Tuesday Talk: Surfcasting Around the Block – Then and Now

Dennis Zambrotta has been an avid striped bass surfcaster for the past fifty years and has pursued his quarry from Montauk to Cape Cod and many points in between. He has authored the two books; “Surfcasting Around the Block” which is widely considered the definitive guide to surfcasting Block Island, and “Surfcasting Around the Block II”, which covers Block and Aquidneck Islands. He has also written numerous articles for “The Fisherman Magazine,” “On the Water,” and “Surfcasters Journal.” Dennis is considered a true surf fishing historian and his seminar presentations about surfcasting for striped bass have been described at “top notch and most informative.” He has been president of the Newport County Saltwater Fishing Club for over 30 years. Dennis resides in Newport, Rhode Island, with his wife Karolyn. They have two children, Nicholas and Marina, and four grandchildren, all surfcasters.

I will cover surfcasting for striped bass on Block Island from the 1980s to current day. It will focus on the storied history of the famous large striped bass runs of the 1980s/90s, the tactics and techniques used, and the where and when the casting was best. I will also cover the challenges faced by island surfcasters in recent seasons including sea level rise, erosion, climate change and how it effects striped bass migrations, including the increase of encounters with other species including seals.

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