Rhode Island Fishing Report
It appears our ice fishing season has come to an end in Rhode Island. Anglers took their last shots at pike, bass, and panfish on the ice over the weekend, and the results were good with some plump perch and a few pike caught in just 15 to 20 feet of water. Since then, a stretch of mild weather and rain has melted off much the ice—especially around the edges of many smaller ponds in the southern portion of the state. Overnight temperatures have remained mild and above freezing, which led to a rather rapid melting period. Meanwhile, in northern Rhode Island, the ice conditions have depleted at a slightly slower pace. Most of the remaining hardwater is spotty skim ice or porous “honeycombed” layers of ice which, even if there is 10 inches or more, makes it dangerous to fish through.
Now, with less than 10 days until the official start of spring, Rhody anglers are looking forward to casting to their favorite freshwater species—besides trout—until the spring tautog season begins in April. The rivers and salt ponds are open, which puts white perch and resident striped bass back in the crosshairs of wading fishermen. Finding holdover stripers is no easy task, nor is getting them to bite—and after all this snowmelt and runoff, it will take a while for water temperatures to rise to more comfortable levels for stripers to be active.
The better bet for the coming week or so is to buckle up your waders and search for some open water to target largemouth bass, pickerel, pike, and perch. Bass will be lethargic, but pickerel should be rather aggressive and feeding heavily prior to spawning. Suspending jerkbaits, jigs, and small swimbaits or chatterbaits fished low and slow are good choices for bass and will often be intercepted by pickerel.
Take advantage of the extended daylight hours and fish during the late afternoon or early evening. By fishing later in the day, shallow areas have a chance to warm under the sun, and the fish—whether it be largemouth bass, pickerel, perch, or even striped bass—will be more active as a result.
It isn’t exactly “warm” outside yet, but it’s warm compared to the winter weather we experienced. In a few short weeks, river herring will begin to trickle in, ospreys will arrive, and Ocean State fishing opportunities will expand and improve. Good luck out there this week.
3/5/2026
It’s not spring yet, although it’s starting to feel like it—even if it’s only a temporary tease. Rain and mild weather are tricking southern New Englanders into thinking winter is wrapping up, but the extended forecast suggests otherwise.
March is a tough month for fishermen in the Northeast. Beginning this weekend, parts of Rhode Island will see temps in the mid 50s to low 60s through Tuesday. By late next week, however, the weather will stabilize and be on par for early March with overnight lows hovering near or just below freezing. It’s safe to assume that following this weekend, certain ponds—especially those to the south—may have soft or sketchy ice conditions for a few days at least. The inconsistent air temperatures make it difficult to judge whether the ice will last and be safe enough for anglers into the middle of the month; if melted ice doesn’t refreeze solid overnight, we’ll be in for a slow, steady transition to open water season a few weeks from now.
At this time, many Rhody ponds have have anywhere from 12 to nearly 20 inches of ice but with trout waters closed until the second Saturday in April, our options are somewhat limited. Going forward, anglers are encouraged to head north where the ice is generally thicker and safer compared to coastal areas. Bass, chain pickerel, northern pike, and panfish are all in play and will carry us into the end of the ice fishing season. Over the past few days anglers have landed some 20-inch-class pike, largemouths approaching 5 pounds, and piles of plump yellow perch. Bass, in particular, seem to be responding well to the slight warmup.
This weekend, you may be tempted to sport a t-shirt and jeans on the ice, but keep in mind that the water is still frigid and as conditions deteriorate, wearing a float suit or PFD of some sort becomes that much more important. Just steer clear of inflatable PFDs as they are known to fail under frigid conditions at times.
If spud-barring the ice is not in your weekend plans, consider heading to the New England Saltwater Fishing Expo from March 6-8, hosted by the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) at the Providence Convention Center. Tickets are $15 at the door with free admission for kids under age 12. There are hundreds of vendors in the fishing industry and plenty of activities and seminars to entertain the whole family. Swing by the OTW booth to renew your subscription, pick up a new hat or hoodie, or sign up for the 2026 Striper Cup. We’ll see you there!