Third Beach - Middletown,RI

     On an outing last year with our kayak fishing group, the "Kayak Committee", a sub-club within the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, I had the chance to visit a new launch site that I've never been to.

     Located in Newport County, RI on the Sakonnet River inside the southern portion of the Narragansett Bay lies a hidden gem for kayak anglers, and it's called Third Beach.

     Third Beach is located on the island of Newport,RI which is accessible via a pay toll - both to & from the island. Cost is based on $2.00 per axle. Example: a 4x4 truck is $4.00 one way, and $8.00 round trip, as of 2013.

    Third Beach is also hot spot for beach goers and paddle enthusiasts. Kayaks and stand up paddle boards are available for an additional fee. Those wishing to fish out of their kayaks, must get there before 8 am, otherwise they will face an additional fee just to park there.

     In the photo below that was taken in the fall, it does not show the guard shack at the entrance to the parking area, but it also shows that though there is a lot of land, only half is paved while the other is grassy.
     Do your best to get here early, as the parking lot tends to get overcrowded by 11 am in a hurry.
    

     Here's another aerial view (below) of the launch site on the center/left, along with the area we fished at on the tip of the cove area (center). The white markings in the middle are actually rocky reefs, as is the rocky coastline heading south from the tip of the land mass, a favorite spot for all kinds of fish - Striped Bass, Bluefish, Flounder, Blackfish, and Tautog.

     * When the wind picks up, head in quickly, because the swells near the reefs can get dangerous!

     My Eagle fish finder was literally covered in black because of the massive amounts of fish in the area near the tip of the cove. I had several strikes on tube rigs and eel rigs. There aren't too many outings that I've been on that get me excited, but this was one of them! I will try to get out there before the season's end in the Fall 2014..

     The pathway on the land's mass is part of a nature preserve with walking trails for bird watchers, and an observation tower at the tip.

   

Pleasure Beach Boat Launch - Waterford,CT

     I've mentioned in the past about local boat ramps that I use to go fishing nearby, all within a tri-state area (Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts), and this is my first post on that.

     I first heard about this launch site when I had hire a new guy to remove snow off my 600+ ft driveway. We got on the subject of fishing from a kayak and how the launch ramp I was using was not the greatest to access the Long Island Sound. The outgoing tide coming out of the Niantic Cove, Niantic,CT was dangerous, to say the least. So, he mentioned that he launches from a small boat launch area in nearby Waterford,CT off of Dock Rd. Because we fish at dusk, parking is free.

     Here's a brief description of the area:
     

Pleasure Beach

Pleasure Beach is one of the many beaches in Waterford, Connecticut. It is located at the end of Dock Road. Not only does Pleasure Beach have a beach, it is also the location of a public boat launch. Pleasure beach is part private and part public. The membership cost for a family of four is $825.00, which includes the new member fee of $500.00; this is for the first 3 installments – total cost is $1,500.00; the assessment fee of $250.00; this includes 2 free badges per household, the extra badges fee of $50.00, and a $25.00 cost for each additional badge; children of eight and over are required to wear a badge, and the voting member fee, which is $25.00 for one person to vote. To become a member you have to live in certain boundaries. The private side membership includes attendance to all beach activities. Some activities in the past are cocktail parties, beach cleanup at the start of the season, sand castle contests, and an annual beach picnic. The public side is marked and is open to the public with a path down to the beach and a parking lot a short walk down.


     Let's take a look at the area (West). This is the Pleasure Beach Boat Launch located off of Dock Road, which is a short paddle across Jordan Cove to the warm water run off behind Millstone Power Plant. Ample parking is located to the left when you pull in. Restrooms are across the parking area. A smaller parking area is reserved for the beach residents only. Located to the left of the boat ramp, this is a hot spot for surf fishermen that fish off the rocks. Pleasure Beach is situated to the far left of the photo below.

     Here's an aerial view (North) of the boat ramp and of Jordan Cove. The small bridge connects to the boat launch area is extremely narrow and has a weight limit.

     And, here's another aerial view (North) of the boat launch (far right), including Jordan Cove (mid top center/top right), and Millstone Power Plant (far left). The beige colorings show the shallow spots in the cove area, while the darker hues show the deep spots within Jordan Cove.

     A hot spot for fishing activities is at the mouth of the warm water run off behind Millstone Power Plant which is a known hangout for Striped Bass & Bluefish.