Rhode Island Salt Waters, RI Fishing Report

My suggestion is to fish the Narrow River system in Narragansett. That water can be productive through the month and sometimes into early December. You can park your car at the lot at the Sprague Bridge in Narragansett and wade the river upstream into the estuary on the west side of Rt 1A or alternatively wade the marsh from the bridge out to the mouth where the river joins the ocean. Fish this water on both tides. It has been holding school stripers and shad. Shad hit best typically in lower light near the end of the daylight hours.

For those with kayaks and small power boats, the upper reaches of Potter Pond in South Kingstown holds stripers through the winter months. I would suggest fishing the upper-most section of the pond with sinking lines and weighted patterns... the fishing can be good through November and December.

Apart from this very late season striper fishing the next significant striper fishing will be in April when the first of the migrating bass will once again arrive in Rhode Island waters. Typically this happens in early April and the best locations to target these first arrivals is the Pawcatuck River in Westerly, the West Wall in Galilee and Second Beach in Middletown.

In mid-April this year we had great striper fishing in several of our salt ponds. The Rhode Island Cinder Worm Hatch was the earliest most of us have ever witnessed. This was due to the very mild winter we experienced. If we are lucky enough to have similar conditions this coming winter look for a repeat of great topwater striper fishing to once again start in mid-April. If it's a normal winter we would not expect to see stripers taking cinder worms until the first week in May. If you have never fished the Rhode Island cinder worm hatch you should do yourself a favor and give it a go. The New England Sports Network (NESN) will be airing a segment of The New Fly Fisher http://www.thenewflyfisher.com/ on December 1, and 2 (Saturday and Sunday at 12pm)- featuring the Rhode Island Cinder Worm Hatch. If you cannot watch the NESN segment check out the 23 minute New Fly Fisher You Tube video on the Worm Hatch and near-shore sand eel fishing on the Watch Hill Reefs. This can be found on the RI Cinder Worm Hatch page of this website.http://www.skinnywaterchartersri.com/RI-Worm-Hatch.html

My suggestion is to fish the Narrow River system in Narragansett. That water can be productive through the month and sometimes into early December. You can park your car at the lot at the Sprague Bridge in Narragansett and wade the river upstream into the estuary on the west side of Rt 1A or alternatively wade the marsh from the bridge out to the mouth where the river joins the ocean. Fish this water on both tides. It has been holding school stripers and shad. Shad hit best typically in lower light near the end of the daylight hours.

For those with kayaks and small power boats, the upper reaches of Potter Pond in South Kingstown holds stripers through the winter months. I would suggest fishing the upper-most section of the pond with sinking lines and weighted patterns... the fishing can be good through November and December.

Apart from this very late season striper fishing the next significant striper fishing will be in April when the first of the migrating bass will once again arrive in Rhode Island waters. Typically this happens in early April and the best locations to target these first arrivals is the Pawcatuck River in Westerly, the West Wall in Galilee and Second Beach in Middletown.

In mid-April this year we had great striper fishing in several of our salt ponds. The Rhode Island Cinder Worm Hatch was the earliest most of us have ever witnessed. This was due to the very mild winter we experienced. If we are lucky enough to have similar conditions this coming winter look for a repeat of great topwater striper fishing to once again start in mid-April. If it's a normal winter we would not expect to see stripers taking cinder worms until the first week in May. If you have never fished the Rhode Island cinder worm hatch you should do yourself a favor and give it a go. The New England Sports Network (NESN) will be airing a segment of The New Fly Fisher http://www.thenewflyfisher.com/ on December 1, and 2 (Saturday and Sunday at 12pm)- featuring the Rhode Island Cinder Worm Hatch. If you cannot watch the NESN segment check out the 23 minute New Fly Fisher You Tube video on the Worm Hatch and near-shore sand eel fishing on the Watch Hill Reefs. This can be found on the RI Cinder Worm Hatch page of this website.http://www.skinnywaterchartersri.com/RI-Worm-Hatch.html

Just as the weather and the ocean waters had cleared from Hurricane Sandy, the northeast got blasted once again with high winds and big water with another storm that arrived on November 7th. There have been a few reports of wading anglers catching small bass from the beaches, and that action may continue for the balance of November as the remnants of the southerly migration of bass and blues make their way through Rhode Island waters. Now that latest storm has passed and the waters have calmed a bit and become clear once again- if you're a diehard you will likely be able to catch a few fish through the balance of November.

