Rhode Island Fishing Report - July 27, 2017

Pictured above: Matt Weckbacher with a BIG 69-pound Striper Cup entry!

Consistency continues the name of the game locally, with steady bottom fishing for all species and increased striped bass catches in all the usual hotspots.

Rhode Island Fishing Report

The Frances Fleet in Narragansett had a strong multi-species weekend, with a good deal of quality fluke on the afternoon trips in the 4- to 6-pound range. Saturday’s afternoon trip also saw two fish eclipse the 7-pound mark and they battled it out for hi-hook. The nighttime bass trips were taken over by gator blues in huge numbers, with all the parties aboard spending most of the night with bent rods. A few quality bass were able to sneak in as well, with a few making it over the 30-pound mark. The boats didn’t sail on Monday, but Captain Rich reported a great day of sea bass fishing on Tuesday. A full boat limit of big sea bass was easy to come-by, and despite a slower fluke bite, there were at least a dozen or so good keepers on board at the end of the day.

Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence, reports that a lot of local anglers have been heading up to the Canal, where word is that a good bite has taken off once again. Anglers have reported a good deal of fish from 25 to 35 pounds this week on Guppy Pencils and Lights Out Lures. Block Island is also continuing to put up some good bass for the guys drifting eels after dark. Black sea bass and scup action has been excellent, while fluke fishing remains very consistent in local waters. Dave has a full supply of Gulp and Gulp Alive baits, and they seem to be the top choice for fluke and sea bass. Word is that the bluefin bite south of the island has been pretty good, and is still going on, but consistency is lacking from day to day. Freshwater anglers are still reporting excellent local carp fishing, and a good largemouth bite on live medium shiners.

According to Watch Hill Outfitters in Westerly, the Block Island bass bite was still going on early this week, and it seems a fresh push of fish have made their way into the area. Twenty- to thirty-pound fish remain common, and a handful of 40- to 50-pound fish are also in the mix. A large slug of gator bluefish have also moved into the area, and are putting an abrupt end to some angler’s eel drifts. All of the reefs and rock throughout South County are putting up some nice scup, for both shore and boat anglers. The Misquamicut area is still holding a healthy population of keeper fluke from 4 to 6 pounds, and sea bass from 3 to 4 pounds.

Connecticut Fishing Report

Andrew, of Fishin Factory III in Middletown is still enjoying vacation, but Jason told me that fluke reports remain pretty good in eastern CT. The sand shoal, Black Point and Sarah’s Ledge are still putting up some nice fish, but you definitely have to weed through some shorts. The waters around the mouth of the river are holding some decent striped bass to around 30-pounds, but most anglers report having to work for them. The bluefish have finally moved into the river, and gators to around 14-pounds have been caught right behind the bunker schools. Scup action has been good on the rockpiles off Saybrook and Madison; while the sea bass bite remains best west of the river.

Jon, at Hillyers in Waterford, told me that the local fluking has been hit or miss due to an abundance of shorts, but there are some quality fish in the mix. The shop weighed in a 12-plus-pound fish last week that was caught off Block, but a few hefty fish from the New London area have also come in. There seems to be a better number of striped bass in the area, but it seems most of them are barely legal. If you put your time in though you can be rewarded with a better fish, in fact, a 51-pound fish was caught right inside the Bay last week. Bluefish are spread out, but some better ones can be caught at Millstone, The Race and around the Connecticut River. Scup fishing has been great at Barts, Harkness, Seaside and Race Rock.

Gene, over at Black Hall Outfitters in Old Lyme, reports that there are large schools of bunker throughout the sound that may be seeking refuge from the warming water, and there are some nice bass right behind in some cases. Fish to 40 pounds were taken around the schools this week, by livelining or fishing large-profiled plugs. The sand shoal has produced some excellent topwater bites of bass and huge bluefish this week as well. The deeper inshore humps are producing some quality fluke, and it appears the eastern CT humps are finally starting to produce some consistent sea bass action. In the freshwater, largemouth anglers are reporting a good bite along the deeper portions of weedlines, as the fish are starting to transition out to slightly deeper water. In the mornings a topwater bite has produced, and jigs are catching all day every day.

Stephanie Ortiz, of The Fancy Fluke, told me that the fluke bite has started to die off in the western sound, and most fishermen have started to focus on sea bass and scup. Limits have been difficult, but those putting their time in are finding nice examples of both species. Striped bass activity has been best at dawn and dusk since the warmer temps have moved in, and more and more bluefish have shown up and are harassing the bunker schools.

Rhode Island Fishing Forecast

Striped bass fishing has been up and down depending on who you talk to, but there is no doubt that there are plenty of big fish around Block, and a few hogs in each of the usual summer hotspots. As I write this it feels more like September than July; that combined with the strong tides this weekend should provide the best opportunity at some good bass fishing that we’ve had in a while. There are enough big scup, fluke and sea bass to keep any bottom fisherman busy, and the blue crab catches appear to be hitting their peak!