2019 Rhode Island Squid Report

[Hobodave45]

I will! My best friend and son will be with me. I remember chatting with you last year so will definitely see you.

[alaskanaturally]

Did pretty good today. 52 mixed sizes.

[alaskanaturally]

Can't believe how inconsiderate some people are. While casting on the basin at the GIB a lobsterman comes in and lays two strings of pots down just where our jigs would hit the water. That jerk had the whole Bay to lobster. Why here? Perhaps he is in the jig business. Gave him a piece of my mind but that didn't change anything.

[Matsquidman]

Lost many jigs when they put those traps in that basin a few years ago. They don’t care!

[Gilligan]

 Lobstermen just trying to make a living, y'all are just sport fishing. It costs plenty in bait, time, and fuel, those guys wouldn't put those traps there if they didn't think they were going to have a good set. Just like those squidding there, all are there because the squid are. I am sure the lobster guys are there only because it is a good lobster spot also.

[Matsquidman]

True! No debate!! Just an opinion. By the way I’m not sport fishing. I’m squid fishing for fluke bait and am also a lobsterman.

[alaskanaturally]

Caught 15 in an hour this morning, mostly large.

[alaskanaturally]

We don't consider ourselves sport fishermen. We're subsistence fishing. Just as dependent on the resource as the lobsterman. Yes, he was within his rights but it was just a lack of common decency.

[Gilligan]

One can consider one's self anything. In the eyes of the law all of us who fish squid by rod and reel are sport fishermen unless we have a commercial squid license. We are all fishing with recreational (sport) licenses. I have even sold squid to fish markets on occasion (not legal anymore with out a commercial license) but that doesn't make me a commercial fisherman either, just a sports fisherman recovering a little of his tackle investment. I have worked on commercial boats and sport fished too, anyplace I go the commercial guys have right of way, they are feeding their families and courteous sport fishermen bow to them. Lobster, scup, sea bass traps and their bouys are always a pain to sport fishermen but they are necessary to the guys who make their living thusly and to those who eat their products. I do support your self sufficient way of life, but when you spend the money to go from VA to RI for a couple hundred squid it seems more like you like catching them which is sport, than just having something to eat which is subsistence. Even when we fish for the table it is still sport fishing by definition.

 Common decency?? Let me see, a guy needs to make his living. The lobsters are thick in a given area at a given time. These lobsters may head to deeper water as the water heats up. There are some folks who wish to jig some squid for food or bait in the same area. Why is the commercial guy being discourteous?? He is feeding many people, we are just feeding ourselves. When I was young I used to curse the boats going in and out a channel from a bay to the sea when they'd just come in full steam ahead with little regard to the guys on the shore with lines in the water. I had thought they were being discourteous. Once I worked on those boats I realized that currents are involved and many time boats need a good way on to steer in the current. Maybe you can get a family mess lobster permit and drop a trap or two in while in the area. My buddy does this on the Vineyard, just a couple family mess traps under the dock. Mighty good eating! (The old "if you can't lick 'em join 'em" theory!!)

 I hope you're having fun and catching them up good!!

[J'aimeSquid]

1. Subsistence fishing and enjoying the catch are not mutually exclusive.

2. Dropping your traps directly in front of other fishermen lacks common decency. Full stop.

[alaskanaturally]

GIB Report

 

We spent last week squidding at the GIB. Got 199 in all. Tuesday evening and Weds morning 58. Thursday morning and evening 20. Friday morn and evening 45. Saturday morning and evening  59 and Sunday morning 17. There were some very large squid mixed with some small and medium. The action was spotty. But we had a great time.  Thank everyone who fishes there regularly for the fine hospitality.

[alaskanaturally]

                                   A Bridge and the Culture of Squidding


Driving off Goat Island Rd. onto the small parking area, we are greeted with waves and nods. Stepping out of our truck a few walk by and say, “Oh you come back.” We had met many of these folks during previous trips.


We just drove almost 500 miles from Quinby, Va. to Newport, RI. Spent one night on the road at a Pilot truck stop near Stonington, Ct. Have done that a number of times before. This is probably at least our 10th trip to the area for a fishing excursion.


Goat IsIand Bridge is the span from the mainland part of Newport Rhode Island to Goat Island. It is probably the premier East Coast destination for those who enjoy shore fishing for these cephalopods. The bridge has a culture of its own. It is like the real America. Over the years we’ve met folks from just about every ethnic group that makes up our nation. These include but are not limited to: Portuguese, hispanics, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laotians, Chinese, Japanese, Jews, Italians, Melanesians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and many others that we cannot remember. It is a real mixture of Americans of many ethnic origins. Perhaps that’s one of the main reasons we enjoy our trips there.  


