November 19 2016

November 18 Rhode Island Surfcasting Report

12  comments

Ryan Turcotte

Yesterday, for the first time, I fished Rhode Island, hoping to catch a few migrating stripers. I put in a lot of effort bouncing around from place to place.

Most places had signs of life and plenty of bait but the fish seemed to be staying far offshore where I could only watch the feeds from the beach.

I managed a few fish but not much considering the effort I had put in beginning at sunrise.

Finally, on my last location of the day around 1:30pm I rounded the bend on a point and stumbled into what must have been the tail end of an epic blitz.

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The beach was littered with peanut bunker.

Some were still flapping around alive!

I thought I had missed it all, but then I noticed some fish breaking on a school of peanuts a little ways down the beach.

I started casting and ended up with a fish on every cast for over an hour and a half.

The bass were all schoolies up to 24" but great fun for the end of the season.

I started with a small stick shad, then moved to a little guppy popper.

I soon removed the front treble, after catching a two-for-one, and just fished a single tail hook on the popper.

Fish after fish would come up and whack the plug until one would eventually catch the hook. It was a great way to end the season!

*For more updates and information on fishing Rhode Island, please visit our new Rhode Island fishing forum.

What do you think?

Let me know by commenting below.

  • It’s nearly that time again. The herring are already swimming up into the rivers and the stripers are not far behind and as Ken Abrames would say, ” the moveable feast” is headed our way. TIGHT LINES everyone. Don’t be afraid to talk to folks who take more than one keeper or break the fish and game laws. Report them if they won’t listen.

  • I didn’t get to do much fishing this year due to family issues and divorce but having fished in the past with Ken Abrames fly fishing in R.I. check out articles on past “Striper Moon” website. There are a lot of stripers that winter over in a lot of the tidal rivers in Mass – Rhode Island- Ct- further south. On days that are warmer these fish come up from the bottom to feed but you have to hunt for them and read the water. Heck the outside salt water temp. is still 52-54 degrees so big fish may be around where smaller schoolies are found. In Barnstable for instance the stripers are located where the Brown trout are looking for food.Once this cold snap gets through it will definitely warm up a little again, and then according to the almanac the deep freeze and snow is coming. I also need a hip replacement too so you won’t see me this year but , God willing, next year, out in my little boat fishing at Minot’s and in the rocks in Scituate and Cohasset. Please post your pictures so I can enjoy them vicariously. Once I fly fished all night with Kenny in R. I. targeting big shad, smaller stripers, til dawn. Not a great night but in the AM when he was leaving he asked me if I was going to keep fishing. He was really surprised when I showed him my bucket of live eels. Point is always have a contingency plan B. I’m looking forward to being single again. Thanks for all the videos Ryan and info from your website. Good Luck to everyone who is still fishing. Also if you want to listen to my music, it’s free, @ rickbarronandthequavers.bandcamp.com. Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving Ya’ll. Rick Barron in Cohasset, Ma.

    • The shoreline from Point Judith to the Charlestown Breachway seems to be holding tons of small fish, and I heard that the good fishing stretches all the way down to Watch Hill and beyond. Any of the south facing coastline could be good right now. Good luck!

  • Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you and your family and your fishing. Putting the rods away was very depressing especially after a spectacular October i had. I wish i could hibernate till spring lime the bears…lol

  • Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you and your family and your fishing. Putting the rods away was very depressing especially after a spectacular October i had. I wish i could hibernate till spring lime the bears…lol

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