Stripers and Squid Stay Hot in Narragansett Bay Through Full Moon Weekend

What's biting

What's next

The full moon is the single biggest variable this weekend. Tidal flows will be at their strongest of the month, concentrating bait and predators on rips, points, and ledges throughout Narragansett Bay. Plan to fish the two hours bracketing each tide change, particularly after dark — stripers feed aggressively at night under a bright moon, and the bait availability right now makes conditions especially favorable.

Per On The Water's June 26 striper migration map, bigger bass are keying on sand eels, squid, bunker, and herring as the spring run transitions into summer patterns. With squid still abundant in the Bay — a condition Saltwater Edge explicitly flagged as holding well through the second half of June — targeting areas where squid congregate near structure and light sources after dark should produce. Soft plastic swimbaits, jigs, and bucktails all translate well when fish are chasing these baits on the current.

However, Saltwater Edge cautioned that as water temperatures rise, striped bass will shift toward deeper, cooler oceanfront water. If daytime temps climb quickly over the next few days, expect the better Bay fishing to push toward moving tides in the deeper channels. Anglers working oceanfront structure may find the biggest fish have already begun that transition and should plan accordingly.

Scup and black sea bass are reliably on structure throughout the Bay per Saltwater Edge's seasonal forecast — bottom rigs and soft plastics near rocky ledges and drop-offs remain consistent producers. Fluke are also settled into their summer grounds and worth targeting on the drift.

For those with offshore capability, OTW Saltwater's June 24 Northeast Offshore Report flagged canyon fishing as "off to a red hot start with yellowfin and bigeye" — a strong option as summer deepens. Closer to home, watch wind forecasts carefully; strong post-full-moon tides can make exposed water rough, pushing productive fishing into sheltered coves and protected stretches of the Bay where the current still moves but conditions stay manageable.

Context

Late June in Narragansett Bay typically marks the transition from spring fishing to established summer patterns. By this point in most years, larger striped bass have already shifted out to cooler, deeper oceanfront water, leaving medium-sized fish as the primary Bay quarry. The fact that Saltwater Edge Blog has characterized both the striper and squid fishing as "fantastic" through the second half of June — with no signs of slowing — suggests this season has run cooler than the historical average, extending the spring striper window into what is typically a slower midsummer period.

Saltwater Edge explicitly noted that "water temperatures have been staying cool" and projected that pattern could persist for another couple of weeks from their new-moon post. If accurate, that would push the typical summer slowdown into mid-July rather than the usual early June taper. For Narragansett Bay anglers, this is a meaningful deviation: those who normally pivot hard to scup and fluke by the Fourth of July may find the striper bite viable well through the holiday weekend.

Squid typically peak in the Bay through May and June before tapering as water temps climb into July. The cool-water pattern this season appears to have extended that window, consistent with Saltwater Edge's observation that the squid bite shows no signs of slowing at the new moon — a condition that should hold at least through this full moon period.

On the institutional side, RI Sea Grant has funded a new 2026-2028 portfolio of coastal and marine research projects focused on sustainable management of Rhode Island's coastal resources, including habitat restoration work. The direct impact on this season's fishing is minimal, but ongoing investment in Narragansett Bay's long-term ecological health is a positive backdrop for the fishery overall.