Some lodging options for you distant flingers! 
(or call any major chain and ask what's available in the Newport, Rhode Island area)

Pineapple Inn 372 Coddington Highway Newport RI 401-847-2600 15 Minutes from the Fling zone. Cheap, but hey your only sleeping right? Holiday Inn South County 3009 Tower Hill Road South Kingstown 401-789-1051 20 - 30 Minutes from the Fling zone. Closer to Beavertail and South County beaches. Maybe better for you guys from New York.

Howard Johnson's 351 West Main Road Middletown RI 401-849-2000 2 Minutes from the Pineapple Inn, which makes it 17 minutes from the Fling zone. IF YOU BRING THE WIFE.... Newport Marriott 25 America's Cup Ave Newport RI 401-849-1000 10 Minutes from the Fling zone and right in down town Newport. Give the wife you credit card and tell her you'll see her Sunday.

With the Fling fast approaching, the questions are coming...... we'll address them here:

Question: Hey, just what the heck is "Da' Fling"?

Answer: Funny you should ask! The "Fling" is a concept that many of us on-line cyber fishermen have visualized for years before StripersOnline was born. We've had gotten to know one another through reading many posts of each other's and have long since seen the need for an official "meeting"....preferably in a fishing environment. Many have talked about it for years...many have made empty promises...StripersOnline delivers! The Rhody Fling is going to be a gathering of between 25-50 fishermen who have, in one way or another, met through StripersOnline.  We will meet on Friday September 28th, some will not be able to make it until Saturday September 29th, but that's ok ;-) We'll shake some hands, shoot the breeze, laugh with each other, and then split up in "teams" to temp the fateful waters of the fabled Rhode Island shoreline! 

Question: Ok...but when and where is it going to be?

Answer: Alrighty...a lil slow are ya? ;^) It will be held on September 28th-30th. The first official meeting will be at 8pm at Flo's (directions forthcoming - but Flo's is a local joint where we can eat, drink, and be merry while planning an assault ;-) There will likely be people showing up at all sorts of times after that 8pm meeting, so we'll try to set up a couple different meeting times/places where others can get involved.  The main meeting, the big one, the real deal, will be at 1pm on Ocean Drive - the exact location on Ocean Drive, if one is necessary, will be forthcoming. This will be the official beginning of the Fling - this will be where we group up - this will be where I get to give away all the assorted goodies that I'm bringing up. From here, we'll separate into groups and start Flingin'! We'll set up another meeting time for early that evening, just in case there are more folks showing up a little later on...probably meet in the same area of Ocean Drive sometime just after dark - or maybe back at Flo's for more grub ;-) 

Question: Hmmm...September 28th-30th...Rhode Island, Newport area...what kinda stuff should I bring?

Answer: Excellent question! It's really up to you, but one thing for sure, bring Korkers for your feet! There are lots and lots of rocks! Surf fishing is dangerous, let alone at night in a place new to so many, your safety is your own responsibility, if you don't like fishing on rocks at night, I'm sure you won't be alone, we'll group folks together with other like minded folks, no one will be left out. Make sure you have the following gear - flashlight, batteries in it and spare batteries, Korkers, splash/rain jacket, splash pant/waders, change of clothes, lots of socks, hooded sweatshirt in case it's chilly, and anything else you think you might need for fishing at night in late September in Rhode Island - it might get chilly! As for rods, I'd say 8 1/2-10ft rods capable of throwing from 5/8oz to 2 or 3oz would cover ya pretty good, conventional or spinning is up to you. Fly rods - 8-11wt, a few different lines from floating to fast sink, lots of flies - sand eels, bunker, mullet, and spearing will be the likely/possible critters about, imitations of those should cover ya. For plugs, geesh, basically you could use anything. Some of the more popular lures up there are 5" Mambo Minnows, needlefish from 1 1/2oz to 3 1/2oz, smilin' bill jigs, Sluggo's, ball jigs/plastic, Bombers, bottle plugs, darters, MegaBaits (4 1/2", 6", 7") and just about anything else that imitates the baitfish named above :-) I have no tackle shop info up there, don't expect to buy stuff in the area - of course you might be able to, but don't get caught unable to get something you really need cause the shops might all be closed! Live eels are a delicacy up there for our striped friends! If you want eels, bring 'em with ya, I don't know about tackle shops closing times or live eel availability up there, better be safe than sorry! 
    One more thing, there should also be some Tog in the waters of the Fling...I know BrianZ and myself are goin' up prepared to do battle with some tog...so if you want, bring some tog stuff - 3-4oz sinkers, tog hooks, leader stuff - I think you can catch crabs right in the area, most rocky areas have plenty of bait that can be gathered in a few minutes :-)

Question: Sounds pretty simple so far....but what about bait?

