Ocean fishing season should be hoppin’

09:02 AM EST on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

By TOM MEADE
Journal Sports Writer
Fishing experts are optimistic about the coming season in South County despite unusual fishing conditions last year.
A massive amount of menhaden moved into Narragansett Bay early last season and kept large striped bass in the Bay longer than anyone had expected, according to charter boat skippers Steve Travisono of Seadog Inshore Charters and Ron Mouchon of Breachway Bait & Tackle, both in Charlestown.
Instead of fishing the reefs off Green Hill and Charlestown, where he found fish in other seasons, Mouchon said he was forced to fish to the east.
“I was fishing off Stinky Beach and Scarborough Beach†in Narragansett, Mouchon says. Big bass stayed close to the mouth of the Bay because the bait was there.
†Mike Frank, a Westerly surf fisherman who throws plugs “Rock Hoppin’ only, caught and released several hundred keeper-size bass last season. Among the fish he released were eight bass over 35 pounds, including a 40-pounder he caught Nov. 1.
“Rock Hoppin’ Mike is a name one of my buddies came up with because we live in the rocks at Weekapaug and Watch Hill,†Frank said. “We wade out and wait until the last wave comes in and then pop up onto that last rock. The stripers are there, in the reefs looking for lobsters and other things to eat, and they’ll stay there all night long. But you can die out there. It’s dangerous. You have to know what you’re doing.â€
During the season, Rock Hoppin’ Mike fishes for bass every day that weather allows. He works the surf from Watch Hill to Narragansett. Most of his large stripers came from reefs near Watch Hill last season. He prefers to fish from 11 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., midway through a falling tide, with a southwest wind.
Last year, he started catching bass during the third week of April when the bass were feeding on squid. By the third week of May, the night bite had begun. “I had to move around a lot,†he says, “because the fish weren’t in their usual spots. Overall, I had a very good season, but it could have been better. I managed to catch eight big fish; I normally do 20.â€
He predicts that the number of large bass in South County’s surf will rebound this season.
Mouchon is also a striper specialist. “With the amount of peanut bunker we’ve been seeing, I think it’s going to be another fantastic year,†he says. “Last year was one of the better ones I’ve had. I just had to go to different areas to find the fish.â€
Travisono is equally optimistic about other fishing opportunities.
“I expect a good fluke fishery,†he says. “There were a lot of 17- to 19-inch fish, and there were a lot of bigger ones, too — a lot of 20- and 21-inch fish. Every year, the size is going up.â€
Sea-bass fishing was relatively slow inshore as dogfish replaced the bass in traditional fishing spots, he says.
Catching scup should still be easy, even from shore, but Travisono says it’s getting more difficult to catch keeper-size scup. He says, “There were still some frying-pan-sized fish out there when you found the right spot.â€
“Bluefish? There were plenty — big ones,†he says. “There were small ones early, but by October, they were alligators. It wasn’t hard to catch a 10- or-12-pounder from the shore. We’ll see a lot of bluefish this year,â€
For a brief time in September, fishing for bonito and false albacore was good, according to Travisono and Mouchon. They expect more of the same this year.
Rock Hoppin’ Mike talks about his surf fishing on Hot Bytes at
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douche

Excuse me, but most of your threads reek of "look at me".
The thread was about congratulating the guy for his World Record accomplishment. It didn't really need your negative input or opinion if it counts or not.
Like I said PLEASE try and show some respect. That laughing smiley before your post directed to me is showing more DISRESPECT.

Isnt this the part of the thread when RHM starts posting pictures of 20# fish? Cue the Photos!

I remember him posting a pic of a 15# (and I'm being generous by assuming the plug in the fish's mouth is at least 8 inches) fish a couple years back and claiming it as a 30#er.

He's the biggest joke on the site. Give him All the same equipment, including boat and gps coordinates as Myerson, and he wouldn't break 40.

That same lame a$$ pic holding a 20lb fish while he's smoking a butt - priceless. Here's my COW!!!

Then again, maybe he'll post up the 25lb fish that he didn't even catch with the bent tape measure under it...

Man it's gonna be a long winter.

