Fishing

  • Sweet September

    Kari Curtis
    Thu, Sep 20
    If you have not spent time on Block Island in the fall, you should. There is less traffic on the roads, the beaches are not as congested, the locals are, well, friendlier, and the fishing can’t be beat. Let’s face it — fresh fish and Rhode Island go hand-in-hand. Locally caught fish is a seafood...

  • Fishing Column

    Capt. Hank Hewitt and Capt. Chris Willi
    Mon, Jul 30
    Come August, the Block Island inshore waters are graced by the presence of off shore visitors in the form of little tuna, the Atlantic bonito and the false albacore. The false albacore is also known as ‘little tunny’, and ‘albies’, is the most populous tuna in the Atlantic. They are considered a...

  • July Fishing

    Capt. Hank Hewitt and Capt. Chris Willi
    Wed, Jun 27
    Historically, when we think about the Block Island fishery, the first species of fish comes to mind is the iconic striped bass, followed closely by the voracious blue fish, and taking up the rear to complete the catching triad is the succulent summer flounder, also known as fluke. For the past few...

  • June is catching time on Block Island

    Capt. Hank Hewitt and Capt. Chris Willi
    Tue, Jun 5
    June can be a wonderful month for those plying the Block Island waters for finned quarry. Whether you are an ardent seasoned surf caster, adept fly fisher, salty boat angler, or simply a beginner angler, there are a multitude of shoreline spots, and fantastic fishing grounds surrounding the island...

  • September Fishing

    Sol Schwartz
    Fri, Sep 1
    Don’t tell the summer folks this, but the real fishing on Block Island is in the fall! As the beach crowd thins out, the fishing crowd shows up. Block Island is legendary for its fall fishing. Most fishing books that mention the island always talk about the “fall run” which is the migratory run of...

  • Fishing Block Island

    Cassius Shuman
    Wed, Jun 28
    BIT Category: 
    News
    "Be confident in what you’re fishing with. You have to think like you’re the bait, and be dialed in to catch fish." That is the gospel of Hank Hewitt, a Block Island fishing aficionado who is more interested in helping fellow anglers and “paying it forward” than catching the biggest fish in the sea...

  • June fishing on Block Island

    Sol Schwartz
    Fri, May 26
    Dust off your fishing gear, folks. Fishing has already begun on Block Island! The month of June is an exciting time for anglers on Block Island. You’ve probably at one time or another seen a hopeful fisherman looking over the bridges or docks for any sign of baitfish in the water. That’s what June...

  • Fall Fishing Fun

    Sol Schwartz
    Fri, Sep 2
    Curious about fishing on Block Island in the fall? Well don’t worry — it only gets better! As the beach crowd thins out, the fishing crowd shows up. Block Island is legendary for its fall fishing. Most fishing books that mention the island always talk about the “fall run” which is the migratory run...

  • Hunting for Jaws

    Cassius Shuman
    Sun, Jul 31
    BIT Category: 
    News
    The hunt for “Jaws” came to Block Island and Payne’s Dock in New Harbor on a sunny and steamy July weekend. This incarnation had nothing to do with the Steven Spielberg directed summer classic, or the fictional great white shark that antagonized its characters while frightening beach-loving...

  • August Fishing

    Sol Schwartz
    Sun, Jul 31
    August is a month for slight changes in fishing around the island. The warmer water temperatures change the patterns for baitfish, which in turn changes the patterns for the bigger fish. For example, to find larger fluke in August, you typically need to fish deeper waters than you would earlier in...

  • Celebrate the Pond Day

    Sun, Jul 31
    Everyone is invited to celebrate Block Island’s treasure, the Great Salt Pond, on August 13 with over 11 events, from 11 island organizations, showcasing its variety and importance. You can catch aquatic wildlife in the pond with The Nature Conservancy, or walk the marshes with the Ocean View...

  • July Fishing is Awesome

    Sol Schwartz
    Sat, Jul 2
    July Fishing is Awesome! Last July, Block Island had a very strong month of fishing. If you were anywhere near the docks in Old Harbor, you couldn't miss all the giant striped bass being brought in by charter boats. This year should be no different. All of our fishy friends are already here in...

  • Captain's Recipe

    Capt. Matt King
    Wed, Jun 15
    It seems that bluefish sometimes get brushed aside as the last resort fish to put on the dinner table. Its true that sometimes these toothy, ferocious fighters can taste as strong as they fought getting into the boat. If properly handled and cooked within a day or two these buggers will taste as...

  • 25 Must See Things on Block Island in the Fall

    Scott Comings at The Nature Conservancy
    Wed, Jun 1
    Here are 25 natural wonders (in no specific order) to see in on Block Island in the Fall. How many have you seen? 1) North Blazing Star – Block Island is the only place this state-endangered species is found in Rhode Island. This purple wildflower is best seen at Turnip Farm. 2) Hodge Family...

  • Happy Fish of July!

    Sol Schwartz
    Tue, Jun 30
    July is a very busy fishing month on Block Island! By now, all of the most common species we see have arrived in numbers. Whether you’re fishing from shore or by boat, Block Island has plenty to offer in July. In order to predict how the month will look, it’s good to look at last year around this...

  • On the Dock

    Tue, Jun 30
    BIT Category: 
    Community
    Fishing is a favorite island sport. The island hosts many fishing tournaments each summer like the Bluefish Derby Tournament, the B.I.V.F.D. Fishing Tournament, and the Tri-State Canyon Shootout. Both Old Harbor and New Harbor are home to charter boats that are ready to give you a taste of the...
  • Cottage Industry

    The Block Island Oyster Company and Raw Bar at the Beachead

    Sara Dunleavy Berge
    Thu, Jul 31
    I watch oyster farmer and entrepreneur Dave Deffley swim out to his boat; while I take photos from the dry shoreline my sense of adventure pales in comparison. He swings around the back pond and picks me up at the Hog Pen, camera and note pad in tow. Once aboard, I find a place to perch amidst tubs...

  • Surfcasting for Striped Bass off Block Island

    Dennis Zambrotta
    Sun, Jun 29
    I’ll always remember the first striped bass I caught while surfcasting on Block Island. It took place in 1985 when my wife Karolyn and I visited the island together. I had gone into Twin Maples Bait & Tackle to seek advice on where to fish. Shop proprietor, the late Mac Swienton, gave me sound...

  • She Shells Mussels

    Susan Middeleer Mleczko
    Mon, Jun 9
    I first came to the island as a small girl in the 1950s. I loved its history, it beauty and its quiet simplicity. It captured my heart as a child and still does to this day. I feel especially blessed to have known the island before it was ‘rediscovered’ in the 1980s. We stayed at Cuttings Cottages...

  • A Day at Finn’s Fish Market

    Thu, Aug 1
    The first thing people usually say when I tell them I work in a fish market goes something like, “Wow you must smell like fish all the time!” The funny thing is, particularly on Block Island, this comment is hardly true. Fortunately enough for me, I work at a high-volume fish market with lots of...

  • Kids are Hooked on one of B.I.’s Newest Camps

    Grace O'Neil
    Thu, Aug 1
    Dotted with an estimated 365 freshwater ponds, Block Island is the perfect setting for fresh and saltwater fishing, for skillful and mastered fishers. However, these days many of the children who visit the island have had the experience of fishing — which is where the Fishing Academy of Block...