You once had to travel 60 miles offshore to catch a bluefin tuna, large or small. Not today, giant and school bluefin tuna have been caught 2 to 3 miles off coastal beaches in Rhode Island. Anglers who never targeted bluefin tuna (large or small) bought gear and fished successful for them the past four years.

But the fishing community received some bad news this week, the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category fishery for recreational fishers is now closed until December 31, 2025. Based on data landings, the Angling category quota, including the Gulf of Maine Trophy quota, has been reached.

In an advisory NOAA Fisheries said this affects all size bluefin tuna in all areas caught recreationally. The commercial fishery is not affected by this closure.

NOAA said, “Recreational fishermen aboard vessels with an HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit, while fishing recreationally, may not retain, possess, or land any Atlantic bluefin tuna, including school, large school, small medium, large medium or giant-sized Atlantic bluefin tuna, from 11:30 p.m., August 12, 2025, through December 31, 2025.”

The only way the fishery could reopen is if reserved quota is transferred to the sector or a portion of it.

For information visit https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/overview .

Fishing the dog days of summer 

This week the water temperature in Narragansett Bay was 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit and expected to rise to 71.8 this week, compared to the ten-year August average of 72.1 degrees. So, the water is still warm and if it keeps up for the next couple of weeks you can expect two things. 

First, pelagic fish such as tuna, mahi, bonito, and a variety of shark species come close enough to shore so anglers can target and catch them. Whales and dolphin are close to shore too. This is particularly true for the past four years when an abundance of tuna and sharks were caught just two to three miles off Rhode Island’s coastline. 

Anglers have been catching so many bluefin tuna the fishery is now closed (see above story). And the presence of sharks close to shore has been creating predation challenges for striped bass anglers with sharks stealing their catch before they get it to the boat. Two weeks ago, Greg Vespe of Tiverton landed a 400-pound thresher shark off Newport in 112 feet.

The warm water has brought robust bait profiles close to shore that these animals love to eat. Bait includes mackerel of all types, silversides, sand eels, squid, peanut bucker, Atlantic menhaden to name a few. We have had these baits around before but due to warming water, a climate change impact, these baits are here in abundance, often all at the same time.

The second thing that happens when water warms in that bait and fin fish leave our bays, coves, and estuaries for cooler deeper water. 

The key to fishing the dog days of summer is water movement. You need to fish an area that gets flushed often or has structures, under or near bridges, rock clusters, jetties, pylons, outcrops, points, ledges or peninsulas on land and wrecks. 

Examples of structure includes the Cape Cod Canal that pushes water, bait, and fish, at high velocity often up to five knots. The Jamestown, Mt. Hope and Newport Bridges serve as manmade fish magnets, funneling water, bait, and fish. In Narragansett Bay Warwick Neck, Sandy Point Prudence Island and other points of land and structures serve to funnel water around them and are good places to fish during the dog days of summer.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater fishing in local ponds has been good for largemouth bass. “Gorton Pond in Warwick continues to produce largemouth bass for customers. Soft plastics are working well for customers during mid-day,” said Tom Giddings of the Tackle Box, Warwick. All are waiting for the water to cool so both RI and MA can conduct their initial fall trout stockings.

Striped bass, bluefish, and false albacore. Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown, said, “The striped bass bite on Block Island is great but shark predation is very bad. Anglers have become creative and are doing such things as setting a rod out with shark bait so the shark goes for it rather than your striped bass as you reel it in close to the boat. This works great except when there are multiple sharks in the area.” East End Eddie Doherty, said, “Pogies (Atlantic menhaden), silversides and macks continue to inhabit the Cape Cod Canal, ringing the dinner bell for hungry striped bass with some recent catches providing hope for better days.”   

Giddings of the Tackle Box, said, “Anglers are catching striped bass off Newport and in the lower part of Narragansett Bay off Beavertail, Jamestown and Newport. Great reports of snapper bluefish in our coves and estuaries.”

Bluefin/yellowfin tuna, bonito, and mahi-mahi. The bluefin tuna bite had been outstanding, however, this week the fishery closed for anglers until December 31, 2025.  See above article. Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, said, “Green bonito is being caught off the West Wall of the Harbor of Refuge, most are medium to small, but this week an angler landed a ten-pound fish.”  Mahi continues to be caught in wind farm areas with no reports of yellow fin tuna.

Tautog fishing opened August 1st  with a 16” minimum fish size and a three fish/person/day limit, only one fish can be over 21”. There is a ten fish boat limit which does not apply to charter boats. Conti of Snug Harbor said, “Anglers are catching keeper tautog but are having to work though a lot of shorts.”

Summer Flounder (fluke) and black sea bass. “Fluke fishing has been way off, but some nice keeper black sea bass were caught this week in the Block Island Wind Farm area,” said Conti of Snug Harbor Marina. 

Declan O’Donnell of Breachway Bait & Tackle, said, “The local bite has slowed down, but we’re hoping things pick up in the next few days. Focus your efforts in 45-55 feet of water. A customer this week had a mako pick up two of their fluke rigs, then jump six feet out of the water. There are still some good-sized seabass being pulled in, both locally and out at Block.”  

Dave Monti holds a captain’s master license and charter fishing license. He serves on a variety of boards and commissions and has a consulting business focusing on clean oceans, habitat preservation, conservation, renewable energy, and fisheries related issues. Forward fishing news and photos to dmontifish@verizon.net, visit www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com or www.noflukefishing.com