Tautog bite turns on as stripers and weakfish feed Narragansett Bay

What's biting

What's next

Expect the pattern to hold over the next few days. With water in the low 60s and bait still draining out of the salt ponds, the breachways and beaches should keep producing striped bass, especially around dawn, dusk and after dark when a shift in light pushes bait out.

Tautog look like the main event to plan around. Per The Fisherman — Rhode Island, Booked Off Charters expects October into November to be prime tautog time, with some of the best fishing of the year still ahead, and Quonnie Bait and Tackle reports more keeper-sized fish coming from shore and by boat. The Fisherman (Northeast) notes many tog are shallow, under 30 feet, with jigs working well, while a deeper snag is the choice for a giant. Black sea bass remain around, though Quonnie says most are short of legal size, so check state regs before keeping fish.

False albacore are still present, but Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) says they take work to stay on. Anglers are seeing them mixed in with the bait schools that hold the bass. Tide timing is not available this run, so check a local tide table and plan around moving water at the breachways.

Context

This is right on schedule for mid-October in Narragansett Bay. The fall run is in full swing, with striped bass feeding on peanut-sized bait, tautog moving inshore as water cools, and the last false albacore and bonito lingering on the oceanfront. Sea bass usually give way to tautog trips this time of year, and the next several weeks typically hold the best of both the striper run and the tog bite.