Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet out of Point Judith reported a great week of fishing on both their full- and half-day trips. The full-day trips over the weekend saw improved results, as Captain Cole has found a new pile of fluke he’s dialed into. The keeper black sea bass numbers took a much-needed turn for the better since the blow, with many anglers finding limits of quality fish on Wednesday. Though the season started off slow, things seem to finally be getting back on track, and we should see continued improvement in the next few weeks. Keep an eye on their website for upcoming trips, and you can also make your reservations right from the site.
Captain Rob Taylor, at Newport Sportfishing Charters, had a strong holiday weekend, putting his clients on large striped bass. Safe to say, the quality of fish continues to improve, and there is no shortage of fish. Block Island is holding a nice slug of big bass, but the local waters in and around the bay have been good enough that they haven’t had to steam too far most of the time. Bottom fishing has been good for scup, while sea bass is improving and fluking has seen a good uptick this week. Rob hasn’t done too much fluking himself, but reports from local waters indicate that it has been much easier to find keeper fish than in weeks past. The usual offerings, fished in about 40 to 60 feet of water, have been the ticket. Rob’s tuna season kicked off in a big way, literally, with his first giant of the year showing up this week. The nearshore bite for school bluefin was also going strong before the blow, so hopefully that weather brought even more in!
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Captain Connor MacLeod, at Tall Tailz Charters, told me the fishing over the past week has been excellent, whenever conditions allowed him to get out. He’s primarily focused on stripers, and there are a ton of big bass around. This week they hoisted fish in the 45- to 48-inch range, along with countless fish from the low 30- to 40-inch range. Most of the bigger fish have come on live bait, but the tube and worm has been producing just as well. Black has been the hot color by far in terms of the tube bite! Nearshore bluefin had started to show up before the blow, and it should really get going any day now with more consistent action. Reports of rec-size tuna from 25 to 40 miles out have been prolific, and he’ll be out targeting those fish next week. Tons of awesome fishing to be had as we settle into the heart of summer here in RI!
Jay, at Pamela May Charters, put together another week of solid bottom fishing. Much bigger sea bass seem to have settled in this week, with some true knot-heads mixed in. The fluking has also taken another step toward better consistency, with loads of shorts, but enough quality keepers to get some fish in the box. Plenty of big scup are helping to fill the coolers as well! Striper fishing has also been as steady as ever. A big push of mackerel has moved in from the Block Island area to the South Shore, which has fired up some strong live-bait fishing close to home. Jay still has some openings for July, so be sure to reach out to book a July bottom fishing trip before he’s booked up.
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Dustin Stevens, at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures, provided the following report for the week: “Striper activity has been very consistent over the last week. They’re still keyed in on small bait and squid, but hitting them in the right bite window has turned into a few epic days. We’ve seen a decent number of big stripers come on the recent trips, which is always a great thing. Slot fish are very prevalent as well. The bluefish bite has been hit or miss, but when they’re around, you can get a good number in the 20- to 25-inch range. Fluke fishing has been very consistent as far as action, but we’ve had to work for keepers, although we have seen a slight uptick in quality. The same can be said for the sea bass, which has also improved this week. Scup is the most reliable target at the moment, providing great action and table fare. Largemouth bass have been in their summer pattern for a while now, with early mornings and evenings being the best time. The July calendar is filling up, and there will be great fishing opportunities in August and beyond, so reach out ASAP to book your kayak fishing trip!”
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, told me that the weather over the past few days brought saltwater fishing to a near standstill, but things were still very productive over the holiday weekend. In terms of striped bass, there are still some slot to over-slot fish being caught in the bay and around the Providence and Seekonk Rivers. It’s much easier to find these fish overnight or while fishing in the early morning/dusk timeframe. The biggest glut of bass at the moment is over at Block Island, though, where anglers are scoring big numbers of large fish. These bass can be caught on three-wayed eels, bucktails, and soft plastics on jigheads. Inshore bottom fishing has been strong for scup in the bay and along the South Shore. Sea bass fishing saw another turn for the better, and so did fluke, which is a welcome change after a few slow weeks. It seems a new population of flatfish has moved into the area, with anglers finding some quality keepers in Newport, as well as some sporadic decent reports around the South Shore. Most anglers are heading out to Block, Montauk, or the shoals for some better fluke. Offshore reports have been quiet due to the weather and wind, but some calm days ahead should mean more tuna hitting the decks. Ocean State Tackle will now be open daily from 4:30 AM to 8:00 PM through the end of July.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
Summer air and summer fishing patterns have encapsulated the Ocean State, with strong striped bass fishing, relatively steady/improving bottom fishing, and the first solid push of recreational and commercial tuna being caught not too far from home. Bass can still be found in the bay around the mackerel schools, but as it continues to warm up, don’t be afraid to look outside. The rips and reefs in front of Newport are holding quality fish, and the Block Island summer giants have settled in nicely. These bass are starting to see a lot of fishing pressure, so you may need to start using finesse presentations or working low-light hours. Those low-light conditions, coupled with the fog banks, have also resulted in some of the best topwater fishing for big bass that we’ve seen in a while.
Bottom fishing has remained steady across the state, with solid scup and improving sea bass reports from all the rock piles. The fluke bite has also taken a turn for the better over the past few days, with increased numbers of keepers being reported throughout South County. It’s been best at Block and Sakonnet, but there are enough fish in the lower bay and around the South County shoreline to make it worth your while. Tuna reports were starting to pick up before the blow earlier this week, and they should really start to settle in nicely as the water warms. These fish aren’t exactly in the backyard, but they’re certainly close enough to be pursued on the good weather days. Another week or so of warm weather and increasing bait numbers should result in more consistent tuna action within range for most.