Block Island Full Day Fishing Adventure
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Eight-hour ground fishing adventure targeting bass and scup speciesAll fishing gear and licenses provided by experienced captainAvailable July through September with four-person maximum capacity
Block Island's waters are legendary among New England anglers, and this 8-hour fishing trip puts you right in the action. Running from July through September, we're talking about prime time when the fish are most active and the weather's at its best. Your captain handles all the heavy lifting - gear, licenses, bait, the whole nine yards - so you can focus on what matters: putting fish in the boat. At $700 for up to four people, you're getting serious bang for your buck on some of the most productive fishing grounds in the Northeast.
We kick things off bright and early at 6:00 AM, which might seem brutal if you're not a morning person, but trust me - this is when the magic happens. The fish are feeding, the water's usually calmer, and you'll have the pick of the best spots before other boats crowd in. Block Island sits about 12 miles off the Rhode Island coast, surrounded by structure, drop-offs, and current breaks that hold serious fish year-round. The summer season brings warm water species up from the south while our resident stripers and blues are at their most aggressive. You're looking at 8 solid hours of fishing time, which means we can hit multiple spots depending on what's biting. Some days we'll start shallow on the flats for early morning bass, then move to deeper structure for sea bass and scup as the day warms up.
This is classic inshore ground fishing at its finest. We're talking about a mix of bottom fishing for scup and black sea bass, plus some serious striper action using both live bait and artificials. The captain comes loaded with everything you need - rods, reels, terminal tackle, bait, and a cooler full of ice. For the bottom species, we'll be using traditional high-low rigs with squid, clams, or sea worms. When the stripers are active, we might switch to live eels, chunk herring, or throw some topwater plugs if they're feeding on the surface. Block Island's underwater terrain is a mix of rocky bottom, sand flats, and ledges - perfect habitat for multiple species. The current can be tricky here, especially around the points, but that's exactly what concentrates the baitfish and gets the predators fired up.
Striped bass are the crown jewel of Block Island fishing, and summer is when these fish really put on the feed bag. We're talking about fish ranging from schoolies in the 20-inch range all the way up to 40-plus-inch cows that'll test your tackle and your stamina. These fish are aggressive in the warm months, chasing sand eels, bunker, and squid around the island's many structure breaks. What makes stripers so special here is their fight - they'll make long runs, jump, and use the current to their advantage. Plus, a keeper striper makes for some serious table fare.
Scup might not get the glamour treatment, but these fish are absolute blast on light tackle and they're everywhere around Block Island in summer. Also called porgy, these silver-sided fighters average 1-3 pounds but don't let their size fool you - they fight hard and they're fantastic eating. They school up over rocky bottom and structure, making them relatively easy to locate once you find them. The best part? When you find scup, you usually find a lot of them, so steady action is pretty much guaranteed.
Black sea bass are the bruisers of the bottom fishing world around here. These chunky, hard-fighting fish love rocky structure and they're not shy about grabbing a bait. Summer is prime time for these guys, with fish ranging from just-legal 15-inchers up to 4-5 pound tanks. They're ambush predators that hang tight to structure, so you need to get your bait right down to them. The fight is all power - they'll try to wrap you around every rock and ledge they can find.
Southern flounder make their way up here during the warmer months, and they're always a welcome surprise. These flatfish are masters of camouflage, lying buried in sandy bottom waiting for an easy meal to swim by. They're not the strongest fighters, but they make up for it in pure eating quality - few fish taste better than a fresh flounder. We typically find them in 15-30 feet of water over sand and mud bottom.
Bluefish are the aggressive tacklebusters that keep things exciting when they show up. These toothy predators travel in schools and when they're feeding, it's pure chaos on the water. Blues can range from snapper-sized juveniles up to 10-15 pound choppers that'll smoke your drag. They're not particular about what they eat - live bait, chunks, artificials, they'll hit just about anything with enough flash and action.