My suggestion is to fish the Narrow River system in Narragansett. That water can be productive through the month. You can park your car at the lot at the Sprague Bridge in Narragansett and wade the river upstream into the estuary on the west side of Rt 1A or alternatively wade the marsh from the bridge out to the mouth where the river joins the ocean. Fish this water on both tides. It has been holding school stripers and shad. Shad hit best typically in lower light near the end of the daylight hours.

I would also suggest you keep an eye on the Charlestown Breachway, however that area took a huge hit from Hurricane Sandy and access to that water may be difficult if not impossible.

For those with kayaks and small power boats, the upper reaches of Potter Pond in South Kingstown holds stripers through the winter months. I would suggest fishing the upper-most section of the pond with sinking lines and weighted patterns... the fishing can be good through November and December.

Apart from this late season striper fishing the next significant striper fishing will be in April when the first of the migrating bass will once again arrive in Rhode Island waters. Typically this happens in early April and the best locations to target these first arrivals is the Pawcatuck River in Westerly, the West Wall in Galilee and Second Beach in Middletown. In mid-April this year we had great striper fishing in several of our salt ponds. The Rhode Island Cinder Worm Hatch was the earliest most of us have ever witnessed. This was due to the very mild winter we experienced. If we are lucky enough to have similar conditions this coming winter look for a repeat of great topwater striper fishing to once again start in mid-April. If it's a normal winter we would not expect to see stripers taking cinder worms until the first week in May. If you have never fished the Rhode Island cinder worm hatch you should do yourself a favor and give it a go. The New England Sports Network (NESN) will be airing a segment of The New Fly Fisher http://www.thenewflyfisher.com/ on December 1, and 2 (Saturday and Sunday)- featuring the Rhode Island Cinder Worm Hatch. If you cannot watch the NESN segment check out the 23 minute New Fly Fisher You Tube video on the Worm Hatch and near-shore sand eel fishing on the Watch Hill Reefs. This can be found on the RI Cinder Worm Hatch page of this website.http://www.skinnywaterchartersri.com/RI-Worm-Hatch.html

Go freshwater fishing.

7 Day Outlook

Give it a week before attempting to fish in Rhode Island's salt waters.

Hurricane Sandy has taken a severe toll on the Rhode Island coastline. Our damage comes no where near the destruction experienced by coastal New Jersey, nevertheless it is significant. Much of the damage and rearrangement of the shoreline, breachways, and sandbars may very well be permanent. The ocean is still very rough and the water is full of seaweed, sand and air. It will be a good week from the date of this report before pre-Sandy conditions may return. They may not return at all this fall.

The fishing reporters at On The Water magazine on Cape Cod have written a very succinct report that summarizes the state of our state from a geographic and fishing perspective and I have taken the liberty of copying and pasting their report into this report in order that you can see what we are dealing with here in the Ocean State.

My suggestion is to give fishing in the Ocean State a good week before venturing into our waters. Because the storm is so close to having left, no one I know has attempted fishing either on foot or in a boat. Who knows perhaps in a week or so we will still be able to do some late season striper fishing, but honestly for the flyrodder I think it's fair to say the season is at an end until April 2013.

