Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith continues to see an improvement in the fluke fishing, with the amount of limit catches increasing, along the amount of fish in the 5-6-pound range. Full and half-day trips will continue to run daily if the weather permits, so be sure to call the office to make reservations.
Cheri, at C-Devil II Sportfishing in Narragansett, told me that the striper bite continues to be as reliable as ever, with plenty of slot fish and even more cows! They had 2 fish over 50-pounds this week and managed a few slammers on topwater with light tackle. They had a much better week with fluke as well, with some quality doormats to 10-pounds. The big news of the week is a fresh push of tuna. There are loads of school bluefin around Block Island this week, and while they were finicky, it is a great sign of the season to come. The live booking calendar is up on the website, so be sure to book a date before it’s too late!
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reports that the striped bass fishing has remained hot for anglers live-lining or chunking fresh pogies in the Providence River. The island has also lit up this week, with anglers scoring nice catches on shallow divers, eels, and umbrella rigs. The fluke fishing has steadily improved this week as well in the Warwick Light area.
Connor, at Tall Tailz Charters saw some of the best fishing that they’ve had all season over the past week. They’ve managed some monster bass on topwater plugs, including dozens in the 30-40-pound range and a few pushing 50-pounds. As always, live pogies or fresh chunks are also a steady producer of big bass and bluefish. With no shortage of bait, and water temperatures remaining under 70 degrees, we should still have a few weeks of incredible trophy bass fishing in Narragansett Bay. Fluke fishing has started to hit its stride and seems to be more productive than the June bite of years past. We’re in the midst of some incredible spring/early summer Rhode Island fishing, so be sure to book soon while there are still some dates available.
Jay, at Pamela May Charters in Narragansett, said that the fishing has remained strong in the bay if you can hide from the gator bluefish. Pogies are everywhere, so most anglers aren’t having an issue with bait. Stripers from school class to cows, and everything in between are still plentiful. The Galilee area is loaded with sand eels and anglers fishing that area have been rewarded with big bass on bait and on the troll. The usual late June hot spell has commenced at Block Island, with plenty of stripers and some nice schools of tuna starting to show up. Fluking has been a slow but consistent pick around the island, while things remain tougher around the south shore. Black sea bass are plentiful throughout the state, so the opener should be a strong one next week.
Nick at Big Bear Hunting and Fishing told me that saltwater anglers may need to cover some ground, but there are plenty of big fish to be had. There have been some large schools of striped bass blitzing on bunker around Greene Island that are more than willing to take a Sluggo. There are still plenty of bluefish and weakfish in the area as well, so it remains easy to go out and get the RI Slam! Freshwater anglers and finding a good largemouth bite in the evenings at Wilson’s, Wakefield, and Watermans, while trout anglers are anxiously awaiting the Hexagina Limbata hatch.
Connecticut Fishing Report
Heather, from Blackhawk Sportfishing reports that the porgy fishing has picked up over the past week, especially after a nice slug of fresh fish showed up last weekend. Limits around the boat have become much more commonplace, and some bonus weakfish continue to be more of a regularity than a surprise. Last Fridays after work special was also a great success due to the glut of bluefish in the area, along with some quality striped bass. They will be adding more of these trips in the next few weeks, so be sure to grab a spot soon. All their trips remain by reservation only through the office or website, and there are still some private charters available for July and August.
Mike Roy of Reel Cast Charters told me that the striped bass and bluefishing remains steady. Action has been good in and around the river on topwater plugs, soft plastics, and live bunker. There are also a few more fish setting up on the reefs out front, and those numbers should multiply quickly as the water warms up. The rise in water temp has also helped the sea bass and porgy bite, which are both going strong. Mike still has some openings for July, so be sure to check in with him soon!
Ted, at Three Belles Outfitters, reports some strong local fishing in both the fresh and saltwater. In the salt, both fluke and seabass are being caught in better numbers and sizes. There are striped bass of mixed sizes throughout the area feeding on adult and peanut bunker, along with some schools of gator bluefish that can be found blitzing on the surface. Freshwater anglers are finding largemouth in the shallows hitting topwater lures, frogs, and chatterbaits in the twilight hours. Ted was able to manage his personal best 22.5-inch fish using one of the aforementioned tactics. Smallmouth action has also been strong in the northern stretches of the Connecticut River.
Evan from Black Hall Outfitters reports that the local fishing is hot with stripers all over the CT river from Essex to the mouth. Fish are being caught on everything from topwaters to eels and bunker. There are also some more bass showing up on the reefs for anglers 3-waying eels or bucktails. A few fish around the 50-pound mark have been reported, but there seems to be plenty of 30-40-inch fish. The bluefish remain mixed in with the stripers and are more than willing to rip apart an eel or soft plastic. The seabass bite hasn’t been great yet, but some anglers are finding limits on the deeper rockpiles. The porgies have showed up in full force, with hubcaps taking squid and/or jigs. The fluke fishing has steadily improved as the water has warmed up, but the bigger fish still seem to be in New York and Rhode Island waters. The BHO fluke-fest signups are now open, so be sure to enter before you catch that doormat!
Captain Chris Elser has been finding several different year classes of striped bass and bluefish that week, that have provided some excellent fishing. They have also been found closer to home and closer to shore, as the bunker schools continue to filter into the sound. The 10-inch Big Occhi continues to be a top producer for big bluefish and slot bass, with many willing to hit it on the surface. The fluke fishing isn’t red hot just yet, but it improved once again this week, along with the local black sea bass fishing.
Over at Fisherman’s World in Norwalk the word is that there’s been a major push of small bait around the inshore waters. Sand eels and spearing have got birds and fish feeding all over the surface, so small topwater baits and tins have been getting the job done. There are still some major schools of bunker and larger bass to the west that should be entering the area soon, and when they do, it’ll be game on! The local fluking has been relatively consistent, with anglers getting some quality keepers in 30-40 feet of water. The sea bass are still eating jigs, bucktails, and bait on the deeper structure, and they should start to spread out as the water continues to warm.
Rhode Island Forecast
The June new moon didn’t disappoint for most of the striped bass anglers across the area, but what may be more important than the moon, is the pronounced rise in water temperature. Warming temperatures have brought more bass into the area, larger bass into the area, and has helped to get the fish to start to settle into some of their summer haunts. There’s still plenty of movement with these fish, but there seems to be plenty of bass and bluefish to be had in most of the usual hotspots. The warming temperatures seem to have greatly helped the bottom fishing as well. The fluke bite has been consistent around Block Island and has slowly and steadily improved inshore. The same can be said for the sea bass bite, which should be a full go by the time the Rhode Island season opens on June 24. A big glut of scup has inundated both Connecticut and Rhode Island waters, so anglers should have plenty of options soon. The freshwater action remains steady as well, with plenty of big and active largemouth, along with tremendous conditions in most of our trout streams.
Are black fish bittin