Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet in Point Judith reported that some better weather has resulted in much better fishing results! With the recent break in the weather, the boat has sailed consistently and their anglers have been crushing tog and sea bass. Limits have been pretty easy to come by and fish in the 5- to 8-pound class have been common. Really nice fish, approaching and eclipsing double-digits, are more than just a possibility at this time. They will be sailing – weather permitting – deep into December, so take advantage while you can!
Dustin, at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures provided the following report: “Cooler water temps have changed the tog bite a little but they are still chewing. Plenty of big black sea bass are still being caught while togging, which is never a bad thing. Although few and far between, good size scup are in the mix as well. There are still small bass around out front, but the holdover striped bass bite should be more consistent going forward and become the center of attention for bass anglers. Last but not least, on the saltwater side of things, the squid bite has been pretty solid and is a very fun species to fish for. On the freshwater side, trout is still a very reliable target. They will be stocked several times over the next few weeks. The largemouth bite is there, but slowing down your presentation will be key for success as the water cools down. We will be fishing year-round so don’t hesitate to reach out to book your kayak fishing trip!”
Captain Rob Taylor, at Newport Sportfishing Charters continued to get after it on the fall bottom fishing grounds. No surprise, but tautog fishing is still the main show in town. The weather has settled a bit since the constant wind we’ve had all fall, and Rob has been able to get out to some of his later season haunts. These spots are producing quality fish to the low double-digit range and easy limits! Rob also mentioned that he has continued to see encouraging cod results, along with keeper sea bass. With the tautog starting to transition deeper, we should continue to see a nice mix of cod and sea bass.
Jay, at Pamela May Charters told me the fishing was status quo this week, with a few blitzes of small bass around, but most of the attention being focused on tautog. The tautog bite has been steady, with most anglers leaving with full coolers after a great day of fishing. The tog are still spread out in different depths but are transitioning to deeper water, and the overall size of keeper fish continues to improve. That said, tog fishing should remain strong right up to the end of the season. Jay is also hoping to put a little bit more time into chasing the remaining stripers, as he anticipates some bass starting to setup in their holdover haunts. The water temperature only dropped a bit this week, so Jay thinks we should still have plenty of time.
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Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, said the shop is now closed for the season and he wanted to thank everyone for another great year. You can keep an eye on his Facebook page for reopening updates. As far as fishing, the main interest for anglers across Rhode Island continues to be hunting for big tautog. The weather, wind and temperatures were not as cooperative this week, but when anglers got out, they’re finding success in deeper water. Those that are still targeting striped bass are finding a few small fish out front, but most of the striper attention is on 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.
Eric, at The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, provided the following report: “Fishing in the Ocean State is still fantastic. While you might not be seeing stripers or bonito around any longer, there is still plenty of fun to be had. The best thing going right now is tautog fishing. It has been windy, but we have started to see a bit of weather improvement, so make sure you’re getting out there and catching. The bite has been consistent, and there are absolutely massive fish mixed in. Mackerel and squid fishing have also been excellent. Both aforementioned species make for great table fare or bait for next season. Don’t pack it up just yet!”
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Colder temperatures and wind are once again making for less than ideal fishing conditions for Thanksgiving weekend. However, the tautog fishing remains red hot whenever anglers have been able to anchor out of the wind or find a weather window. Inside the bay has been fishing great on those days that you need a bit of a shield from the wind, and all of the deeper wrecks and rockpiles out front are also fishing well. The precipitous drop in water temperatures has deep, late-season reefs and wrecks being the top choice for keeper tog. Fishing these deepwater pieces of structure has also resulted in a solid bycatch of big cod fish—which must be released—and keeper sea bass are showing up on the tautog grounds.
Striped bass fishing has been inconsistent, but a plethora of small bait is still keeping some fish around out front. Holdover striped bass should garner more attention this week, both in the rivers and salt ponds.
Late season trout fishing has been excellent across the state following the RIDEM fall stocking, and flows should finally be improving.