Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith has picked up their full day tautog trips, and have seen excellent results, whenever the weather has allowed. The most recent trips have seen tautog to 9 pounds, with easy limits, and most anglers catching and releasing for a number of hours. There have also been a number of nice sea bass in the mix, along with a few big cod. Keep an eye on the schedule, as they will be running tautog centric trips, along with dedicated mixed-bag trips. The mixed bag trips are a great way to get a wide array, including tautog, sea bass, scup and cod. Their full schedule can be viewed online, and you can also make reservations for upcoming trips on their website of by calling the office.
Ralph Craft at Crafty One Customs said that fishing for striped bass in the bay and along the south shore beaches has been holding up well with bass chasing bait on the reefs and in tight to the beaches. The bait and bass are on the move this time of year and the bite can be inconsistent but, overall, people are doing well. There are still a few bluefish mixed in, but they are definitely starting to thin out. False albacore never really moved inshore in big numbers this year but there are still some green bonito being caught. The tautog fishing is excellent with a lot of limit catches being reported. There have also been some nice sized black sea bass mixed in with the tautog which is always a nice bonus! The RI Tog Classic was another big success, with the winning fish coming in at 12.12 pounds.
Captain Connor at Tall Tailz Charters provided the following report after a strong week of tautog fishing: “Fishing this week has been great. We’re togging and loving every second of it! The water is a few degrees warmer than it usually is this time of year, so it seems more like early October fishing. We’re fishing relatively shallow still and getting easy limits each day with some bigger fish in the mix from 7 to 11 pounds. The jig fishing has been a bit more consistent on most of our drops. The Tall Tailz tog jigs in white and yellow have been producing the best. There haven’t been many trash fish or shorts in the mix, so the going is pretty good right now for those looking for big tautog. As temps continue to drop the fishing will only get better, and fishing pressure will lessen. Let’s go!”
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Dustin at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures sent over the following report for the week: “The fall run has continued for those looking for topwater action, while tautog fishing is starting to take center stage. The striper blitzes over the past week have remained steady, as the recent cold weather seems to have really got the final bass in the area motivated to feed. Some blues are mixed in, but recent blitzes have been mostly stripers up to high 30-inch class. The bonito have thinned out, but a few are still reportedly a few around. Tautog fishing has continued to be red hot across multiple depths, with a good number of double-digit fish hitting the scales. I was lucky enough to take 3rd place in the RI Tog Classic, and that one-day event saw a number of quality fish weighed in. Sea bass are really active and can be caught while togging with green crabs or jigging. For those interested in kayak fishing trips, the good news is we don’t necessarily close, so there is still plenty of time to fish this fall/winter. Head over to our website and check us out!”
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Jay at Pamela May Charters reports that things settled down a little from the past few weeks, but there is still plenty of action. Stripers are still around, and they are starting to dump out of the bay, so you’re bound to find some great topwater action along the immediate coastline. Piles of stripers, blues, and bonito, big chub mackerel, and some hickory shad have been in that same mix. Tautog is rocking in shallow spots, and will only get better, and since it has gone up to 5 fish per angler this past week, Jay will be spending much more time on the tog grounds.
Dave at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reports that the striped bass fishing has remained solid locally, with a number of quality striped bass reported from the Providence and Seekonk Rivers over the past few days. Anglers are catching on topwaters during low-light periods, but over the past 48 hours, chicken scratch and wonderbread-colored soft plastics and/or small swimmers have been getting the job done. Anglers fishing the south shore surf are reporting decent action on big needlefish plugs, darters, and metal lips, along with large eels. Larger offerings have been a necessity this week with the high winds and surf. No surprise, but tautog fishing has garnered the most attention in the area, and all reports have been good. Anglers are scoring from the boat in shallowish water and shorebound anglers are cashing in as well. It’s primetime at the moment, with fish all over multiple depths, so get after it while you can! For the fall squid enthusiasts, there has been a few decent reports lately, and things should only improve as the water temps drop a few more degrees. Freshwater anglers are reporting excellent trout fishing since the recent stockings. Silver Spring in North Kingston and Olney Pond at Lincoln Woods have been hotspots, but a number of other trout ponds are fishing good as well. Check the RI DEM website for more trout information. Ocean State Tackle is now open everyday except Wednesday, be sure to check their Facebook or Google page for updated hours.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
The frosty mornings and strong winds have continued to make the fishing truly feel like fall, with large scale blitzes of pre-migration bass and accelerated tautog fishing. The striped bass are on the feed bag heavily as they prepare for the fall migration. Reports from the upper Bay, the Providence River, and the Seekonk River have been solid for quality striped bass this week, especially for anglers chucking large plugs. As you move south, you’re apt to continue to find large schools of bass around the mouth of the bay and along the beaches. The heavy wind/surf has made things a bit more difficult out front, but anglers throwing heavier offerings are generally finding success.
The bonito reports have quieted, but reports indicate that there are still some decent schools spread out through the area. The same can be said for bluefish, which are scattered throughout the area as well.
Tautog fever has continued across Rhode Island, and with the limit going to 5 fish on the 15th, we saw even more fishing activity this week. Reports remain strong, despite the tough weather, as the fish are spread out enough that you can generally find a spot out of the wind. There are plenty of sea bass in the same areas as well, along with solid sea bass and cod results on the deeper structure. The winds have limited tuna reports, but the few reports we’ve heard indicate that the bite isn’t over quite yet.
Another staple of October fishing is fall trout fishing, and the DEM has continued their fall stocking program this week, and reports have been good from a number of bodies of water.