Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith continued to sail for cod whenever the weather allows. They worked the rockpiles and wrecks, and while fishing was generally slow, they were still able to manage some nice keepers. The dogfish have become a bit of a problem, but you can generally work through them to find some keepers. The weather has been up and down, but the fleet will continue to sail when they can, so be sure to check their website for an updated schedule and reservations.
Ralph, at Crafty One Customs has started to hear of a few more local tautog being caught this week, with the best reports coming from the structure in the upper bay. Holdover bass are becoming more active and there has been some talk of fresh fish arriving at the beaches, although that bite remains hit or miss. A few anglers are catching squid here and there, but Ralph thinks that fishery should blow open any day now. The shop is fully stocked for the upcoming season, and they are now open 7 days a week.
Elisa, from Snug Harbor Marina reported that anglers are still waiting for the arrival of the first migratory striped bass in good numbers. There have been some reports of a few fish here and there being caught, but we haven’t seen it blow wide open yet. The holdover striped bass are holding down the fort, with reports of more activity and some larger fish feeding on the river herring. Cod fishing reports have been hit or miss, with many anglers not able to get out to the grounds, while tautog reports have been improving on the deeper water wrecks. Squid reports have been quiet locally, but it shouldn’t be too long, as reports have been improving from Newport. The shop will be holding its annual used tackle sale on April 28th and 29th, so be sure to stop bye and say hello!
Dustin, at RI Kayak Fishing Adventures, told me that things keep getting better each week for early Spring fishing in Rhode Island. For saltwater anglers, some fresh migratory striped bass have started to show up, and the bite is getting a little better each day. Tautog fishing is starting to get more consistent and should really start to shine as we get into and through May. There have been nice some cod around as well and are often mixed in with the tautog. Freshwater anglers are finding largemouth feeding heavily as they prepare to spawn. A few anglers have put in some time for pike this week as well and they are reporting a decent post-spawn bite. Carp anglers are reporting some nice catches, and this is generally a very good time to target some big spring carp. Be sure to book your guided kayak and/or shore trip while there are still dates available, check out rikfa.com for more information.
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Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
As temperatures normalize, spring fishing is slowly but surely improving for anglers working both the freshwater and saltwater across Southern New England.
Rhode Island saltwater anglers can continue to take advantage of increasing opportunities as we approach May. Cod fishermen continue to battle the winds, but things should steadily improve with better/warmer conditions this week. There have also been some nice cod being caught as by-catch by tautog anglers, so they’re chewing if you can get out there. Holdover striped bass reports have continued to slowly improve, with anglers finding some bigger bass on the tail of the river herring. Reports of fresh striped bass have slowly started to trickle in, and we should start seeing a more consistent bite soon. The same can be said for squid, which are slowly starting to trickle into the area. Tautog reports have improved since last week and is usually red-hot during early May. Freshwater anglers have no shortage of opportunities, with strong reports for pre-spawn largemouth, crappie, pike, carp, and trout.