Rhode Island Fishing Report
Over at, The Frances Fleet in Point Judith they are eagerly waiting on the return of nicer weather with plans to start fishing for tautog and cod as soon as weather and interest permit and they will be adding squid trips as soon as the bite starts to come together. They’ve been able to sneak out on the cod grounds a couple up times thus far, and the bite was pretty good, although it was short-lived due to small weather windows. The grounds are loaded up with bait though, including sand eels, which portends well for the upcoming season. Looking a little further ahead, fishing for fluke will start up in May or as soon as they arrive in good numbers. Their full schedule can be viewed on their website where you can also make reservations for upcoming trips.
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reports that anglers are getting excited about the prospect of both freshwater and saltwater fishing. A few anglers are finding some tautog, but the bite hasn’t fully developed yet, with the recent cold weather trend holding the water temperatures down. Anglers looking for holdover striped bass are reportedly catching well in the usual early season haunts. Freshwater anglers are also reporting an uptick in white perch activity over the past week or so, which is holding them over until the kickoff of trout season this weekend. Dave will be opening up at 7 AM on Friday and will be open from 4:30 AM to 7 PM on Saturday and will be open 7 days a week going forward!
Rob, at Newport Sportfishing Charters told me he’s spending most of his time getting the boat ready for the upcoming season. That said, he’s found some time to target big largemouth bass and has had plenty of success. The water is still cold, so the fish want slow presentations, mainly jigs, but they’re chewing well. He’ll be transitioning to salt soon, so be sure to lock down a date for a trip before it’s too late!
Eric, at The Saltwater Edge in Newport had a quick early season report, telling me that anglers are taking advantage of some solid spring fishing, despite some weather that feels more winter-like. The holdover fishing is fantastic right now, with Eric noting not to be afraid of the shifting weather, as the bass that are here are ready to eat. Any artificial plug that mimics a herring or makes a wake is a great bet at the moment. Tautog fishing is about status quo right now, with crabs and clams both working well. If you find some tautog, you can bet that they will be willing to eat.
Elisa, at Snug Harbor Marina reports that it was a slow week for reports due to the weather, with the highlights being a decent holdover bite from the local backwaters. A few headboats made it out for cod and a handful of times, but the results have still been tough. They are seeing a good amount of activity around the shop with customers gearing up for the season ahead. They are also getting in more gear for the annual used tackle sale which is coming up on April 26th and 27th. The shop is open most days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. but it’s a good idea to call ahead because hours can vary. They plan to open up full time starting the weekend of the 26th.
Ralph, at Crafty One Customs said that the tautog reports have been on the slow side, as fishing effort has been low due to the recent weather. It appears we have some warmer days coming up after the weekend, that should equate to more anglers being able to get out. Striped bass action is still confined to the holdover variety, but some migratory fish, along with the squid, should be invading the area in the next couple weeks. Ralph has seen an uptick in activity around the shop this weekend with people dropping off rods and reels for service and picking up new gear for the upcoming season. If you do have gear that needs service, get it to them soon as the backlog is growing and the number of days that they have to get everything ready is shrinking. The shop is open 7-days a week, from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, and 9am to 3pm on weekends.
Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Rhode Island.
Dustin at, Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures provided the following report after another week of spring fishing; “Getting on the water has been a challenge over the last week with several windy days putting a stop to any fishing plans however there were a few solid opportunities. No signs of fresh migratory fish, however the holdover bite is still strong. The holdovers are 80% schoolie size fish but even the smaller fish are a blast on light tackle. Tautog are around but the bite has been tough. While the tog slowly firing up the Cod bite has been solid. Starting Saturday morning all of Rhode Island’s freshwater fisheries will be accessible due to Opening day. The trout bite should be incredible this weekend for those that can stand the weather. Our calendar for the spring is starting to fill up so if you’re thinking about a kayak fishing trip this year head over to our website asap.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
While anglers across Rhode Island wait for some improving weather to help facilitate their saltwater fishing, opening day of trout season is this weekend and will provide some excellent angling opportunities across the state. Tautog season has started of slowly, but reports have steadily improved for those putting the time in, and it should only improve as we get more consistent warm weather. The local, holdover striped bass don’t seem to mind the cold, and are chewing well. As more and more river herring enter the systems, these bass take notice, and can be fooled on large swimming plugs, soft plastics and topwaters. We’re a mere couple of weeks away before the masses of migrating fish show up, and the first of those reports may start trickling in next week. Largemouth bass reports have been stellar for the past few weeks and whether you’re into bass or trout, there’s going to be a big number of water bodies that will open up this weekend with the trout season opener.