• Large striped bass are being caught in the Providence River and upper Narragansett Bay, often by using Atlantic menhaden as bait.
• Summer flounder (fluke) are being caught throughout the region, with larger fish found near channel breaks, jetties, and ledges, using squid as bait.
• The Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament has expanded to include nine species and a wider fishing area.

Every angler wants to catch big fish.  Not just big, but our biggest ever, our personal best. 

But where to catch big fish and how to catch them is not magic, but rather it is all about the food.  You need to be where the food is with ideally fast-moving water that tosses bait around making them easy pickings for larger fish.

Here are some popular places and methods for catching big striped bass and summer flounder (fluke).

Where to catch striped bass

The striped bass limit is one fish/person/day between 28 inches and (under) 31 inches. The largest fish in spring have been caught way up the Providence River as the bass are following Atlantic menhaden and herring up rivers where they spawn.

So, the best way to catch large bass, particularly in the East Bay Area of Narragansett Bay is with Atlantic menhaden cut up into chunks or live lining them. Other popular methods include flutter spoons which mimic distressed herring or Atlantic menhaden as well as trolling tube and worm from a boat.

You can catch them from land at India Point Park, Kettle Point, Sabin Point, Conimicut Point and along the shore in Warwick, Cranston, Providence, East Providence, Barrington, and Bristol. 

And from boats it is a matter of finding the schools of Atlantic menhaden. Good places are channel edges from the southern tip of Prudence Island, up the Providence River to the Hurricane Barrier.

Summer fishing for big bass is generally done around Block Island on the Southwest Ledge, the Southeast Light and in the Cape Cod Canal from shore as well as around and off Newport and Watch Hill.

Where to catch summer flounder

The summer flounder or fluke limit is six fish/person/day, 19-inch minimum size. Fish are most commonly caught from boat on a drift, but can be caught from shore at Conimicut Point, Colt State Park, and off jetties in South County.

The largest fish are generally caught on edges.  Channel breaks, on the sandy area just beyond the base of structures such as a jetties and ledges.

Fluke face into the current to feed, so you want to drag your bait over the front of them, drifting with the tide and wind in the same direction when in a boat or slowing pulling your bait over the bottom when on land.

Squid is the bait of choice.  Some anglers cut it in fine strips yet others like to use the whole squid with others using what they catch that day… strips of bluefish, sea robin, etc.

Ten-plus pound fish can be caught at Warwick Light in spring; the Newport and Jamestown Bridge area; Austin Hollow, Jamestown; off Newport’s Brenton Reef area to 80 feet of water, along the southern coastal shore and off the Sakonnet River area to three miles out drifting over humps and bumps.  Big fish are also caught around Block Island, the East Fishing Grounds and Cox Ledge with the biggest slabs caught at Nantucket Sholes.

Block Island Tournament expanded

The Block Island Inshore Fishing Tournament now has nine species with a fishing area that includes areas south of the Pell and Jamestown Bridges including Rhode Island ocean beaches to about 15 miles south of Block Island.

The tournament is Saturday, July 26 to Sunday, July 27. A smartphone app is used to enter fish, no need to go to Block Island to win. Register at BI Inshore Tourney | bi-fishworks (sandypointco.com).

Where’s the bite?

Striped bass.  Manny Macedo of Lucky Bait & Tackle, Warren, said, “The stiped bass bite has been very good in Mt. Hope and Narragansett Bays. Anglers should know that Rhode Island and Massachusetts now have two different ways of measuring striped bass.” In Massachusetts anglers must squeeze the tail (caudal) fin to take the measure from the closed mouth of the fish. Visit Massachusetts – Striped Bass | eRegulations. In Rhode Island, measure from the mouth to the longest point of the tail fin, there is no squeezing allowed. Dave Henault of Ocean State Tackle, Providence, said, “Customers are having difficulty catching slot size fish in the upper Providence and Seekonk Rivers. Larger fish over 31 inches are being caught, earlier this month a 53-inch fish was caught. Baits working include live or chucked Atlantic menhaden with worms working best in the Seekonk River.”  Angler Kevin Tavares said “We fished Mount Hope Bay, the Sakonnet launch to Bristol to Roger Williams, etc. Chased terns and gulls on breaking schools of bass. Sometimes w/out birds, could spot them breaking top water…  Most fish were around slot, had some under 20 inches (nice to see) and a couple over 30 inches.” 

Tautog.  Ryan Collins of ‘My Fishing Cape Cod’, said, “The red hot tautog bite earlier this month seems to be cooling off a bit on the Cape as other species like scup move into the area.” Said Henault, of Ocean State Tackle, “Anglers have filed fewer reports on tautog as not as many are fishing for them as they are now targeting scup, striped bass and other species that have arrived.”

Summer flounder and scup are being caught throughout the region. Macedo, of Lucky Bait & Tackle, said, “The scup are in with small fluke being caught too.” Angler Matthew Haczynski reported last Saturday finding keeper fluke in the Block Island area. He and fish mates filled a cooler.” Angler Gary Vandemoortele, said, “We limited out on fluke in the Westport area last week when chartering on Three Sister Charters. Clams and clam worms worked best.”

Freshwater. For complete regulations, a list of trout stocked ponds, and a copy of the RI Freshwater Fishing Regulations and Guide visit Fish & Wildlife | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and in Massachusetts visit Freshwater Fishing | Mass.gov.

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master 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. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net, visit www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com or www.noflukefishing.com .