With the bonito are "Little Tunny" or False Albacore, as they are sometimes called. Slightly larger and a bit more powerful than bonito, they are less selective and leader shy when it comes to taking a fly. Best bets for them in Rhode Island are Hazard Avenue in Narragansett, the East and West Walls at Point Judith, and the Weekapaug Breachway in Westerly.
Also arriving from the ocean are "shearwaters," ocean going birds who visit this time of year during their migration. They too arrive when the water is the warmest. Slightly smaller than herring gulls, they can be seen in small flocks, often sitting on the water to feed. While floating about you will see them dipping their heads into the water to feed on a school of bait just below the surface. When airborne they normally fly close to the water, first gliding then flapping their wings, then gliding again. The shearwaters are also active at night and can be seen feeding at the Coast Guard House Restaurant in Narragansett, where the birds use the light cast upon the water to good advantage. Birds feeding at night are a rare sight.
During September, bluefish can be found just about everywhere. "Here one day, gone the next" is a fitting description of their feeding habits at this time of year. Nevertheless, bluefish exhibit a phenomenal growth rate during this time of year. Toward the end of the month the "skipjacks" or "snapper blues" will leave our waters; some a foot long when they depart. Should snappers appear when you are fishing, driving and shredding a large school of bait before them then suddenly disappearing, be prepared. Continue to cast, and work your fly slowly and as close to the bottom as possible. You may just hook into your biggest bass of the year (or your lifetime for that matter).
As September proceeds, striped bass fishing will steadily improve, especially after the water temperatures start to decline. Bass will begin to congregate in larger schools, readying themselves for the start of their fall migration. The places you fished along the shore this year will continue to produce; the techniques you used will continue to work for you, although one major change should be made to your presentation. During the past few months much of the bait fish in our waters will have grown in size: silversides of five to six inches, mullet of four to five inches, small menhaden of six to eight inches, and squid of eight inches or more will now be present. Only the bait spawned this year will be several inches long; although they will probably comprise the largest schools. This means the size of the flies you use should be adjusted accordingly to larger offerings.
September offers the fly fisher a wide variety of opportunities to test his skills. Striped bass, bluefish, bonito, hickory shad, mackerel, and even trout await him. With all the change and activity that September offers it also sends us a signal of things to come. In the valleys and lowlands along inland roads in southern New England, swamp maple trees begin to change color early in the month. By the end of the third week, many will display the red, yellow and gold brilliance of fall. The trees send a signal: the best fishing of the year will soon be here.
| Previous | Features | Reel-Talk | Home |
|---|
Copyright 1995 Reel-Time