It’s a great time to fish

It is very hot. Some saltwater estuary ponds in South County, Rhode Island, were nearly 90 degrees last week, with water temperatures off Rhode Island hovering around 70 degrees.  However, salt and freshwater fishing right now is very good, so find yourself some shade and go fish.

The bait and fish we love to catch, eat and or release are in our waters and being caught. The thing is that you may have to move to catch them from where you usually fish from shore or boat. Striped bass, bluefish, fluke, scup and black sea bass are all being caught in our area, with the bluefin tuna bite exploding.

Jeff Sullivan of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, Middletown, said, “We had an abundance of sand eels in the water, which attracted the squid, which are still here. So, the striped bass fishing has been outstanding, with anglers mimicking sand eels and squid with a variety of lures working including diamond jibs, and paddle baits.  So this has been an outstanding season, with anglers landing 20- to 45-pound fish with relative ease off Newport and at Block Island, where bass are feeding on an abundance of mackerel.”

Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Charlestown, said, “Plenty of customers landed their first keepers of the season, with a surprising number of quality fish coming from only 20 to 35 feet of water. And the majority of black sea bass being caught are keeper size, with many quality knot heads mixed in. Jigs continue to out fish traditional bait rigs.”

Captains Frank and Corey Blount of the Frances Fleet in Pt. Judith, Narragansett, said, “Anglers were able to beat the heat this weekend and catch fluke and black sea bass on both our full-day and half-day trips. This weekend, Captain Cole found a new body of fish for customers that kept them happy.”

“The freshwater bite for largemouth bass is very, very good. Fish are feeding on and below the surface, with anglers using night crawlers, shiners and surface lures with success. Dragon flies and insects of all types are bringing fish to the surface,” said Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence.

Beat the heat, find some shade and go out and fish.

Recreational trophy bluefin tuna fishery closes, quota reached

Based on the best available landings information, the Southern New England Area bluefin tuna trophy sub quota has been reached and exceeded. So effective July 3, 2026, until Dec. 31, 2026, the fishery is now closed.

Permits effected include Highly Migratory Species Angling category permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat permitted vessels fishing recreationally in the Southern New England area, including areas south of Cape Cod, off Rhode Isalnd, Connecticut, New York and most of New Jersey.

Recreational fishermen aboard vessels with an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Angling category or Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat permit (while fishing recreationally) may not retain, possess, or land large medium or giant Atlantic bluefin tuna (i.e., measuring 73 inches curved fork length or greater) in the Southern New England area.

Commercial permits are not affected by this closure.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater fishing is still very good. Warming water continues to provide an abundance of insects and dragon flies on the surface, so surface lures of all types are working well. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “The largemouth bass bite is very good, with customers catching fish with shiners and night crawlers on the Blackstone River, Lincoln Woods and Stump Pond, Coventry.  There is also a great pike bite at Sandy Pond in Warwick.  Trout fishing has dwindled as anglers have not been targeting them much.”

Striped bass and bluefish

“There weren’t a lot of fish caught in the Cape Cod Canal last week, but those landed were all nice sized striped bass. Friday is a day Joe Moneghan will never forget. He was casting a ghost-colored jointed glide bait into a rising west tide when he reeled in a 47-inch bass. Then his handmade lure sustained a ferocious hit by a powerful predator, pulling drag in a fierce battle. Joe fought that fish to fruition with the tired, fat striper at his feet measuring out to 54 inches! The girth came in at 29 inches, so the mathematical formula of length x girth x girth divided by 800 produced a rounded off weight of 57 pounds,” said East End Eddie.

“The bite has remained consistently good on the local reefs, along the South Shore, and around Block Island. Mackerel have been loaded up, making live bait one of the most reliable ways to hook quality fish. Live eels continue to be a top producer,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle.

Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, said, “The bass bite in the Bay is pretty much over at 7 a.m.  Bass are still feeding all night on squid, but by daybreak they are relaxing, swimming on the surface with full bellies.”

Summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass and scup

Bottom fishing has been mixed, with a good scup bite in most places; however, anglers are having to work for inshore fluke, with the best bite being around Block Island, with some activity starting along the southern coastal shore.

Dave Henault of Ocean Sate Tackle, said, “The scup bite has been good in the bay and just about everywhere else. And there have been many large plate size fish. However, the fluke bite has not been good in the bay, with fish occasionally caught in the bridges, around Austin Hollow.”

Dock mates in Warwick caught keeper fluke drifting the channel south of Warwick Light last week.  “Sea bass continue to pick up the slack for bottom fishermen. Hard bottom, reefs, and rock piles have been producing the best action for anglers, said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle.

Tuna

Tuna fishing for bluefin, yellowfin and big eye is getting better every day.  “Angler Cesin Curi boated a 600-plus-pound bluefin giant last week, fishing at the canyons, with customers caching a mix of bluefin and yellow fin tuna if they are willing to take the ride to the Canyons,” said Henault of Ocean Sate Tackle.

Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, said, “Sand eels are loaded up, and there is a healthy mix of school fish and giants already showing. Large numbers of fish have been seen crashing bait and launching completely airborne. Trolling and jigging continue to be the top producers, but keep a spinning rod rigged with a stick bait or topwater.”

“The tuna bite has been very good offshore, with quite a few giants being caught close to Block Island. The school tuna is moving closer too. A few nice south wind days will bring the bait and tuna to Block Island and north, closer to Newport,” said Jeff Sullivan of Sam’s Bait & Tackle, Middletown.

Dave Monti holds a master captain’s license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues and clients. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net  or visit www.noflukefishing.com .