When it all starts/rhody spring bass

[eelman]

For those with cabin fever I just wanted to let you know that here in rhode island The fishing season is sooner than you think.

I was reading thru my logs of the past years(something I always do around this time of the year) There seems to always be a small run of fish at the west wall around the week of St.Patricks day in march , which is only six or so weeks away.Myself along with others,feel these fish are not migrants but rather fish which have wintered over in the the nearby saltponds in gallilie and elseware.These fish like to flex there muscles a little in mid to late march.If you time it right,The fishing can be quite good.In 1995 I had a 17 fish day on march 18th,for the next week we had good fishing with the little schoolies.

The only problem is that it also ends fast and without warning,sometimes the fish would not show again until mid to late april.At that time(mid april) is when you will start to see the migrants mix in with the local bass and this can make for some blitz filled afternoons.

The early march fish patrols can end fast but at least you get some action before most people have there rods out of the dustballs.Its cold down there and downrite nasty sometimes when the wind kicks up but,Its worth it because,come april.You will need to buy a ticket to fish the west wall!!

As for me I will make the annuall west wall trip in march this year once again but,I plan on fishing the bay alot more this spring,Last year it was fantastic in the bay in spring and the elbow room was fantastic!! Not to mention the fact that the fish were litterally in my backyard.

The bay (as far as im concerned) is a goldmine for spring fishing.The west wall and points south are good spring spots but, they are also sporadic.One afternoon you may get 30 fish and then you might go fishless for the next week!! Why? Because those fish are moving past and right into the bay.The reason for this is that the bay temps are much warmer than the ocean temps and therefore more suitable to the little bass,with better feeding opurtunities.

The west wall is fickle and totally dependent on winds and conditions,Its almost imperitive that you have a wind out of the south or southwest to help "push" migrating bass in for a looksee! On days when the winds are light and the water is glass calm,stay home! or, head to the bay because those bass are heading right up there.

A spot that I have always liked much better than the west wall is matunuck beach.The best spot there is on the inside edge of carpenters bar on A high dumping tide with a southeast wind and lots of whitewater.The fish that gather here are usually better size than what you find at the west wall and there is a little more albow room.This spot always starts two weeks after the west wall for some reason.

A good start time for the bay is the end of april,this is a good time to start casting around,The fish will not be far off the shoreline because of the water temps.May is red hot! With action all day long.You have bass inhailing herring and chasing jigs all day long.Dont concern yourself to much with conditions,in the bay they really are not that important.The only exeption I found is a good nor'easter on the west side of the bay seemed to produce some fantastic fishing last spring.

The live bucky fishing was as good as it gets in the bay and we never used a boat.

As for spring lures? As far as im concerned,there is only one lure you need from march until june! And that a half ounce all white upperman jig with a white or chartrusse curl tail grub on the back.Thats the only lure you need!!

Around mid may is when I begin to leave the school bass alone and start to fish at night with whatelse? Live eels.Last year I had my first bass of around 20lbs on a live eel on may 18th.From there on out I did not see daylight fishing until the late fall.

Have a good season!! Its not that far off now!!

[eelman]

How many spots can you name? Or recognize from this list?
Some are local and some are famous.I have fished most of these and some are my favorite areas.
Any rhode islanders out there who know there stuff,Let me know what I missed!Once I started thinking of them I did not realize how many there really were and Im sure I havent even scratched the surface.Salthearts an ole timer,Im sure he can add many more rhode island hotspots to the list.I have left out many from the east side of the bay.


1)The gut
2)The corners
3)The sheeps pen
4)The A frame
5)First rock
6)The garden
7)Fresh pond rock
8)The kitchen
9)Naps
10)The “end of the fence”
11)whale rock cove
12) Ananwan
13)The bonnet
14)The short wall
15)Spike rock
16)GiB
17)Dories
18)Gracies
19)Grove point
20)Cat rock cove
21)The bowling alley
22)The boneyard
23)Frenchmans Reef
24)The house on the rocks
25) The brothers
26)Stinky beach(black point)
27)The sluiceway
28)Sadness point
29) The goose
30)The dump
31)Snakehole
32)Cow cove
33)Southwest point
34)Old harbour point
35)Carpenters bar
36)deep hole
37)The fenway
38)East beach
39)Sally rock
40)Quahog rock
41)Canochet
42)Watch hill light
43)The fall hole
44)The bass stand
45)Hazard and newton ave
46)Warrens point
47)Chipawanoxet
48)The river
49)middle bridge

[JohnR]

Dangnabbit!!! Cabin fever kicks in pretty stikin' hard after readin that!!!

