Like much of the Northeast, fishing has been slow in Rhode Island. The wintery mix of slushy skim ice and open water has made it difficult to find fishable locations. But, staying on top of the forecasts and spending time on the water will lead to more productive outings, especially as freshwater fishing season begins to pick up.
In Rhode Island, Dustin Stevens of Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures used the brief moments of sunshine to take a shot at some freshwater fishing, and he had himself a day. White perch are a favorite wintertime target for anglers from Jersey to New England, and because they’re a Coldwater fish, they can provide some serious fun with the proper lightweight gear.
Fishing from a kayak this time of year can be the difference maker between getting skunked from shore on a cold day, or finding a bite in deeper water. Dustin uses a Hobie Outback with pedal drive to free up his hands when fishing. While fishing from a typical recreational kayak is also possible, it’s a lot easier with a boat that’s equipped to take on the task.
White perch have not been the only fish in search of a meal, Dustin caught a handful of largemouth bass during his outing. The bass bite is slowly but surely beginning around the Southeastern regions of New England; Cape Cod has seen similar fishing, with white perch and largemouth bass highlighted amongst an occasional trout. Using a fish finder while kayak fishing is especially beneficial in locating not only an abundance of fish, but larger, quality fish as well.
As the sweetwater continues to warm and March rolls around, bass fishing will only continue to improve. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass will be moving to shallow water in search of food as they near the pre-spawn stages. While the bass aren’t quite in pre-spawn mode yet, they sure are feeding like it.
In a few weeks, the bass Dustin is catching will have 6 more stripes than a largemouth bass, and they get a little bigger, too. To book a trip with Dustin this season, visit his website here.
According to Andre at Big Bear Hunting and Fishing, the ice has almost entirely melted with the exception of a couple larger lakes. The coming weeks will see trout fishermen in the shops as the stocking trucks begin to go around, and bass are being caught slowly but surely. It’s a good time of year to make sure you have your fishing license(s); right now the state is updating the online system for acquiring fishing licenses, which has lead to headaches for both anglers and state officials.
Big Bear has been hosting fishing tournaments for ice anglers across Rhode Island throughout this winter. They use an app called “Fishing Chaos” and it has been a great way to keep fishermen involved and up to speed on what is being caught and where. They are looking forward to freshwater fishing picking up in the next couple of weeks before it’s open season on stripers and of course, tautog.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Until the season opens in April, freshwater fishing is the name of the game. Dustin Stevens has shown that the bass are willing to bite, but the presentation has to be perfect. The fish are still finicky, but freshwater bass fishing should also improve as the trout get stocked. Big swimbaits in trout patterns will become a viable bait to throw almost overnight, as bass near their prespawn stages in mid- to late-March and often feed on small, stocked trout.
With poor weather forecasted across the Northeast this weekend, it’s a good time to ready your freshwater bass and trout gear. If conditions are too difficult for fishing, prepare for saltwater fishing season by re-spooling, switching out terminal tackle and sharpening hooks to save yourself from last-minute blunders come April.