| The rip at Block Island's north end can be a very | | | | only work with a running tide and during overcast |
| productive fishing ground if you know when to | | | | or foggy days, when the fish can't get a good |
| fish it and what to use. I used to go there and | | | | look at the plug. They also work in the dim light of |
| catch very little to nothing, never really thinking of | | | | dawn, but it isn't very safe to be crossing over to |
| it as a productive place until I learned how to fish | | | | the island in the dark unless you are a very good |
| it. Even after all these years I am still learning how | | | | navigator and there is radar on the vessel. It isn't |
| to fish it. There are a variety of ways to fish the | | | | fun to end up on the bow of a barge as it is |
| rip, but in each case conditions that work best for | | | | being towed east or west by a big tugboat. |
| that type of fishing should be followed. Pay | | | | Topwaters are worked when near the rough |
| attention to the tide and time of day, and see if | | | | water, after you drift out of range you'll have to |
| you detect a pattern which repeats itself. This is | | | | go around for another pass. |
| how you'll become better at fishing any area. | | | | Another useful technique when drifting the Rip is |
| Trolling. I find that the best trolling occurs when | | | | diamond jigging. For this to be successful, you |
| the tide is incoming and you arrive around | | | | need to be in deeper water usually near the outer |
| 6:30-7:00am with the tide coming in for about an | | | | rise of the sandbar where it comes up to 48 feet |
| hour already. Then you can troll wireline outfits | | | | or so. Also, this works best when the tide is |
| with umbrellas or parachutes and catch bass and | | | | running slowly, as it gives the fish a chance to see |
| bluefish for about 3 to 4 hours until the tide | | | | and hear the diamond jig. A minimum depth for |
| begins to slow down. I always troll against the | | | | diamond jigging would be 40 feet. Best conditions |
| current from 70 feet deep to go over the top of | | | | are early morning with the tide running slowly. |
| the hump at 40 feet, going very slow by the | | | | Keep your eyes open for any surface activity. If |
| time I reach the 40 foot mark. Every time I'll | | | | you see feeding fish, position the boat updrift and |
| hook up under these conditions. If you don't hook | | | | let the current bring you into casting range. Then |
| up, try letting out more line. The current can get | | | | cast in to the fish and work your offering. Try to |
| very strong and if your not near the bottom | | | | match whatever they may be feeding on. |
| nothing will happen. | | | | It's not always easy to use your fish finder at the |
| Drifting. Drifting is another very productive | | | | North rip. The current can sweep many things |
| method, and works best on the outgoing tide. | | | | past the bottom, many of which may show up as |
| Best to arrive around 6:30 with the tide having | | | | fish icons on your depth finder. So marking a lot |
| been outgoing for at least an hour. You can drift | | | | of fish doesn't always mean that fish are there. |
| over the middle hump, which is about 12' deep | | | | During a "spring" tide (the largest tides that occur |
| over the top. Use soft plastics like the Storm | | | | when the sun and the moon are on the same |
| pearl 6" swim shad, cast them out, let them sink | | | | side of the earth) the current can get very |
| near the bottom, and use a jigging retrieve. Be | | | | strong. When the current gets near its maximum, |
| ready, when you lift the rod, the fish will be there. | | | | it's not often good fishing on the rip because the |
| If you feel a hit and don't hook the fish, work it | | | | current makes noise as it travels over the |
| very slowly with lots of short jigs, as if it were an | | | | bottom structure at those speeds. This makes it |
| injured fish. This will bring more strikes. Drifting | | | | harder for the fish to find your lure, especially as |
| can be used at any point along the length of the | | | | you get into deeper water. Best to fish soon |
| sand bar. Different rigs can be used, even live | | | | after the high or low water mark on these days |
| bait, like eels. | | | | and avoid the mid-tide time when the current is |
| Topwater plugs are another good option, but they | | | | screaming. |