I highly recommend some Salty's kits to up your fish size


Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Like the 2 "20 pounders" Mike was walking off the beach with a few years ago? I see him and he has a 32" bass and a 10lb blue and later on in the day he posts on the other site, "how'd you like those 20s?" :confused: :rotf2:

He's the biggest joke on the site. Give him All the same equipment, including boat and gps coordinates as Myerson, and he wouldn't break 40.[/QUOTE]

That's 40 centemeters

RHM knows his chit
you go buoy





Isn't Fischers in CT?

Isn't Fischers in CT?[/QUOTE]

Fishers Island belongs to NY. But it's closer to CT.

Me?

First off, congrats to Greg, that's the fish of a lifetime.

Mike, last year a friend and I were fishing "your" rocks, we had been there all night. You showed up as the sun was coming up, and didn't ask, but told us we'd better make room for you in a rotation. After we told you to go @#$% yourself, you started fishing near us. Not even an hour later, you cast the top half of your rod into the drink, the sign of a real "sharpie." We cast at it and got it back for you. I'm guessing you don't remember that though huh?

:rotf2:

I fished with you before you were great. Broke the damn gold cart in the process.

What you are not taking into account is that the angler found that particular piece of structure to fish, it is a spot that he fishes regularly that produces nice fish. Just like a shore guy would do. He also knew what stage of tide to be there and why he chose that specific tide to fish. Just like a shore guy does.

I agree that sometimes people just get lucky, but this fisherman is clearly not that type of fisherman. Just read what he has said about how he fishes and you will soon realize that.

Personally I enjoy fishing from the shore as much as I do from a boat. I have enjoyed an equal amount of great days shore and boat fishing. A boat may get you the opportunity to drive to a surface blitz, but let's be real, those are small fish that anyone can catch. Finding an 80 lb. cow is difficult for any angler. Boat anglers still need to put in time, they have a lot of water to choose from. The fact that this angler specifically chose that stretch of water at that specific time, purposefully shows skill and not luck.

The old, "boat fish don't count" thing is a great running joke that most normal people don't take so serious. Obviously if he caught it on home made wood it would be more impressive, but there is a reason that not many fish over 60 lbs. have ever been caught on wood. Not to mention, this fish was hanging deep.

Your continuous complaining and whining just makes you look jealous.

Look regardless of whatever RHM or OCM or whatever his name is today says, if it were easy to catch an 80 then a lot more people would have done it in the 32 or 33 years that Al McReynolds record stood. Shore fish, boat fish it doesn't matter. It is a world record that the kid worked for.

If you think he "stumbled" onto this fish you are mistaken. He has numerous 50s and a few 60 to his credit. he obviously knows what he is doing, where the big fish hang and what they eat. His success rate indicates to me that it is not luck but a combination of knowledge and skill.

As an aside, Mike, I don't know you from a hole in a wall, never fished with you, near you or on the same patch of water as you. You may be a nice guy but your belittling of this huge accomplishment just make you look like an utter fool.

Mike---at the bottom of my posts, there's a signature line. I suggest that you read it, again and again, until it sinks in. Because every post you make on this site and SOL proves the latter half (that's the part that starts with "Fools") of it.

I would like to think that you're just trolling. But, unfortunately, people who know you tell me that you're just not that bright. :doh:

I have wasted enough of my time on blowhards in the past year. This Guy doesn't even take the cake in that department. His posts are skin deep and wreak of jealousy and insecurity. I hope you can one day get past all that crap life is far more enjoyable.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Have not seen this one died laughing.

Mike, Here's your Award for being such a MASTER.

:rotf2: That cart should have had a taxi meter on it and off road tires. It saved me.

congrats
 

Congrats to Greg for landing the record.
As the leader he found hanging from the fish's mouth proves,hooking the record and landing it is a combination of luck and experience.
On that particular night he was lucky enough to get the fish to hit and experienced enough to know how to land it.
Good for him:kewl:

:fishin:Ya, what a bum!!!!!!!!!:rotf2:

When I first read/heard of RHM I was taken aback by the nonsense and self promotion he spewed. "MY rock!" "MY pencils!" "Me, me, me..." Then I saw how he made wholehearted efforts to help new anglers or others from outside of RI who were venturing near His Rock. I thought, "maybe he isn't that bad of a guy..."

