Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet out of Point Judith had another good week of fishing, despite the strong full moon tides making things a bit more difficult. The fleet has been doing well targeting a mixed bag of black sea bass, tautog, and scup on recent trips. On a trip earlier this week, Captain Cole set the anchor and was able to manage a limit of sea bass to 5 pounds, so it certainly seems like the sea bass bite is showing no signs of slowing yet. Tautog fishing is steadily improving, and the fleet will start to dedicate more time to specifically targeting tog as we move into fall. Their full schedule can be viewed online, and you can also make reservations on their website. It looks like we’ll have a few nice weather days before the potential storm at the end of the weekend, so there should be a few chances to get out.
Dustin Stevens at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures provided the following report: “For the second week in a row we have a big blow that could change the fall run. Following last week’s storm, we didn’t see much of a change, and all the usual fall species remained in play. This upcoming weekend should be interesting, as we are at the tail end of the “normal” albie season. Stripers are still around but action is more spread out as some fish are migrating and others are setting up to winter over. We still haven’t seen much in terms of consistent big bluefish activity. Between the local Rhode Island bite and our two neighboring states there should still be some more time to chase false albacore, as we generally see some late season waves during tautog season. Going forward, tautog will be the most reliable target species for us, which is a great thing! From now until everything freezes over, we will be fishing. Reach out to book your kayak fishing trip ASAP!”
Captain Rob Taylor of Newport Sportfishing Charters stayed close to home and fished inshore this week, focusing most of his attention on tautog. The early October tautog bite has continued to improve, with easier limits and some bigger fish showing up on each trip. These fish are still in relatively shallow water, so he’s been able to get the job done on light jigs. There are some bigger sea bass showing up as bycatch, and things should only improve as we make our way through October. When Rob focuses on striped bass, he is still finding a steady bite from slot-size fish to well over 40 inches. These bass have come on a number of different offerings, including soft plastics, eels and topwaters, so it’s generally a light-tackle game. There are a few schools of bonito and false albacore crashing the party as well.
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When I spoke to Jay at Pamela May Charters, he told me that false albacore numbers are still solid, but it has continued to get tougher, as the fish remain finicky and pressured. There are some sizeable schools of albies, bonito and stripers along the coast from Point Judith to the West Passage, but they are on micro bait, so the fly guys have been doing much better. It is a little easier to get the striped bass to chew, and that bite has been consistent, with fish from schoolie size to a little over slot. Striper fishing has remained strong in the backwaters and estuaries, which has provided a good bite with some shelter from the big swells. Giant schools of small bait are prevalent throughout the area, both out front and in the estuaries, so there’s still some good local fishing ahead. Jay’s early returns on this tautog season have been very good, with the shallow rockpiles producing a bunch of keepers, along with a few quality sea bass. He’s currently booking tog trips for October and November, so book before it’s too late!
Eric, at The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, provided the following report: “Cooler temperatures are here and the fish are feeling it! If you head out to your favorite spot right now, you’re likely to find a raft of bass, slashing albies, or hungry bones. The bait is varied, so consider your lure choices; there schools of very small baitfish as well as peanut bunker up to 4-inches. Epoxy jigs, float and fly, small poppers, and minnow plugs are doing the bulk of the work right now. Don’t give up on fish that seem to have lock jaw, keep swapping sizes and presentations and you’ll eventually key into what works. We’re having a banner start to the season for tautog so far from boat and shore. The class of fish around right now seems bigger than this time last year, and last year was very good. Check your shallow water spots and you might find a good one.”
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, told me that the fishing is excellent across the board in Rhode Island. Striped bass, bluefish and a mix of hardtails have been chasing bait throughout the bay with some consistency. The south shore and the lower bay are putting up some larger bass, especially for anglers tossing eels after dark. You may also run across a school of false albacore or bonito anywhere along the south shore, although that bite has been more sporadic. The weakfish bite also remains pretty good, with some decent numbers being caught around mid-bay. Tautog fishing has really kicked off nicely, with a strong bite reported from all over the lower bay, and most of the south shore rock piles. The fish are still relatively shallow for the most part, so jigs have been getting the job done. Dave is having his end of season tackle sale from now until October 21. There are a number of great deals; spend $100 get 10% back, spend $200 get 15% back. He also has 10% off on braid or fluorocarbon, and much more. Check out his store page or Facebook page for more details and exclusions.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Some frosty mornings and strong winds are making it feel like fall, while fishing patterns have had a fall feel for a few weeks now. The beat has rolled on consistently for anglers fishing the southern New England fall run, with steady tautog, sea bass and striped bass fishing, along with enough hardtails around to keep things interesting. Striped bass are putting on the feed bags heavy as they prepare for and continue their fall migration. Reports from the Upper Bay have remained steady, and there have also been reports of larger bass working the South Shore rips and reefs. Fueled by larger bait, you’re likely to find some bigger bass as mullet and more drop out of the estuaries. As you move south, you should continue to find large schools of bass around the mouth of the bay and along the beaches.
False albacore pods are still popping up in the Lower Bay, around Newport and Narragansett. These fish have been on very small bait, so most anglers are reporting a finicky bite. Think about downsizing your offerings or busting out the fly rod. Bonito reports have quieted a bit, and the same can be said for bluefish, which are scattered throughout the area.
Tautog fever has set in across Rhode Island, with more angling interest translating into more reports of double-digit fish this week. They’re being caught both in the bay and out front across a range of depths, although the best bite has been in shallow water on jigs. There are plenty of sea bass to go around as well, but the best bet for big sea bass and maybe a few cod is on deeper ocean structure.
Another staple of October fishing is the fall trout season, and the DEM has started up their fall stocking program this week.