I've heard that Arc Bait wiped out the pogie population in Wickford harbor. I've been out at dusk twice, and one early morning and confirmed this.

Are there other locations I might find pogies? I have overnight guests coming this weekend and they want to go for stripers. I haven't been very lucky tube and worming this year and I am diametrically opposed to umbrella rigs.

I undrstand if nobody wants to reply. PM me if you don't want the response on the public forum. Otherwise, thanks for reading this post.

Aren't they still up by Providence?

Well it is July, and pogies often migrate...
last time I saw Arc they were way east of Wickford....

One of the guys at Quaker lane told me that Arc was right outside the rocks with their net and vacuum.

Pogies were in Wickford in force earlier last week. Last Wednesday there were so many you could see their fins on the surface in an area around two acres. They had been in Wickford for about two months, if I recall correctly. Saturday AM and Friday PM they were nowhere to be found.

Do they sometimes gather around the docks at Quonset?

Arc probably did net a bunch, but not all.
Historically, pogies used to migrate in the summer.
People forget that they are at heart a highly migratory fish when they got on the anti-commercial vibe.....

99% of the time I am pro commercial. Hell, it pays my bills.

But man, that school of pogies in wickford has been supporting and fostering a great recreational fishery since the end of May. It seems to me like there is a lot greater value [dollar wise] in the rec fishery then there is in the $0.10/lb or whatever it is that they get for dead pogies.

From a purely economical standpoint, it would seem that it would be a greater benefit to the state to call off the pogie boat.

I may be wrong. But i know a lot of boats, kayaks, and shore guys were encouraged to go after that school. guys who maybe took 3 or 4 extra trips in june or july because the fishing was great & making bait was easy....

jmho

Zacs,
I agree to a small extent, but Arc can't come into the harbor the way I understand it. The pogies have to leave the harbor to get caught, AND this is the time of year when they usually scoot anyways..

not a rah rah commercial but I think Ark is made into more of an impact/monster than they are...

Rockhound-

I heard they came during the ebb tide, when the pogies are being drawn out by the current. They waited at the mouth.

Makes sense since the pogies typically were found at the mouth during low tide.

I know this is circumstantial evidence, but as Zacs confirms above, they were there since late May. Suddenly Arc comes in, and they are gone. I don't blame Arc, I blame the lawmakers who allow this to happen. It seems that the enjoyment of many recreational fisherman is less important than a commercial fisherman making a buck. They could have left at least part of the school!

By the way, the point of this thread is to hopefully find another reliable spot where pogies can be found. Is the dock @ Quonset a good location in the early AM? Where else in the lower bay might I have luck finding pogies?

Rockhound-

I heard they came during the ebb tide, when the pogies are being drawn out by the current. They waited at the mouth.


Personally saw it happen. The fact that they can't enter the harbor didn't affect them at all.

Zacs,
I agree to a small extent, but Arc can't come into the harbor the way I understand it. The pogies have to leave the harbor to get caught, AND this is the time of year when they usually scoot anyways..

not a rah rah commercial but I think Ark is made into more of an impact/monster than they are...

What Bryan said.

If you want to get your skivvies all knotted up over pogie boats, use your energies on Omega Protein, the real culprit - use The Google, it'll open your eyes somewhat on the pogie issue :eek:

i was there to witness the ARC boat workin on a few different days and they definetley didnt need to enter the harbor. both times were early morning trips and both times they pulled at least 8 full nets sitting right outside the first red can leaving wickford. i was out fishing the schools 3 times a week and once that boat started to come about it would take me 2 or 3 hours just to get 2 or 3 pogies to fish with. really put an end to some absolutely incredible bass fishing for me this year.

That just plain sucks