The following is the link to that article: http://www.onthewater.com/forecasts/2012/11/connecticut-and-rhode-island-fishing-report-11-1-12/

In general near shore water temperatures are holding in the low 60's and with the cold weather forecasted for this weekend I would expect those temps to dip into the high 50F range. Cooler water temps combined with the abundant bait supply could kickstart Striped bass fishing and potentially push the False Albacore towards Montauk and places south. Weather conditions of late have been very windy closing out many a fishing outing in our near coastal waters. Whenever anglers are forced to seek protected water, they reduce their opportunities to catch fish in those areas that are prime at this point in the season (essentially the near shore reefs of Brenton (near Newport) and Watch Hill. October should still be a record month for Albie, Blues and Striper fishing. If we can get a sustained period of low wind and surf we could finish out the month with great catching opportunities.

THE WATCH HILL REEFS, FISHERS ISLAND

Things are changing rapidly on the Watch Hill Reef area. There are still good numbers of False Albacore however these fish have been extremely difficult to catch. I know many anglers who are frustrated by the picky feeding habits of the stock. Because this is a catch and release fishery and because these fish have been pounded for weeks by everyone and their brother the Watch Hill area stock have become educated on what to look out for to avoid a sore mouth. Your best strategy may be to run east along the beaches down to Quonny and work back towards Watch Hill and to fish the south facing shore of Fishers in an effort to locate fish that have not been as pressured. There continue to be good numbers of Bluefish mixed in with the Albies and increasingly anglers are catching Stripers, particularly along the rocky shoreline in front of Watch Hill light and the southeastern end of Fishers. There are good numbers of bass in the rock gardens surrounding the Watch Hill light. If you can get in tight to the cover, try using a hookless teaser rig (large white Sluggo or popper) to prospect for bass and to fire them up. Then switch to the fly.

CHARLESTOWN BREACHWAY and NINIGRET POND

Anglers are catching primarily bass on the dumping tide at the breachway entrance. I fished Ninigret Pond hard on Thursday from the Ocean House through most of the breachway based on some fairly reliable reports of topwater bass. We caught many harbor blues but no stripers. The breachway is typically a reliable spot for topwater bass so on either tide I would continue to look at this water and your timing might be perfect to intercept these fish. If you are navigating the channel back into the pond pay very close attention the channel markers and the darker water. The sands have once again shifted and its very easy to find yourself grounded on the lower stages of the tide.

SOUTH SHORE BEACHES FROM MATUNUCK TO WATCH HILL

This huge stretch of sand affords tremendous opportunities to intercept and target migrating fish. If you have the luxury of fishing from a boat, closely patrol these water and scan the beaches for diving/looping birds. As usual they are the tipoff to feeding fish. These beaches can be devoid of obvious activity one minute and explode with topwater and near-sand action the next.

PT JUDITH LIGHT WEST TO MATUNUCK STATE BEACH

False Albacore are still in these waters but in lesser numbers. Fish along the East, Center and West walls at the Harbor of Refuge as these areas hold bait, and Albies frequently run alongside these jetties picking off baitfish. By all means if you can catch a day with a low swell fish the rock gardens around the Pt Judith Light... this area is holding some nice bass.

SCARBOROUGH BEACH north to NARRAGANSETT TOWN BEACH

This area had good numbers of False Albacore up to about a week and a half ago. I have not been in these waters since then but I would give them a look. I don't have any reliable intel to offer.

NARRAGANSETT BAY

Narragansett Bay, not unlike Rip Van Winkle has awakened from a deep sleep. There are now reliable reports of Bluefish feeding off Barrington Beach, Colt State Park, Potter Cove (Prudence Island) and throughout Greenwich Bay and parts of the Providence River.

BRENTON REEF-OCEAN DRIVE- PRICES NECK/ NEWPORT

These areas have slowed down considerably for False Albacore. I would not target this water for Albies, a much better bet is to make the trip to Watch Hill. The Newport reef structure should turn on any day for consistent Striper fishing. If we could get some low wind days (and next weeks forecast is suggesting that may happen) anglers in smaller boats should find the Brenton reef structure productive. Year in Year out this area offers spectacular fall migration Striper fishing. This year should be no exception given the amount of bait in these waters. In the absence of diving birds and ocean swell I would maneuver your vessel as close as possible to the south facing ledge structure from Prices Neck east to Lands End and Rough Point. These areas always hold bass. Again, use the bait and switch technique with hookless teasers to prospect these ledges. When you get movement switch to the fly.