Answer: Here you are on your own! There may be peanut bunker, mullet, spearing, and/or sand eels around for the fishes to chase. If you want to use bait to fish, I would recommend live eels or some kinda fresh fish chunks - either mackerel or bunker. The fish should be eating plugs/lures/flies pretty well by late September in Rhode Island, but fresh bait can often produce the LARGE when nothin' else will :-) Again, bring your own bait, I don't have any tackle shop info for this area...and better to be safe than sorry! Tog bait, if you wanna play with the tog, should be accessible right in the rocks if ya don't mind spending a few minutes to capture some :-)

Question: Alright....sounds pretty good so far, but where am I gonna sleep? I'm driving a long way and I don't think a nap in the truck is gonna cut it!

Answer: See the lodging info at the very top of this page!

Question:  So....I'm gettin' the picture now! I heard this was going to be some kind of competition or something...what's that all about?

Answer: Hang on, are you sure you got all the other stuff down now? ;^)  OK...let's move on then. It's not really a tournament, it's not really a competition....it's a friendly, team oriented fishing situation! (pretty good, huh?) Teams will be chosen from the folks at the Fling. Each team will be led or captained by a "local"...not just someone who lives around here, but someone who fishes these same areas and has passed the in depth scrutiny of our StripersOnline Local finding testing! We'd like to have teams of 4 or 5, including the captain. **This might end up being a little different for the Rhody Fling, time will tell ;-)

Question: Yea, that's how the teams will be made....but if this is a "team oriented fishing situation", how will the winners be decided? Don't tell me we gotta kill all these fish?!?!

Answer: We're not going to keep any score per se, maybe just keep track of the notable fish taken in each team. The "Teams" are more designed just to put a local with some folks who don't know the area at all, so everyone gets an idea about the area they are going to be fishing. 

Question:  I heard something about food...what about the food?

Answer: Food...good topic I'm sure many will agree! Friday night at 8pm we'll be meeting at Flo's (directions forthcoming) I'm told that a 7-11 (practically synonymous with Flings ;-) is in the immediate area, so you'll be all set for grub, coffee, and such.  Again, better to be safe than sorry, I would bring enough grub/snacks/water to get you through the night! Bring lots of water, water is like gasoline for your body when you are fishing all night long :-)

Question: Good...I like food!  Now all I need is directions and I'm good to go!

Answer:  If you're coming from the north - Take I-95 south to Rhode Island and get off on whichever exit Newport is :-) The way I understand it, just head to the ocean in Newport - you're looking for Ocean Drive. We'll be meeting there at 1pm on Saturday. There will be Fling people around that area from Thursday night through Sunday...even some, I'm told, during the day! ;-) We'll be meeting at Flo's on Friday night at 8pm...but I still don't have directions to Flo's.

If you're coming from the south - Take I-95 north to Rhode Island and get off on whichever exit Newport is :-) We'll be meeting there at 1pm on Saturday. There will be Fling people around that area from Thursday night through Sunday...even some, I'm told, during the day! ;-) We'll be meeting at Flo's on Friday night at 8pm...but I still don't have directions to Flo's.

Where we're meeting on Ocean Drive Saturday, Sept. 29th - (from Crafty Angler) "Ocean Drive is 10 miles long, hence it's other name, Ten Mile Drive.
    It runs due south and rounds the very southernmost tip of the island, at which point (which happens to be Brenton Point) it turns east. Or left. If you go right, your hat, plugs, and SUV will be floating.
    At the very point at which the road does a hairpin turn you'll see a series of monoliths with a large ball in the middle. That the monument to the Portuguese explorers whose navigational skills made possible the discovery of the New World.
    On the grassy knoll overlooking that area is The Mariner's Memorial with an American flag and a monument in the middle. It overlooks all of Ocean Drive. That would be a great meeting place. There is a bronze plaque with an image of Capt. Jay O'Brien holding up a 52 pound bass - the plaque was done from my photo of my late friend Jay and his loss was the impetus for the establishment of the memorial site (which was initially called the Fisherman's Memorial). It's a moving tribute to those lost at sea, much like the memorial in Gloucester."

Thanks Crafty!

**Could someone please get me directions to Flo's! :-)

**If there are any issues that my (imaginary) interview did not cover, please let me know and I'll hunt this guy down again and get him to ask me!***