We could see a banner October for Barrington and Bristol blues!
Have you gotten the East Bay blues in recent years? And no, were not talking about our feelings here, nor are we talking about our favorite songs either. What I’m referring to are those yellow-eyed demons that typically arrive inside Narragansett Bay as we transition to October.
As I sit here writing this, I can’t help but think back to the wild blitzes of the late 1990s and early-2000s, fishing places like Barrington State Beach and Colt State Park, we’d be standing shoulder-to-shoulder casting plugs into water that was full of hungry fish. It seemed like a daily occurrence that an all-out blitz would erupt and things would quickly descend into full on mayhem, plugs flying from every direction, lines crossing, reels screaming…wild times for sure.
It’s hard to figure out where those schools fish went. We can only speculate about why they stopped showing up to eat the peanut bunker that are so plentiful along the beaches of the East Bay. But more recent years have shown some signs that these gators may be returning to the bay, so chase your blues away and let’s prepare for what is hopefully to come over the next couple of weeks.
Shore-Bound Blues
Let’s start off with the shoreline spots where these bluefish blitzes have a history of popping up. The most decorated of the local hotspots is Barrington Beach, where hundreds of all-out blitzes have exploded over the past several decades. The beach, which stretches out between Rumstick Point and Nyatt Point, features a horseshoe shape and shallow sandy flats, which makes it a perfect place for a school of blues to trap bait, and the blitzes can go on for hours. A good south or southwest wind pushes a ton of water and bait into this cove and, that’s when things get wild.
| EAST BAY RAMPS |
| Here are the closest public ramps that will get you in on the action from boat or kayak.
Bristol: Independence Park: At the foot of Church St., concrete ramp, ample parking. Warren: Warren Town Ramp: Intersection of Wheaton and Water St., concrete ramp, limited parking. Swansea (MA): Cole River Ramp: At the end of Ocean Grove Ave., concrete/gravel ramp, ample parking, $5 fee. |
Moving across the Warren River, we have the Bristol Highlands and Colt State Park. Here the bottom has more of a rock foundation and there are many eddies and ledges where blues can ambush or where baitfish can try to hide. The action can fire up anywhere from Bristol Town Beach to the southern limit of the park, one area that always seems to have some action is the Mill Gut outlet, a popular starting point for anglers fishing the area for blues or striped bass, a dropping tide always seems to have baitfish spilling out from under the bridge in the fall.
On the opposite side of Popasquash Point is Bristol Harbor, this is the site of the largest and longest bluefish blitz I have ever seen, it went on for more than four hours! And I will never forget how my arms felt that amazing October day. Access in Bristol Harbor is easy on the eastern shore, with ample parking at Independence Park and a boardwalk that traces much of the shoreline heading south from there and the bike path covers the shoreline heading north. On the western shore, your only option is really the sea wall along Popasquash Road, but it’s always worth a look.
Blues By Boat
Of course, it’s a little easier for those fishing from boats. You can cover all the spots mentioned for shore anglers, as well as covering all the private shorelines, of which there are many, and you have the luxury of investigating any offshore blitzes that may be given away by flocks of birds. In addition to blues, you may find schools of blitzing bass and even albies are a possibility, so make sure you’re prepared for anything and everything!
For starters, the entirety of Popasquash Point is at your disposal, most of which is off-limits to shore fishermen, and the area is very often loaded with bait. Covering the water between Popasquash Point and Hog Island is also a good place to find roving schools of hungry blues. Heading across to the Mt. Hope Bridge, you’ll find another area where bluefish blitzes have a long history; the area from Roger Williams College, up into Church Cove. With a south wind, massive schools of bait can become trapped in the cove. Best of all, there are many free state-owned ramps in the area that offer easy access to the entire East Bay (see sidebar).
Best Baits For Blues
I doubt anyone will argue when I say that bluefish are typically not very picky when it comes to what lures to use. When they’re in blitz mode, we used to say we, ‘could throw a broom handle with a hook on it out there and catch fish.’ Personally, I like topwater plugs for bluefish. I switch the hooks out for inline singles, such as the BKK Lone Diablo, this is easier on the fish and much easier for removal (with a reduced likelihood of injuring yourself, too). One thing I would strongly recommend is having at least a few topwaters that cast a long way so you can reach distant schools. I typically stick with simple plastic lures like the Roberts Ranger or Surface Tension, Super Strike Poppers and Cotton Cordell Pencil Poppers, but you can throw your more expensive woods if you want to, just know those teeth will take a toll.
If topwater isn’t your thing, big metal lures are a great second choice. The Kastmaster is a true classic, along with the Hopkins Lure. You can get as fancy as you want with higher-end lures, but these are proven workhorses and they hold up well to the unforgiving mouths of these gators. You can also use epoxy jigs, my preference here would be the Exo Jigs made by Game On! Lures, these things can take a beating. I always choose shiny, chrome colors and have found that a fast and steady retrieve usually sparks the bite. Bucktails are a good, single-hook choice when the fish are in close that facilitates quick releases, especially if you crush the barb. Any soft plastic jig will also work, but that will get expensive quick.
The Process
| BLUES BY NUMBERS |
Hotspots Listed in this article…
Map courtesy of Capt. Segull’s Nautical Sportfishing Charts |
It’s tough to try and pattern bluefish, they truly have a mind of their own, but there are few things that stand out as good starting points. Barrington Beach has a history of producing some great action at daybreak, the parking is free after Labor Day and the lots are open at 5:30 a.m. A good set of binoculars is key, so that you can look down the shoreline and out deeper for flocks of birds working over fish. When the fishing is good, we’ve often extended the action by walking down to the shoreline to Rumstick Point. These same routines can be used at Colt State Park and Independence Park. If you have a bike rigged for fishing, you can utilize the East Bay Bike Path to access waters you can’t easily get to any other way.
For boaters, the method is no different than any other fall run fishing trip; get out there a-ways and look for birds or fleets of boats and make a run to the first action you see. It will pay off to use the wind to your advantage, checking coves, rips and points that are more likely to capture schools of bait based on the prevailing wind. Your best bet is to check the wind before you pick a ramp and then use a map to try and make an educated guess about where the fish are most likely to show up.
Of course, we can never predict where or where the bluefish will pop up for their next feeding frenzy. But we can look at trends and call upon the past to tell us when things are looking good for a strong run. So far this year, we’ve seen decent numbers of large blues, especially in waters north and east of Rhode Island, which gives us a lot to look forward to as they fish migrate through the area. The other thing we have going for us is the sheer amount of bait in the bay this year, from peanuts to mullet…let’s just say it’s trending to be a big year for blues in the East Bay. I’m going to be there, will you?
