Rhode Island Fishing Report 6-12-14

Striped bass fishing has slowly but steadily improved this week with more and more quality fish filtering into the region. Fluke fishing has made a drastic improvement, with quality doormats being reported from multiple locations across the Northeast.

Rhode Island Fishing Report

Howard, at Galilee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett, was happy to report that some big fish had entered his home waters, as local sharpie Jack Linton weighed in a 51-pound bass and reported several other 40-pound class fish that he took in the overnight hours on Monday. Howard also passed on several reports of 40-pound class fish taken from around Block Island over the past week. Good amounts of large bait, including adult menhaden, remain in and around Narragansett Bay, making the use of fresh live or cut baits paramount in landing a large striper. Some hefty gator bluefish have also taken notice of the schools of bait and have been popping up with some regularity along the Narragansett and Matunuck beaches. The western and southern sides of Block Island remain the most consistent locations for keeper fluke but inshore reports have started to improve with a few 6- to 8-pound fish reported locally.

At Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle in North Kingstown the flatfish have garnered a lot of attention from customers this week, as aside from the usual hotspots around Block Island, keeper fish are showing up with some consistency in the lower Narragansett Bay and along the south shore beaches. Striped bass fishing from Narragansett to Westerly has improved a bit this week but remains a bit on the inconsistent side. There is still plenty of bunker in the bay and some solid keeper bass have been right behind them. 20- to 30-pound class bass have also started to take up some residency on the inshore Rhode Island reefs and have been taken on livelined bunker and 3-wayed eels. A few good catches have been reported from the local surf crew this week but for the most reports have been spotty, and of predominately school-sized fish, with the bright full moon not helping matters.

At Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly, Mike reported that fluke reports have been much improved off of the Westerly beaches. The bite has been less consistent along the south side of Fishers Island, but the fish being caught in that stretch have been some of the largest reported. Striped bass fishing remains hit or miss around Westerly for both the boat and surf guys, but some quality fish up to 25 pounds have been taken on livelined bunker in the Pawcatuck River.

Best Bets for the Weekend

A tough east blow has moved in for the end of the week but it looks to clear in time for the weekend. The first full moon of our summer fishing season should bring with it another good push of large striped bass, and drifting live eels after dark is always top producer during the June full moon. Fluke fishing has now reached a point where keeper fish can be found without the need to travel too far and will be another great option for the weekend. With the strong tides, be sure to bring plenty of lead and try to time your fluke drifts for the beginning or ending stages of the tide.