Date: 2026-07-20
Holdover Stripers & Salt Ponds: Between Block Island's outstanding striped bass bite, steady fluke and sea bass action, and a strong tuna bite offshore, there's no shortage of activity heading into the holiday weekend. In Rhode Island, striped bass continue to rule the day for inshore anglers, while anglers heading to the “midshore” grounds are finding a strong tuna bite.
Trout Opener & Freshwater: Freshwater anglers are still finding strong trout action on mealworms, PowerBait, and nightcrawlers, while the largemouth are eating medium shiners and Yamamoto worms. Most designated trout waters are stocked prior to the opening day of trout season.
Largemouth, Pickerel & Pike: Largemouth bass have been in their summer pattern for a while now, with early mornings and evenings being the best time.
Best Baits and Presentations: Live eels seem to be the best bet for larger bass right now, but people are still catching them on soft plastics and topwater offerings, especially during the early morning and evening.
Highlight Catches: Still keyed in on small bait and squid, but hitting the right bite window has turned into a few epic days.
Recent Changes: Most designated trout waters are stocked prior to the opening day of trout season. Opening Day of Trout Season occurs annually on the second Saturday in April and continues through the last day of February at midnight.