Mixed reports from throughout the bay

The Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council will hold its Shellfish Advisory Panel meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 4:30 p.m. Topics on the agenda include shellfish harvest seasons for Greenwich Bay, Bissel Cove/Fox Island and Bristol Harbor; an update on DEM’s water quality program; and the Providence River 2024 harvest summary. 

For agenda details and background information, visit the division’s calendar page at Public Meetings Calendar | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (ri.gov).

Massachusetts summer flounder fishery closure

Effective Sept. 6, commercial fishing vessels are prohibited from landing summer flounder in Massachusetts for the remainder of the 2024 fishing year, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer and is announced in the Federal Register.

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries closed the state fishery starting on Aug. 28. So NOAA is closing the federal summer flounder commercial fishery in Massachusetts to align with the closure of the state fishery and promote consistency between state and federal management measures.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater: The largemouth bite is good at night when cooler, and in the day in the lower water column, as the water is warm on the surface. This is changing as the water is cooling.

Striped bass, bluefish, bonito

East End Eddie Doherty, Cape Cod Canal fishing expert and author, said, “Fishing had slowed down until last weekend’s new moon changed our luck. Birds are diving for bunker with loads of rain bait everywhere as fish are breaking up and down the Canal. “Wild Willi” Williams was bouncing a green mack Savage off the bottom a couple of hours before first light when he was hit hard as an intense battle ensued and he finessed a 27-pound striper to the rocks through the east flood tide, then reeled in another linesider that weighed 20 pounds.”

“Inshore fishing for striped bass and hickory shad has been very poor to say the least this year. We fished Narrow River yesterday, the Breachway last week; the three of us fished very hard, many spots that usually hold fish, but nothing, not even a strike! The bait has finally arrived, but no fish. Some of my friends who fish the beach at night have had some success, but not that well. Hopefully the best times are ahead, mid-September to December,” said Ed Lombardo, expert fly fishing guide.

Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle said, “The striped bass bite at Brenton Reef, Newport, is still very good; caught a 46” bass there last week using a bucktail. The bonito, small to 18”, were running pretty good too last week. And the bite on the Southwest Ledge at Block Island is good too, landing 12- to 15-pound bluefish, a 220-pound brown shark (released) as well as multiple large bass.”

Dave Gordon relates on the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers blog, “Not much to report ... very slow fishing in the bay. Got some small bass under the Newport Bridge last weekend fishing with a friend. Rode all around this morning without seeing anything .I’ve been marking bait in the channels but nothing on them.”

“Mixed reports of bonito and false albacore popping up along the south shore out to Block Island. Various colored epoxy jigs and metals seem to be working well. Still a larger volume of bonito around than albies. Stripers are moving around chasing bait. Some bigger fish are being caught in the pond. They have been eating soft plastics and top water spooks. Eels at night seem to still be producing well. Around the Charlestown Breachway the bite is best at night. Schools of bass have been seen cruising through during the day. Bait is all over the place, rain bait, silver sides, peanut bunker, bunker, mullet, snapper and more,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, Chalrestown.

Fluke (summer flounder),
black sea bass and scup

The black sea bass bite off Newport was good this week with keeper size fish being caught in the Rose Island area, Brenton Reef and off the Sakonnet River.  “Caught keeper fluke this week dropping epoxy jigs down to the bottom in the Brenton Reef area,” said Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle. “The fluke reports held up strong this week, with anglers still doing well locally, with a few nice size fish over 5 pounds coming in,” said Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle.

Tautog

“Reports of tautog fishing being good are coming in. Customers are reporting catching fish to eight pounds. The bite is good both in the bay and out in front off Newport,” said Jeff Sullivan of Lucky Bait & Tackle.

I fished for tautog in the General Rock area last week and caught just short tautog (under the 16” minimum size), monster scup and multiple black sea bass.

Bluefin tuna

The school bluefin tuna bite continues to be good offshore. “Tuna reports have been good for those that have been able to get out. Still a fair amount of bluefin in close, with a few larger ones around. Yellowfin have been on the outskirts with anglers occasionally hooking them. Mahi can be found on high flyers and around floating debris,” said Declan O’Donnell.

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@verison.net or visit www.noflukefishing.com.