The Rhode Island Kayak Bassin’ tournament season has wrapped up for 2018. Administrators Matt Tetreault and RJ Alves successfully created a few months of fun for freshwater fishermen, taking anglers to some of this state’s most beautiful water bodies and reminding us how much fun largemouth bass fishing can be.
Saltwater fishermen tend to get most of the media attention when the water is warm but the sweet water group is just as dedicated, passionate and important to the economy as the other.
The idea of competitive freshwater fishing certainly isn’t new here but it exists almost as a subculture, very much under the radar. Some fall under state, regional or national umbrellas and therefore use their rules; others are more about fishing for fun with some friendly competition to keep things interesting. The Southern RI Bass Anglers, a small group unaffiliated with any larger groups, fishes nine lakes per season.
Understanding that August air and water temperatures are both uncomfortably hot, five tourneys are nighttime events. This change increases the challenge and adds a dose of mystery to a pond, especially if they’ve no fishing history there.
The juxtaposition of fresh and saltwater fishermen is pretty extreme for the summer months. Some guys are cruising rock piles along Block Island’s south side, where giant, possibly record breaking stripers lurk in murky shadows of massive boulders pushed down from Maine, while over on Johnson’s Pond, a few guys in a canoe are working lily pads or maple branch shadows with frog imitations for five pound largemouth on four pound test.
How fantastic is that?
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Three ducks, two brothers, one seriously good day
An early and short waterfowl hunting season was a big success.
Dalton and Justin Leonhardt set up early in their Louisiana special Go Devil aluminum boat on the back side of Worden Pond. The brothers knew there would be competition with only a four day opening followed by a wait of month to wing shoot again so they laid out a ton of decoys and settled into one of the coolest looking hunting boats ever.
She’s a Go Devil!
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