Having heard of a few incidents where folks disagreed about a parking space or something  like that, we have not had an experience like that. Our encounters have always been pleasant. We find folks very friendly and helpful.


The bridge we fish on leads to Goat Island which has a very expensive fancy hotel, convention center and high priced condominiums. To the right of the bridge is a flotilla of anchored high end sailboats, to the left is a marina with sailboats and yachts that put the high end sailboats to shame. And behind us is the Old Town. While Martin fishes, Ruta and Flounder take breaks to wander around the neighborhood which consists of very old historical houses, many of which date back to the 1700’s as noted by the plaques giving the historical name and date. Just the yearly upkeep on these structures probably costs more than our net worth. During these wanderings, in contrast to the mixed ethnic fishing community, Ruta and Flounder meet mostly middle class white folks, often walking their well-behaved dogs. It’s an interesting contrast and a confirmation of the tolerant attitude of the folks in this area. Although the close by residents don’t seem to spend any time fishing off the bridge they are accepting of those of us who do.     


During one of first visits to the bridge, we met Huan. He is a Vietnamese American and expert at squid catching. While fishing next to him, this fellow was catching about 10 squid to our one. Martin asked him what we were doing wrong. He looked over our rig and how we jigged and said, “You are all set.” From that moment on, we caught as much as he did. Guess we needed an expert’s validation.


Then there’s Dave, an Italian American and everyone’s friend. A retired Coasty like all other we have met with a Coast Guard background, he is just about the most pleasant person one could ever expect to encounter. He fishes the Bridge almost every night and writes to let us know how things are going. We always say that Dave doesn’t come to the bridge to fish but to socialize.


Oh then there’s Phillip. We coined him king squid. A Cambodian American who lives in Fall River, Ma as do most of the other Cambodians who frequent the bridge. We never observed anyone who could out squid him. He can lower his line, get one on and up off the hook and drop back down again before we can get our lines in the water the first time. King squid saw us struggling to catch squid and called us over for a coaching. He is so very helpful.


Matt is the most intense squidder we ever met. He casts his line in and from that point until the jig is extracted from the water, his total concentration is on what’s happening on his line. And he is very successful. Matt is a local boy brought up in this part of RI and has been doing this for a very long time. The greatest part of this is that not only is he friendly but also is willing to share his knowledge. We have learned a lot from him.


This is only a small sample of the folks we have met at the bridge. Fishing is so much more than catching fish. It is a chance to socialize with and get know folks and of different backgrounds and as such is very rewarding. All of our encounters have been pleasant and we hope to be able to make many more trips to the Goat aka. The Goat Island Bridge. And perhaps we'll learn Cambodian someday.

[Hobodave45]

My friend and I only got 8 Friday night in about 3 hours. The squid seemed to be a little lower than we could reach with any of our jigs. We experimented with with weights, but they made our jigs look unnatural. Still learning I guess. Next time.

[alaskanaturally]

Heard anything about squid in the harbor at Galilee? We'll be passing through next week.

[alaskanaturally]

Just in case anyone is interested. Stopped for an evening at GIB. Caught 3 🦑 in 3 hours. Around daybrake this morning got 8 hits in my first 8 casts. Caught 6. The last one was followed up by a cormorant. Just as I was lifting the seventh one out of the water, a striper, approx 25 inches grabbed it. That was that. No more bites. Well it was exciting anyway.

[alaskanaturally]

Not RI or Ma but thought you guys would like this. We had unbelievable squid action at Deep Cove, Nova Scotia this morning. A squid on almost every cast. In fact, Ruta,not content with one at a time caught two the same jig. The shore was divided ethnically. Us and Asian Canadians on the left Caucasian Canadians on the right who were catching as may mackerel as we caught squid. All had a great time.

[alaskanaturally]

Not RI or Ma but thought you guys would like this. We had unbelievable squid action at Deep Cove, Nova Scotia this morning. A squid on almost every cast. In fact, Ruta,not content with one at a time caught two the same jig. The shore was divided ethnically. Us and Asian Canadians on the left Caucasian Canadians on the right who were catching as may mackerel as we caught squid. All had a great time.

[Gilligan]

Now that's the kind of action I like!! What was the killer jig?? I always like it when I get two or even three on one jig.

[alaskanaturally]

Gilligan it was the white Yama 2.8. but it really didn't matter what you used. Heading south out of Canada after a great summer. Will make a few stops in New England. But probably too early.

[Gilligan]

The white/clear holographic Yama Naory 1.8B has consistently been one of my most productive jigs and has worked well for daytime squid in shallower waters (5-10'). A shame they are discontinued.