Fishing Forecast - September New Moon

September is a magical month here in Rhode Island. As long, steamy days give way to short days and chilly nights, the fishing ramps up in a big way. The shift in temperature and daylight triggers an exodus of baitfish from the salt ponds and estuaries. Peanut bunker, silversides, and bay anchovies are a few of the major species pushing out of the bay and into the oceanfront, where they mix with a handful of other common bait like sandeels, herring, squid, and mullet. Game fish and bottom fish alike are no fools - they know where to be and when to be there to capitalize on the buffet as their biological clock tells them that fall is on the doorstep. It's also prime time for major storms, which can either light up the fishing or put the brakes on, depending on how it hits and the severity. This is why it's important to get out there and make the most of every trip this time of year. Overall, the striped bass fishing has been picking up nicely for many, with bluefish (finally) in the mix consistently. The bonito fishing has still been pretty hit or miss, but there have been some great days, and spanish mackerel and albies are not out of question. The bluefin fishing  has been tough but there are plenty of fish to be caught if you can figure out what they want. The mahi bite is improving by the day. Bottom fishing has been surprisingly lackluster for most, but I'd expect that to change very soon. 

Striped Bass

The bass bite is picking up as the nights get longer and cooler. The daytime bite has lit up over the past week or two, with both quality and quantity coming on topwater. The 247 Sea Special Pencil Popper and 247 Fish Stick Pencil Popper are to great wooden options to go along with the Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper and Yo-Zuri Inshore Pencil Popper for good plastic options. The Doc, JoeBaggs Skipper, and Yo-Zuri TopKnock Pencil are all great spooks to throw. On the smaller scale, the Rebel Jumpin Minnow is a staple throughout the fall and should always be in your bag. Light tackle options go through the roof in the fall as well, with (generally) smaller bass than we see in the spring and fall feeding on small bait. Albie Snax and other relatively small soft plastics will do very well for you. Fly fisherman also thrive in the fall, and we have a big selection of Striper Flies and Albie/Bonito Flies that represent the small bait we see this time of year. You can throw small flies on spin with a Larry Lurz Casting Egg, and you can also use a fly or a Red Gill as a teaser above your plug of choice. Minnow plugs like the SP Minnow, Yo-Zuri Hydro Minnow, and Yo-Zuri Mag Darter all crush fish throughout the fall, too. The bass fishing should only improve throughout the month, and you can expect to see some great topwater feeds on any given day. Speaking of which, we've seen an influx of bluefish of all sizes. All of the same tactics will work to catch them, though I'd recommend a larger topwater plug (pencil popper is perfect) with just one single hook on the back of it if you are specifically targeting bluefish. It makes handling them much easier.

Chris with a healthy bass from a recent outing.

Hardtails

The bonito fishing is still pretty hit or miss. It's starting to feel like that might just be how they are this year, but there's still time for them to come in thick. There have been a handful of spanish mackerel in the mix as well, which keeps things fun. There have also been albies showing up, but again, nothing consistent yet. I was chasing them in the kayak one morning last week with no luck - the feeds were very intense but also very short. Four hours of blind casting and chasing later, I left empty handed, but it's just the beginning. Albie Snax and Metal/Epoxy Jigs are the main options for both bonito and albies. Bonito and spanish mackerel are more willing to eat a small minnow plug like a Yo-Zuri Mag Minnow, Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow, or SP Minnow in the smaller size. Blind casting and trolling minnow plugs both work effectively. It's at the point now where the hardtails could completely take over at any given day or tide, so whenever you have the chance to get out there, it's worth the time and effort. By the next forecast two weeks from now, we should be in the thick of hardtail season.

Elizabeth with a very recent albie from the rocks!

Offshore

The bluefin bite has also been pretty hot and cold. With fish well spread out over a very large area, it can be difficult to pin down the hottest bite on any given day. In a way, it's a good problem to have. But it's also frustrating when you get back in after a tough day and hear you were, say, 8 miles away from a great bite. All of that said, there are good numbers out there if you can find them. The jig bite has been the ticket lately, with the UVT Captain Corey's Jig and the Point Jude Deep Force Jig taking most. The UVT in particular has been by far the most popular jig you hear/see fish being caught on. The soft plastics are also having their moments - especially when things are slow, they can save the day. The UVT Chief has been hot lately, and the RonZ should always have a place in your tuna bag. Aside from that, the mahi bite is heating up nicely. Both quantity and quality have been reported over the past week or so, with a couple of surprisingly large ones standing out. Mahi are like trout in the sense that, once they figure out what you're using, they can turn off like a light switch. Sometimes it just takes a small change to get back to catching every cast. Metal/Epoxy Jigs are a good place to start. Bucktails, Paddletails, and straight-tailed soft plastics on a jighead are also good options. They'll also hit a Minnow Plug or small topwater like a Rebel Jumpin Minnow. If all else fails, drifting weightless chunks of bait should get them to eat. 

Cyril with a perfect bluefin on the jig earlier this week.