Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith was tied to the dock earlier in the week, but was able to get out for their Block Island mixed bag trips the last few days. Despite a tough swell, they managed a nice mixed bag of tautog, cod, scup, sea bass, ling and mackerel. Sea bass limits with fish to 5 pounds have been common, while the cod numbers continue to improve on most trips. There are still some decent tautog chewing as well, for the anglers dunking crabs. The weekend forecast is looking solid, and the fleet expects to be sailing. For the rest of the month, they will just be running the winter combo boat from 6 AM to 3PM for tautog, sea bass, and codfish. They will have both clams and crabs on the boat and will do mostly anchoring but also be ready to drift. Their full schedule plus reservations can be found on the website.
Ralph Craft at Crafty One Customs said that tautog fishing has started to wind down locally, although a few anglers are finding fish on the deepwater, late-season spots. Many of the anglers that are still getting after it are heading to Block Island. This time of year they are finding a nice mixed bag of tautog, sea bass, and cod. Striper activity is cooling off, but a few fish are still being caught up inside the Bay—the Barrington area has seen some fish, and there have been some reports from up around Providence as well.
Captain Rob Taylor at Newport Sportfishing Charters is still getting after it on the fall bottom fishing grounds. Things have started to quiet down around inshore waters, but Rob told me he is still finding some nice tautog chewing on the grounds to the south. These areas are also producing solid numbers of sea bass to 5 pounds, and a couple solid cod on most trips. As long as it stays relatively warm, we should see this bite continue right through the end of the season.
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Captain Connor at Tall Tailz Charters provided the following report as he continues his late fall tautog season: “December has settled in, and while the bite has transitioned, the fishing is still very good. Water temperatures have dropped inshore, so that bite has slowed down, but we’re still finding some good tautog fishing to the south. We’ve been running out to the Block Island area and finding a nice mix of tautog, cod, and big black sea bass. The jig and the rig have both been good in the deep, depending on the spot. Tall Tailz tog jigs in white legger and blue mussel colors are outperforming every other color and jig style. The extended forecast doesn’t look too cold, so we expect the weather to cooperate enough and the bite to continue right through the New Year!”
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Dave at Ocean State Tackle in Providence told me that most of the local saltwater anglers who are still getting after it are heading out to the East Grounds, or other points around Block Island for combo tautog, sea bass, and cod fishing. The squid bite was good right up to that last blow, but it seems to finally be winding down. Anglers that are still targeting striped bass are finding a few small fish out front, but most of the striped bass attention is holdovers in the rivers and salt ponds. Freshwater anglers are reporting excellent trout fishing, following more fall stocking and improved flows in many of the streams. Dave is mostly closed for the winter but will be open sparingly. Check his Facebook page for scheduling updates.
Lisa at Snug Harbor Marina said togging has been solid, whenever the weather has allowed the late-season anglers to get after it. There have been some decent catches reported along local stretches, but the best fishing has been out by Block Island. Sea bass fishing has been good around Sharks Ledge and the East Grounds. Striper fishing has been spotty, but there have still been a few schools of small fish working around Point Judith Lighthouse, along with improved holdover fishing in the salt ponds.
Dustin at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures was only able to get out a couple times over this past week but reported that the holdover bite is still relatively solid. The fish are still mainly in the schoolie-class, but the action has been steady. In addition to the stripers, white perch have been biting pretty good and should continue throughout the winter. Over the past week, the trout bite has improved, and it is probably the most reliable fish to target. Dustin expects another trout stocking sometime soon, so that bite should be incredible throughout December. On some of the warmer days, the largemouth are coming out to play as well. Winter is usually slower action for largies, but some days can be action packed. Dustin will still be fishing throughout the winter so brave the cold and book your kayak fishing trip ASAP!
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
The recent winds and a steady drop in water temperatures has shifted the Rhode Island bottom fishing bite to the south. The inshore tautog fishing has mostly died out, but anglers that are sailing south towards Block Island are finding a nice mix of tautog, cod, and black sea bass. The holdover striped bass fishing has continued to garner more attention both in the rivers and salt ponds. These bass have mostly been on the small side, but most anglers are reporting steady enough action, along with some nice white perch in the mix throughout the estuaries. Late season trout fishing has been excellent across the state following the RIDEM fall stocking, and flows should finally be improving.