Reminds me of those late March days when it's 40 degrees out with a 15 knot wind out of the south. You sense, but not quite smell, warmth and spring coming in that same wind carrys the spray and chaps your lips... Your retrieving mid speed with light gear and ZING!!! Your 10 pound test is getting redirected by a little schoolie heading the opposite way!!!

Okay, I'm really getting myself worked up here!!! Can't wait, the home stretch is almost here!!


The Breachways... :P

[Saltheart]

1)Short Wall
2)Point Judith Light
3)Cronins
4)Georges
5)Flats
6)Sprague Bridge
7)Island Shack
8)Quonny Pond
9)Ninigret Pond
10)The Humps
11)Weekapaug Channel
12)The overlook
13)Quonny Channel
14)Weekapaug Breach
15)Quonny Pond
16)Castle Hill
17)Brenton reef
18)Indian (few know that one)
19)Surfers End
20)Second Beach
21)Sachest Point
22)Sachuest Outcroppings
23)The Chasm
24)North Rip
25)Ballards
26)Salt Pond inlet
27)Southeast Point
28)The Pier
29)Scarborough
30)Bass Rock
31)Comorant Point
32)Carpenters beach
33)Moonstone
34)Green Hill
35)Breachway-Ninigret side
36)Twin Sisters
37)Blue Shutters
38)Central Beach
39)Hard Side
40)Soft Side
41)Weekapaug
42)Overlook
43)Andrea
44)Watch Hill Path
45)Weekapaug point
46)Goat island Point
47)Ft Adams
48)The Causeway
49)Bike Path Bridge
50)Barrington Bridge
51)Barrington Beach
52)Bristol Narrows
53)Hog Island
54)Green Animals
55)Coddington Cove
56)Colts Park
57)Sandy point
58)Warwick Neck
59) Warwick light
60) conamicut Light
61) Beavertail
62)Rocky point
63)Seekonk River
64)India point
65)Corlis Park
66)Edgewood
67)Ft Witheril
68)Ft Getty
69)Bullocks cove
70)Pirates cove

63)

[JohnR]

The Kitchen
Lil Narragansett Bay
Mill Cove
My Street
Conimicut Reef
Fort, er,uh, nevermind
The Pink House

[Slipknot]

WOW, lots of places down there! That does it I'm moving to Rhode Island.

[Clammer]

1/ MT hope bribke,2/ Spar island/ 3/ between the islands,4/ the anchor,6&7 the old red bridge & riverroad 8 Washburn wire,9/ stone bridge,10,/Old bull/11/sakonnett 12/ Bristol narrows,13/ Churches Cove,14/cable crossings,15/ half way rock ,16/the brothers,17,t-warlf,18/popparsquash,19,allens harbor,20/ rome point,21/ Jamestown bridges,22&23 / both Potters coves,23/ green island,24/greens river,25,/mt tom,26/ bear point,27,/ Bristol harbor,28/ hundred acre cove, 29/ Black face, 30,rocky point,31/ barren ledge,32/Hope island,33/ boiler wash, 34/Pine hill point,35 Nags creek,35/end ok my street

[DZ]

1. My spots
2. My rocks
3. His spot
4. His rocks

DZ

[JohnR]

LMAO,

And as long as you don't stand on his or he on yours... Get OFF My Rock!!!

[eelman]

I told you dennis not to keep painting your rocks hot pink!!

That rock with the clamshell on the northeast corner is my favorite over there.Be carefull or I will tell which clamshell to look for!!

[DZ]

Bill,
How about Dukes?
Your email up yet? I sent you one this morning.
DZ

[wendy]

I did alright with those finness fish, even after the runs dried up. Looking forward to catching up with you this year. Your secrets are safe with me!!!

[eelman]

Hi wendy,I have not forgot ya pal!! We should have a great spring at that spot,it is a great place!! Remember never tell or take anyone to our hotspot!! See Ya this spring!