8/22/25 Erin Who?

Fishing Report August 22nd, Erin Who?

It's storm season, and after a calm start, things have picked up quite a bit. It’s been a solid week for saltwater anglers around Rhode Island, with a good mix of species caught from both boats and the surf. We're hoping these storms pass with minimal impact so we can get back out on the water soon. In the meantime, it’s a great opportunity to explore the surf, backwaters, and inlets.

Here’s what’s biting:

**Striped Bass:** Striped bass action has been consistent, particularly tight to Block Island. Fish are still ranging from 20-40 lbs, with some larger ones up to 50 lbs. The best bites have been early in the morning and late in the evening, with soft plastics and eel imitations working well. Surf anglers have seen a significant increase in fish this past week, as stripers are often drawn to choppier conditions where turbulence can stir up bait. Eels in the ponds have also been effective, yielding a good mix of sizes. Topwater and swimming plugs have also picked up bites in the morning and evening.

**Bluefish:** Bluefish are still plentiful. We're seeing a decent number of snappers in the ponds, and larger blues (8-12 lbs) have been more prevalent from the rocks. They’ve been hitting topwater plugs, metals, and swimming plugs.

**Fluke (Summer Flounder):** Fluke fishing remains steady in Rhode Island waters. Anglers targeting deeper waters (50-80 ft) around Block Island and along the South Shore are still reporting good catches. The bite showed a slight uptick before the storm, and we’ll have to see how it recovers, but fish up to 8 lbs are still being reported. Don't be surprised if you catch some fluke in the ponds on striper lures.

**Tautog (Blackfish):** Tautog fishing has been consistent around shallow rocky structures and wrecks in waters less than 30 feet. Keeper fish are averaging 3-5 lbs, with some larger specimens up to 8 lbs reported. Green crabs and clams have been the go-to baits. While there are still plenty of smaller fish mixed in, the keepers are becoming more consistent.

**Bonita/Albies:** The Bonita bite was excellent this past week around Block Island, with some reports of 50 fish landed. These large schools seem to come and go. They should be around for a while and will start pushing closer to shore once bait leaves the ponds. No sign of Albies yet, but we’re hoping for a banner showing this season.

**Porgies & Sea Bass:** Porgy fishing continues to be great, especially at slack tide off the Breachways. Sea bass are also plentiful. I recently heard an interesting tip that customers trolling for sea bass found the speed helped keep some of the smaller ones away—something worth trying! A mix of soft plastics, squid, and clams has been effective for both species.

Weekend Weather report: