Rhode Island Fishing Report

The Frances Fleet in Point Judith has seen steady action on recent tautog trips with many anglers catching their limit of fish into the 10-plus pound range. The tautog fishing should continue to produce well for a few more weeks, so be sure to get out soon! When they’ve been able to run their cod and black sea bass trips, they have seen boat limits of black sea bass, along with a few cod. There have been so many sea bass around that it has been tough to find cod at times, but those numbers should normalize soon. You can view the full schedule and make reservations on their website. 

Dave, at Ocean State Tackle in Providence reports that the late fall run remains status quo across Rhode Island. Larger striped bass are around the bay, Providence River, and Seekonk River, but the numbers seem to be lessening a bit. These fish are on the hunt for pogies, so fresh baits have been getting the job done, but the bait has been getting harder to find so anglers are turning to large plugs and soft plastics. Tautog fishing has been excellent for anglers throughout the state, with another week of multiple double-digit fish being reported. There are still a good deal of scup and sea bass in the mix as well, so there’s no shortage of full coolers. The Rhode Island DEM has continued fall trout stocking, and you can check their website for stocking updates. Dave is open by appointment only during the week but will be open on regular hours Friday through Sunday.  

Ralph, at Crafty One Customs reports that the local tautog fishing continues to go strong, with plenty of limit catches and even more double-digit fish reported over the past few days. The tautog fishing should hold up for a few more weeks or until the temperatures dip below the 50-degree mark, so get out while you still can! Fishing for striped bass remains good for mid-November, with loads of local schoolie bass and some pods of slot to over slot fish. The squid fishing is still reportedly very good for the anglers that are still targeting them. The shop is now operating under their winter hours which are Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the shop is closed Sunday through Tuesday. 

• Want to get in on the bite? Find an OTW-approved Charter Fishing Captain for Rhode Island.

Connor, at Tail Tailz Charters provided the following report for this week. It’s been all tog every day for us. Some days have been better than others but we’re getting relatively easy limits with some quality fish in the mix. The fish have transitioned a bit deeper, so rigs have been more prevalent, but the jigs are still getting it done in a lot of instances. White crabs and spider crabs have been producing for us, but the go to greens are still getting it done. All trips this week have seen fish around or just over the 12-pound mark and most trips are seeing at least a few double-digit fish! The temps are finally starting to drop and it’s beginning to feel like hardcore tog season. We should be in for a November to remember at this pace! 

Captain Rob, at Newport Sportfishing Charters has continued to target tautog and results have been excellent. They have been finding limits on all trips, with a good deal of double-digit fish to 12-plus-pounds in the mix. Both jigs and rigs are getting the job done, as the fish are spread out through multiple depth ranges. It will only get better from here, as the water cools down and the crowds thin out a bit. While Rob has been focused on tautog, he noted that there are still a few nice striped bass in the area feeding on peanut bunker, so it’s not a bad idea to have some light striper gear handy while you’re sitting on the tog anchor. 

Dustin at, Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures shared the following report: “The tautog bite continues to be consistent locally. The fish are starting to move around a bit but can still be found on both shallow and deep pieces of structure. The jig bite has still been the top producer, however some days the good ole fashion rig is getting the job done. Sea bass have been a reliable secondary target while tog fishing, along with the occasional keeper cod. With a relatively decent amount of bait around, there is still some solid striped bass fishing to be had as well. The remainder of the guided trips will be targeting tautog, so be sure to reach out to book a trip before it’s too late! “

Rhode Island Fishing Forecast

A brief reprieve from the recent cooler temperatures should help keep the solid fall fishing going as we work into the weekend. The main focus of Rhode Island anglers has been a strong tautog bite, that is still providing easy limits, and more consistent big fish. The weather is starting to feel more like tautog weather as well, but the water temperatures are high enough that anyone who still has access to a boat should have weeks of solid togging ahead of them. Besides the tautog, the sea bass and some keeper cod are around as by-catch, so full coolers will remain plentiful. The bluefish seem to have mostly moved out, but there’s no shortage of school striped bass working small bait along the South County shoreline. Some bigger bass can still be found up in the rivers if you can locate the pogies, although that has gotten a bit more difficult since the cold front came through. Freshwater anglers are finding a more consistent largemouth bite, with the water temperatures normalizing, while trout anglers are cashing in on the recent rounds of stocking.