Bathtub(Square back Canoe) out to a remote section and set up with a mix of Mallard and Diver Decoys.
Within 45 minutes we had on Malard hen in the boat. We also missed a few lol.

The Mallards then dissapeared and we where then buzzed constantly by Sea Ducks. Buffle heads and the Mergs came in. Many were just out of shooting range. A few did make it into the boat though. I got one beautiul Hooded Merganser. The other four we harvested were hens.
Conditions were perfect, 20 deg. Good stiff NW wind with overcast clouds most of the morning.

A nice Xmas present for us.

Double Band!!

My buddy Jimmy went out Brant hunting a couple of weeks ago in RI. they had an awsome day with Brant coming in all morning. The filled the boat with their limit and even managed a DOUBLE band. Very rare occurance. The bird came from NW Canada just south of the Artic Circle. Nice!!

SKUNKED

Went out last Sun for more Geese. Very quiet, not many birds flying at all. A very high west wind was blowing over a decoy or two. We had two flights go by us, no bites.
High sun, no cloud cover at all.

Try again Next Sat

Opening day for geese

We had a great day today in SOCO RI hunting for geese.

Conditions were very calm and almost no wind during the sunup. Then around 8:30 the wind picked up as did the birds. Got one around 8:45 then about 9:30 several big flights came by.

We had to work very hard to call and flag em in. But it was worth it. One large group came right in and we downed five at once! Nice

Goose stew tommorow.

Last of the free?

As I made my few last casts of the season I realized that these would be the last that would not cost me money. I also realized that I will have yet, another organization with my name and address in a computer system. All this due to the saltwater fishing license.

Also at the time of this writing, the Governor of RI had vetoed the bill for the Saltwater lic. It was a bit confusing to me why after so much hard work by those who favor the license that he would veto it. I have no idea. All I do know that at this time, is that I will have to pay the feds 25.00 to fish next year if things stand where they are. Perhaps the MA lic. will be reciprical for RI.

Although I am still not sure how I feel about this license to begin with, due to more rights taken away from me and creating yet another government process for me to enjoy the outdoors, I would have much rather paid the lower state fees. I guess we will wait and see what happens.

Is this process going to be good for the fish? For our sport in the future? Will less people fish? Only time will tell.

Many claim it is a good thing, I hope so.

I will say this, what we spend will not end with what starts in Jan. In my opinion, we will see even more fees, more stamps and more silly regulations in the future. I am also very afraid that our moneys spent will not be allocated to where they should be. I sincerely hope I am wrong. I am not an expert on these matters. But I know that the Term "Government organization " is an oxy-moron. You take it from there and form your own opinion.

I wish all those who fish in the winter good luck, be safe and tight lines.

The next posts will be on waterfowl hunting and updated on the government document to be included in my fly box.

The Naps on Halloween

Well I did make it out there on 10/31. Arrived there around 5AM to catch the incoming. Noticed there was a lot of SW wind and that I should have brought the plug bag. lol oh well. Plus I saw several small crabs lying around from the birds which was also not a good sign.

So I made the walk to the tip and fished the northern point after getting fustrated at the big rock near the point. Tough conditions there.

At the northern point and the pond the fishing was much easier but not productive. Not a sign or a bump. Lots of ducks though!!!! Brant,Mergs Blacks and the occasional bufflehead flew past my areas.

During the walk back around 9:30 I met one other fly fishermen with the same look on his face. We talked for a bit and watched two events of birds working the water which were way to far even for a skilled plug or tin caster. So the bait is still out there. Whether the fish are? I never found out.
I was a beautiful sunrise but the SW wind creating the whitecap came with it. And we all know the SW precedes a storm usually. Was thinking about the toggers out there.

So now I put away my fishing equipment, clean the guns and decoys and prepare for the next waterfowl season!

Naps

Worked this past weekend so no fishing. I will be going to Napatree Point this coming Saturday moning to fly fish the incoming which is around 7AM.

Happy to have company (if you don't mind a walk.)

OCTOBER 22 LATE NIGHT EELS

Bought about 6-7 eels and from Ocean state Tackle on Branch Ave and hit the Barrington Beach around 10PM in Hopes to get Dinner for the weekend. Fished the incoming for a couple of hours......Nothing. I think even the eels were bored.

I then hit Nyatt Point for the beginning of the outgoing.............quiet nobody smashed by windows either.

