in RI, near Narragansett, and I couldn't possibly recommend these guys any more: Bare Bones Charters, captain's name is Steve and his son Eric is first mate. Every time we go with them we crush it, stripers, flukes, black sea bass - the picture above are blues which are fun to catch too (though I hate eating them).
Most you can get on a charter like his though is 6 people. They do have more "party" boats like for a bachelor party, also run out of Point Judith, but I'm less familiar with them, Bare Bones doesn't run them.
Last time I went out of CT was the My Joy from New London and it's one of those boats that just sardine 90 people onto a boat and spend the whole day un-tangling lines. I'll never do that again.
I think it is important to know what you want to fish for. August is not a great month. Fluke fishing will most likely come to an end within the next month and those fish are already starting to move off shore. It is too early for consistent striper fishing too.
If you just want action and don't care what it is, ask the captain to take you over an offshore reef where you can get into sea bass, fluke, etc... and be prepared to shift on the fly depending upon what is happening.
but this has been the best fishing year in maybe the past 10 years off Block Island.
So you'd need to go an hour past your destination of middle coast CT to Narragansett, but it's crazy. trolling is can't miss (stripers and blues) (which I think is sort of gimmicky) if you get a good captain, we had fish on within 5 - 10 minutes every time - sometimes on both rigs (we had two rigs set up).
and then bottom fishing is always as good as your captain at finding fish/his spots. whether it's fluke, sea bass (which season only starts usually around July 1), or porgies, scup, whatever, you are going to catch fish.
And there have been times in the past (never with Bare Bones) where all we've caught is some throw-backs like dog fish and skates and a wet ass.
we loved Captain johns in Waterford. I think its the sunbeam fleet. Brought my boys 11 and 13 and we cracked them. Mostly blues sea bass and fluke. Not too far out maybe a 45 minute off shore excursion. Had a lot of fun though.
it can be hit or miss. One day you are knee deep in them and the next nothing. This spring, I was out on the kayak in raritan bay and it was nonstop stripers. Another day it was all bluefish. So many you leave them biting with sore arms. Other days you cannot get a bit to save your life.
That is why if you have a trip where you really want to just catch fish because you have people with you... then I recommend reef/wreck fishing. There will always be fish on the reef. It is their habitat. The only thing that can ruin your day is high winds.
Most you can get on a charter like his though is 6 people. They do have more "party" boats like for a bachelor party, also run out of Point Judith, but I'm less familiar with them, Bare Bones doesn't run them.
Last time I went out of CT was the My Joy from New London and it's one of those boats that just sardine 90 people onto a boat and spend the whole day un-tangling lines. I'll never do that again.
Bare Bones - ( New Window )
If you just want action and don't care what it is, ask the captain to take you over an offshore reef where you can get into sea bass, fluke, etc... and be prepared to shift on the fly depending upon what is happening.
So you'd need to go an hour past your destination of middle coast CT to Narragansett, but it's crazy. trolling is can't miss (stripers and blues) (which I think is sort of gimmicky) if you get a good captain, we had fish on within 5 - 10 minutes every time - sometimes on both rigs (we had two rigs set up).
and then bottom fishing is always as good as your captain at finding fish/his spots. whether it's fluke, sea bass (which season only starts usually around July 1), or porgies, scup, whatever, you are going to catch fish.
And there have been times in the past (never with Bare Bones) where all we've caught is some throw-backs like dog fish and skates and a wet ass.
That is why if you have a trip where you really want to just catch fish because you have people with you... then I recommend reef/wreck fishing. There will always be fish on the reef. It is their habitat. The only thing that can ruin your day is high winds.