Does any one know why the Watch Hill lighthouse gate is closed for the second weekend in a row. As a senior citizen we were able to park near the light house, and fish out in front.

Probably has a lot to do with some of the fishermen leaving their garbage in between the rocks and basicly not respecting the spot. Its really a shame that these people ruin it for others.

You can thank the a-hole non senior citizens who think they can go down there too...
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Absolutely, those guys as well!!!!!

I was greeted by a security guard this morning at the top of the hill leading down to the light.He informed me the gate will be locked from sundown to sun up,like the old days.Only senior citizens with a pass will be allowed to park at the light during these periods.Parking at the gate will not be allowed either.Parking on the street is ok.How long they will a guard be there? I should have asked and did not......

In 25 years of fishing this beautiful spot, I have never seen such a blatant disregard for this area as this year.Its disgusting.....

I hope things get better now that there is a little rules enforcement going on.

Was greeted at the top of the drive by the security guard last weekend...what a pity people have to ruin it for the rest of us particularly since there isn't a lot of on street parking available. The owner of a local tackle shop I frequent actually called the Westerly PD to ask about parking in the area and was given a bunch of non answers...this after one of the owners customers was not only ticketed for $85.00, but also towed (at night). It seems that even the on street parking policy that has been in place over the years is still open for interpretation in the off season.
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I tell people to stick to parking on the street all the time. Always seems to fall on deaf ears.

The guard is a pretty nice guy. Lately he has been there on weekends only, until about sunset.

Was greeted at the top of the drive by the security guard last weekend...what a pity people have to ruin it for the rest of us particularly since there isn't a lot of on street parking available. The owner of a local tackle shop I frequent actually called the Westerly PD to ask about parking in the area and was given a bunch of non answers...this after one of the owners customers was not only ticketed for $85.00, but also towed (at night). It seems that even the on street parking policy that has been in place over the years is still open for interpretation in the off season.
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The guy was towed from the street? That's the first I've heard of that type of incident.

I was greeted by a security guard this morning at the top of the hill leading down to the light.He informed me the gate will be locked from sundown to sun up,like the old days.Only senior citizens with a pass will be allowed to park at the light during these periods.Parking at the gate will not be allowed either.Parking on the street is ok.How long they will a guard be there? I should have asked and did not......

In 25 years of fishing this beautiful spot, I have never seen such a blatant disregard for this area as this year.Its disgusting.....

I hope things get better now that there is a little rules enforcement going on.
Unfortunately the "Blatant disregard..." that gets worse every year is being met by enforcement... and closing off of access. Spots where, after the summer is over, I am able to park and fish without the "private members" bothering me are being shut off to all, all the time, because of abuse. Add to this fisher people who post threads saying "What's wrong with posting a spot where there are fish? I don't get it...??" and we'
ll be lucky if we can fish off the end of the breachways eventually... or sooner. Oh well....

The guy was towed from the street? That's the first I've heard of that type of incident.

That's what I was told.....crazy right?!
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Unfortunately the "Blatant disregard..." that gets worse every year is being met by enforcement... and closing off of access. Spots where, after the summer is over, I am able to park and fish without the "private members" bothering me are being shut off to all, all the time, because of abuse. Add to this fisher people who post threads saying "What's wrong with posting a spot where there are fish? I don't get it...??" and we'
ll be lucky if we can fish off the end of the breachways eventually... or sooner. Oh well....

Residents are already trying to privatize public rights of way...
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That's what I was told.....crazy right?!
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Crazy indeed. Even the guard has told me that street parking after labor day is a non-issue.


Sigh...

Could also be about the damn bird nests again

I think that Daignault predicted in one of his books that access would die out before the fishery did. :(

Not being one of my favorite places to fish, I fished Watch Hill a couple of weeks ago for the first time in over 10 years. I parked up top on the main road and walked down like I thought I was supposed to do only to find over 20 cars and trucks in the lot, many of whom stayed well after dark. I thought the rules had changed and felt like a rookie walking down there when every else drove down.

This just reinforces Watch Hill as one of my least favorite places to fish.

Thanks for all the replies, the access for surf casters in Rhode Island elderly or handicapped is terrible. It's coming to a point when you retire in RI. don't expect any access for elderly. I understand land owners concerns with garbage left in the areas some are ruining it for all. When throwing bait i always collect all left over trash and carry out. Last weekend on the east wall there was plastic bags with bait left on the rocks, drawing rats after dark. This is concerning for serious surf guys. Like Frank said I think that Daignault predicted in one of his books that access would die out before the fishery did, this is happening now. The fish are returning with the big turnout of albies, bonito and weakfish now with little or no access for the surf guy.

Last week just after sunrise, I was walking out back to may car which was parked up on the street. A guy in a truck with Jersey plates was pulled up to the locked gate, standing by his truck looking pissed. As I walk up he shouts in an irritated and demanding tone " WHY IS THIS GATE LOCKED RIGHT NOW?!!!"