I then hit The Warren river which is very wadable (Think I spelled that right) at about halfway through the drop. Finally got into some fish, pretty small however. I got rid of the eels and used some small rubber shads and had fun with the little guys. I don't like using eels when I get into small fish. To afraid to gut hook them and kill those little precious gems.

Conditions were VERY calm all night untill about 3Am then that pre storm wind started up.

Went home Tired.

I had Chicken for Dinner next day. Lol
Froze the eels for skin plugs next spring.

Warwick Blues.

OCTOBER 18TH Evening.

Fish the C-Point in Warwick. Caught a good handful of small Bluefish on the south side of the point where the current was ripping over the BAH. Intermidialte line with some simple white feathered streamers with a bit of wire tippet. Didn't see any Stripers. Nice night though, little breezy Northern wind which was nice for casting but lousy for fish.

On the way home it was late but I had a bit of a second wind and hit the Palmer river near Rte 6. I have caught some schoolie stripers and sometimes White perch during the day there. However it was quiet this time.

brookies and smoked Blues

Manged to catch some native brookies in the Falls river last Thursday. RI DEM doing a great job trying to manage those feisty brookies in a catch and release river. It took some bushwaking but found them on a small rainbow trout imitation streamer in front of a sunken log. Got VERY wet in that rainstorm early morning.
I never saw a stocked trout, then again I suck at small stream ninja fishing. I was missing my switch rod.

Spent this past weekend in Maine, caught more hangovers than fish. We did however break out the old smoker and had a feast on Smoked stripers, Blues and a couple of stock brown trout for good measure. Great weather up there, a bit nippy too all the better for the ducks to come this way.

Back to the salt this week. Maybe Bristol

Booofish

Had a pretty good night at the Barrington Beach. NO stripers but had some bluefish eat some flies.
Mostly smaller clousers and darkcolored decievers worked, lost two. Nice quiet night too.

Hoping for some more linesides migrating soon.

Going for trout tommorow heard the fall stocking started this week in RI.

Banger night

Hit some waters in the Warren area last night on the incoming, very quiet and very wet. Ron and I then got a call from Dan from Nocturnal Tackle. He said the fish were hitting (at a undisclosed area) in the Barrington area. So we packed up our wet gear and met him at his honey hole.
Dan then demonstrated to us his new white Swimming plug as he pulled out two nice Stripers after a 12 pound Bluefish on the white plug in a matter of 30 minutes. I think he now has that plug perfected.
Ron then managed a nice linesider himself and then followed up with a fish that bent his leader snap. We never saw the fish. If you drive down Rte 1 in Attleboro you can till hear him crying in his sleep.

I myself managed a very respectable bluefish on a Pogie chunk. No pics, to much rain.

My thanks goes out to Dan for the guide and I highly recommend his plugs which can be found at http://www.nocturnaltackle.com/

The fish are in!

Finally a good night

Hit Westport from 3AM until sunrise. Fished the southern tip of Gooseberry Island near the knob, caught three nice Stripers all around 26 inches all at about 4:30 AM
Caught the first one with a black Jointed Darter, the other two hits where from my old black POS Popper. lol
Beautiful Morning not much wind though, wish I had the camera for the sunrise, didn't see ANY bluefish.

Pretty quiet

Been pretty quiet in the upper bay. Read in the paper some sections even getting hypoxic. So I hit Massachusetts tonight in the Westport area. Caught one Bluefish on a pencil popper as the sun went down. Used some sluggos and bucktails too, but no takers.
Strange north wind was curling around me at the spot I was at. Nice night, one fish.

Barrington river with the little guy

Took the little guy out to the bike path bridge to catch the incoming tide. We didn't have high hopes due to the elevated water temps this time of year. But we still had a great time. Used some shad rubber baits and swam them through the currents. No fish, but the kids next to us caught a small monkfish on clam bellies.

Beautiful sunset.

Fishing report July

First post!
July in the beginning of the month was a bit slow for me as I found a lot of rain storms. Had one good night on the 15th at the Warren just before a storm. Caught some schoollies on a shrimp pattern. Then the lightning scared me the heck out of there!
July 21st fished Sabin as A buddy told me there was still a little action in the Providence river. Gut skunked. I guess May is long gone this year lol.



More posts to come for the Fall run!! Starting in September.