SPORTS

Vespe to head Saltwater Anglers

Posted 10/27/21

Greg Vespe of Tiverton, Rhode Island has been appointed executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) by the board of directors. He replaces Steve Medeiros who passed away suddenly on Sept. 12, 2021. RISAA represents over

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SPORTS

Vespe to head Saltwater Anglers

Posted

Greg Vespe of Tiverton, Rhode Island has been appointed executive director of the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) by the board of directors. He replaces Steve Medeiros who passed away suddenly on Sept. 12, 2021.

RISAA represents over 7,500 recreational anglers and 28 affiliate clubs in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Vespe is a long time fisherman and RISAA member who chaired the Education Committee, responsible for the organization’s monthly seminars. He served in the US Navy prior to holding the general management position for RI Rehab and most recently worked for the VNS of Newport and Bristol County. He will start his new position at RISAA on Nov. 15, 2021.

Rich Hittinger, acting RISAA board president, said, “We are very happy to have selected Greg for the job. Through our discussions it is obvious he has a great love for this organization and he will help lead RISAA to become even a greater force to benefit recreational fishing interests in Southern New England."

Greg Vespe said, “No doubt this is a life changing time for me. To be able to serve RISAA and the recreational fishing community as executive director is a chance of a lifetime. Rhode Island has such an extraordinary saltwater fishery and this opportunity to share my passion with RISAA members and the community at large is something I can’t wat to get started on. Steve Medeiros left such a legacy and his passing saddened us all. I know he would be heartened by seeing how hard the board and its members have all worked to keep the ship righted and to continue on with his work and vision. I pledge to serve the best I can in his footsteps continuing to take the Association to great heights.”

Hittinger said, “Greg Vespe, the Rhode Saltwater Anglers Association was always delighted to have you as an active board member, and now, we look forward to working with you as our new Executive Director.”

Underwater tautog fishing video

Angler Eric Duda of Tiverton is a very good fisherman. He out fishes most with precision, always with the highest regard for the fishery resource.

This weekend he fished in 25 feet of water in the Sakonnet River for tautog. He caught his limit and then settled down to another pastime of his, underwater photography, capturing what goes on at the bottom once you lower your bait.

Duda said, “We lowered the camera and shot a video titled “Video of Tog Fishing” which is now posted on YouTube at https://youtu.be/00jpU4zg6GM. Amazing how many scup attack the bait even on the way down! No wonder why we lose our bait so quickly. The video includes a segment on caching and reeling up a 17-inch tautog.”

 

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass, bluefish and false albacore.

Striped bass fishing has been good along the coastal shore. Pattie Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said, “We had a good striped bass bite off Pt. Judith this weekend.” John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle, Riverside, said, “We had some decent size school bass to 24-inch in the Warren River near the old American Tourister plant. Squid was working well for anglers as we have a lot of it in the water. The best bass bite seems to be right around 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.” Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box in Warwick said, “We have not seen as much bluefish as in past weeks but the striped bass are in the upper and mid Bay. One of our customers caught a 32-inch striped bass on a clam worm at the Rocky Point Dock in Warwick last Saturday. Other customers are live lining Atlantic menhaden or using it chunked up with success. There are bass schooling in the Bay pushing bait up on grassy areas, in Pawtuxet Cove, Warwick” “There are bass scattered throughout Narragansett Bay but there is so much bait around they are difficult to catch. However, the bite has been good off southern coastal breachways. There are a few false albacore and bonito around too but not heavy concentrations of them,” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence

Tautog fishing

continues to be very good. Anglers in the Bay and off Jamestown and Newport are doing well. This weekend we limited out with ten fish per boat a couple of times when fishing recreationally off Newport. Allan Peters on the RISAA blog said, “Fished General Rock with my brother Saturday. Only two other boats there. One anchor drop and on the fish from high to low tide then left for home. Many fish over 5 pounds.”  Pattie Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle said, “Customers are catching their limit of tautog off Newport, this weekend was pretty good.” Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “The tautog bite is excellent in the lower Bay off Newport, Jamestown and Pt. Judith.  Tautog are being caught on rock piles in the upper Bay too.” Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box said “Customers are catching tautog at Rocky Point and doing pretty good.”  “Tautog fishing out in front of Newport is on fire. Customers are reaching their limit there with a lot fewer shorts mixed in. The bite in the Bay at such places like Rocky Point, Connecticut, Sabin’s Pont and Colt State Park is good for tautog too. We had a customer catch a 23-inch, 5.5-pound tautog at Kettle Point, East Providence this week. However there are a lot of shorts mixed in. The ratio is at about 7 short to 1 keeper tautog,” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle.

Squid

fishing was very good at Newport, the Goat Island Causeway and FT Adams area said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. “The squid bite is on and off depending on the day but places yielding squid for customers include the Sakonnet River, Newport and Jamestown,” said Dave Henault of Ocen State Tackle.

Freshwater fishing

has been fair. “High winds this week kept angler off the water a bit.” said John Littlefield of Archie’s Bait & Tackle. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle said, “Customers are using Power Baits to catch trout at stocked ponds, like Only Pond at Lincoln Woods.”  “The freshwater bass bite has been good for anglers with both natural baits like shiners and top water lures both working for anglers,” said Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box.

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 focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verison.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.

No fluke, fishing, sports

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