September 2021
Been a long time coming, but it’s safe to say that the Tuna have returned! Past 4 years the action has been steadily picking up, granted they’re not stacked up at the Butterfish Hole, CIA, or 6 & 8 like years ago, but South of Block Island and if you look around the first finger, you could have a pleasant surprise! Further offshore, from 50 fathoms out to the Canyon the action has almost been like years ago. The Longfin Albacore, which years ago, we referred to them as the ‘Bluefish” of the Canyon, have been scarce up until now. Where did they go? Were the foreign longliners far offshore decimating them before they got to us? Was it a migratory cycle? Who knows. What I do know is that it’s great to have them back! These hard fighting, great eating, white meat tuna are a blast on light tackle. Great for canning too, I might add.
Most of the action has been around the west Atlantis edge. Always keep an eye on your water temperature gauge, a couple degree break along with some slicks, Petrols and Shearwaters could signify Tunas are nearby. Trolling spreader bars, Rigged Ballyhoo, jigging, all work well producing fish. Along with the Tuna you can encounter Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Wahoo, Dolphin (Mahi), even Tilefish on the bottom for a change of pace!
Inshore fishing hasn’t been too bad either. The Black Sea Bass are pretty much everywhere and have been Big! The trick this time of year is to find a spot that hasn’t been “mowed over” by party boats and other boats! LOL! With the warmer water temperature the fish tend to move to deeper water. SW Ledge, Westgrounds, areas around Block Island all producing nice catches. High low rigs, Diamond jigging, squid and clams all will get the job done.
Tide and wind will dictate your drift, so don’t get impatient if they don’t bite instantly. Sometimes you have to move around and set your drift up to make the pass that will provide the best presentation.
Fluking? Now what about that? This season started out slow, then there was some good action down the beach, then they shut off. It’s been a cat and mouse chase all season long. The first impression is that there isn’t a lot of Fluke around, not true. These cagey Flatties are constantly on the move following the bait. Now figuring out where they went is the key. The deeper water has been a little more consistent. Cartwright, Rocky Hill, outer frisby, hold fish regularly. Conditions govern everything. Wind against tide never works, too much tide and wind never works. If the conditions are not suitable for the area you’re in, go somewhere else or fish a different species. Point being made is this, if you have a good drift where you’re at and you have no results, move to another area. Keep bouncing around till you find them, because they are not gone, just moved!!
Thank y’all for your thoughts, prayers, and support as I fight the fight I’m going to win. I’m blessed to live where I live. I’ll be seeing everyone on the rip next season!
~ Tight Lines, Captain Skip
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