The Other, Other Rite of Spring

Apologies to Igor Stravinsky and Alexander Cartwright

By Bob Yarnall

Hexagenia limbata, a.k.a. The Giant Mayfly
 - Wood River’s premier trout food

Well, here it is, the final weekend in March and it’s snowing flakes the size of Hexagenia limbata. Spring seems determined to make April Fools out of all of us, so we have that much in common with the CCA, like it or not.

In any event, perhaps it’s a good time to sketch out a working class prelude to one of humankind’s oldest sustenance activities so those of you so inclined can engage in philosophical debate about the true meaning of Henry David Thoreau’s timeless observation, "Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."

Okay, then. This is the time of year when anglers of all persuasions awaken from hibernation due to a genetically predisposed anticipation of The Season of the Fish. 

Many of us are roused from wood stove sanctuaries by familiar USPS snailtrucks delivering reams of essential (hey, better make that quintessential) fishing catalogs targeting both saltwater and freshwater ichthyologists of all ages, races, genders, creeds, colors, religions, planets of origin, blah, blah, etc., etc.

Indeed, this is the time of year when many anglers convince themselves that the sole explanation for their fishing inadequacies is the absence of the latest high tech equipment in their respective fishing tackle inventories: rods, reels, lines, hooks, baits, lures, sinkers, nets, and clothing derived from manufacturing materials associated with military and space exploration applications.

The challenge is to hide credit card purchases from the family. Since the dog can - and will - rat you out by ripping open the UPS package to get at the scented baits, rabbit fur & deer hair swatches before you do, an easy out is to stuff some cash in your pocket and find your way to Charlestown’s Breachway Bait & Tackle. 

If you live elsewhere in the state (Yes, CCA friends, there are actually other towns besides Charlestown in the state) there are many terrific bait & tackle stores that appreciate your business.

A popular out-of-town destination is Quaker Lane Bait & Tackle on Route 2 in North Kingstown. This particular shop enjoys an almost unfair advantage, in that it is located adjacent to Snoopy’s Diner, across from Quaker Lane Wine/Beer & Spirits, and a half-mile south of Allie’s Donuts. It goes without saying that some fishing trips never make it out of this infamous local Bermuda Triangle.

The real advantage to going local for bait & tackle, aside from supporting neighbors, is to get the lowdown on the upkeep of both saltwater and freshwater fisheries, that is, where the fish are. Many shops have sign-up email lists sponsored by various angling organizations, but the latest scuttlebutt is available just by walking through the door and joining the conversations with folks sharing a common interest.

Rhode Island’s major fishing advocacy organizations maintain high impact websites and play important roles in guiding statewide regulatory policy. The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) keeps its members well informed about state and federal regulatory policies that affect recreational fisherman, as Charlestown’s State Representative Blake Filippi found out a few weeks ago when he and a contingent of colleagues introduced H.B. 5352, an act relating to our federal and state mandated saltwater fishing license.

The intent of the legislation and the response of the recreational fishing community is the subject of a news story authored by Brooke Constance White, a URI–trained journalist and contributing writer for Narragansett Patch and RI Monthly.  Brooke’s capably crafted article is posted on both the Facebook page of RISSA and featured in the March 17 edition of The Westerly Sun.

On the freshwater side of things is Trout Unlimited. TU is a national conservation organization dedicated to the restoration and preservation of coldwater fisheries. It makes its presence known locally via a pair of Rhode Island affiliates, Northern Rhode Island Chapter 737 based in Bristol, and Narragansett Chapter 225, located at the Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) in Hope Valley.

That’s it for this session, and enough already with this lingering ice age. Time to feed the wood stove, check out the latest fishing catalog. Quick thoughts: Opening Day in two weeks. Next nice day, head over to the WPWA campus. Have a sit-down on the bench by the Wood River. Quiet time.

Thoreau was right, but I’m goin’ fishin’ anyhow.