BLOCK ISLAND- getting better for stripers



Best Techniques

Use intermediate and fast sinking lines with any variety of False Albacore patterns. Sometimes using patterns that are a bit larger than the bait but with a similar profile and color of the predominate bait-Bay Anchovy can be effective. Watch for the birds, approach slowly into the fringe water of breaking fish. Pods of Albies (except in the Watch Hill area) can still be accessed very closely using a stealthy approach. Spot the fish, drive towards the favored casting angle, cut the engine and allow the momentum of the boat to bring you into casting range. Visit the Home page of this website for a short You Tube video that shows just how close you can get to fish that have not been run through and spooked. Really quite remarkable. Resist the temptation to run and gun after these fish. If you have a trolling motor and winds are low, use it to approach the feeding fish. Attempt to establish in what direction the fish are moving and at what speed so that you can place your fly into their path. Over-line your rod by one or two weights. This will put a deeper bend in your rod and slow it's action however you will be able to load the rod more quickly and not have to waste valuable time with multiple false casts, in order to present the fly. Use the SALTWATER QUICK CAST. Google Saltwater Quick Cast, and you will be able to find several very good YouTube videos demonstrating this excellent cast that is more commonly used by anglers fly fishing for Bonefish. This cast is highly effective for casting to False Albacore particularly if you are fishing from the bow of the boat. After you have perfected this simple technique, you will be able to deliver the fly with only one or two false casts. Faster and more accurate casting will increase your catch rate significantly.

False Albacore and Bluefish are swimming together and often it's difficult to easily decipher if the fish surface feeding are Albies or Blues. If they are Blues and your not fishing with wire or heavier monofilament line, you'll know soon enough what kind of fish you're into. I would not try and finesse the tide- I would simply go when you can. Generally as in most salt water environments, moving water is best. There continues to be an abundant supply of bait, mostly Bay Anchovy. You might consider bringing a shovel on board to help clear the baitfish vomit as you bring your quarry into the boat. Remember, False Albacore need to swim to stay alive. When you release these fish you spike them head first... this technique may appear to be cruel but it supercharges their breathing.

My Tips of the Week

Anglers should be mentally preparing for very challenging False Albacore fishing. You should still find them in the Watch Hill and Fishers Island areas, but they are going to be less concentrated and much more picky, whether you are fishing with a fly rod or a spinning rod. Strategizing your boat position to intercept these speedsters is nearly impossible. They are up one second and down the next and you can wear out your arm casting to them and drive yourself cuckoo trying to get a take. However if you are fortunate to be able to position your fly in front of their swimming/feeding direction so as you strip your fly is swimming the same direction and pace as the pod... they will eat the fly. If you are casting across a pod of fish so that you are retrieving your fly at a widely different angle from the direction the fish is swimming- most times the fly will be ignored or simply not be seen. I know this because I have interviewed many a False Albacore and they have told me about their preferences. Before you get on the water, take the time to really stretch your fly lines. Intermediate lines will be constantly tangling at the worst possible times... like when you are in easy casting range of topwater Albies and you've got a birds nest on your hands. If you have not had the time or you forgot to stretch the line berofe getting on the water, pull line off your reel and troll it behind the boat so that the resistance of the line in the water will stretch it. Make sure you and the boat captain are working together so that sudden turns will be avoided and you won't cut your line in the engine prop. It's really important to stretch any line you are using. Remember these fish swim fast. You need to be ready to cast, You need to minimize false casting, You need to be accurate in your presentation.

View the PATTERNS page for rigging suggestions and my recommended fly patterns when angling for False Albacore and Bonito.

