Block Island "Vs" Nap's

[BNolan]

Well, Well,Well, Its fall, Decisions,Decisions????

I know I have been out off the loop for One whole season(That will change next year) One thing that doesnt Change much is fishing spots! Once you get them down and develop a pattern over the years you can almost set your clock as too where the stripers will be and when.I could be locked up in a vault for five years and still catch just as many fish when Im let out.Certain places hold bass year after year, sure, some years are better than others but overall it all works out in the wash.


I dont know who is telling what and what spots are being kept secret and so forth and so on, I dont care too much about that stuff anymore.You can lead a horse to water but not teach him to drink,same with fishing spots, just cause a guy tells you where to go doesnt mean you will score! Thats only half the battle,you still need to know currents,winds,tides and what tide stages hold most fish and what winds in combination with all the other meteorlogical circumstances will give you the best chance at landing a trophy bass!

Now back to BIvsNap's. If you asked me which place is better in 1987 I would not hesitate to tell you to get on the ferry in october and head to the Island.But, Not anymore! The past few years out on the block have been awefull in the fall.Now, Im not saying there isnt fish, there are all the fish you want just not monsters, the average fall fish as of late on the Island has been anywhere from 12 to 18lbs.With all the numbers you want! I dont know about you guys but , When that chill wind of fall comes My mind thinks of fish in the 30lb and up class.All spring and summer I have caught plenty of the little guys, the fall for me has always been about big Bass! If I fish all night and only end up with two fish but, those two fish are in the high 30lb range,Im as happy as a fly on you know what!Simply put,the Block does not have the bait(sandeels) that it did years back.

Everyone complains about the walk out to naps, whine, whine, whine!! I will tell you this, I HAVE NEVER EVER,EVER Went out there on the right conditions in the late fall and got Skunked! NEVER! In fact, most nights I was rewarded with many,many large bass in 25 to 35lb range for upwards of two weeks straight! My 53lb fish came from naps on October 28th, that night Joe flips and I Had fish all to our selves for 3 hours anywhere from 18 pounds up to my 50.The very next night I fished with tim Coleman(Ex Editor of the "fisherman mag") He landed 2 fish in the 40 pound range which I landed for him, and I had a few in the high 20's.On the 3rd night my partner in crime Steve Mckenna Landed a 48lb bass and I dropped another horse!

Is it worth the walk??? Uhhhhhhhh,Yupppppp!


JeffH,AND I had a season a few years back where we were bumping into one another frequently on the way in and out of naps, He would land multiple fish in the 20 and 30lb range and I would have similar stories! Hey jeff! Im sure you remember that year!


The best part was that we both had the place to ourselves almost all that fall, the only other stick out there was tim coleman.


Tips? Here is my suggestion, Dont ever go out there with anything exept live eels or rigged eels.Leave the plugs at home.Fish the low water and get out as far as you can on the stones.Pay particular attention to change over to flood on the northwest side of the point.On your way out ALWAYS toss an eel or a plug out in front of the first osprey pole to keep it honest.Pay attention to the begining of an easterly wind.Always fish there in a northwest wind if you can. One other thing, the moon has absoulutly no effect on the place so dont worry about it.If you see a tall guy with a watchcap on his head casting eels quietly into the wash, PAY ATTENTION! That be Mr.Tim.

No one loves the block more than I do but, the fall is not the same out there.If you go there for numbers you will have a blast but if your looking for a mount Naps is the last great fall holding spot!


BTW! This week's Fisherman Mag has a picture Of Steve and me out on the Rocks at naps last Fall! Its the picture in Tim Colemans Article, Im the one that you can only see my back. That picture was taken in October, we were playing with school bass waiting for dark!