Projo Fishing: HotBytes

As America's Great Outdoors Initiative puts the national spotlight on getting youth outdoors, the Appalachian Mountain Club just announced its new "Kid Spoken Here" offering this summer at its lodges and huts in New Hampshire and Maine

To introduce its new "Kid Spoken Here" offering this summer, the AMC is rolling out lower child and teen rates, new kids' meals, and a broader variety of family-friendly outdoor activities at each of its lodges and huts in New Hampshire and Maine. The greatest changes are coming to AMC's Highland Lodge, where a new "big mountain" outdoor playscape and child-only Kids Club activities are planned. AMC has also lowered everyday lodging rates for children by up to 25 percent and added a new teen rate, helping families stretch their family vacation budgets.

The AMC's outdoor experiences for families and young explorers range from free walk-on programs such as beginner family hikes to more adventurous overnight hut adventures and other backcountry outings. For full details on AMC's new "Kid Spoken Here" offerings for this summer, click here.

Recreational saltwater anglers will be able to buy saltwater fishing licenses at the New England Saltwater Fishing Show, Friday through Sunday, Mar. 11-13, in the Rhode Island Convention Center.

The Department of Environmental Management will have a booth at the show, at which the licenses will be sold.To obtain a license, anglers will need a driver's license or state ID and a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover). Licenses will be printed on the spot, says Gail Mastrati, spokesperson for the Department of Environmental Management. As an added benefit, licenses obtained at the show will be printed on waterproof paper.

Licenses can also be obtained, anytime, via the license program's online service here, as long as you have a credit card. Licenses may also be obtained at participating bait and tackle shops. Some of them may accept a cash payment from regular customers.

The cost of the license is $7 per year for RI residents and $10 per year for non-residents. A temporary seven-day license is also available for $5. The license is free for anglers older than 65 and for active military personnel who are stationed in Rhode Island. Mastrati says no license is required of anglers under 16 years of age, for anglers fishing on licensed charter and party boats, for anglers who are on leave from active military duty, and for anglers who are blind or permanently disabled.

The new license program is designed to improve the quality of marine recreational fishing data. License fee revenues cannot be used for any purpose that is unrelated to RI marine recreational fishing.

Fishing show photo by Connie Grosch/Providence Journal

Fly-fishing expert Ed Lombardo, pictured here, will present a multi-media production on "Fishing the Great Waters of Rhode Island -- Freshwater and Saltwater, Saturday, Mar. 19.

Ed is scheduled to appear at The Saltwater Edge, 47 Valley Rd., Middletown, from 1 to 3 p.m.

"I will show both freshwater and saltwater venues here in Rhode Island and some in Connecticut," he says. "From hatches, basic entomology, saltwater forage, flies, equipment, and equipment set-up, it will be comprehensive."

For more information, call Arden Gardell at 842-0062.

Kayak fishing continues to grow, and the folks at Kayak Fishing Tales continue to offer great ideas to make the sport safer and more comfortable. Here's their latest offering.

Capt. Frank Blount, owner of the Frances Fleet, reported that cod fishing was incredibly good last week.

"Once we were past the full moon, the fish strapped on the feed bag big time," he said. "In fact, fishing during the mid week was some of the best ever witnessed by Capt Mike and crew of the Frances Fleet. Almost like fishing in a barrel at times!

"There was nothing big but plenty of nice quality market-size fish with the pool fish generally between 10 and 15 pounds. Monday and Thursday were probably the best of the best with the day [over] by mid morning both trips with all anglers arm-weary and well stocked on hard fighting green codfish."

By KATE MULVANEY
Journal staff writer

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Members of a sport-fishermen's club have won the right to drive on a barrier beach trail to reach their fishing and clamming grounds along the Quonochontaug Pond.

Superior Court Judge Jeffrey A. Lanphear ruled that the Rhode Island Mobile Sportfishermen club had proven the land it owns on the pond had been accessed by car for fishing, clamming, swimming and hunting for more than 10 years. That historic use, the judge found, entitles the group to continue to cross over land owned by a nonprofit conservation organization to reach its property.

"It's like a slice of heaven out there," said James Milardo, president of the fishermen's club.

But the Nope's Island Conservation Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the barrier beach, is considering an appeal, according to Richard Hosp, president of the Nope's group.

"It's a very sensitive area down there ...," Hosp said. "It has been our intention to preserve the land, not to fight."

The weather may be miserable, but, between the storms, cod fishing has been terrific.

"Some days, the bite has been early," says Capt. Frank Blount of the Frances Fleet. "Some days it's a bit later, and some days they chew their heads off all day long. A better mix of sizes this past week with a resurgence of those bigger markets in the 6- to 10-pound range and more fish over 10 pounds with the pool fish all in the 15- to 20-pound range.

"Both bait and jigs have aided anglers in filling their bags and coolers with fat green cod that are still spread out over a good size area of broken bottom.

"A few small pollock and a few nice ling and an occasional ocean perch are mixed in from time to time, but it is generally almost 100 percent cod.

"We look for more great local cod fishing between the winter storms and the Lady Frances will be set to sail daily at 3 a.m., weather permitting. Make sure to call the office the day before to check on the weather and to give your reservation information."