"Shoe strings" are the tiny eels that many shops try to pass off on people. Typicaly range from 7 to 9 inches in length and are real skinny. Uncastable with typical wurf gear from shore, they do work well off a boat...
I live in Warwick and mainly fishfrom shore. When I'm fishing Rhody - it's usually between the Narrow River and Naps with occasional jaunt over to Block (but I haven't been over yet this year
)