Your Friday Fishing Tips – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

With Earth Day Thursday April 22^nd, I decided to take some time to hit a few fishing holes and do a little scouting. The mess that was seen was unacceptable. Water bottles, Dunkin’ Donuts cups were everywhere. It was instilled in me long ago to always leave a fishing area in better condition than when one arrived. That practice is preached a lot, but a lot of slobs do not care. So, it is up to all of us to clean up after those that are inconsiderate. 

Many events are occurring around Little Rhody this Saturday to clean up the state.

Tip #1 – Fishermen & women, take your family, children and friends to your favorite fishing spots and clean up the trash and litter. 2 hours of donated time can make a world of difference plus you will instill upon the youngsters the importance of keeping the environment clean. Bringing the whole gang makes the job more fun and as my friend Andy Dickson likes to say, “Many hands make easy work”.

If you are going to Arcadia or Carolina to clean up you can stop at the “Middle of Nowhere” diner for breakfast or lunch afterwards. The food is always great, and the staff are friendly. It has always been a hit with the fishermen & women. If the family decides to volunteer a couple of hours in the afternoon and you folks are in the fishing areas of the Pawtuxet River, Ponaganset, Shippee Saw Mill or John L Curran Reservoir, there is a great pizza place at the intersections of Rtes. 101 and 102 in Scituate, “Socrates Pizza”. They serve an Italian Grinder that is out of this world!  Plus, a very friendly staff.

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Tip #2 – During the rest of the year keep a couple of shopping bags in your truck. When the fishing is slow, like it has been for this writer and a lot of others during the last few days, fill a bag with the remnants left behind by others. Doing this will give you a little sense of accomplishment on the way home and just maybe others will catch on to your efforts. A point may soon be reached where it is difficult to fill a shopping bag with litter and reminders like this one will no longer be necessary.

Tip #3 – Do your utmost to take home an old fishing line or hooks. Please don’t leave them on the ground. As one can see in the picture, Mabel the Black Lab that lives next door had a discarded hook embed itself in her leg. While on a fishing trip my Golden Retriever, Jada, stepped on and embedded a bass hook as well. Before I could reach Jada she yanked her paw and ripped the hook out of the pad on her foot. If this happens to our pets from negligent people who fish, imagine what it does to wildlife.

Acknowledgement must be given to the 2 gentlemen with the exceptional looking brown trout, above…apparently they know what they are doing and make me look like a rookie! 

Here is to tight lines and the wind at your back.

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Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.

Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. 

Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.

His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.

He can be reached at: [email protected]