I told him he needs to park up on the street and walk... like I was doing... I guess they didnt mention that in the reports he was chasing. tread softly as a visitor... locals have to live with the reprecussions of the circus... report chasers just leave when the bite is over

Recently I saw a pickup parked at the gate early in the morning, lights on, engine running, but nobody in it...

As I went past it and in the pedestrian gate I saw a guy plugging on the west side near the pilings. He looked rather concerned that I was so close to the truck. it must have been his!!

People really suck, we were at a spot near there last night and someone took a dump right behind our car and my buddy stepped in it. Human poop out of water REALLY Stinks. :yak5:

People really suck, we were at a spot near there last night and someone took a dump right behind our car and my buddy stepped in it. Human poop out of water REALLY Stinks. :yak5:

I have been telling someone to be carefull about what gets posted on Facebook and what pictures and spots to share with people.

My comment was don't do it unless you want everyone to $hit in your backyard .. Pretty much spot on...
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People really suck, we were at a spot near there last night and someone took a dump right behind our car and my buddy stepped in it. Human poop out of water REALLY Stinks. :yak5:

That happened next to a friends car about 3 weeks ago (except no one stepped in it).

Problem is people who can't just catch a fish. They gotta go on Facebook and tell everyone they know like they're a 15 year old girl. That's the problem. Well that and..

Go home bennies!
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for many, many years RIMS provided a dumpster just inside the gate on their dime for trash. i bet that it was hardly used. signage gets puts up promoting its purpose and respecting the resource, only to be torn down or thrown in the dumpster itself. less than a month ago there was a beach cleanup and WH was cleaned. you wouldn't even know now.

i think i've said this before, but regardless of whom throws the trash into the rocks, people will blame the fisherman as a whole. even when many of us bring out what we bring in.

the trash has become worse in recent years. sand worm boxes, empty rig packages, fishing line, coffee cups, soda/beer containers - it's pretty sad. to me, it's more about how you were brought up then respecting the spot, or access in general. heck, a couple weeks back i watched someone fillet a fish on the wall - really? do you mind if i use your hood next time i get a fish? i would love to personally drag a bag full of the trash from there from someone that left trash behind and spread it in their front yard. DEM could make a pile of money daily doing routine checks of licenses and people driving the beaches w/o a CRMC permit. not to mention local police ticketing vehicles w/o handicap tags or those under 65 using the parking lot at the lighthouse. you'd think the state was rich.

as for parking, to me this comes down to pure laziness. they locked up the private parking lot up top, as they have been doing in recent years, so people park on the street. when the street parking is full on top, it's like people don't know what to do. it's pretty sad when i look forward to easy access/parking tightening up so that there may be hope that some people that will get pissed off may not fish it and it may become cleaner. no matter how much i've worked with clubs on committees designed to help fisherperson public access, some in the public always seem to find a way to ruin it for all. and the worse part, it may not even be a fisherman. when it is, you want to explode.

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Well said Dave.

I don't think folks realize that after business hours, even midsummer, you can park in the lot in town with the little shack. You know, the one where the charter boat and other stink pots are berthed.

It only adds a couple minutes to the trek to the LH, and it's relatively safe if you lock up. Lots of foot traffic, and you can even park right next to the road.

Trouble is, 99% of the abusers need to park as close to the water as possible so they can unload/load their big white Walmart rods, styrofoam coolers, flats of worms or boxes of frozen Walmart squid, their geriatric parents, their children, and their haul of choggies and undersized scup without breaking a sweat.

Best thing that could happen is for the gate to be locked permanently. Then again, the hordes would just go over to Q, where they are gaining a foothold. And I don't mean inside the breachway- but on the hard side jetty.
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It's almost a lost cause Woody....
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Problem is people who can't just catch a fish. They gotta go on Facebook and tell everyone they know like they're a 15 year old girl. That's the problem. Well that and..

Go home bennies!
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Vic, We don't have any cute names like that for the RI guys in CT, we will have to make one up. ;)

Vic, We don't have any cute names like that for the RI guys in CT, we will have to make one up. ;)

RI guys go to CT?
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Vic, We don't have any cute names like that for the RI guys in CT, we will have to make one up. ;)

Chief its actually for nj/ny guys

I believe it stands for Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, yonkers, Staten island etc.


Either way. whether it is someone with a25$ setup or a 2500$ we are all lumped together into one category. Its a bummer to see others mistreat a resource so I guess its up to us as individuals to show and conduct ourselves in the best manner possible. and if it means picking up a bit here and there so be it :buds:

Also I'd like to add none of that was in any way directed at ANY of the ct. guys. Every guy from ct Ive met/fished with from this sit has been super cool. Im pretty sure the folks posting on these boards arent the problem.

so many jackasses down there. I was just happy a couple weeks ago that some of those jackasses got their cars locked inside the gate...