Rhode Island Fishing Report
Over at the Frances Fleet in Point Judith, they finally got out squid fishing last weekend and even though results were mixed across the boat, those that dialed the bite in and kept after it generally left with a bucket or more of fresh squid! Depending on the weather the fleet plans on running squid trips Friday and Saturday, and they 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 at The Saltwater Edge in Middletown told me that fishing in and around Narragansett Bay is heating up nicely. Striped bass in the 40-inch class have been landed fairly consistently and there are fish in just about very size class out there. Soft plastics like the 5-inch NLBN, small bucktail jigs, and the Rebel Jumpin’ Minnow have all been producing good numbers of bass. As the area fills in with more fish, look toward large flutter spoons to produce quality bass, and as the squid move in, give the new XL Albie Snax a try and make them move fast! From the surf, anglers are catching on darters, swimming plugs, needlefish and eels. Reports from the surf are strong, so don’t be afraid to try your early season spots even earlier this year. Rumors of good weakfish are also already starting to filter in, so again, don’t be afraid to get out there asap. Tautog fishing had a slow start but has been consistently heating up. If you got skunked on an early-season mission you should go back and check those spots again. The tog don’t seem to be showing a preference for rigs over jigs or vice versa, much more important to just get out there and get the crab in their face.
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. The bass fishing is slowly but surely getting more consistent, with some larger bass being taken in the bay, and as far north as the Providence River. There is some inconsistency from day to day, but the bass fishing has been spectacular at times, with large schools of fish chasing small bait and pogies. Bottom fishermen that are targeting tautog are reporting another improvement this week, and there are still some decent cod in the mix. The first couple keeper fluke have been reported from deep water out front, while the scup season started out solid in Narragansett, Jamestown, and Newport. Squid fishing can also be up and down, but it certainly took a turn for the better this week in the Newport area. Freshwater anglers are reporting strong trout fishing, especially with the recent stockings, while largemouth anglers are reporting success on large shiners.
Rob at Newport Sportfishing Charters has continued to transition into his season, with a couple scheduled trips this week. He reported some steady tautog action on all of his tautog trips, along with some hungry stripers that have been willing to eat live pogies, flutter spoons, or the occasional topwater offering. It will only improve from here, as more bait and squid infiltrate the area.
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Chris Catucci of Hobie Pro Team was happy to report that along with some improving saltwater fishing, he’s been scoring some great freshwater catches as well. He took 1st place in a recent bass tournament at Stafford Pond, with a beautiful 21-inch largemouth that fell to a microfrog. He said that the fish are holding to their beds well, so a smaller offering like the mircofrog has been getting the job done, along with the usual offerings you’d use to entice a bedding lmb. He also spent some time looking for tautog this week, and reported some good results from a few of the dock pilings in the bay. He also found some nice striped bass in those same areas, including some over-slot fish that were willing to take Albie Snax. So, it appears the multi-species trips (bass, tog) are still going strong in the bay!
Ralph at Crafty One Customs reports that fishing for striped bass was very good up inside of the bay this past week. A lot of the fish being caught are small but there have been some slot and above slot fish mixed in. Smaller 3- to 5-inch soft plastics and surface lures seem to be producing most of the action for bass. Anglers have reported 100-plus fish in a trip this week! Tautog fishing is really picking up in the bay with many boats reporting limit catches of fish to 10-plus pounds. Squid fishing is improving and there are reports of large schools of bunker/pogies in the bay so there is plenty of bait around for when the larger stripers start to show.
Dustin at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures told me that the striper bite continues to improve as the late spring season rolls on. 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. A few bluefish and weakfish catches have been reported as well, so it appears we’re getting close to peak late-Spring fishing. Squid fishing is pretty strong for those willing to put the effort in. On a given day or night they can be a blast to catch over and over. 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
Water temperatures continue to climb in Narragansett Bay, and like clockwork, the tautog and striped bass bites have responded as you would expect. Better specimens of both species are being caught with regularity in the Bay, and are providing some excellent multi-species trips without having to travel too far. While some larger bass are chasing the pogie schools through the Bay, there are increased reports of smaller fresh striped bass showing up around the Harbor of Refuge and along the ocean beaches. Things still tend to be unpredictable from day to day, as expected for the spring, but there seems to be enough fish around to really improve your odds. Some early reports of big bluefish, a few weakfish, and some scup on the rockpiles have helped to round out the catch for saltwater anglers. Squid reports intensified quite a bit since last week, and while there is still a level of inconsistency to it, reports from the Newport area seem strong enough to make it worth your while most nights. Freshwater anglers are reporting quality largemouth catches, especially in the herring ponds, and the trout fishing is as strong as ever following increased stocking and less extreme, more consistent weather patterns.