Rhode Island Fishing Report- October 13, 2022

Rhode Island Fishing Report

The Frances Fleet in Point Judith was able to get back onto the grounds this week, and the fishing seems to be improving greatly as the weather has settled. Most trips have been successful, with some days being better cod days and others being stronger scup/sea bass days. The high hooks on cod were just 1 fish shy of a limit, along with a sea bass limit to boot. They have plenty of room on the trips through the weekend and into next week, including the blackfish boat, which starts sailing this weekend. Be sure to check the website for weather alerts and updated trip information! 

When I spoke to Jay, at Pamela May Charters, he was happy to report that the weather has settled down and the striped bass have fully entered their fall pattern. On most days there are large feeds of topwater bass, and each day seems to bring in more waves of larger fish. The stripers are providing consistent light tackle action, but don’t pack away the albie gear just yet, as they can generally be found in the mix on most trips. The albies do seem be getting more finicky, so be prepared to change presentations early and often. Keeper sea bass are easy to find, and surprisingly enough, there are still a few big fluke hanging out in the deeper water. Jay will be running their first tautog charters this weekend, and they are now booking into November, so be sure to book a trip soon before it’s too late.  

Rick, at Priority Charters, told me that they have been finding some schools of striped bass that are willing to hit topwater lures around Rhode Island’s beaches, as well as some big bass still hanging around Block Island, and showing up on the troll. The sea bass fishing has been off the charts this week, especially if you go a bit further offshore, where you will also find some keeper cod in the mix. There are still some big bluefin around for the sharpies who take advantage of weather windows, while the tog fishing is showing signs of improvement, and will continue to do so as the temps drop. Rick will be spending more time targeting tautog next week, and still has a few openings available in November! 

Dustin, at RI Kayak Fishing Adventures, told me that the false albacore and bonito bite is still going strong in Rhode Island, but it could fizzle out at a moment’s notice, so capitalize soon. Striped bass and bluefish are still all over the state in big numbers and can generally be found blitzing bait on topwater. The tautog bite is hitting its stride for the bottom fishing trips, with steadier action, and a better keeper to short ratio. Freshwater anglers are finding success in the trout waters that were recently stocked, and largemouth anglers are reporting good catches on reaction baits. Dustin still has some dates on the calendar for kayak and/or shore fishing trips, so be sure to check out www.rikfa.com to book a trip! 

Ralph, at Crafty One Customs saw another great turnout for their Rhode Island Tog Classic, despite some tough weather. The tautog action is improving daily, in terms of both size and numbers. Anglers working the deeper pieces of structure are also reporting plenty of nice sea bass in the mix. Striped bass fishing has started to hit fall run mode, with some larger bass being caught from both shore and boat anglers this week. False albacore anglers are still finding some fish on most trips, but they have been a bit more scattered and skittish.  

Captain Rob, at Newport Sportfishing Charters, told me that the tautog fishing is really starting to pop off in his neck of the woods. He has been able to put together some successful trips, including winning first place in the Rhode Island Tog Classic. The fishing should only get better from here, as the keeper ratio has been steadily improving. Rob has been focusing most of his attention on tog, but for those looking for striped bass, there has been no shortage of mixed size fish across the area.  

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Rhode Island Fishing Forecast

Peak fall fishing is upon us in southern New England, with steady sea bass action and improving tautog fishing for the groundfishermen. Striped bass of all sizes are being caught with regularity at just about every hot spot in our range, and there have been enough false albacore hanging around to keep things interesting.  

Anglers heading out in Rhode Island that are looking for blitzing fish should have no problem finding some. The majority of the blitzes have been mixed sizes of striped bass, which are assaulting bait all over the surface from Westerly to Newport. Albie blitzes aren’t quite as common as they were a few weeks ago, but make sure you have your tins ready, as they’re often seen popping up around the bass blitzes. Sea bass action has been as strong as it has all season, especially on the deeper wrecks, while tautog fishing slowly but surely improves daily with the dropping temps.  

Connecticut anglers also have no shortage of striped bass to play with. Schoolie blitzes are reported all over the state, and some big fish can be found on the usual reefs and rips, and throughout the range of the tidal rivers. If you find the bunker (adult or peanuts) you will undoubtedly find some hungry bass and a few large bluefish close behind. The false albacore fishing has been tougher, but reports are still strong from the western portions of the sound. The tautog opener was a strong one for most anglers, with good weather and plenty of action. Shorts seem to be dominating the catch, but plenty of keepers are being caught, especially around the tide change periods. Sea bass and scup are helping to fill the coolers, with the former showing up on the deeper structure, and the latter being abundant everywhere.