Rhode Island Fishing Report

The one word I keep hearing when asking around for striped bass reports is “inconsistent.” On the positive side, the inconsistency has seemed to lessen a bit each week and while the tough days may be slow, the good days have been excellent. Fluke fishing has also continued to improve just about everywhere, and plenty of doormats have been reported in Rhode Island this week.

Rhode Island Fishing Report

At The Saltwater Edge in Middletown, some tremendous striped bass fishing in upper Narragansett Bay has been keeping the attention of most customers this week. A great deal of bunker remains in the bay and fresh live and cut bait have accounted for most of the larger bass this week, with better action coming after dusk and through the night hours. Large bluefish are also common in the bay and can be found feeding tight to the larger bait schools. With the fairly drastic spike in temperatures over the past few days, we should be entering a transition period soon, where larger bass will drop out of the bay and head for cooler water on the reefs across Jamestown and Newport. Fluke fishing has been solid in local waters around Jamestown, and plenty of keepers have also been reported from the upper bay.

Steve, at Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle in North Kingstown, reported that it has been a slow go for surfcasters around Narragansett and South County, which he attributes in part to the bright moon of the past few nights. The only positive reports have come from surfcasters who made the trek to Block Island, where bass up to 25 pounds are starting to show up with some regularity. Boat anglers, on the other hand, have had a very good week with a number of large bass reported from local waters, as well as the rips and reefs around Block Island. Live-lining bunker by day and 3-waying eels by night have accounted for most of the larger bass for the boat crew; which comes as no surprise given the amount of large bait in the area. Steve reports that ground-fishermen have been finding keeper fluke with relative ease at all the usual local hotspots, including the Jamestown and Aquidneck Islands.

Howard, at Galilee Bait and Tackle in Narragansett, threw out the inconsistent word when asked about the local striped bass fishing; however he was quick to note that by no means has it been poor. Over the past few days Howard saw five bass come through his shop totaling 205 pounds. The big bass are out there, he just believes that an over-abundance of bait has made it tough to get the bass to take your offering. The waters’ around Block Island have accounted for multiple 40-pound-class fish this week, while a couple of true cows that eclipsed the 50-pound mark where taken from local waters close to the mouth of the harbor. A few local surf sharpies also saw 40-pound class fish this week, so it’s not just the boat anglers cashing in. Howard reiterated that putting in as much time as possible and locating fresh bait have been paramount in finding big stripers this season. Thick bluefish schools have come in around Narragansett.

Best Bets for the Weekend

Don’t let the inconsistency in the bass fishing scare you off the water, as plenty of trophy class fish have been taken by anglers who have put their time in this season. As the waters warm and the moon stage starts to approach new, the odds of finding a trophy bass will only increase. The fluke seem to have settled into their summer patterns and will provide a great angling opportunity up and down the coast this weekend.