No Jamestown bridge fishing pier!!!

[cheferson]

I read in the projo yesterday that theyre gonna tear down the entire old jamestown bridge. They had been talking about leaving a 3rd of it on the NK side for a fishing pier, would have been sweet. Ive read articles about guys catching huge stripers off it , and lowering down hook on the line attached to rope to gaff the fish and haul them up to the bridge, guess i wont be trying it . They said that the supports were to far eroded and that it would cost as much to repair it as to make an entirely new structure.

[fishaholic18]

Hopefully they don't rip that thing down in the middle of the spring run. That'll really screw up the fishing in the bay.

[Joe]

North Kingstown has the most waterfront and the least access of RI communities.

[scarecrow]

That was a good place to fish from. Only fished it once but have read in some books about big bass being taken off that bridge in the shadows at night.

[rwilhelm]

That is too bad I was skeptical when they started talking about how much money it would cost. Good spot for fluke too!!

[DZ]

Ok, the proposed fishing pier is history - but let's not waste a good opportunity. The state right of way to the water still exists there(as it does at the other end in Jamestown). We as fishermen should pressure the politicians and DEM to develop new proposals for that area, for example boat ramp, picnic area to shore fish, etc. That land belongs to all Rhode Islander's, let's make sure we can use it!
DZ

[Nebe]

The real shame of it is that there was a certian 'crowd' of people who fished the bridge... and they left a lot of trash. when I would drive over the new bridge i'd see tons and tons of trash blowing around on the old one... it was discusting. It was this 'crowd' of people who trashed the bay campus dock which resulted in that being off limits to fishermen as well..

The fishing club that i'm a member of is adopting black point so that we can at least keep one place clean that attracts people who just don't care.

Its sad, and it really flys up my arse when i see people leaving their trash in fishing spots that we all have to share, so thats why you'll see an extra trash bag stuffed in my fishing grear.

[rwilhelm]

Totally agree Eben I used to go to URI Bay Campus and I was told it was closed because of all the trash people were leaving. They were nice enough to let us use the dock and idiots have to ruin it. Also a good fluke spot.

[Nebe]

Yep... it sucks. I've programed DEM's hotline on my cell phone and believe me, when I see people leaving trash, and i'm near theire car... lisence plate #'s are taken down and they are reported.. I love all people, but its sad that these people just dont have the mentality to carry out thier trash and human waste. I guess some people fish to unwind and some fish to feed their families.... nothing wrong with that...

[Bill L]

[/QUOTE].... nothing wrong with that...[QUOTE]

Unless they leave their CRAP behind, take shorts or more than the limit, etc. etc. etc.

I have to wonder if the bridge fishing pier was too expensive, or if there was too much opposition from the "neighbors"

[Crafty Angler]

Probably a little of both, toonoc - the state's flat broke and desperate anyway and not likely to do anything right now that doesn't promise to generate some return revenue to help get 'em outta the weeds.

And if you've been keeping your eyes open the last few years as you crossed the new Jamestown Bridge you've probably also noticed those pricey waterview/waterfront bungalows going up on the Saunderstown shore...so that's the other part of the equation.

See, when I cross the new bridge now I can actually enjoy the scenery and make observations like that - as opposed to driving on the old bridge and being sure the windows in the Jeep are open while I drive with one hand on the door handle.

I dunno, maybe at the very least they'll do the artificial reef thing with the steelwork - that'd be a start anyway - I didn't get a chance to proofread the ProJo this morning - I'll have to see the article.

[Joe]

If the state makes the access area without much input from town officials or residents, you may have chance. They successfully put in Chaffee Park at Rome Point in a similar way – but even with that, the town made sure that parking was a good long way from water.
But if NK town officials and residents are involved in the decision making process, forget it - you could propose putting a “free money machine” down there for town residents only and they’d be opposed to it.
Given the fact that the state is broke and Gov. Carceri has a lot of friends and donors from Saunderstown, it does not look promising.

[Crafty Angler]

So much for the theory that the gov would lend a sympathetic ear to fishing/coastal access issues being a "former quahogger" huh, Joe?

[Joe]

The guy's a former CEO.......nuff said

[Clammer]

I,m not surprized========its been ten years of Di@#$%^ around=the coast Guard told them from the start to remove it ==========know its gonna cost us ten times as much== yea the pilings are tired , but the world will be gone before the low ends fall in ==========
sadly I agree with Eben ====they make a mess ,complete disreguard for other people ,places , things,
I use to fish with a old timer =passed away this summer====when went fishing ,we made it a rule that we would spend the first 30 minutes picking up after people========these spots that they @#$%up would take days to clean up =I can see where the residents , don,t want {us}===========its either the riches bitches buying waterfront property or slobs that are the biggest reason we arre losing ground ========================
AT least most of the time I don,t have to see the leftovers of some seroius crude people

[Joe]

If you look at the fishing piers of North Carolina and Florida, you’ll find a model as to how a pier can provide access, business opportunity, and tourist revenue.

Here in New England, we leave an abanded bridge open with no management, let it get trashed, and then hold it up as model for why a fishing pier won’t work. It’s another example of why we have a national reputation of being opposed to everything.

Did that just happen on it’s own, or was it part of larger plan orchestrated by those who got nervous once they heard that there was a possibility that one day they might have to share what has essentially been private for as long as most people can remember? I mean really, they could have stopped that whole scene from going down with very little effort.

[Crafty Angler]

[Nebe]

If and thats the key word... If the state created a state fishing pier that was patrolled, kept clean, and had ample parking, it would probably draw most meat fishermen to it and away from places like beavertail, black point, etc. where trash is such a problem. and just think... a trash can every 50 feet for the slobs to throw their ziplocks, bait boxes and dirty diapers in.... It would be fantastic, but it would never happen. RI is always so short sighted and Crafty is right, all the people who have built those Mc Mansions on the beach would cry murder if a state fishing pier was built there... becasue it woud lower their property values... Those big fishing piers down south are pretty cool, some have resteraunts, vending machines, even tackleshops down at the ends of them.

[Raven]

how many names on a petition does it take for it to be taken seriously.

[fishaholic18]

I just saw on tv that they are going to talk about taking down the bridge on the 6:00 news channel 10 NBC. Something about how the cost is rising. I think they said $40million. Will see tommorow.

[basswipe]

That's too bad.Would've liked to see it made into a fishing pier.I fished the piers alot on the Texas gulf coast when I was in the service.These were well managed operations and fun to fish.
I've lived in RI a long time and have slowly but surely watched access to good fishing areas disappear for reasons ranging from
littering to developement.
Its a shame.RI could learn from other states.

[Crafty Angler]

Yeah, I do think the state will eventually erect a fishing pier, but I don't think I'd run out to the garage tonite to start making yourself a bridge gaff.

You'd probably be better off fabricating a walker outta bar stock with a cooler rack on front, 'cause it's gonna take that long. We'll all be so old we'll be poopin' rust by the time they cut the ribbon on that sucker.

And I figure by the time it's done, you'll have to have your saltwater license pinned to your shirt at the gate and pay a fee for access, too.

[fishaholic18]

Did anybody catch it on the news?? I missed it. What's the plan now?