Rhode Island Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many Rhode Island charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluefish42 charters · June to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Flounder40 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass39 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Black Sea Bass32 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Bluefin Tuna25 charters · July to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Shark15 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Mahi-Mahi10 charters · July to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Tautog10 charters · April to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 False Albacore8 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Albacore6 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Marlin6 charters · July to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Salmon5 charters · April to June and September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Yellowfin Tuna5 charters · July to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
Rhode Island fishing, month by month
- January
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- February
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- March
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- June
- Bluefish, Flounder, Striped Bass, Black Sea Bass, Shark, Salmon
- July
- Bluefish, Flounder, Striped Bass, Black Sea Bass, Bluefin Tuna, Shark, Mahi-Mahi, Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna
- August
- Bluefish, Flounder, Striped Bass, Black Sea Bass, Bluefin Tuna, Shark, Mahi-Mahi, False Albacore, Albacore, Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna
- September
- Bluefish, Flounder, Striped Bass, Black Sea Bass, Bluefin Tuna, Shark, Mahi-Mahi, False Albacore, Albacore, Marlin, Salmon, Yellowfin Tuna
- October
- Bluefish, Striped Bass, Black Sea Bass, Bluefin Tuna, Tautog, False Albacore, Albacore, Salmon, Yellowfin Tuna
- November
- Tautog
- December
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
Before you book
- Striped Bass: Striped bass is closed in federal waters, more than 3 miles offshore, so trips fish inside that line. Many states also close spawning rivers in spring.
- Tautog: Tautog seasons differ by state. Rhode Island closes June and July, and Connecticut opens only in April, July and August, and Oct 10 to Nov 28. The minimum is 16 inches.
- Albacore: Charters here that list albacore usually mean false albacore ("albies"), a fast inshore fish, not albacore tuna.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Rhode Island charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for New England, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Rhode Island's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.