Dry Fly Fishing in Salt Water?
by Captain Jim Barr on 11/30/12
Each spring, anglers in Rhode Island are blessed with an event that we refer to as the Cinder Worm "Hatch". I also refer to it as the closest thing anglers will experience to dry fly fishing in salt water. It's not an insect hatch but rather an emergence of aquatic worms from the muddy bottoms of several of Rhode Island's salt ponds. Unlike similar cinder worm emergences that occur on Long Island and Cape Cod, the duration of which is short, in Rhode Island in an average year the hatch will last a full six weeks! This is a daily event beginning in the late afternoon and lasting into the early night-time hours. We fish with 8-10 weight rods and floating lines utilizing a myriad of different patterns most of which are not commercially available. It involves short-range casting to rising fish and is very exciting!
This fishery is not limited to flycasters, using a spinning rod is also very effective. Skinny Water Charters specializes in this fishery using several boats, the decision as to which vessel we use is based on what salt pond we decide to fish and the number of anglers aboard. If you like to sight fish in very shallow, calm, and non-pressured water, to Stripers rising within 10-60 feet of the boat that range in size from 15" to 40", I'd be willing to bet you'll want to fish the worm hatch more than once. For the angler who has never fished in the saltwater, someone who perhaps favors casting to trout rising to mayflies, fishing the cinder worm hatch will offer an exciting and unique angling experience.
This fishery is not limited to flycasters, using a spinning rod is also very effective. Skinny Water Charters specializes in this fishery using several boats, the decision as to which vessel we use is based on what salt pond we decide to fish and the number of anglers aboard. If you like to sight fish in very shallow, calm, and non-pressured water, to Stripers rising within 10-60 feet of the boat that range in size from 15" to 40", I'd be willing to bet you'll want to fish the worm hatch more than once. For the angler who has never fished in the saltwater, someone who perhaps favors casting to trout rising to mayflies, fishing the cinder worm hatch will offer an exciting and unique angling experience.
In May 2011 the producers of The New Fly Fisher television show and the Orvis Fly Fishing Learning Center visited Rhode Island to videotape fishing the cinder worm hatch. These television productions have been aired this year on the World Fishing Network and in December, The New Fly Fisher segment will be aired on the New England Sports Network (NESN)- look for it. If you will be unable to watch the show in December you can visit my website and on the Worm Hatch Page, click the YouTube video to watch the 23 minute segment featuring the worm hatch and near shore sand eel fly fishing hosted by Orvis' Tom Rosenbauer. http://www.skinnywaterchartersri.com/RI-Worm-Hatch.html
Fishing the worm hatch is becoming increasingly popular and there are still some great dates available in late May and early June so if you're interested in making a reservation you should call me soon at 401-465-8751 or email me at:
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