Anyone at this site fish from a boat??

I bought a boat in November of last year (a 19.5' open bow lake boat), took a coastal navigation class and started to fish the saltwater in late May....it didn't take long but I'm hooked (ha,ha). Everyone talks of there shore fishing escapades....are boat fishermen welcome? If so I would like to join the discussions. Thank goodness for sites like this were I have picked up valuable information. Before this year I had never fished, I'm glad to report that with practice and perserverance I have caught many fish.....but no keepers.

I was fishing in Narragansett Bay last Friday and cought a bunch of bluefish....26"-31", mostly on leadcore line and an umbrella rig with small different colored tubes. Also caught a few with my spinning rod with a 5"popper when they hit the surface in short intervals. I don't think that there are many stripers in the bay itself.....does any have some pointers for me to catch my first keeper??

[Slipknot]

I've been known to fish from my boat now and then. When the occasion arises, (weather,work, family ect.) during the day it's usually a boat trip but this time of year I love fishing from shore.

One suggestion I can make is to fish deep near the bottom when trolling,and be near current or rips that hold baitfish. I fish buzzards bay to cape cod bay so I am not familiar with Narragansett.
Good luck to you

[Got Stripers]

Yes I do and hope to be fishing out of a new (well 1996) Lund in a week or two. Picture is on the heads up to fisherwomen thread. I fish from a boat and rarely hit the beach, I guess I'm just getting old and lazy. I usually launch in Scituate and fish from there north to hull or south to Plymouth. If it's rough, I will hit hingham harbor or try the north river.

Tight lines.

[Billybob]

I fish from a boat A LOT. The experience is a little different than shore fishing but many of the same principles apply.
If you want to catch that keeper, your best bet is eeling especially this time of year.
There happens to be a good article on eeling from boats in Soundfishing right now. It's written by Stu Adams, a Ct. guy who is one very successful Striper Eeler.
I'm sure there are some structure area's in Narragansett that are holding keepers, and now's the time!
This last weekend off Old Saybrook, it was stripers on just about every drift.
Good luck, and don't worry what the shore guys say about us boaters, they're just jealous!

[Fisherwoman]

Welcome aboard Fishin Rookie, Baitcaster & I fish both boat and shore, although I prefer shore fishing it is nice to get out and get those fish when they are out of reach. We fish Boston Harbor alot, the most productive way we have gotten keeper fish this year is livelining makerel, and tube and worm. We have also done well chunking in the current without weight, and always around structure. Don't worry, you keep putting in the time and it will happen for you when you least expect it. We primarily fish artificial lures as I love top water action, but that won't always get you the big fish, just alot of fish. Occasionally you will pick up some decent fish that way, but when there is alot of big bait around, you need to do some snagging and put it back out there. You will find it to be most productive. Good Luck!!!

[Saltheart]

Put the boat in in Westerly and drive out around Napatree. look on the chart for "the humps" just east of there. Three way eels over these humps. You'll get your first keeper. Do it about 2 hours after high tide at Watch Hill. hang on though. Your first keeper there could be 4 feet long!! This location and technique will do you well till atleast mid November and maybe later depending on the weather.

[JohnR]

Welcome aboard!!! Yes, as Saltheart says, there are some monster bass that hang out there but there are some monster boulders as well. Use caution }>