Rhode Island Fishing Report
Over at the Frances Fleet in Point Judith they were able to get out for squid a couple of times this past week and the fishing seems to be picking up. Results were mixed across the boat as is often the case when squid fishing but those anglers who were able to figure out the bite were able to put a solid catch together and high hooks had close to a 5-gallon bucket full of fresh squid. Depending on the weather, they plan on running squid trips Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday and will be adding fluke trips very soon. Reservations and an updated schedule can be found on their website, or you can call the office.
Eric, over at The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, provided the following report for the week:
“Excellent spring fishing continues in the ocean state. Whether you are targeting squid, bass, or tautog, you are in for some great opportunities. Striped bass of varying sizes can be found from Providence to Westerly and everywhere in between. Keep an eye out for the bait because when you do find bass they seem keyed in on one of the varieties of bait we have around right now. It could be tiny bait and it could be bunker. Bring some lures to match the different size ranges and movement patterns. The tautog have spread out into their usual haunts and can be caught with rigs or jigs, and if you are feeling like a new challenge, try and get one on the fly this year. The nighttime squid bite is going strong with people filling buckets and coolers every night, as long as the weather cooperates.”
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reports saltwater anglers are continuing to find more and more fish and species to play with as we work through May. Over the past few days, shore and boat anglers have been mostly dialed in on striped bass and squid. The charter boats are finding the squid schools across the local beaches, and results have mostly been good. The striped bass fishing continues to get better in the Upper Bay, with an obvious uptick in size showing up this week. Shore anglers are also catching well throughout the bay to Providence, and they’re also starting to report some better catches from the South County beaches. Bottom fishermen are starting to see some fluke and the Buzzards Bay scup bite has exploded, so it won’t be long before both species are abundant across Rhode Island. Tautog fishing also continues to improve weekly, so it’s definitely worth a trip before the season ends at the end of the month. Dave is now open from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, and 6 to 6 Monday through Friday!
Rob at Newport Sportfishing Charters told me that the bass bite has been lights out over the past week, with a steady increase in numbers, size, and range. Most of the early season bass hotspots are holding fish at one point or another throughout the day, so you shouldn’t have to work too hard to find them. A nice push of some big bluefish have also made their way into the area, and hopefully that resurgence continues. Squid fishing has been steady, while bottom fishing for tautog is consistent, and the early season fluke bite is improving daily.
Captain Connor at Tall Tailz Charters got his season started over the past week and he is currently running mostly combo tautog/striped bass trips. The tog bite has been very consistent, with plenty of quality fish showing up in shallow water. They’ve done best in roughly 15 to 25 feet of water, and almost exclusively on jigs. The striped bass bite is getting better and better each day. There are loads of schoolies across the state, along with enough over-slot fish up to 40 inches or so keeping things interesting. Drifting spoons has been a consistent producer, along with topwater plugs and SP Minnows. As more and more bait filters into the area, so will the larger bass, so things will only get better from here.
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Jay, at Pamela May Charters told me that he had some strong trips last weekend. The mid-Bay was full of bass to 35 inches, and they were willing to hit topwaters and flutter spoons. There have been some recent worm hatches, so things should also start to wake up for the fly-rodders fishing the flats and salt ponds. There have been more fresh fish entering the bay everyday and we should see a good push of bigger fish very soon. Tautog fishing has been hit or miss, but if you get out there on the right tide, you should be able to find a limit. Jay has also heard of some decent fluke reports over the past few days, likely due to the influx of squid. On that note, he’ll be doing some squid trips over the next few nights as the weather continues to settle down.
Ralph, at Crafty One Customs reports fishing for striped bass has been very good in the bay with larger bass moving in with each tide, and plenty of bait around for them to feed on. Large schools of pogies and squid have attracted the attention of most of the bass, but some smaller bait has entered the area as well, so downsizing your presentation is necessary at times. Tautog fishing is very good in the bay and seems to be picking up out front along the beaches. Not much for fluke reports yet but they should be moving inshore, and fishing should start to pick up for them in the next couple of weeks.
Dustin at, Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures told me that things remained pretty consistent since his report last week, with the exception of one thing. A big push of bluefish has swept through the Ocean State and is providing another great early season option. The striper bite continues to improve as the late spring season rolls forward. Early season stripers are chasing bait so some spots can be hit or miss from day to day but there’s definitely a large number of fish around. Blackfish is still going strong and should continue that way until the season closes at the end of the month. Squid fishing has become more consistent, with many more good trips than weak ones. Freshwater fishing is still strong. Largemouth are starting to spawn so sight fishing for them is becoming an option. Trout have been recently stocked so there is still time to catch them before the water warms up. Dustin’s May and June weekend dates are filled, but there are still some weekend trips for July and beyond available, so be sure to check the website and book a trip ASAP!
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Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
As we continue to transition from early to late spring weather patterns, we’re seeing signs that the fishing patterns are changing as well. Striped bass are prevalent throughout Rhode Island, with some big bass chasing pogies through the Bay, and quite a few large schools of fresh bass showing up along the beaches. A recent influx of big bluefish this week seems to be a trend across the northeast, and it’s no different in Rhode Island, with most anglers reporting some gators hitting the deck this week. Squid reports improved once again and are quite consistent, and with that, we’re starting to hear of more early arrivals of fluke. The scup are starting to show themselves as well, and the tautog fishing is as good as ever for mid-May. Freshwater anglers are reporting quality largemouth catches, especially in the herring ponds, and the trout fishing action is great following increased stocking and settled weather.