BAY

Bass continue to bite on the Providence River, but, says Thom Pelletier, “If you go there, wear a helmet. It’s a combat zone.” Sportsmanship has evaporated as everyone crowds the hurricane barrier.

“Bass fishing used to be an art,” says Ken Ferrara of Ray’s Bait & Tackle. “Now, anybody can catch them.”

There are plenty of fish south of Providence, and the water isn't crowded. Kenny Ferrara Jr. caught a 30-pound fish, and Frank Tameo took a 27-pounder. Jeff Soriano and Larry Dario fished with Mike McCoy, skipper of the charter boat Reel McCoy, on Wednesday in Bristol Harbor, off Providence Point and Potter’s Cove. They caught and released 20 fish, all keepers, as large as 42 inches, between dawn and 2 p.m., said David Henault of Ocean State Tackle. Chunking, live-lining and yo-yoing all worked, he said. At midday, the bass preferred chunks without weights.

The Taunton and Sakonnet rivers are loaded with bass, says John Viveiros of Main Bait. Bluefish are feeding among the stripers upstream of the Braga Bridge, off Commonfence Point and other spots. Outside the rivers, Craig Dyer caught a 48-pound bass this week.

Eels and Sluggos have taken several fish more than 25 pounds apiece in Newport this week, says Kevin Kendrick of Edward’s Fishing Tackle. He recommends the waters off the Cliff Walk. Bait fishermen have taken some 17- to 20-pound fish there.

Fly fisherman Ed Hughes says stripers were taking yellow streamers along the Edgewood shore early this week, but the bite is inconsistent from day to day.

Scup have been biting in the waters off the Stone Bridge, the railroad bridge, Fogland Point, Taylor Landing and Sakonnet Point, Viveiros said. To the west, they’re biting near the Spindle off Warwick, and the waters around Hope Island, says Ferrara.

Fluke have begun to bite near the No. 3 can off Oakland Beach, and in 60 feet of water off Beavertail Point, Ferrara reports.

A 10-pound squeteague was taken near the Stone Bridge this week, says Viveiros.

BEACHES AND SALT PONDS

Fluke fishing continues to be good off the beaches, says Al Conti of Snug Harbor Marina, but the bite has been best early in the morning, and then it tapers off. Thom Pelletier, skipper of the charter boat ThomCat, says the bite is moving toward Nebraska Shoals. Rhode Island’s fluke fishing has been better than New York’s, just to the west, reports Don Michaud of King Cove Outfitters. He says the bite is on and off.

Bass have been biting on the reefs off South County, Conti says, but the action has not been red hot. To the west, Don Michaud reports a “sporadic” bass bite. Stripers have been feeding on squid over the reefs of Long Island Sound. Artificial lures that resemble squid have been working, he says.

Fly fisherman Ed Lombardo reports that bass, including some keepers, have been taking worm flies on Potter’s Pond this week. If bass are there, they’re probably in the coves at the top of Point Judith Pond, too.

Sea bass are pretty scarce.

OFFSHORE

The crew of a lobster boat sighted a swordfish between 300 and 400 pounds near the Fish Tails this week, said Al Conti.

There should be reports from shark fishermen this weekend, during the Star Island tournament on Long Island.

BLOCK ISLAND

Bass fishing has been really good along the western side of the island, says Chris Willi of Block Island FishWorks. Even at slack tide, the Rip has had bass on the surface, where fly fishermen are casting sand-eel and silverside imitations. Light-tackle anglers are throwing SuperSpooks, Ron-Zs and Sluggos. Bass on the surface are as large as 32 inches, but they are fat. For every four or five bass, there is a fat bluefish, Willi says. Wednesday, free divers shot two 58-pound bass near Southwest Ledge.

Fluke fishing continues to be good in deep water.

PARTY BOATS

“We had a truly fantastic group of anglers aboard and the weather was beyond spectacular with unbelievable visibility and brilliant sunshine, but unfortunately the cod went on strike,” said Frank Blount, skipper of the Frances Fleet, on Wednesday. “Anglers did get a few good cod and some keeper sea bass, including one real brute over 4 pounds. Quite a few short sea bass as well and a handful of short cod. One really nice fluke around 4 pounds. A few perch and a couple pout and that was about it. Look for cod fishing to resume later this summer.”

FRESHWATER

Bass are biting on Stump Pond in Smithfield, says Rudy D’Agostino of the R&Y Shop, but the pike bite has faded. The bass bite has been very active on many of the small ponds around Coventry, said David Henault.

Trout fishing has been very good for dry-fly fishermen on Tarklin Pond in Burrillvile, he said.

BEST BITES

Upper Bay:

Striped bass

Block Island:

Striped bass, bluefish, fluke

Long Island Sound reefs:

Bass and bluefish

HOT BYTES

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

THE TIDES

The moon causes tides and affects the activity of saltwater and freshwater fish as well as animals on land. Anglers generally find the best fishing two hours before and after a high tide, but fish and other animals also become active around the time of low tide. This table shows the height of tides in feet at Castle Hill near the mouth of Narragansett Bay. Recreational shellfishermen prefer to dig for clams when the tides are lowest, shown on the chart as “minus tides.”