59-Pound Striper Caught in Connecticut

30-Pound Bass on Bunker in Narragansett Bay

Fluking Decent, Expected to Improve

Bigger bass are moving into Long Island Sound and chasing bunker into Narragansett Bay. Big bluefish are on the prowl as well, and saltwater fishing is only going to get better in the coming weeks. It’s time to get serious about getting out and going for the big one!

Rhode Island Fishing Report

After some tough weather over Memorial Day weekend, the wind settled down a bit this week and folks were able to get out and make some fishing reports. It’s been an “all or nothing” scenario on stripers in Narragansett Bay according to Greg at The Tackle Box in Warwick, as in, if you find the bunker schools you can have all-out fishing on 20-pound bass and big blues, and if you don’t, you might be out of luck. If you’re looking for light-tackle action on schoolies stripers, try the coves at sunset. For fluke, try 40 to 60 feet of water off Providence Point and Potter Cove.

The Cliff Walk in Newport is giving up some big bass for surfcasters, reported Rudy at The Saltwater Edge in Newport. There are some big bluefish around as well, that no doubt have been drawn in by the bunker schools.

Fluking has been decent, reported flatfish specialist ThomCat from Quaker Lane Bait in North Kingstown. The bad news is that there have been a lot of smalls to sort through to get to the keepers; the good news is that the keepers have been nice 4- to 6-pound fish. The waters off Green Hill and Charlestown beaches are giving up good numbers, but expect bluefish to bite off some of your fluke rigs. ThomCat took a trip across the Sound to Block Island and reported decent fluking, with a limit of keepers to 5 pounds.

Block Island bassing is just starting to pick up, with a few boats finding stripers to 20 pounds. That fishery should only improve in the coming weeks.

Howard at Galilee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett agreed with the fluke assessment, but figured that 5 or 6 throwbacks was worth it to pick out some 5-pound keepers. He also mentioned excellent fishing in the South Coast salt ponds. Warm, sunny weather this week turned on the worm spawns, and stripers to 36 inches are piling into the salt ponds to feed. On good days worms start showing up around 2:30 PM, but if you’re in the water by 4 you should be fine. Action can go right into dark and typically tapers off around 9:30 at night. For fly fishers, think a floating line and small worm patterns. For spin fishermen, try small soft-plastics behind a casting egg. There are also plenty of hickory shad around, and at least a few anglers are catching them and using them as bait for bigger bass.

The Seven Bs out of Narragansett reported that fluke fishing aboard the headboat has been good and is getting better each day. The Seven Bs is sailing for fluke Fri, Sat and Sun., and then sailing for sqid in the evenings.

Connecticut Fishing Report

Thunderstorms dumping rain across New England have turned the Connecticut River into chocolate milk and dirtied much of the water in Long Island Sound, lamented Andrew at Fishin Factory III in Middleton. Andrew managed to collect a few bunker from the mouth of the River and headed east until he found clean water around Fishers Island. Once in the clean water, the bunker were live-lined to bass up to 30 pounds.

It could be next week before the Connecticut River flushes out, according to the shop talk at Rivers End Tackle in Old Saybrook. The lower River was loaded with bunker and some big bluefish, but it’s basically unfishable at the moment. The local reefs, Hatchett and Bartlett, were giving up some big bass, including a 59-pounder before the water dirtied. The Race and Plum Gut have lots of bluefish and some bass as well.

Jigging, 3-waying bunker and fishing eels at night is producing bass off Clinton. T.J. Karbowski of Rock and Roll Charters reported that he has been limiting out on all charters, with most bass falling in the 30- to 40-inch range. He reported his first really big striper of the season this week, a 30-pounder, and expects more and bigger bass to show up every day, but bluefish are becoming a bit of a nuisance. Last week, it was one or two blues in the mix; this week, he’s reporting 20 blues per charter.

Eastern Sound fluke reports are mixed. Isabella Beach (south side of Fishers Island) has had clean water and good numbers of keepers. A few flushing tides should have the Sound settled out and improve the fluke fishing off Niantic and the mouth of the Connecticut, although a windy weather forecast this weekend could make it tough to get out until early next week.

Fishing Forecast

There are plenty of solid fishing options for the weekend ahead, and hot weather this week have folks hankering to get out on the water. However, the wind may dictate your fishing plans. You can try to locate the bass and big blues on bunker in Narragansett Bay, but it might be a good idea to have a plan B on board in the form of fluking tackle. The salt ponds are a great option for inshore stripers, and you might be able to capitalize on an evening worm hatch. The reefs and shoals off the Connecticut River and Clinton are producing bass and blues and are definitely worth a shot, as there could be another fish swimming around out there that’s just one meal away from 60 pounds!