(Above) A solid R.I. bass caught by a client of Captain Kurt Rivard.
Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith has started to switch gears and will now start targeting fluke, and they will also be adding more squid trips as soon as they start to arrive in better numbers. Keep an eye on their website or call the office for schedule updates and sailing times.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reports that the striped bass fishing has been excellent in both the Providence and Seekonk Rivers. There have been fish around all day, but the best bite has been around pre-dawn and dusk, with the fish willing to take small swimmers and small soft plastics, such as Whip It Fish and Albie Snax. Tautog fishing has been consistently improving, with good reports on the rockpiles, pilings and ledges throughout the bay and in the rivers. Scup fishing hasn’t fully blown open, but they are starting to show up in the lower Bay and on the rockpiles out front. Squid fishing has been hit or miss in the area, with the best reports coming from Newport, Sakonnet, and Jamestown.
Eric, at The Saltwater Edge in Newport reports that things are really heating up locally for striped bass anglers. Anglers are finding plenty of reports by day in and around the Bay, with fish from 30-inches to 30-plus pounds taking topwater plugs and SP Minnows. Eric also mentioned that anglers working the beaches and rocks after dark are finding bigger fish each trip on live eels and artificial offerings. A strong striped bass season has already started, and the table is set for a banner year!
Ralph, at Crafty One Customs reports that the local striped bass fishing has started off strong, with fish to 40-pounds already being reported from local waters. This seems to be one of the earliest starts, in terms of big bass, that Ralph has seen in about 10 years. Tautog fishing continues to improve every day, especially the warmer days, and that trend will continue as we get well into May and the water really starts to warm up. The squid reports aren’t completely lock and load, but a good deal of anglers that are targeting them are finding full buckets this week. 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 excited to be running a new 36-foot contender for the season! He just got it into the water and has had a few good weeks targeting schoolies in upper Narragansett Bay. The bulk of the fish are still schoolies, but he is starting to see some bigger fish move through each day. The tautog bite has also been very consistent whenever he has targeted them, and that shouldn’t change anytime soon. Be sure to reach out to Ian to book a trip before it’s too late.
Jay, at Pamela May Charters is just getting started for the season and told me that he has been finding holdovers and some small migratory stripers in and around the Narrow River. There have also been some nice white perch in the mix, which have helped keep the lines tight. 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 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 warming weather this weekend. There are now some scup mixed in with the tautog, and those numbers will also increase as we warm up. 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!
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Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Rhode Island saltwater fishing is really starting to hit its stride as the calendar has flipped to 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. Tautog reports have improved since last week and should improve greatly from the warmer temperatures we have forecasted this weekend. 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.