Rhode Island Fishing Report
Recent reports from the Frances Fleet out of Point Judith show continued improvement with fluke fishing, with some anglers limiting out or coming close to a limit and more quality-sized fish in the 6- to 8-pound range. Customers are also doing well targeting black sea bass and scup on both the full- and half-day trips. On most fishable days, they are running half-day trips in the morning and afternoon, along with full-day trips. There are also a few whale-watching trips scheduled. You can view their full schedule on their website, where you can also make reservations for upcoming trips. Weekend trips have been selling out, so be sure to make your reservations early.
Captain Rob Taylor, at Newport Sportfishing Charters, is spending most of his time offshore and noted that, on top of the giants, they are also starting to see more recreational-class bluefin start to show up closer to home. Rob and his clients are still doing well with giants and rec bluefin, and there have also been some yellowfin starting to show up closer to home. Most of the usual offshore haunts are hosting some massive tuna feeds. Trolling bars is a good way to find them, but they are mostly feeding on sand eels right now and are responding well to jigs and Ron Z-type plastics. While tuna fishing is catching quite a bit of attention, Rob also noted that the striped bass fishing has remained tremendous this week. Bass are taking topwaters at times, and can be caught all day long on live bait and jigs.
- Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain in Rhode Island
Captain Connor MacLeod at Tall Tailz Charters provided the following report for the week: “Fishing this week has been stellar. The bass bite is the most consistent it’s been all year. Some large schools of bass of all sizes have shown up and are staying put. The tube and worm, along with live bait, still reigns supreme, but the fish have also been feeding on top when there’s not too much pressure on them. There have been tons of sharks inshore, making for exciting trips! Bait is trickling out of the bay, and the mackerel and bonito have taken notice and are actively feeding on them. It looks like the early fall run is starting to pop off. The nearshore tuna bite has been getting better by the day, with rec-sized bluefin settling in and even a few yellowfin pushing north. Great time of year to fish here in RI!”
Jay, at Pamela May Charters, has also been cashing in on the strong bonito bite and told me he is finding strong action across many different areas! These bonito have generally been on the large size, so they’re providing a good fight and good eating. In terms of striped bass, the topwater action is picking up, with the small morning bite window expanding into late mornings as well as pre-dusk. Bluefish are also occasionally in the mix and gorging on the huge amount of bait of all different kinds. Fluke are still around, with some decent fish showing up in deep water this week. Sea bass and scup are also helping to fill the coolers. The recreational bluefin are starting to become more prevalent on the jig within reachable locations, which is a nice change, as it’s been mainly giants up to this point. It’s starting to feel a bit like the fall and hardtail season is almost in full swing. The false albacore should be right around the corner, and Jay has some openings that he is booking for light tackle and fly rodding this upcoming season. Be sure to reach out before they’re booked!
Dustin Stevens, at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures, provided the following report for the week: “Striped bass activity continues to be solid. Every day can be a slightly different pattern, so we’ve been preparing for whatever situation might come up. Bonito are starting to be more prevalent as the days go on, but we haven’t put much time into them. Bluefish are around, but between the two, we are getting 95% stripers to 5% blues. Albies should be here before you know it, and we are geared up and ready for them. Bottom fishing remains solid. Tautog has been an easier limit. Fluke and black sea bass are biting well, but you need to work hard for a limit. Fall run activity is starting and should get better by the day. Reach out ASAP to get on the calendar for September and October!”
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, told me that all the buzz from Rhode Island inshore anglers has been about the arrival of bonito in strong numbers. For the past week or so, there have been large schools of bonito feeding on small bait from Charlestown to Newport. The numbers and size of the schools seem to be larger than in previous years, with some anglers boating up to 30 a trip! These fish are generally feeding on small bait but haven’t been too shy, as they’re eating a number of different jigs, soft plastics, and flies. Besides chasing these speedsters, striped bass are still a point of interest for inshore anglers. The bay is now full of sand eels and is still holding squid, so there is another large biomass of stripers in the bay as well. Bass of mixed classes can be found from the mouth to the Upper Bay, including some larger fish being taken around Nayatt Point and Saban Point. The striped bass fishing remains very strong at Block Island as well, and these fish can generally be targeted at any time of the day. There are also still plenty of large bass out front, both locally and at Block Island. Sea bass fishing is providing plenty of action, albeit mainly short fish. The same can be said for fluke, where keepers can be hard to come by, although there have been some decent keepers in the shallows of the bay, where they are feeding on squid, and out around Block Island. Scup fishing is consistent as ever throughout the state, and anglers who have taken advantage of the late-summer tautog opener are reporting decent results. Offshore anglers are reporting increased numbers of recreational fish on the midshore grounds, and it appears the jig/pop game is finally starting to heat up nicely. Ocean State Tackle remains open daily from 4:30 AM to 8:00 PM.
Jeff, at The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, reports that fishing for stripers continues to produce some nice-sized bass, with tube and worm working well during the day and people still catching on topwater in the early morning or late evening. There have been a few bluefish around, but they have been tough to target and seem to show up mixed in with bass randomly. Bonito are showing up in good numbers around the islands and along the South County beaches. Epoxy and resin jigs have been producing well for bonito and for mackerel, which are still around in good numbers. Fluke reports have been mixed, but there are some nice-sized fish being caught. Bottom fishing for sea bass and scup is producing steady action, with a decent number of keepers, and there have been reports of triggerfish starting to move into the area. Not many customers have been targeting tautog yet, but the fishery is open, and there should be good numbers of them on the shallow reefs and rock piles.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
The weather patterns and fishing patterns over the past few days have certainly felt like summer, while masses of large bait and a nice push of bonito are providing a quick preview of the upcoming fall in Rhode Island. Bonito in strong numbers and sizes have invaded Rhode Island and are keeping inshore anglers busy from Charlestown to Newport. They are feeding on a plethora of small bait and are responding to most small offerings: jigs, soft plastics, and flies.
Striped bass fishing has remained consistent across the board, but it’s been noted that the dawn, dusk, and overnight hours have been best. That said, there has been an influx of small bait moving into the area, which seems to be setting the stage for some fall-like blitzes. Those looking for striped bass should be working the lower bay around the mackerel or rain bait schools, or cover some ground with the tube and worm. You can also look to the rips and reefs in front of Newport and the rock piles/breachways of South County, especially after dark. Block Island also provides a steady pick of striped bass for those making the ride.
Bottom fishing has remained steady across the state, with strong scup and better sea bass results from the deeper wrecks and rock piles. It appears the fluke are starting to transition to some deeper points as they head out of the area, and with that transition comes a good chance to get a late-season doormat. Anglers targeting tautog are taking advantage of the shallow-water fishery, and it is one of the steadiest inshore bites that we have at the moment.
Tuna reports are flowing in consistently as well, with most anglers reporting a nice push of recreational-class bluefin and yellowfin showing up within modest range. This is a nice change, as they are responding to jigs and are providing great action for anglers who aren’t outfitted to tangle with giants.