Jon Pickering holds a slot fish that was taken from shore.  These larger fish have been hanging around places that have schools of menhaden. The fish was released in good shape.  By now the striper fishing should be humming here in RI.  It's not.  In a few words to sum it up we are in the midst of a mediocre spring that has been very inconsisten...

I landed this hefty overslot last  evening in the Bay. Here's the scoop on the latest striper fishing.  It's been good but not great. The fish are now spread out along the oceanfront and throughout the Bay.  There are good numbers of all sizes.  Schoolies seem to dominate along the oceanfront while the Bay has some hefty slots and even over slots....

Surprise surprise! I landed my first bluefish of the year this evening along the oceanfront.  The fish about 6 lbs. hit a NLBN paddle tail that was intended for a striper.  This is very early for a blue along the oceanfront.  With everyone complaining that the water is so cold it was even more unusual for this blue to be around.  We'll find out i...

Got my first keeper of the year.  Yup it's early but they are around! This one fell for a Slug-go and hit right at dark.  And surprise it was caught in the Bay!

I landed decent numbers of schoolies that had lice on them tonight. The migration has arrived.  I landed one lone fish a scout about a week ago along the oceanfront.  In my mind the season kicks off when I can land more than one fish in an outing.  Well tonight that happened as I landed good numbers of schoolies that had lice on them a sure sign t...

It's the first one from the oceanfront for me this year. Expect good numbers of them in the coming week. I landed my first striper of the year from the oceanfront today a fish I would call a scout.  In striper fishing lingo a scout is one of the early arrivals that makes it's way ahead of the main body of fish.  I suspect this was a scout becaus...

They should be here within a couple of weeks!  A new season is almost here.  Within a couple of weeks migrating stripers will hit the oceanfront and that will commence the spring runs. Here is a timetable of what I think will happen based over 50 years of keeping fishing logs. Middle of April - First stripers of the season these fish that will hav...

Here's a big pickerel I jigged up through the ice a few weeks ago. It's been the best ice fishing year in over a decade! I'm sure many of you are sick of winter at this point and looking forward to spring.  But I just love winter and the snowier and colder the better.  I have really enjoyed this winter.  I did a lot of skiing.  It's not over yet...

The next big show where I will be doing carp and striper fishing seminars is the Springfield Sportsmen's Show. This big outdoor show will be held at the Big E in Springfield from Friday Feb. 21 to Sunday Feb. 23. This show has everything for the outdoor enthusiast.  It has freshwater fishing saltwater fishing hunting outfitters tackle shops. boa...

Ben Pickering holds a good size  largemouth that was landed on a small Kastmaster with an artificial maggot attached. We are on a roll with the ice fishing as my sons and I have been jigging multiple ponds in both MA and RI and catching. And the results have been the same with big numbers of crappie yellow perch bass and pickerel. We've also had s...

Here's a real prize that Jon jigged up.  I fished this weekend with my two youngest sons Ben and Jon. We went jigging through the ice something we used to do a lot when they were young. Back then we would hit the local ponds after school before supper.  They loved doing it then and still like to do it. As you know we have had very little ice the l...

I will be at the New England Fishing Expo this weekend (Feb. 1 and Feb. 2) doing a striper fishing seminar and a carp fishing seminar.  This big outdoor fishing show will take place at the Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center which is right off Rt. 495 in Marlborough MA. It is one of the largest fishing shows in New England and features a lot o...

My winter seminar adventures start at the New England Fishing Expo on the weekend of Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.  This big show will be held at the Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough MA which is right off Rt. 495. I've been doing this popular winter show for many years now.  It is one of the best pure fishing shows around. It's a mix of...

For years I had used a St. Croix Mojo Surf rod and I have a number of different models.  The Mojo rod was always rated a good buy for the money and a real solid rod.  My 10 1/2 footer was getting old and the reel seat was moving so I decided to change rods and purchase a replacement. With the Mojo out of production I decided to try a St. Croix Av...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my Loyal Readers. Enjoy the day with friends family and loved ones!

It was a very good year for Slot Stripers. These were our bright spot.  It's that time of year.  The season has ended and the teacher in me is about to grade the season. The catch word for the entire season has been inconsistent. I can't remember a season that has had so many ups and downs. The bait situation was also inconsistent with less peanut...

My season ended today.  I fished long and hard in a number of good late season locations and came up completely empty. In the last  four outings I've landed exactly one small schoolie and one hickory shad. There was a time not too long ago that I would catch good numbers of stripers even some bluefish from Thanksgiving to December 1. Not this yea...

As the sun sets on another striper season here in RI I want to wish all my loyal readers and their  families a Happy Thanksgiving. We live in a beautiful state with some great fishing!

Last week I hit some great fishing but the last two outings have been poor.  Things change fast at this time of year and what was around a week ago is often not around a few days later.  The last two days have produced exactly one schoolie and one hickory shad in a number of places fished.  There are also other signs that the fishing is nearing t...

Albie Snax rigged with BKK Titan Rider hook  I busted out of my November doldrums today in a big way.  I had good numbers of stripers along with my biggest fish of the last month.  I just knew this northeaster would produce because this type of weather was so good in the past at this time of year.  My big surprise of this rainy day was a 40+ inch...

Jon Pickering holds a slot fish that was taken from shore.  These larger fish have been hanging around places that have schools of menhaden. The fish was released in good shape.  By now the striper fishing should be humming here in RI.  It's not.  In a few words to sum it up we are in the midst of a mediocre spring that has been very inconsisten...