Block Island fishing doesn't get much better than this setup. You're getting a full day on some of New England's most productive waters, with all gear provided and a captain who knows these waters inside and out. The season runs through September 30, but the best dates fill up fast - especially weekends. At $700 for your group of four, you're looking at under $200 per person for 8 hours of top-rated fishing. Just bring your food, drinks, and maybe some seasickness meds if you're prone to that sort of thing. The early start time means you'll be back at the dock with plenty of daylight left to clean your catch and maybe grab dinner somewhere on the island. This is the kind of fishing trip that turns into an annual tradition, so don't wait too long to secure your spot on the calendar.
This 23-foot Maycraft cabin cruiser is your ticket to Block Island's legendary fishing grounds. Built in 2001 with a reliable 150HP Yamaha engine, she'll get you and three fellow anglers to the hot spots at a comfortable 20 knots. The cabin provides shelter when you need a break from the sun, while the fish finder helps locate schools of bass and scup hiding below. GPS and radar keep you on course and safe, even when morning fog rolls in off the water. An onboard icebox keeps your catch fresh and your drinks cold during those long summer fishing days. With all gear and licenses included, just grab your cooler and prepare for some serious rod-bending action in New England's most productive waters.
Centropristis StriataBlack sea bass are the perfect bottom fish around Block Island's wrecks and rocky structure. These chunky, dark-colored fish typically run 1-4 pounds with the occasional 6-pounder showing up in deeper water. They're homebodies that stick tight to structure - wrecks, rocky bottom, and drop-offs in 40-120 feet. Late spring through summer is when they're most active inshore before heading south for winter. What makes them great targets? They fight harder than you'd expect for their size, they're cooperative biters, and the meat is firm and sweet. Here's the deal: get your bait right on the bottom near structure with squid or fish strips, and be ready to horse them up quickly or they'll wrap you around the rocks.
Pomatomus SaltatrixBlues are pure aggression with fins - these blue-green torpedoes with razor-sharp teeth will attack anything that moves. Around Block Island, they typically run 2-8 pounds during our summer season, though bigger ones push into the teens. You'll find them chasing baitfish in open water, around structure, or right in the surf when they're feeding. Mid-June through October is prime time when they follow the bait north. Guests love the non-stop action when blues are feeding - they hit hard, fight strong, and when you find a school, everyone's bent over. Fair warning: mind those teeth when handling them. Best trick? When you see birds diving or bait showering on the surface, get any shiny lure or chunk bait to that spot fast - blues will be in a feeding frenzy.
Stenotomus ChrysopsScup, or porgy as the old-timers call them, are perfect for keeping the action steady on slower days. These silver-sided fish with their compressed bodies typically run 1-2 pounds, though 3-pounders aren't uncommon around Block Island's rocky bottom. They're bottom feeders that love structure - wrecks, rocky patches, and around pilings where they crush shellfish with those strong jaws. Peak season runs May through October when they're inshore. Guests love them because they're willing biters and excellent table fare with sweet, white meat. Pro tip: use small hooks and keep your bait right on the bottom - scup won't chase it up very far, but they'll hit squid or clam strips aggressively when it's in their face.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern flounder are the masters of disguise on our sandy flats, laying perfectly camouflaged with both eyes on their left side waiting to ambush prey. Most run 15-18 inches, but we see some nice ones pushing 5+ pounds around Block Island's sandy and muddy bottoms. They're active spring through fall when water temps are right, and they move offshore during winter. What's fun about targeting them? They're tricky to spot but fight surprisingly well for a flatfish, plus they're some of the best eating you'll find. The meat is sweet, white, and flaky. Here's the key: drift slowly with live minnows or strips near bottom, and when you feel that subtle tap-tap-tap, let them run with it for a few seconds before setting the hook.
Morone SaxatilisStripers are the bread and butter around Block Island, running 20-40 pounds on average with some real bruisers pushing 50+. These silver-sided fighters with their distinctive black stripes love structure - rocks, drop-offs, and tide lines where baitfish get pushed around. Summer months from July through September are prime time when they migrate north into our cooler waters. What makes them special? They fight hard, taste great, and you never know if the next one will be a keeper or a trophy. Here's a local trick: when you see birds working the surface, get your lines down fast - stripers are probably feeding underneath, and that's when you'll get multiple hookups.
Providence