Barry Fuller and Roger Tellier shared their shellfishing knowledge last week at a Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association seminar with more than 100 interested fishers in attendance. The two have been shellfishing recreationally for more than 60 years, with Roger Tellier serving on the Shellfish Advisory Committee of the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council for several years.
All shellfish caught in Narragansett Bay, Mt. Hope Bay, rivers and estuaries were touched upon but the focus of the night was on quahogs.
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Quahogs can live 400 to 500 years and it takes 2½ to 3 years for a quahog to grow to legal size — more than an inch in diameter.
The tools of the sport often include rakes, nylon bags, baskets, rubber tubes as well as tools to make you more comfortable such as rubber gloves and pads for kneeling down in low water close to shore.
Use a rake that fits you and your needs. Many are angled on the stick to lay flat on the bottom. Rakes have different lengths and different style baskets, all of which require you to turn the rake upward to hold your catch in the basket as you bring it up.
Quahogs of different size appear at different depths. Often the bigger quahogs are in deeper water and smaller ones are closer to shore but that is not necessarily true at each location. You have to get to know the characteristics of your fishing spots.
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AnglerCatch, a fishing application for smartphones, will be teaming up with the Tog Classic tournament, sponsored by Crafty One Customs of Portsmouth.
Ralph Craft, owner of Crafty One Customs, said: “Funds raised from the Tog Classic will go to the Three Angels Fund to help families cope with cancer. We are happy AnglerCatch has joined our effort as a sponsor.”
Greg Vespe, executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, said: “We partnered with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to develop AnglerCatch with Harbor Light Software. The app works like a fishing log with photo capability while the data recorded provides state fish mangers with robust data to supplement NOAA fisheries data. The app also provides helpful information such as buoy weather, sea conditions, tides and lunar phases.”
The Tog Classic will be held Sunday, Oct. 9, with more than $30,000 in prizes and raffles. The tournament will run from sunrise to 2 p.m. with weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. and a party afterward at the Portuguese America Citizens Club at 35 Power St. in Portsmouth.
“We will be giving away a $650 tautog jigging rig at the party after," Vespe said. "Download the AnglerCatch application on your smartphone and enter a tournament fish and submit it during the tournament using AnglerCatch. Bring your phone to the After Party, and show your download to an AnglerCatch staff person to get a raffle ticket for the tautog rig.”
Register for the Tautog Classic at ritogclassic.com and for information and to download AnglerCatch, visit anglercatchapp.com.
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“We still have a lot of bait all over Narragansett Bay so the striped bass, bluefish and false albacore are all over the place, too," said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle in Providence. "So you have to look for them. From shore, anglers are doing well with albies at Pier 5, Narragansett. We had reports of a school of bonito feeding early morning off Colt State Park, Bristol, this week.”
Jonathan Woodman of Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly reported: “We have an outstanding striped bass bite on reefs off Westerly and this week a customer caught a 52-inch fish at Watch Hill Light using a bucktail jig. The breachways have been producing slot fish on the outgoing tide with false albacore being caught from shore with the advantage going to boat anglers who are able to chase these fish. This year, albies are feeding on the variety of bait, including peanut bunker, small squid, silversides and some bay anchovies. In past years, they have focused on bay anchovies. We had some customers catching them on top water, which is unheard of.”
"East End" Eddie Doherty, expert Cape Cod Canal angler and author, said: "The canal is still producing large bluefish, slots and bigger with one enormous striped bass measuring well over 50 inches. Tony McCann from Easton caught some blues and a bass above slot on an Al Gags green mack Whip-it at slack tide. "Pistol" Pete Freitas of Dartmouth reeled in a couple of nice slots on one of his own custom made 50# pencils in the west end. Breaking stripers, peanut bunker and birds caused chaos on the surface as they rode the east tide at first light from Bell Road to Pole 260. Several fish over 20 pounds were caught.”
“The scup bite has been consistently good,” Henault said. Scup fishing is generally good in areas with structure and water movement, i.e., ledges, bridge abutments, jetties, etc. “The fluke bite has been off with anglers working hard to catch keeper black sea bass with good-size scup still abundant,” Woodman said.
Tautog fishing continues to pick up as the water cools with fish still being caught in shallow water. “We have had customers catch some nice fish off the jetties in the 19-inch to 20-inch range, but we still have not had a consistent bite," Woodman said. “Keeper tautog have been caught all the way up to India Point Park, Providence, with the best bite in shallow water now," Henault reported.
“Customers are keying on largemouth bass and pike with trout fishing still taking a back seat until fall stockings are completed," Henault said.
Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business that focuses on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy and fisheries-related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net or visit noflukefishing.com.