2021 Rhode Island Squidding

[Reel Time]

I haven't been out yet, but I've heard Pt Judith is producing with limited catches in Stonington Harbor.  Does anyone have any first-hand intel, or just hearsay like me?  I'm headed out Friday, weather pending, and will report back.  We'll probably start at Misquamicut and head to Judith if it's slow.

[alaskanaturally]

I haven't been out yet, but I've heard Pt Judith is producing with limited catches in Stonington Harbor.  Does anyone have any first-hand intel, or just hearsay like me?  I'm headed out Friday, weather pending, and will report back.  We'll probably start at Misquamicut and head to Judith if it's slow.

Hi Reel Time, We're heading up to GIB on Sunday. Was thinking of stopping in Stonnington and/or Galilee for a night or two. Do you happen to have any current info on those areas? Any help would appreciated.

[Reel Time]

I don't have any current info short of the moon phase. I think the new moon is the 10th, so it should be moving pretty good on Sunday.

[alaskanaturally]

I don't have any current info short of the moon phase. I think the new moon is the 10th, so it should be moving pretty good on Sunday.

Thanks Reel Time. we'll post how we did.

[ejburbank]

Went to GI Friday night. Pretty slow. A couple of runs that did not last long. Wound up with three.

[Matsquidman]

Three or four boats squiding under Newport Bridge Friday night  One reported very few squid showing up on fishfinder. Caught a couple and didn’t see any other boats catching. 

 

[Reel Time]

We didn't make it out last weekend.  I hope to have a report next Monday, assuming it's not blowing 15-20 knots on Friday/Saturday night.  The cockpit's all treated with Woody Wax waiting for some fresh ink!

[RhodeIslandSportfishing]

Fished Friday night out of Pt Judith on my Silverhawk.

Action was great / steady for the night. Some flurries but steady for the most part.


https://youtu.be/Gqr4o5pLI_I

[angler]

Really disappointing so far as GIB goes.

Anyone tried Sakonnet River?

[lasker31]

Wednesday Night at Stonington Borough from 8-11. Me and my two friends caught 1. The guy to our left caught 2. The guy to our right caught a dozen. All small to medium size. The guy to our right was using a white light (we used a green led) and he fished a high/low sabiki rig with a 1 ounce weight (?) off the bottom. One other group of 3 there might have been doing similar to the guy to our right but I'm not sure as they were practicing black ops. I know they caught more than us. We did see some schools swim by all in the small to medium size.

[lasker31]

Friday night Stonington Borough. 8:30-10:30 I caught two large and my friend caught 5 medium. Lots more swimming by than Wednesday night but very finicky.

[Squidder Al]

Was on the frances fleet boat Friday night and caught about 25 pounds. Lots of big tubes over 18 inches long using yo zuri 3.5 orange and pink was got

[Squidder Al]

Hot

[Matsquidman]

25 lbs is a great trip!!  I read a report that said the big tubes had moved out! I guess not from your report Al and from the BIG tubes I caught yesterday. 

[alaskanaturally]

                                              Update 210516


Pulling into the small parking area at The Goat Island Bridge, Newport, RI, also affectionally know as GIB, only one other vehicle was observed. When the squid are running, curb parking is completely filled with a number of autos and pickups waiting to park as soon as another leaves. “Think we made a mistake,” Martin says to Ruta. “Probably too early.”


Ruta, the eternal optimist responds, “The trip is already a success. We got out of the house and just drove 500 miles to one of our favorite places.” Martin had to admit that it certainly was better than our self imposed quarantine due to the pandemic. Sure nice to be out on the road again.


Our initial concern was proven incorrect. By 3:00 PM the parking area was almost filled to capacity. And the usual tumult of squidding began: coming and going, yelling fish stories at each other in 10 different  languages, rigging up thier rods and walking from place to place.


The previous evening and morning were spent at Stonington, Ct. Squid were actually caught: seven during the windy, rainy evening and 13 in the beautiful sunny morning. For the most part during this entire trip, squidding was better for us during daylight than after dark. Of the seven caught in the evening five were taken before dark and all 13 of the morning cephalopods during daylight. This also proved true for the time spent at GIB.


After a quick stop and a few casts at Galilee to determine whether the critters were in the harbor, the short ride to the GIB was taken. Since Ruta has a twisted knee and Martin a bad back, the folding chairs were pulled out of the camper and set up right next to the seawall. Fishing from a seated position, aka “old fart fishing,” was the order of the day.


During our three days at the bridge, a number of old friends were encountered as well as new ones made. Everyone was as happy as we were to be out squidding again. Again, while the squidding was wonderful, the catching was slow but adequate. A total of 70 cephalopods were pulled up out of the waters of Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay. Plenty for us but in the past trips like this would yield between 100-150 or more. The majority of the time the weather was sunny though quite windy. And the view of the sunset over the Newport Bridge was amazing.


An interesting observation: since we are fully vaccinated and most of our time was spent outside, we only wore our face coverings when entering a rest area building. However, at the GIB and in Stonington, the majority of the Asian Americans we encountered wore face coverings even outside. Perhaps a difference in cultural customs.  


In reality, our catch was better than most encountered. It was quite windy and therefore difficult to reach the bottom. Figured out that using Yamasita 2.2Ds solved that problem. We also squid with a single jig without a weight. The idea is that offering appears more natural. Just our way of doing it. Others have different methods that work for them.


Oh yes! Another indication of the approach to normal, was the traffic on the return trip. All was well, until Rte 295 near Philadelphia in southern NJ. Then from that point through the northern half of Delaware, it was one tie-up after another. Hey! We’re not complaining. Just observing. Maybe because it was Friday afternoon and lots of folks were heading to the beach.


While at the GIB, our traditional breakfast of squid and eggs was enjoyed as celebration of the new squidding season. Our first dinner at home was baked Catalonian stuffed squid. Sure nice to be back in action.


 

[Gilligan]

You folks fish my style, one jig, changing size, colors, and weights with conditions. Are you using a tiny snap (no swivel) at the end of your line? I always do, started doing it just to make it easier to change jigs rather than trying to see four pound flouro in dim light. Then I was outcatching my buddy with identical jigs, line, and similar rods except he was tying the jig on. He now uses the tiny snap too. But if one watches the Yamashita squidding videos they always use a tiny snap, I believe it gives better action to the jig than tying it on. It may not matter much if using the big 4" YoZuris, but it seems to make a difference with the smaller jigs. Very happy to hear you have learned well and are outcatching many others like pros.

[RhodeIslandSportfishing]

I was out Friday night, out of Pt Judith.

Got into some monsters. Here is one. Im 6 ft 235 lbs size xxl glove for reference.

[alaskanaturally]

hing like this.


jigs rather than trying to see four pound flouro in dim light. Then I was outcatching my buddy with identical jigs, line, and similar rods except he was tying the jig on. He now uses the tiny snap too. But if one watches the Yamashita squidding videos they always use a tiny snap, I believe it gives better action to the jig than tying it on. It may not matter much if using the big 4" YoZuris, but it seems to make a difference with the smaller jigs. Very happy to hear you have learned well and are outcatching many others like pros.



Yes, we do use a snap. Something like this.

[Matsquidman]

Alaskanaturally, Your corner was hot the last two nights. 

[Matsquidman]

Many people left too early and were disappointed. They where in pretty heavy around 9:30 -10:30.   There were a few at sunset.