Tog and bass fire up across Narragansett Bay

What's biting

What's next

With the first quarter moon, expect tidal flow to be moderate rather than extreme, which favors working the edges of current at the breachways on the moving tide. Bait is leaving the salt ponds, so the first and last light of the day around those openings are the windows worth planning around.

If water holds in the low 60s, the tautog bite should keep building. The Fisherman's New England video forecast says the blackfish bite is exploding this week, with fish shallow and jigs producing, and that Rhode Island has seen a big push of weakfish. Per The Fisherman — Rhode Island, Booked Off Charters expects October into November to be prime tautog time, with some of the best fishing still ahead.

Black sea bass remain plentiful, though Quonnie Bait and Tackle noted most are short of legal size. Check current state regulations before keeping any fish.

For false albacore, plan on staying mobile and on the fish. Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) describes them as present but demanding, so light tackle and small baits matching the bait on the water are the better bet.

Context

Mid October is typically the peak of the fall transition in Narragansett Bay. Baitfish leave the salt ponds and estuaries, striped bass stack up along beaches and breachways, and tautog move shallow as water cools. Seeing bass, tog, albies and weakfish all in the same week puts this on schedule for the season, with the tog side of the calendar still gaining momentum.