Then I met him at the water's edge, and he was very open with information and tips. But he did blow his own horn in the process. Nevertheless, I tried to base my thoughts of Mike on what I saw in person, not what I read/heard said.

OK. So time goes by, RHM morphs into Surfsharpei, he and Mr. Dodge fight like cats and dogs, and Mike gets a 6 month ban from SOL. Things get quiet. I see Mike at Watch Hill Outfitters on occassion and we talk plugs and plug building. Again, I overlook his horn blowing and effusive pride at his ability to copy a bottle darter. No problem.

So Surfsharpei runs his course and wakes up as One Cast Mike one morning. No worries. Same old Mike I suppose.

And then he blows his own horn about HIS 'proto' plug that is supposedly the hottest plug in RI. Come on Mike. You copied a North Bar bottledarter in wood.

AND THEN LAST NIGHT'S UNPROVOKED, VICIOUS, SELF PROMOTING ERUPTION OF SHIITE HIT THE WEB...

Mike - Please get help and learn what demons cause you to do what you do and be the way you are.

Until then, best of luck to you.

And, North Bar makes them in wood themselves. :rotf2:

If it's that easy catching a fish like that from a boat, I would gladly let RHM take my boat and catch a fish of that magnitude by any means he likes. Hell, bring home even a 50 lber and you can keep the boat as a prize Mike.

:lurk::lurk::lurk::lurk:

:)I've fished many nights with Mike. He's a good person, with a good heart! That means a lot to me.
Words are just words, not the intent of the heart!:)

Jimmy - I hear this sentiment before regarding RHM - that he is decent in person - part of why he has been cut slack in the past. However, his online persona leaves much to be desired.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Speaking for the NJ crew that frequents this site, I can with all honesty say you sir a #^&#^&#^&#^&head :)

Well John, if nothing else, literally nothing else, Mike sure generates a lot of traffic.

Jon
I didn't copy the north bar..... I made one similar and thinner and changed the weight and the action of the plug. boat fishing is not the same as a shore guy that has to read the water and the tides and wind direction on a certain tide.
Once you learn where the bass will be then you have land the bass threw the variations of the structure like big boulders where the bass will run and cut you off or come up and shake the plug lose while you trying to keep the braid tight. Its not easy to land big bass from the rocks where they like to hunt in the dark.
Now lets get back to when greg stuck this fish and pulled it up from the deep. Did this fish run? I'm sure she did but he had her whipped in 2 mins flat and she came in floating like a log like most fish do.
To easy and No skill involved but a good knot.
Dont hate the player.... hate the game. :rotf2:
carry on people

:wall::wall::wall:

OK, you win. I give up.

I had the pleasure to fish in the general area where greg caught his fish 2 weeks prior to it being caught. And i gotta say the fishing was easy. Easy because the guy who took me out put in many years fishing the area, learning the area. He had the day all planned out before leaving the dock. His GPS was marked with bogus names of a bunch of pieces of structure. We had to get bait by X time, and be at checkpoint charlie at Y time, giving us 30 minutes to fish before the spot fails and we head to the next place, and on and on it went. Yes the fishing was easy, we caught a lot of fish that day up to 44 lbs, and lost a few more that were much bigger. I have never had fish take off like a few of them did, smoking drag like no striper i have ever caught. Bulldogging to the bottom, i could feel a couple wrapping around crap on the bottom. It is a different game in a boat for sure but it still takes a hell of a lot of skill and knowledge of an area to consistently pull up large. Gregs record counts, but it still is a boat fish and i know there is a difference. As soon as i landed the 44 lber on the boat i was asked if it was my biggest fish, i said that i "wasn't sure" and my buddy looked at me and before he opened his mouth i said "i know it doesn't count". It counts but to me its kind of like the home run record. It should have an asterisk next to it.

Threads like this make me want to throw my computer out the window and light my hair on fire.






:)

This is just utterly ridiculous now. This guy is the epitome of Einstein's definition of insanity. It's useless to continue this BS. Mike, you really don't have a clue.:smash:

It's been said that jealousy is an emotion most often displayed by the weak and insecure. Clearly, RHM is full of jealousy over this fish.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

He's definitely full of something...

I knew guys like this when I used to drink, they were the ones picking themselves up off the floor, saying you had enough yet, after leading with their chin.