Fall Run Hot and Heavy in Rhode Island
Blackfishing Looking Good, Big Bluefish Abound
Rhode Island Fishing Report
“In a word, excellent,” said Steve McKenna when asked about the current fishing in Rhode Island. Bass and blues are both hot, from the surf and when conditions allow, for the boats too. Bass from 20 to 30 pounds were caught this week, with many of the bigger fish biting after dark.
Daytime action can be found at Charlestown and Quonnie breackways with topwater plugs, reported Steve. Pencil Poppers and spook-style lures are both working.
The good fishing is a direct result of all the bait in the Rhode Island surf. Steve’s seen bunker large and small, mullet and plenty of spearing.
OTW contributor Dave Pickering reported school stripers everywhere along the Rhode Island shoreline. While he’s been catching big numbers of short stripers in Narragansett Bay, anglers right through to Watch Hill are experiencing similar action with the schoolies.
David at River and Riptide reported great action at Watch Hill with topwater lures and North Bar Bottledarters. He’s been seeing plenty of keeper-sized and bigger fish. David had a similar report to Dave Pickering in saying Narrow River to Charlestown seems to be solid schoolie stripers.
Charlestown Breachway is producing bass up to 40 inches according to Breachway Bait and Tackle. Eels at night are the hot ticket. Daytimes are producing bluefish with some stripers mixed in.
While stripers are everywhere you look, the false albacore have fallen off the map. A few cold nights dropped the water temperatures enough to send the albies packing it seems.
Tog fishing has been good, however. Keepers are being caught just outside Charlestown Breachway, and anglers are icing limits at Nebraska Shoal. Some fishermen are even hauling keepers right off the rocks. The breahways are a good place to do this, but any craggy shoreline structure should hold blackfish at this time of year. On Saturday, the RI limits increase to 6 fish per angler with a maximum of 10 per boat.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Lousy conditions kept boaters at the dock for much of this week, leaving little to report from the striped bass boat scene. Fish should be holding at the reefs and the Race according to a report from the Fish Connection. Shore fishing has been another story however.
Fishing chunked bunker in the Thames River has been producing Tyrannosaur-like bluefish in the 15-pound range. Some undersized stripers are occasionally swiping the chunks from the big blues as well according to the Fish Connection.
“Bluefish are everywhere,” reported Matt at Hillyers. Stripers are thick, with schoolies hitting during the day, and better fish showing up after dark.
Chris at Stratford Bait and Tackle said eels are the top pick for anglers looking for bigger bass. In front of the Housatonic has been one of the hotspots.
Matt at Hillyers reported big schools of bunker in Niantic Bay, but not much on them…yet. With temperatures falling and bass and blues on the move, it won’t be long before something with an appetite for bunker finds those schools.
The big news this week was the blackfishing. Action has been hot and heavy with these wreck and rock-dwellers, but depending on where you’re fishing, shorts might dominate the catch. There are keepers around, however. Chris at Stratford suspects the still-warm water is keeping the blackfishing a little slower than expected. A few degrees more, and it should be hot and heavy with big tog.
Shore anglers are getting in on the tog bite as well. Fish Connection recommended Eastern and Avery points as the best bets for a blackfish from shore. Top picks for the boaters were the rocks off Pine Island and Ocean Beach.
Porgy fishing is still going well. They have been hanging out with the tog, stealing green crabs from rigs meant for white-chins. If you want to target the porgies, use seaworms instead of crabs. Some scup have been big, approaching 17 inches.
Fishing Forecast for Connecticut and Rhode Island
The whole Rhode Island shoreline is flush with migrating stripers right now, so it might be worth the trip, even if you’re coming from Connecticut. The action starts at Watch Hill and continues on through Narragansett Bay. The breachways may offer a better shot at a bigger fish. Fish after dark and fish with eels if you want a bigger bass.
The Thames River would be another strong pick for fishermen looking to remain in CT. Fresh bunker chunks are loading up on big blues.
Blackfishing in Rhody is very good, and some parts of Connecticut are seeing fast action as well. A couple dozen green crabs and some simple tog rigs should net you enough keepers for a nice meal this weekend.