BAY

BJ Silvia, skipper of Flippin Out Charters, guided some anglers to a pod of very big bass this week, said Kevin Kendrick of Edwards Fishing Tackle. They landed a 50-pounder and some 40-pounders.

Menhaden are holding in the Seekonk River, but bass are disbursing, said Ken Ferrara of Ray's Bait & Tackle. "They're still here, but you have to work for them," he said. He recommended fishing at Prudence Island, near the cable crossing and the lighthouse. Bass in the 30- to 35-pound class, as well as some 20-pounders, were taking eels between Beavertail Point and Brenton Reef this week.

Before Wednesday's storm, bass in the 25- to 35-pound class were biting around Brenton Reef, said Kendrick.

John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle said the bridges over the Barrington and Warren rivers are still good spots to catch keeper-size bass on clams. Tube-and-worm trollers are catching bass near Pomham Light, Ohio Ledge and Colt State Park.

Scup as large as 15 inches were biting clams and squid along the docks in Jamestown, Ferrara said. Shore fishermen have been catching large scup at Colt State Park, said Littlefield who saw a 17-inch scup caught at the park. Scup as large as 4 pounds have been biting along Ocean Drive, and the first triggerfish of the season have arrived, said Kendrick.

BEACHES, SALT PONDS

Fishing before the storm arrived Wednesday, Al and Matt Conti of Snug Harbor Marina caught fluke as large as 6 pounds, Matt said. "Once you find the fish, you have to stick with them," he said. "If you make long drifts, you're going to catch 10 shorts for every keeper. When you find the keepers, stay on them." Anglers have been catching fluke in the 5- to 6-pound class off Matunuck, said Steve Travisono of Breachway Bait & Tackle, where a 9-pounder was weighed this week.

Bass are still biting on the reefs, said Travisono, but the foul weather makes it difficult to get to them. Shore fishermen have been catching stripers during the day on clams inside Charlestown Breachway, he said. Fishing in Ninigret Pond is slowing.

Sea bass are biting near the bell buoy off the Harbor of Refuge, Conti said. Fluke fishermen are also catching sea bass off Matunuck, said Travisono.

Divers are spotting some large tautog tight to the shore, he said. "Shore fishermen probably will do better than boaters because the blackfish are in so tight." Tautog were biting among the rocks at Charlestown Breachway Thursday morning, Travisono said.

PARTY BOATS

Dave Walsh of Norwalk, Conn., caught a limit of fluke, including a 5.5-pounder, fishing with the Frances Fleet Tuesday. He was using whole squid. He and a few other anglers also caught some sea bass. The largest fluke of the day were in the 7-pound class.

OFFSHORE

Anglers heading to the offshore canyons are catching tuna, said Matt Conti. The sportfisherman Time Out caught 11 yellowfin tuna in the 30-pound class just east of the Fish Tails, he said. Bluefin tuna have been spotted south of the Horns. "This is the week they usually start biting," he said.

BLOCK ISLAND

Bass as large as 40 pounds apiece have been biting in the waters off the southwestern corner of the island this week, said Matt Conti.

FRESHWATER

Next week is the time to start prospecting for northern pike, says Ed Hughes.

BEST BITES

Party boats:

Fluke, sea bass

Newport:

Scup, sea bass, striped bass

Harbor of Refuge walls:

Tautog

HOT BYTES

For more frequent fishing reports, go to Hot Bytes in the sports section of projo.com.

BEST TIMES TO FISH

The Providence Journal's weather page now includes Solunar Tables, listing the best times to go fishing.