Rhode Island Fishing Report
The Frances Fleet out of Point Judith has been reporting very good tautog fishing on recent trips, with several full-boat limits and plenty of action from smaller fish to keep the rods bent at the rail all day long. Anglers have also been catching some black sea bass and scup mixed in with the tautog. Trips are selling out, so be sure to book early. The fleet has been running more than one boat on busy weekends to accommodate more anglers. As always, you can view the full schedule and make reservations for upcoming trips on their website.
Captain Rob Taylor, at Newport Sportfishing Charters, told me that tautog fishing is in full swing in his area and that conditions were at least a little better this week. Fish have been chewing at a variety of depths, with the bigger females starting to hold a bit deeper. As is typical this time of year, fishing pressure remains relatively high, so look to get off the beaten path and find some unpressured structure for your best chance at big whitechins. Water temperatures have started to drop but haven’t plummeted, so the shallow jig bite is lasting longer than usual. With fish spread across a variety of depths, you should have no shortage of structure to work. The abundance of quality, fishable structure also helps when the weather turns. Outside of extreme conditions, you should be able to find fishable structure sheltered from the wind, so there’s no excuse not to get out there and get after it!
Captain Connor MacLeod, at Tall Tailz Charters, provided the following report: “More of the same this week. Tog, tog, and more tog. Water temperatures have finally dropped below 60 degrees, and the big tog are starting to fill in on familiar haunts. We’ve had over a dozen double-digit fish this week, up to 13 pounds. Some drops are producing best on jigs, while some deeper spots are producing better on traditional rigs. White crabs have been an absolute must-have on our deep drops. The depth that’s been producing the biggest fish this week has been around 75 feet. The inside bite has been very consistent for keeper- to roaster-size fish, with a few double-digit fish mixed in. Fifty feet has been the magic number inside the bay. When we’ve been focusing on jigs, Tall Tailz Tog Jigz in White Legger and Crushed Crab have been outfishing everything else. It’s only just starting to heat up. Get out there and drop down a crab, and remember—it’s up to all of us to protect this fishery. Keep only as many fish as absolutely necessary, and release fish whenever you can!”
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Dustin Stevens, at Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures, provided the following report for the week: “Blackfish is where the action is right now. On most of our trips, we’re seeing solid-size fish up to 22 inches. Some days, we have to work for them, while on other days, limits come relatively easily. Striped bass activity is still there, but it hasn’t been very reliable in their usual spots. We’ve seen more striper activity in the Upper Bay than in the Lower Bay. Black sea bass have been a popular bycatch while togging, and that bite should stay solid until Thanksgiving. The fall squid run has started, and if it’s anything like the spring run, we’re in for an epic bite. There’s always something to fish for, so reach out to book your trip ASAP!”
Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, is recovering from planned surgery but provided a quick report, noting that tautog fishing has been lights out and is garnering the most attention. Demand for crabs has been exceeding supply, but Dave has worked tirelessly to keep them in stock, selling crabs to anglers throughout the tri-state area. Fishing has been good for both shore and boat anglers. Jigs and rigs are getting the job done, with several of the larger fish this week falling for Asylum Jigs. For those targeting stripers, the bite has been good throughout the state, but the best action has been in the Providence and Seekonk Rivers, where some serious monsters have started to settle in. There are still a few hardtails and mackerel hanging around the Upper Bay, as well. Squid fishing has also improved around Newport, offering another option for anglers. Dave said the shop will be open from 6 a.m. to noon on Friday and from 5:30 a.m. to noon over the weekend. He’ll be closed for a few days early next week while he recovers but plans to return to his regular schedule next Friday. Check his website or Facebook page for updates!
Eric, at The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, told me not to pack up your gear or winterize your boat just yet. Layer up and get out for some of the best multi-species fishing of the year. Large pods of striped bass are spread across Rhode Island waters, feeding ahead of their migration. The timing is a little different this year, but the migration is underway. If you’re fishing from a boat, minnow plugs, Monster Shots, and glidebaits have been producing. From shore, pencil poppers, bottle plugs, darters, and glidebaits have been working great. When you come off the striper bite, head to your favorite rock pile for some excellent tautog fishing. Yes, our waters have become increasingly crowded with boats from other states, but for now, we still have a solid population of tautog to go around. Break away from the pack and find a good rock pile you can fish without the crowds. I think there’s some work ahead of us to figure out how best to protect and maintain one of our favorite local fisheries. This week, Teezer Tackle rigs and Uncle Fish Tog Jigs were the ticket to keeper-size and trophy fish.
Rhode Island Fishing Forecast
The story of this fall has been all about weather windows, as we seem to keep getting hit with stretches of strong winds every couple of days. Luckily, this week wasn’t as rough as the last. That said, fall fishing remains very good when you take advantage of those weather windows. Strong tautog fishing has been the theme for most anglers, with an apparent increase in fish quality alongside the consistency we expect from the fishery this time of year.
The Rhode Island shoreline is certainly not lacking in hard structure, and right now, you can find quality tautog anywhere from 15 to 100 feet of water. This range of depths not only allows you to avoid crowds and explore different areas but also provides options on days when the weather doesn’t cooperate and your range is limited. Regardless of the weather or the size of your vessel, you should be able to find productive water on most trips. You’re also likely to find plenty of big sea bass mixed in, along with a few nice cod for anglers fishing deeper water.
Windy weather has seemingly helped kick the striped bass migration into gear, and reports have intensified from the South County beaches and breachways. This is a telltale sign that the season is winding down, but it’s also a great time to intercept some big bass close to shore before they make the big move. There are still bass in the rivers and inside the breachways, too, so if you don’t want to contend with big swells, you should still be able to find some nice fish in the backwaters.
Bonito and false albacore are still showing up occasionally, but there’s no telling how long they’ll remain in the area. Another staple of October fishing is fall trout fishing. The DEM has continued its fall stocking program this week, and reports have been good from several bodies of water.