8/21/26 Find the Bait - Find the Fish!

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Find the Bait. Find the Fish!

This is that exciting time of year when you have so many options that deciding what to fish for can almost be overwhelming.
Striped Bass, Bonito, Tuna, Fluke, Sea Bass, Tautog—and hopefully False Albacore soon. There is a lot happening right now, and the best way to figure out what's biting is to let Mother Nature be your guide.

Watch for bait. Watch the birds. Watch for mammals and other signs of life.
Find the life, figure out what is feeding on it, and then be willing to change your presentation until you find what works. Sometimes a subtle change can be the difference between a great trip and getting shut out.

Lure color, depth, retrieve speed, lure size, live bait versus artificial, etc.—all of it makes a difference.

The water is hot, the bait is here, and the fish are taking full advantage. Locally, we're still seeing some of our best action in the ponds and breachways on an incoming tide, especially when that tide brings in fresh bait and cooler water.

Bonito fishing is still going strong, and ocean conditions are looking good for much of the weekend. The fish don't care if it's raining, so neither should we! 😉

We're also getting closer to that time of year when the false albacore should make their appearance. The bait is here, the conditions are lining up, and we're ready.
Find the bait, figure out what's eating it, and you're already halfway there.

Striped Bass

We're still seeing a lot of smaller fish in our area, which is great to see. There are still plenty of big fish around as well, but you will need to fish sunrise and sunset into the dark. Stripers being caught on local reefs and at Block but watch out for the sharks!

Clouds of really small bait have been getting pushed in and out of the breachways with the tides. Mixed in are silversides ranging anywhere from 1–6 inches. The silversides are actually feeding on the small bait. The striper are eating both :).

Also we are getting into mullet season so working a top water spook (Walk the Dog) at dusk is a great strategy.

Tuna

Tuna are reachable right now, and the upcoming conditions look very good for getting after them.
We've had a lot of good reports this week, with jigging producing the majority of the fish we're hearing about.
And once again, it comes back to the bait. Find the Whiting. Find the bite.

Mahi are beginning to fill in as well, another indication that we're starting to see more of that offshore water moving our way.
Don't feel like you have to run directly to a traditional tuna number and start fishing. Look for life.
Birds. Whales. Bait. Slicks. Temperature breaks. Current changes.

The more pieces of the puzzle you can put together, the better your chances of finding the fish.
And be ready for multiple techniques. Have your trolling gear ready, but keep a jigging setup and casting rod within reach.

Jigs to consider:

Fluke

August has traditionally been a strong month for fluke, and there's still plenty of reason to get out there.

At this point in the season, we'd concentrate on deeper water, working bucktails and fluke rigs tipped with Gulp, squid and/or silversides.

Don't be afraid to be generous with your bait. A bigger meal can be the ticket to a bigger fish.

There have also been a few decent fluke caught in the salt ponds. It's worth trying if you're looking for a fun local bite, although finding a keeper can be challenging.

The fluke bite can become very tide-dependent this time of year. Pay attention to the stronger portions of the tide and don't be afraid to move until you find the fish.

Black Sea Bass & Tautog

The masses of sea bass are here, and they're making it difficult for tautog fishermen to keep bait on the hook.

There are still some larger sea bass around, but the sheer number of smaller fish can make it difficult to single out the better ones.

The tautog bite has been decent, with some anglers finding fish in around 20 feet while others are doing better in 30–40 feet.

If you're targeting tog right now, bring plenty of crab. You can burn through bait quickly when the sea bass are thick.

Bonito

The bonito reports are still excellent along the South Shore and around Block Island, and some of the schools have been impressive in size.

First light continues to be your best bet for bonito. As the sun gets higher, they can become considerably more finicky.
If you're fishing from a boat and find a school of fish with plenty of bait around, don't automatically assume you need to chase them. Sometimes the best strategy is to stay put and let the fish come to you.

They're fast, they're unpredictable, and they may only give you a few seconds of opportunity.

Lures to consider:

Keep your eyes up. You never know when the next school is going to pop up.

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Did You Know?

Rhode Island Tuna Tournament

Rhode Island has a remarkable history with giant bluefin tuna.

The Rhode Island Tuna Tournament began in 1942 and eventually became one of the world's largest and most successful big-game fishing tournaments.

At its peak, the Labor Day Weekend event featured approximately 125 luxury sportfishing boats and more than 400 anglers, turning the tournament into a true Rhode Island fishing tradition.

The tournament also produced some impressive catches and national records over the years.

But as bluefin tuna populations and regulations changed, so did the tournament. After several years without a giant bluefin being caught, the tournament came to an end in 1997.

Today, the once nationally famous Rhode Island Tuna Tournament is a piece of Rhode Island fishing history—but for those who remember it, it remains one of the great stories from the state's offshore fishing past. And the future looks bright.

We're Fully Stocked With

Live Eels
Live Crabs
Fresh Mackerel
Sandworms
Green Crabs
Bunker
Fresh Squid
Clams

Get Ready Now

This is when almost anything can show up in our local waters.

Before leaving the dock:

Check your drag.
Inspect knots and leaders.
Replace rusty hooks.
Restock bucktails and terminal tackle.
Check rod guides for chips.
Clean and lubricate your reels.
Keep one spinning rod rigged with a small epoxy or resin jig.
Keep a teaser rig handy when bass are feeding on tiny bait.
Make sure you have a heavier setup ready in case tuna show up.
Bring extra leaders—bonito, blues, and tuna can make quick work of light terminal tackle.

Stop by the shop or shop anytime online:

👉 www.breachwaybait.com

We're open 7 days a week.