Because the Albie fishing has been so great, you will encounter many boats during weekend outings. Attempt to find non-pressured water and avoid the temptation of fishing in the more common locations. The Watch Hill reefs are still a madhouse of boats. Now that the Albie bite is slowing a bit, those waters should be less pressured than in September.



7 Day Outlook

A cold weekend ahead, but next week's air temperatures and wind speed are forecasts look promising. We are now at the beginning of our fall migration period. Be prepared for cold and windy days and very good fishing.

Garett Williams pulled together 5 of his friends for a weekend of angling here in the Ocean State. We put together 1 trout day along the Wood River and 2 Saltwater days aboard the NorthCoast. On Saturday we hit the Wood River early in effort to avoid traffic and mid day wind. Conditions were tough with wind kicking up early. It was grogeous day with very warm temps. All anglers were new to fly angling and the pine needles and leaves covering the Wood made it more chalenging.

Sundays Saltwater Outting: We met at Barn Island at 5:30. Geared up and headed to Watch Hill. We found some schools of Bluefish early with slow moving water and flat calm seas. After each of the guys getting tight on some blues and gave the option of heading South. Back to Montauk.

Trying to avoid the Storm Front we arrived at the Montauk Light around 9:30. As expected many boats were seeking fish and Albies were working just off the Montauk shore. Today Sunday, anglers seemed to working well together. US Coast Guard was working the area seemingly keeping everyone on good behavior. Max was the first to hook up with tough fishing. The lock jaw pattern seems to be moving south. As the storm clouds began to move in it seemed to really lay the fishing down. As the sky grew dark we decided to head back to Watch Hill.

As we made our way back to Watch Hill the skies let up and the Albies were slurping bait along the surface. Once again these fish were tough in the still seas. Max once again landed a nice Albie on a larger size Deadly Dick. We had more multiple shots at breaking fish with no takes. By 1:00pm the rains came and we headed home. Back at it tomorrow AM.

We continue to pinch ourselves to make sure we aren't dreaming about how great the fishing is in Near Coastal Rhode Island waters. False Albacore are still plentiful and Bass are starting to become more cooperative. Recent outings for most anglers I know involve routine Slams consisting of False Albacore, Stripers and Bluefish. In case your wondering- Bonito are far and few between.

In general nearshore water temperatures are holding in the mid 60's. This is warm for this time of year and consequently the bait and the fish are going to hold longer in our waters. October is bound to be a record month for Albie, Blues and Striper fishing. You really need to get here while the gettin's good.

THE WATCH HILL REEFS, FISHERS ISLAND

This area continues to be consistent most days for False Albacore. You should focus your efforts from just east of the Watch Hill lighthouse, across the Watch Hill Reef structure, Wicopesset Island and on the south side of Fishers Island, nearer the eastern end of the island vs the western end. You will unquestionably encounter a lot of boat traffic on the Watch Hill Reef. Your options are plentiful, move further east or west and get away from the madness. Pay close attention to the beach in front of the Ocean House hotel and further east towards Misquamicut. Naturally look for the birds and make sure you bring a good pair of binoculars to make spotting diving birds easier.

CHARLESTOWN BREACHWAY and NINIGRET POND

Bass are still in the breachway back into the S curves near the sunken barge. Lots of bait throughout.

PT JUDITH LIGHT WEST TO MATUNUCK STATE BEACH

False Albacore have been showing up in good numbers near the East Wall and the east gap. Patrol the small water from the East Wall towards the lighthouse. Cast sinking lines if nothing is apparent. Also fish the dropping tide at the west gap between the Center and West Walls. Although a busy area for passing boats, when traffic is low, Albies have been working this water.

SCARBOROUGH BEACH north to NARRAGANSETT TOWN BEACH

This area had good numbers of False Albacore earlier this week from very tight to shore in the shadow of the Coast Guard House restaurant, near the fish traps and out from the shoreline a half a mile. If ocean swell conditions cooperate there is a good Striper bite in the rock garden at the south eastern tip of the Pt Judith Lighthouse. Fish the ledges and rocks on the north side of the Narrow River entrance. Earlier this week that water was holding Stripers.

