Rhode Island Fishing Report- May 30, 2024

Rhode Island Fishing Report

Recent reports from the Frances Fleet in Point Judith show mixed results on the squid trips with some anglers figuring out the bite and going home with a bucket full and others struggling to put together enough for dinner. The squid have been a bit picky this season and even though they are marking them heavy every trip, they aren’t always feeding. Fluke fishing is starting to show signs of improvement with some larger fish moving in around Block Island recently. They will be fishing 7 days a week in June, weather permitting. Reservations for full-day fluke trips, half-day fluke trips, and squid trips can be booked on their website or by calling the office. 

Dave at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reports that the inshore striped bass bite is still good but the fish are spread out quite a bit. The Seekonk River has been one of the more consistent spots for anglers dunking worms and clams, but the Providence River is producing even bigger fish on fresh pogie chunks. Using bait is always a safe bet, but there’s also a steady bite in the shipping channels on flutter spoons, and the lower Bay is producing on umbrella rigs. Kayak anglers are scoring on the tube and worm, or live eels worked across the rockpiles out front. Fluke fishing is starting to improve for anglers who can find the squid schools, while the scup fishing has improved immensely over the past few weeks.

Rob at Newport Sportfishing Charters told me that the bass bite has continued to improve, and he’s seen another increase in quality this week. Another nice push of some big bluefish has also moved in, and hopefully that resurgence continues. Squid fishing has been up and down, but it’s consistent enough to make it worth it, while bottom fishing for tautog is consistent enough to make it worth a trip before the spring season ends this weekend. Rob hasn’t spent a ton of time fluking just yet, but early indications are strong, especially after all the squid moved into the area. 

• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Rhode Island 

Jay at Pamela May Charters told me that big striped bass have moved their way into the bay, and while they could be finicky from time to time, they will generally eat live bunker or flutter spoons. School bass and slot fish are feeding out front for light tackle anglers. There has recently been some keeper fluke up closer to the beaches, but the best fluke fishing is off Block Island. Striped bass fishing has also improved off Block Island, as the big biomass of sand eels have moved in.  

Captain Connor at Tall Tailz Charters has been taking advantage of one of the best portions of the fishing season that Newport has to offer. The tautog bite has been excellent, but those fish are moving up and down the bay to spawn, so you may have to spend a little time finding a piece of structure that has fish chewing. The striped bass bite has also improved. There are loads of migratory fish entering the area every day, but there has also been a large push of big fish running up through the Bay on the tails of pogies. With the massive amounts of bait around, the bite could be inconsistent from day to day, but there is no shortage of fish to be had, and things should only improve from here. Word is that the scup and fluke bite is starting to improve as well, but there are also plenty rumors of tuna starting to show up for the first time, so the true summer action is right in front of us. Be sure to reach out to Connor to book a summer trip before it’s too late! 

Chris Catucci from the Hobie Pro Team has been cashing in on the kayak in both saltwater and sweetwater. He reported good tautog fishing in the bay, mainly around the dock pilings, and also noted that there were some big striped bass moving through the same areas. He also reported that things have been very good for largemouth bass anglers, as those fish are on the post-spawn move now and are willing to hit a number of offerings.  

Rhode Island Fishing Forecast

It feels like summer weather and summer fishing seems to be upon us. Striped bass are prevalent throughout Rhode Island, with some much bigger bass continuing to enter the bay on the tails of the pogies schools, along with more migratory fish showing up along the beaches. A continued 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 they seem to have attracted some quality fluke, which should pick up the bottom fishing slack nicely with tautog season ending this weekend. That being said, some big tautog are on the local rockpiles and up in the Bay, so it’s a great opportunity to cash in before the season ends. And freshwater anglers are reporting quality largemouth bass catches, especially in the herring-run ponds.