Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith has been targeting squid whenever they have a chance to get out. The fishing has generally been on the slow side due to some dirty water and tough conditions, but the water is starting to clean up and the fishing has improved significantly. The squid fishing should get much more consistent coming off this moon tide, as long as the weather cooperates. They will be adding fluke trips very soon, as there have already been some solid reports, so be sure to check their schedule.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reports that anglers have no shortage of late Spring fishing opportunities in his neck of the woods. Bottom fishermen are finding steady tautog action in the Bay, the rivers, and on the rockpiles out front. Scup action has been good in the mid-bay and on the South County reefs, and there has been some big scup taking crabs intended for tautog. Shore anglers fishing sea/blood worms have had some luck with scup as well. Striped bass fishing has been good for anglers throughout the area, with strong catches coming from anglers fishing bait and artificials. Freshwater anglers are reporting a solid pike and largemouth bite on live shiners. Dave is now open everyday from 430 AM to 7 PM!
Ralph, at Crafty One Customs reports that the striped bass fishing inside the bay remains very consistent, with plenty of bass willing to hit a number of different offerings. Topwaters, spoons, various soft plastics and bait have all been getting the job done. Tautog fishing continues to improve every day, especially the warmer days, and some better fish were reported this past week from around the islands. The squid reports aren’t completely lock and load, but anglers are still catching on the right tides. The shop is fully stocked for the upcoming season, and they are open 7 days a week, so be sure to check in!
Ian, over at Ranger Charters is continuing to find plenty of stripers, in and around the Bay. The bulk of the fish are still schoolies, but bigger fish are arriving each day. There has been a nice push of bluefish as well and the sizes are impressive. Ian didn’t make any tautog trips this week, but the anglers that are still targeting them are doing very well. Be sure to reach out to Ian to book a trip before it’s too late.
Jay, at Pamela May Charters has still been spending most of his time targeting holdovers and some small migratory stripers in the tributaries and salt ponds. The ponds had some worm hatches this week, which has helped out with the light tackle action. There have been some good weakfish and bluefish reports recently, so Jay plans to spend some time targeting them soon. He plans to start hitting the Bay for tautog this week and may also add some evening squid trips, so be sure to check in to book a late spring trip!
Dustin, at RI Kayak Fishing Adventures, told me that striped bass fishing continues to be steady and will only improve in the coming days. A few more bluefish and some weakfish have entered the fray this week, so we have a nice variety of gamefish to target. The tautog report has been steady and should improve with the late week warm-up. There are now some larger scup mixed in with the tautog, and both shore and boat anglers are scoring. The squid reports have been up and down, but there seems to be enough around to make it worth your while. On the freshwater side; largemouth bass, crappie, trout and carp reports have remained consistent all Spring, and this week is no different. As fishing improves, Dustin starts to book up quickly, so be sure to check out rikfa.com ASAP to book a kayak/shore trip!
View this post on Instagram
The Saltwater Edge in Middletown reports:
“Fishing here in Rhode Island remains excellent. Bluefish have arrived and are mixed in with some healthy-sized striped bass. During the day look into the bay for your best shot at sizable bass and blues. Fly anglers in particular have been having an excellent spring, don’t forget your steel leaders or bite guards this time of year! For spinning anglers that may mean sizing down a bit on their topwater offerings. That being said, last year’s breakout star, the flutter spoon, remains an excellent way to get picky bass on the bottom to eat.
-
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain in Rhode Island
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Rhode Island saltwater fishing continues to intensify as we get into May. Striped bass have been the main show in town, with a nice mix of fresh and holdover bass, including a few larger specimens pushing the 40-pound mark. The Bay has put up some of the most consistent action, but there has been action all over the state, and the fishing out front should only improve this week. Bluefish reports should start trickling in this week, while recent weakfish reports are pointing toward another strong season. Tautog reports have improved since last week and should improve greatly from the warmer temperatures we have forecasted this weekend. Some very nice scup are mixed in with the tautog and provide strong action for both shore and boat anglers. Fluke reports are starting to materialize from “offshore” areas, so it won’t be long before they are around in full effect. Squid action isn’t quite lock and load, but reports have been improving greatly from day to day, so we should have a solid week of filling buckets ahead of us. Freshwater anglers have no shortage of opportunities, with strong reports for pre-spawn largemouth, crappie, pike, carp, and trout.