First Day Fishing

Friday May 17 was the first day this year I casted my lure out into the ocean.

I drove down to my grandparents beach house in Quonochontaug, Rhode Island along with my cousin Jake.  As soon as we got there my grandfather said "let's go".  So we got the rods and reels out along with the several bags filled with lures, lines, pliers and countless other fishing accessories which could be needed out on the breachway.  We walked a short distance down to the breachway where two other men were already casting and catching stripers!  We quickly set down our bags and cast into the breachway.

On my first cast of the year I caught a small striped bass!  The tide was going out so I had casted slightly right so the lure would go with the tide and once I had reeled the lure about half way across the breachway the fish hit the lure!  I immediately set the hook in the fishes mouth with a quick jerk of the rod and proceeded to easily reel the fish up onto the rocks we were fishing off of.  Even though the fish was small I was ecstatic and thought to myself wow this is going to be a great day.  Below are pictures of myself holding the fish as well as the lure I caught it on.  This lure is called a Bubble Gum Ron-Z.  The tequnique of reeeling this lure is to reel it in at a moderate pace with a constant jig every time the reel spins around.  This means that I would reel in the lure and then jerk the entire rod each time I reeled around once to simulate a real bait fish in the water.

After that first catch we continued to fish off of the breachway for a couple more hours only catching two more fish!  I caught one more and my grandfather caught one.  Jake got skunked! Even though there were not too many fish caught it was still an excellent day out on the breach way and a great way to start off my fishing this year.

Below is a picture of the second fish that I caught with a different lure.  This lure is reeled in a similar manner and jigging is definitely a key aspect of fishing with this lure.  As you can see I am holding this fish from the bottom of its mouth.  When holding a striped bass this is the safest way for you and the fish.  One does not want to hold the fish from its gills as they are easily damaged and when letting the fish go the fish could become injured.  Furthermore, stripers do not have teeth that are going to bite down on your fingers so your fingers will stay safe!

Below we also have a picture of expert fisherman Stephen Jordan.  He is holding a small striper which was one of only three caught this day. 

Here is also a picture of my cousin Jake as well with perfect form casting from the breachway.  A true rookie of a fisherman he is learning the trade well and knows exactly how to pose for the camera.