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Blues in Bristol, bass at Block

Bluefish were blitzing in Bristol Harbor this morning, and big bass have returned to Block Island. Freediver Brad Petrone shot a 51-pound striper there.

Flocks of birds were diving into pods of baitfish well after sunrise today in Bristol Harbor, said David Henault of Ocean State Tackle.

Fishing has been challenging at Block Island for several weeks, but some large fish have returned. Brad, a resident of South Kingstown, was on the surface near Black Rock Saturday when he spotted a single small bass in about 16 feet of water beneath him.

He descended and saw a school of fish in front of him. "The big one was hanging out at the back of the school," he said. "He saw me at the same time I saw him, and he started to veer off." About eight feet away, the fish presented a broadside shot, and Brad took it.

The bass was 48 inches long, but it had a deep body. When Brad got to the mainland and brought the fish to Snug Harbor Marina, it weighed 51.2 pounds.

Posted by Tom Meade  at 12:36 PM | Permalink