by Todd Corayer
July in Rhode Island is perfect for catching big fluke from your kayak. Feeding on squid, spearing, mummichogs and even small bluefish and pogies in as little as 25’ of water, summer flounder ambush prey along miles of shoreline and throughout protected bays, affording kayak anglers endless options to jig bucktails or Fancy Fluke rigs.
Jimmy Chappel of the Ocean State Kayak Fishing group recommends a medium action 7’ rod with a baitcasting reel. He uses bucktails weighing from ½ to two ounces from Spro and Born to Fish Lures in white or chartreuse. Chartreuse is a magical color that penetrates the column farther than others and is highly effective in stained or muddy waters. The most effective rigs start with a minimum of 10 pound braid leading to a 30 or 40 pound fluorocarbon leader although some prefer a mono top shot as it can be more supple than fluorocarbon. Jigging over structure can cause rigs to get stuck so it’s best to have several premade backup rigs in a separate container, rolled into small circles then secured with two small plastic bag ties to keep hooks from tangling. Ahead of shiny spinning blades, a few colored beads can be added but red should be avoided as it has the longest wavelengths, making it the first color to fade in clear water, often within 20 feet.
Straight lines mean tight lines. Drifting a kayak over slopes and drop offs is critical; once you find fish you’ll need to stay with them. A drift sock can be deployed if you’re not equipped with a motor, even a few swipes of the paddle will put you back on your numbers.
Because space is at a premium, whole squid can be stored in a plastic container with the lid used as an impromptu cutting board. Try using bluefish or searobbin belly to tip your rig or even belly meat from another fluke. Some anglers will go all in and use a squid strip with a piece of bluefish belly and a minnow; that’s not overkill, that’s excellent presentation. If you decide to keep your catch, fish should be bled before laying them in a small soft-sided cooler of ice, which won’t add any weight to your boat or over the side with a caution that fresh fluke hanging off your boat might be of great interest to ever-hungry bluefish.
Beaches from Westerly to Narragansett will hold fluke through the summer with the Green Hill and Nebraska Shoal area of Charlestown being especially reliable but bites can change over the month. Some weeks the center or east breakwall protecting the Port of Galilee are hot spots, other weeks there might be more fish around the mouth of Narragansett Bay. It’s always good to keep an eye on the weather as summer winds can raise seas quickly or blow in a bank of disorienting fog. Regulators increased the minimum keeper size to 19” so you’ll need to update marks on your rods or bring along a tape. And don’t forget to secure a tall flag so other fishermen can clearly see you bring in those big, sweet July fluke.
by Todd Corayer
