6/26/26 Sink or Swim
Sink or Swim
Sometimes life tests you. It puts you in situations where you either persevere or fall victim. Is sinking inevitable, or were you just never meant to swim?
Everyone has something they're good at.
When you're putting a crew together for a fishing trip, what are you looking for? The guy who always seems to know where the fish are. The one with every lure ever made. The buddy who can't cast straight but somehow catches the biggest fish every trip. The knot guy who never loses a fish. Or maybe it's the one who keeps everyone laughing—and whose mom packed sandwiches for the whole crew.
Everybody has a role.
I'm a swimmer...who are you?
Striped Bass
The Block is hot...what else is new?
There's a great population of medium-sized fish in the 15–30 pound class, along with schools of even bigger bass. The Ledge and the Rip continue to be the names you're hearing most often, with fish coming on topwater plugs, live eels, live mackerel, Gravity Tackle soft plastics, Joe Baggs lures, Doc plugs, and just about everything in between.
Some overlooked local spots have also been holding their fair share of quality fish. Live eels and live scup have been taking many of the larger bass, but if you're out cruising the South Shore, don't overlook that 30–32 foot depth range and try trolling a few baits.
The salt ponds have been a little slower this week, with most of the action coming on the incoming tide as bait gets pushed through the channels. We're still waiting for another fresh wave of migratory fish to move through.
Tuna
The hype is here—and we're ready for what should be a great season.
The canyon bite has been excellent, producing yellowfin, bigeye, and bluefin tuna. The mid-shore grounds are still fairly quiet, but every now and then anglers are finding pockets of life with bait, whales, birds, and a few tuna mixed in.
It's hit or miss right now, but we're getting very close to that bite opening wide up.
Fluke
Reports have been slightly better this week, especially around Block Island, although most local catches continue to be short fish.
Hopefully more anglers start putting time into figuring out the local bite this weekend. Most fish are coming from 20–70 feet of water, with squid still covering many of the local pieces.
If you're targeting fluke, don't overlook structure. Sticky bottom continues to outproduce clean sand.
Black Sea Bass
Sea bass continue to pick up the slack for fluke.
There are plenty of keeper-sized fish around, and surprisingly not many shorts. Jigs continue to outperform traditional fluke and sea bass rigs, especially when fished over sticky bottom, rock piles, and wrecks.
🔥 Lure of the Week – The Doc (10% Off)
The 9" Drifter Doc and 7" Lil' Doc have become legendary East Coast striped bass plugs.
These walk-the-dog style topwater lures produce an aggressive side-to-side action combined with an incredibly loud internal rattle that big bass simply can't ignore.
Perfect for fishing around Block Island, reefs, breachways, and anywhere bass are feeding on the surface.
Features:
- Loud internal rattle
- Stainless steel hardware
- 4/0 VMC Perma Steel hooks
- Incredible casting distance
- Deadly topwater action
👉 10% Off This Week
What's on the Menu?
The bait is loaded right now.
Squid are still hanging around in good numbers, mackerel continue to be easy to find, and sand eels are piled up along the beaches and reefs. Schools of peanut bunker are beginning to show, while mummichogs ("mummies") continue filling the salt ponds.
Bass have also been seen sipping tiny shrimp and plankton blooms off the surface—proof they'll sometimes feed more like trout than stripers.
Did You Know? The growth rate of your target species.
Fluke
A legal keeper fluke is generally about 3 years old. Female fluke grow much faster than males, which is why most of the doormat-sized fish are females. A true 10-pound fluke can be close to 8–10 years old.
Striped Bass
That 28–30 inch slot fish is usually around 5 years old. The 40-inch cows everyone dreams about are often 10 years or older, and many of the biggest bass are old females responsible for producing millions of eggs each spring.
Black Sea Bass
Sea bass grow quickly during their first few years. Most keeper-sized fish are only 3–5 years old, while some of the big "knotheads" can live well over a decade.
It's pretty amazing to think about how many migrations, storms, predators, and close calls these fish survive before ending up on the end of your line.
We're fully stocked with:
👉 Live eels
👉 Fresh mackerel
👉 Sandworms
👉 Bunker
👉 Squid
👉 Clams
Get Ready Now
The offshore season is here. Make sure your gear is ready before you leave the dock.
- Check your drag.
- Be prepared for whatever species shows up.
- Replace missing jigs and terminal tackle.
- Inspect your rod guides and tips for chips or cracks.
- Clean and lubricate your reels.
- Make sure your leaders and knots are ready for the fish of a lifetime.
Stop by the shop or shop anytime online:
We're open 7 days a week.
Shop Hours
Monday–Saturday: 6–6
Sunday: 6–5
Weekend Weather
Friday (6/26)
S winds 5 to 10 kt, increasing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 6 seconds and NW 1 foot at 10 seconds.
🌡️ High: 77° | Low: 63°
Saturday (6/27)
NW winds around 5 kt, becoming SE in the afternoon. Seas around 2 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 6 seconds and W 1 foot at 5 seconds. Showers. Patchy fog in the morning with vsby 1 to 3 NM.
🌡️ High: 76° | Low: 64°
Sunday (6/28)
NW winds around 5 kt. Seas around 2 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 7 seconds and E 1 foot at 5 seconds.
🌡️ High: 78° | Low: 61°
Weekend Tides (Breachway Flow)
Friday (6/26)
Incoming: 2:49 PM → 9:34 PM
Outgoing: 9:34 PM → 4:14 AM*
Saturday (6/27)
Incoming: 4:14 AM → 11:04 AM
Outgoing: 11:04 AM → 4:14 PM
Incoming: 4:14 PM → 11:18 PM
Outgoing: 11:18 PM → 4:55 AM*
Sunday (6/28)
Incoming: 4:55 AM → 11:49 AM
Outgoing: 11:49 AM → 4:12 PM
Incoming: 4:12 PM → 11:58 PM
*Denotes after midnight (following day)
🔥 It's on. Get out there and get tight.
Good luck this weekend and tight lines.
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