Rhode Island Fishing Report
Over at the Frances Fleet in Point Judith they are eagerly waiting on the return of nicer weather with plans to start fishing for tautog and cod around mid-April and then add in squid trips as soon as the bite starts to come together. Fishing for fluke and black sea bass will start up in May as the seasons open for both species. Their full schedule can be viewed on their website where you can also make reservations for upcoming trips.
Dave at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reports that some anglers are finding a few tautog, but the bite hasn’t fully developed yet, as we’re still probably a few degrees away from it picking up. On a positive note, inshore anglers are finding some quality codfish while out targeting tautog. The fish are far enough inshore, that even the kayak anglers are getting in the mix. With some warmer temperatures forecasted next week, we should certainly see an uptick in tog action, along with enough cod to make it worth taking a trip. Holdover striped bass are getting more active, especially around the herring runs. The Ohio Ledge area off Colt State Park saw an uptick in bass activity the past few days, as the herring numbers seem to have increased quite a bit. Freshwater anglers are reporting more bass and pike activity this week, and most anglers are gearing up for the opening of trout season this weekend. Dave will be open at 4:30 on Saturday morning for Rhode Island trout anglers, and he also anticipates having sea worms, squid, clams and crabs fully stocked by Friday!
Rob at Newport Sportfishing Charters told me he’s spending most of his time getting the boat ready for the upcoming season. That said, he’s found some time to target big largemouth bass, and has had plenty of success. The water is still cold, so the fish want slow presentations, mainly jigs, but they’re chewing well. He’ll be transitioning to salt soon, so be sure to lock down a date for a trip before it’s too late!
Matt, at Snug Harbor Marina reports that customers have been coming in to gear up for cod over the past week, but the weather has made it difficult most days. Those that made it out during the few weather windows, are reporting solid results, and they generally don’t have to travel too far. The early spring “inshore” fishery has started to become better than the traditional winter fishery. The migratory striped bass aren’t here yet, but anglers are finding slightly better holdover action, while those targeting winter flounder are working hard but finding a few keepers in the salt ponds. The annual used tackle sale is coming up on April 27th and 28th and they have been taking in a lot of gear for the sale.
Chris Catucci with Hobie Pro Team told me that he has been focusing on freshwater largemouth bass fishing, with some pretty solid results. Water temperatures have bounced back nicely, and it appears they should continue to do so next week. Most of his success has come by working jigs along the deeper shorelines, especially if you can find some wood or other structure along these deep shorelines. He also noted that the herring run ponds saw another increase in activity this week. Word from early season tautog anglers is that things have slowly started to improve, and most are seeing a nice haul of cod in the mix as well.
Ralph at Crafty One Customs said that the fishing effort has just started to pick up and should really start to get going with some warmer temperatures next week. The tautog action has slowly but steadily improving and should see a nice uptick next week. Striped bass action has been confined to the holdover variety, but some migratory fish, along with the squid, should be invading the area in the next couple weeks. With spring fishing just around the corner, now is a great time to stop in and pick up any items that you might need for the season ahead. The shop is open 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
Dustin at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures told me that this week has produced a lot more consistent tautog action than last week, and while it’s far from lights out, it’s improving every day. With some consistent warmer temperatures next week, we should really start to see it improve. Solid cod action continued throughout the week and should go strong for another week or two. Holdover striper action is still very strong but with the fresh stripers on the way the holdover bite will see a decline over the next few weeks. Freshwater fishing has been solid, with everything biting from largemouth to carp. Ponds will open up this Saturday for Rhode Island’s opening day. This is an awesome opportunity to catch the golden trout, but it’s also a good time to throw large trout imitating swimbaits for a shot a big largemouth. Dustin is really looking forward to the upcoming season. For those interested in booking a kayak trip, head over to his website, weekend dates for the next few months are almost gone, so be sure to book asap!
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Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
While anglers across Rhode Island wait for some improving weather to help facilitate their saltwater fishing, opening day of trout season is this weekend and will provide some excellent angling opportunities across the state. Tautog season has started of slowly, but reports have steadily improved for those putting the time in, and it should only improve as we get more consistent warm weather. A nice bonus for tautog anglers has been the influx of inshore codfish, which has provided a consistent second option for those targeting tog. The holdover striped bass population in the state seems to be waking up, as more and more river herring enter the systems, and we’re a mere couple of weeks away before the masses of migrating fish show up. Largemouth bass reports have been stellar for the past few weeks and whether you’re into bass or trout, there’s going to be a big number of water bodies that will open up this weekend with the trout season opener.