The Fish Wrap Writer Blog
For more than 20 years, we have been learning from and writing about outdoorsmen and women who fish, hunt, hike, pause, and sometimes just look around. Fish Wrap has been published over 480 times. Here you will find articles, interviews, reports, laughs, a few stretched truths (that’s true), and an unfortunate number of obituaries from good folks we have lost.
Please search, enjoy, and let me know if you know someone who we should meet.
Important chit-chat from Bill Beaudry, you must be this tall and cocky pheasants.
Funny how some fishermen will strike up a conversation when you walk up to a dock or boat ramp while others will look away. Just two minutes of chat, kicking small stones and staring out at rippled waters from a sandy shoreline can prepare you for your next few...
howard reed has had enough and that’s a damned shame
A new Penn Spinfisher V spinning reel lists for about $180 at a tackle store but Amazon will send you one for $130, no tax, free shipping. You’d be a fool to pass up that offer, right? “Are you going to get Amazon to spool that for you?” asked Howard Reed at...
size matters, a superior barrister and another lost soul
Some fishermen are stealing fish, other fishermen are waving their arms...
Time and tide wait for, wait for it…
Right away we know this cat can fish.
We see thick swipes of silver stripers
“Maybe third time’s the charm, right pal?”
Should have taken chicken out of the freezer.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Bass
Andrew Lavoie is nine, all smiles and talent. He's a fisherman, golfer and brother. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mr. Bass.
Emergency Beer Before Sunrise
South County beaches, rock piles and sea walls, all of Narragansett Bay are all packed with an unusual abundance of bait like bay anchovies, peanut bunker, sand eels and baby squid, which have brought in predatory bass, bonito and blues.
let’s talk priorities, the Constitution and river herring then say goodbye to Joe Martins
Quick question, when you visit the shoreline, be it fresh or saltwater, what’s your priority? Chances are you want to park your vehicle, then fish, swim, paddle, explore or maybe just lean back with a cold one and practice some kayak lethargy and that’s all good....
a little hand in hand at a bass tourney
This year we have been blessed with so many bluebird mornings and sunny days with fish of many species all around us. It’s only natural that being the Ocean State, surely most of our focus is on fishing the ocean. There are charter boats to hire, trips around Block...
mackerel, anchovies, largemouth and sharks. pretty much covers it…
Stripers big and small have been patrolling Narragansett Town Beach at night. Just about just after sunset, when the second shift of beach-goers file in, singles couples and families have been taking over the shoreline. It’s pretty cool to see Dad’s and Mom’s with...
standing at the EEZ on my striper soapbox
RIDEM Law Enforcement gave a presentation to the July Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers meeting and after a slide show with some straight-eighties Kenny Loggins guitar, Lt. Joe Poccia walked members through the history, mission and daily demands of their Environmental...
there are sooooo many fish around…
Narragansett, Block Island, Newport, Jamestown, Watch Hill. Summer flounder, striped bass, scup, sea bass, bluefish, tuna, sharks. Eels, pogies, live-lined scup, big fat white Danny’s, maybe even a chewed up, pockmarked Atom popper you bought Lord-knows-when: you...
Joe Tex is the man…
When you get to be a man of a certain age, you likely will have accumulated enough fishing gear to supply a small tackle store. The same may be true for women but I’ve been married far too long to make any further speculations about the fairer sex. Getting a chance...
dads, harpoons, sharks and the Mayor of Charlestown
Striped bass, fluke, tuna and shark fishing are all getting better, much better. Along South West Ledge and the island’s south side, the bite continues to improve with plenty of bait to be found. Sand eels have been seen along the Narragansett shoreline with lots...
the dogfish says of summer. sorry, couldn’t resist…
Striped bass fishing has improved, a bit, there are some bluefish, dogfish and scup around but fishing for fluke seems to be steady. Guys casting from shore for stripers are reporting low numbers, few big bass and still some fish feeding in the salt ponds. These...
so i left my wife to go fishing with my son…
Recently, a local fisherman was jigging Gulp teasers with green jigs around the Jamestown Verrazano Bridge in fairly shallow waters. Carrying neither a camera nor a working scale, he reportedly landed an approximately fifteen pound, 33 5/8” summer flounder. An old...
sea bass, some reg-ular talk and jellys. cool.
Much to the relief of recreational fishermen, the black sea bass fishery opens on July 2. Fishermen have been reporting strong numbers of them since mid-spring, although many have been juveniles, below the fourteen inch minimum. They are part of the grouper family...
More on BI, Sol adds some news and largemouth bass in Worden Pond
Great clouds of sand eels continue to envelop Block Island’s west side. There is talk of bonito off Sakonnet Point, muskies in New Bedford, big fluke off of Jamestown and keeper stripers atop Hope Island. This week starts fishing at its best, we hope, and maybe...
A look at Block Island, not Block!
Over on Block Island, the fishing seems to be mirroring the mainland action: good but not great. With the exceptional exceptions of a few big bass being taken in the Narragansett area, shore fishing seems a bit slow. Again. Didn’t we just go through this last...
enforcing the law with courtesy and patience
From federal level hearings to local fishing club outings, there is a growing recognition that we the people need more enforcement of laws protecting our natural resources. There are more of us than ever on the water and in the woods and not all play by the rules....
giving you an update and the squid eye…
Striped bass of all sizes have moved into local waters. Many seem to be holding up high in Narragansett Bay near the mouth of the Providence River and around the islands. This time of year classics like Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows, white or pearl Zoom Fluke’s and...