Rhode Island Fishing Report- November 30, 2023

Rhode Island Fishing Report

The Frances Fleet in Point Judith reports that the tautog action has been red hot when the weather allows them to get to the grounds. The water is still a bit churned up, but the fish don’t seem to mind much. Per usual this time of year, the weather can be iffy so call ahead if you’re planning a trip. They will also be running trips for sea bass and cod, as both species have been chewing better recently. You can view the full schedule and make reservations on their website. 

Ralph, at Crafty One Customs reports that the guys heading out of Newport are still doing well with tautog, mainly fishing depths of 50 to 90 feet. Keeper fish are still relatively easy to come by and there are still some nice double-digit fish in the mix. Cod are starting to mix in more often, while the sea bass bite has transitioned to deeper water offshore. There are still some stripers hanging around as well, with the anglers who are still trying finding plenty of schoolies, along with a few larger fish. Their regular winter hours are Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the shop will be closed Sunday through Tuesday.

Eric, at The Saltwater Edge told me that the fishing has slowed down in the ocean state, but some anglers are still reporting decent numbers of striped bass, especially on the warmer days. These fish are generally smaller holdovers but provide good light tackle action. Tautog fishing remains a bright spot, with anglers still reporting plenty of keepers, as the fish transition to deeper water. The shop is now shifting to fly-tying mode, with the first and third Thursdays of the month being open fly-tying nights. They hope to see you there soon!

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Connor, at Tail Tailz Charters provided the following report: We’re approaching the end of our inshore tog season. The big blow before thanksgiving, just before the moon, really stirred up the inshore togging. We’ve had to hit some deeper drops and go a bit offshore to find good numbers of quality fish. When we’ve had the weather to be able to shoot just offshore a bit the fishing has been good. Plenty of quality tog with a few double-digit fish in the mix. As usual, when fishing deep this time of year we’re getting a nice by catch of big sea bass and cod. Whites and Jonahs have been producing best offshore. The inshore bite may still rebound, but for now we’re fishing the deeper wreck and reefs. The season is winding down, but when the weather allows there is plenty of good fishing to be had.

Rob, at Newport Sportfishing Charters has still been putting together some very successful late fall trips whenever the weather has allowed. He has been able to find plenty of quality tautog without having to travel too far from home. On the nicer days, he has been able to steam a bit further out and cash in on a solid cod and sea bass bite.

Dustin at, Rhode Island Kayak Fishing Adventures shared the following report: It was another solid week of tautog fishing when the weather allowed, which resulted in quite a few days with easy limits and some big fish sprinkled in as well. Black sea bass are also still very reliable, although they are starting to transition to deeper water. With the temperature dropping, we should have more opportunities for inshore cod throughout the rest of the year. There are still opportunities to find some decent schools of striped bass, but now is the time to start working the holdover areas. Freshwater fishing has also trended in a positive direction with a decent amount of largemouth being caught recently. As a result of the last stocking, trout fishing has been pretty lights out. Reach out to us to book your kayak or shore fishing trip for this year or get an early start on a date for next year!

Rhode Island Fishing Forecast

Fall fishing has picked back up after some tough weather churned up the water around Thanksgiving. 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 fish have started to transition deeper, with the best reports from 50 to 90 feet of water, but they are still chewing. This bite should last right through December, as long as the weather holds up. Besides tautog, sea bass and some keeper cod are around as by-catch, and numbers seem to be increasing as the anglers are working deeper structure. The bluefish seem to have mostly moved out, but there are still decent numbers of stripers to play with if you work the holdover grounds. 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.