NARRAGANSETT BAY

Reliable reports of keeper size Stripers in Greenwich Bay. If they are there, then they are in many places. I have not fished the mid or upper bay for sometime due to the excellent near shore Albie bite, however with the abundant bait supply throughout RI waters, Narragansett Bay may very well turn on big time as water temperatures continue to slowly drop.

BRENTON REEF-OCEAN DRIVE- PRICES NECK/ NEWPORT

These areas have slowed a bit from the fever pitch of just a week ago. This may be temporary however. I fished this area hard last Sunday (9/1) and the Albies were wall to wall. Returning there on Tuesday and on both tides there wasn't an Albie or group of birds to be found (at least for me). We did however get some nice Bluefish strikes at low tide on the northern side of Seal Rock in very shallow and dangerous water, but the water was flat and we could work very closely to the structure.

Also on 10/2 the rocky ledges of Prices Neck that face the open ocean were holding small stripers in the whitewater.

Keep a close eye on this general area, it may have already returned to good conditions since I was there earlier this week.

BLOCK ISLAND- inconsistent but trending more positive this week.

Thursday September 27 Point Judith RI

I meet Mark Musgrove and his dad Rick around 6:30 am, the wind was from the West around 10 and the tide was full. Rick is visiting from Alaska and never caught any East coast fish, It was his first time fishing hear. We headed out looking for activity, but there were few birds in the sky and not much signs of life. As the tide moved out the action started slowly. Rick started us off with a 4 pound bluefish his first . Mark was using a fly rod and his offerings were refused. Rick continued to land blues while Mark. improved on his casting. I moved the boat along some structure and Mark and Rick both landed several stripers up to 24 inch. The false albacore avoided us today, but both men landed stripers and bluefish. More than a dozen stripers were caught and released with as many blues. I will be out again soon look for my report Until then tight lines

Tuesday September 25,2012

Newport RI Out gong tide Cold front conditions

The weather was predicted to turn for the worse so I thought there was chance to get a few hours in. Stripers and bluefish along the reefs of Newport, are all I could find today. The wind pick up early and soon the wind from the West gusting to 25 forced me back to the dock. . No signs of false albacore today the next day look like it would be a wash out. I will be out again soon look for my report Until then tight lines

Today I fished with Chuck Koteen from Hartford CT. Chuck is an experienced fly fisherman, but never fished for false albacore. We left the dock around 6:30 and the temp was just above 50 deg. As we approached the area the water was calm and the wind was light. Soon Chuck was on to the first fish of the day. After a good run and Chuck doing the two step around the boat, the hook pulled away. Lets do that again as we continued to fish the weather change, with a gusty wind from the West we could see rain in the distance. The fish turned on and Chuck landed several albies and 2 very nice stripers. We never had the rain in our area and the temp warmed up nice. It was a great day on the water. Chuck boated 5 false albacore and a few stripers. We both enjoyed the day. I will be out again soon look for my report Until then tight lines.

Sunday fishing report September 23rd: Fished with Arun and Ron Marafioti today. Both anglers were looking for their 1st False Albacore with fly rods. We started are quest along the Watch Hill light. Fish were there but not much activity during the rising sun. As the sun rose and the skies cleared the wind began to kick up. We decided to head over to Fishers Island and find some shelter. It worked; the False Albacore were there however they were a little tough. The wind was up and it was tough to lead fish. Both Ron and Arun landed their first False Albacore with a fly. Ron with Sage Xi3 8wt and Arun with Sage TCX 9wt. Arun lande another and missed a few. The winds continued to build throughout the morning making things a little tough. Flies which worked were a few Anchovy flies I tie in size 2 with a mix of SF Blends and EP Fibers.