09.15-17.17 Love Newport....

     Theresa and I had a great weekend up in Rhode Island. Got a little later start then we planned but that put us in place for a lunch stop in New Haven for the famous Frank Pepe Pizzeria. We pulled into town around 4 and made the loop around Ocean Drive looking for and signs of life before checking in. We stayed at the Marshall Slocum Inn, HERE, on Kay Street, a place I have been coming to since

1993. If you like a casual bed and breakfast with comfortable rooms and a great breakfast then I highly recommend it. The inn is near the Viking Hotel and close enough to walk to town but far enough away from the crowds and noise.

     On night one we ate at Stoneacre Brasserie, a new place that went in where Yesterday's used to be. We sat at the bar with the owners of Bouchard's, the best French restaurant in town, and had a great time. The restaurant opened this week so there was a bug about the place. We hit the usual spots, Scales and Shells, where the night just didn't go as planned. Busy, less then enthusiastic bartenders, wine with too much sulfites that sent me off into a dam near anaphylactic reaction, but strip scampi that was good as always. Brick Alley was great for one lunch and Caleb and Brown for the other. And Wickford on the way back on Sunday is always good and we ate at the new outside tent at Gardnier's Wharf Seafood where we got to sample their new fish and chips.

     While it wasn't a fishing trip, I did bring my gear and did look both mornings for any signs of albies. Didn't find any, and didn't see much for bait, but Sunday morning on the outgoing tide I gave it a go. The day before we went to Sachuest Point but I found it hard to find fishy fly rod spots and the grass seemed to find me on every cast. I learned a few things. This ain't New Jersey. Beaches are different, hardly any. Tidal ranges are greater, about 6 feet. And long casts are a must, like long casts, if you plan on fishing anything but high tide or plan on squishing your way out to the furthest rock. 

     Around 7am on Sunday we stopped Brenton Point and I made my way out to my favorite groin. I always seem to squeak one out when ever I fish there and this trip was no different. Luckily the tide was on the way out but casts needed to be long and line management on point because the water moves in every direction there. I can see that waders are not the first choice of gear that should be

   

used here. Any attempt of getting out to further rocks means you're walking through water and climbing over smaller rocks in order to get to the bigger ones. I tied on one of Joe's flies and landed a small one before we made one more stop before breakfast. We parked close to the Cliff Walk and

walked and looked finally stopping in front of The Breaker's where there's a spot to walk down and fish, or surf, which there were many due to Jose's building swells. This area also seems to be very spey rod friendly, as most of the steep cliffs behind you would interfere with a back cast. I am sure there are endless fishy spots to fish in Rhode Island but I get the feeling it is really a fly fisherman's boating heaven with lots of points, shoreline, and rips to work.