Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith has been getting out to the grounds whenever the weather allows, with mixed results. It has been a bit slower than they would like, but they are still seeing a lot of life between keepers and shorts. High hooks have been seeing 2 to 3 keeper cod and sea bass limits. The grounds seem to be full of life and they anticipate things improving. They will also start targeting blackfish this weekend, with the first trip sailing at 6 am on the 15th. Be sure to check their website for a reservation on one of the many trips.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reports that the fall run continues to intensify across Rhode Island. Larger striped bass are prevalent throughout the bay and up in the Providence River. The south facing shoreline out in front of the bay and across the South County is loaded with small bait, and is holding bass, bluefish, false albacore, and bonito. Most anglers are finding fish, but it is starting to take a little more effort and planning. Scup are still being caught in the Providence River and Narragansett Bay, keeper sea bass can be found in shallower water, and tautog fishing continues to improve by the day. The Rhode Island DEM has continued stocking trout this week, and you can check their website for stocking updates. Dave said they have fresh pogies, eels, and sea worms in stock, and they’re open 7 days a week. You can check in on his Google page for updated hours.
Ralph, at Crafty One Customs said that fall fishing in the bay is really picking up with plenty of options for anglers to pursue. Striped bass and some bluefish have been chasing bait in tight to the rocks and beaches, which is helping the fishing for both shore and boat anglers. There are still a decent number of false albacore and some mackerel around as well. Tautog fishing is getting better by the day, and there are still plenty of black sea bass and scup around to help fill coolers. The shop’s Tog Classic was a huge success, with a great turnout, and the largest fish going 12.14 pounds.
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Connor, at Tail Tailz Charters told me that the area is still loaded with striped bass, bluefish, and false albacore, as the peak fall run is upon us. He has been playing with some blitzing fish occasionally, but his focus has shifted mainly to giant tautog hunting. He continues to find limits of quality fish on all trips, with some large fish in the mix. His team managed the largest fish in the RI Tog Classic with a fish over 12 pounds, and they took second place in the team category. The tautog fishing will only improve from here and Connor has a few dates still available in November, so be sure to reach out before it’s too late.
Jay, at Pamela May Charters told me that reports from the tautog grounds have been strong, but he hasn’t targeted them yet. He’ll be out there soon, when the season goes to 5 fish and the weather settles down a bit. He told me that the topwater action has slowed down a bit, as there are still plenty of bass and false albacore around, but they are much more scattered. There should be one more good push of fish out of the bay soon, which should fire up some more large blitzes. There are also reportedly some large bass and bluefish hanging around the Narragansett area, that are willing to take large topwater plugs.
Dustin at, Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures told me that the albies are still around, but it seems as though the end may be approaching, as the schools seem to be thinning out. Striped bass and bluefish are a safer bet, as large schools of both species can be found blitzing along the south facing beaches. Togtober is in full effect, as the bite has been improving every day, and there are still good numbers of black sea bass in the mix. The daily creel for each species is going up very soon, so this is a great time to stock the freezer with some of our tastiest species. Dustin has a few dates still available in November for those looking to get one last late season kayak or shore trip in, so be sure to book a trip soon!
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Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
It looks like we may finally dodge our weekly Saturday rain storm this weekend and Rhode Island anglers have no shortage of options, as the fall run rolls on. The false albacore remain around in good enough numbers to keep anglers busy, even though the schools are starting to thin out a bit. Bass and bluefish of mixed sizes can also be found blitzing along the south shore, including some large bass falling to anglers working the breachways after dark. The area is still loaded with small bait, so we should have no shortage of blitzing bass/bluefish in the coming weeks, even if the false albacore move on. The bay has heated up as well, with plenty of big bass and blues around the mouth, and in the northern stretches of the Providence River. Tautog fishing is here to stay, with consistent reports of double-digit fish across multiple depths this week. Sea bass fishing has also improved across a wide range of depths, and the creel limit of both tautog and sea bass is set to increase shortly, helping to keep those coolers full.
Anyone else notice how skinny the striper(s) in the photos seem to be? Big heads, small bodies. Not unhealthy per se, but very odd for October, when they are usually fat.