While most angling attention remains focused on striped bass in tidal estuaries, things are starting to pick up out front for bass, fluke and the first scup of the year.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
At The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, the best striped bass fishing locally remains in upper Narragansett Bay, due in large part to the below average water temperatures. Thirty-pound-class fish remain plentiful in the upper bay and can be found feeding around the large pogie schools. As temperatures rise, good numbers of these fish should start to drop down to the lower bay and out front. The Narragansett and Point Judith area remains a safe bet for larger bass out front, with anglers reporting decent catches on the reefs and from the surf. Fluke fishing had a slight uptick in local waters over the past few days, but most anglers are steaming out to Block Island for much better fishing. Scup are just starting to show up on the local rockpiles, and squid fishing remains hot and cold, with the good nights producing pretty good numbers.
Howard, at Galilee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett, saw the first wave of solid keeper fluke locally this week. Anglers fishing deep water outside the Harbor of Refuge are reporting some keepers in the 5- to 8-pound range. Narragansett remains the best area for heavy striped bass, with a few more 40-pound-class fish reported this week. The rest of South County has good numbers of bass off the beaches and in the ponds, but the majority are schoolies.
Steve Mckenna at Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle in North Kingstown informed me that reports from local striped bass anglers have been a bit slower of late, but he is continuing to find success with quality keepers around the Narragansett area. Steve noted that the bass are spread out and have been moving around a bit, but the guys who are putting their time in after dark are being rewarded. The bay is loaded with schoolies throughout, and the upper bay still has some 30-pound class fish harassing the bunker schools. A couple of local Block Island sharpies chimed in that the large hoards of bass have not found their way to the island yet, but the fluke sharpies are reporting good catches from around the island.
At Breachway Bait and Tackle in Charlestown, the crew reported that fluke fishing has been best at Block Island, with fish to 28 inches reported this week. Fishers Island hasn’t been quite as hot, but has been solid, with keepers to 6-pounds. Locally, the fluke fishery is improving, and 60-80 feet of water off Green Hill and around Narragansett has accounted for some keepers this week. The local beaches and salt ponds are loaded with school-sized bass, with a few keepers mixed in. Better fish are not yet plentiful, but the few large ones this week came from the Narragansett area.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Andrew, at Fishin Factory 3 in Middletown, reported that the striped bass bite in the lower river remains hot and heavy. The fish are seeing a lot of pressure but don’t seem to mind, as they are hitting topwater plugs and livelined bunker with consistency. Action on the reefs in picking up in the western and central sound, and Andrew believes that the upcoming full moon may get things going out east. Fluke fishing remains spotty locally, but a few keepers flatfish have came from the Waterford area this week. Isabella Beach remains a hot spot, and while action hasn’t been lock and load, it has been steady.
James, at Rivers End in Old Saybrook, that the bass bite in the lower Connecticut River remains red hot, as massive schools of bunker stretch from the mouth up past the 95 bridge. Basically, wherever there has been bunker, there has been some bass underneath, and the first confirmed reports of bluefish in the river came in this week. The western to mid-sound reefs are stating to hold some keeper bass from Milford to Clinton, as the fish seem to be finding their way east. Other than a few decent reports from Millstone, fluke has been spotty in local waters. The vast majority of fluke anglers are heading to New York waters or Block Island, where reports are much better.
Captain TJ, of Rock and Roll Charters, sent over his week-two report and noted that he’s seeing much improvement. The trips are still seeing inconsistent catches with some trips being better than others, but more and more forage fish are starting to move into the area. The strong full moon tides late this week should help bring more bass and bluefish onto the local reefs. The water temp peaked above 60 for a few times this week also. Fluke fishing seems to be fairly consistent with many fish over 20’’ taken this week with 24” being the largest.
Mike Roy, of Reel Cast Charters, chimed in this week that the bite in the mouth of the Connecticut River has continued to be good to him. Mike was able to locate great numbers of 20- to 30-pound fish following the bunker schools around the river. Mike also noted that he landed a 40-pound bass on an eel after dark, so there are a couple of larger fish roaming around. The last few days, Mike has been staying close to home, and reported excellent action for keeper bass in the Milford area. The western sound has been red hot, and Mike believes that it will continue to go strong and spread east as we progress into June.
Rich, at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk, said that the first wave of big Hudson River bass came through this week. The action picked up around midweek off of Greenwich, but by the weekend the fish were setting up on the reefs off of Norwalk. Areas like 11B, 28C and the OB were giving up bass in the 20- to 40-pound class. Fresh bunker chunks at dawn or after dusk have been best, but bunker spoons have continued to produce by day. Big blues have also been showing in the same areas, with a few in excess of 15 pounds. The bunker schools remain thick in the area, but have been moving around quite a bit. They have been held up in the harbor for the most part, but have also been spotted out by the islands. Many flukers are still crossing the Sound but those staying closer to home have been doing better this week fishing drop-off in about 20 feet of water.
Fishing Forecast
Things are getting going out front, albeit a bit slowly, but there are now plenty of bass and some fluke for the taking. Upper Narragansett Bay and the lower Connecticut River remain hot beds for good bass on bunker, and should remain that way through the weekend. We are starting to see a wider range of bass and fluke out front, and a warm weekend with full moon tides should start to accelerate that process.