Tautog AKA Blackfish is consistent and close to shore!

For those getting down with shorter days and cool mornings have no fear! Blackfish have been very eager to bite and getting 30-40 fish has not been hard. The hard part is only picking through some shorts to get the bigger ones next to them.  If anyone still has room left in their freezer for some of the best eating fish, give me a call! We have not even left the mouth of the bay yet so your 4 hours is going to go a long way this time of year!

Well needless to say we have been having an absolute blast on the Albacore this past week. They have showed up regularly and have been great fun for the fly rodder and light tackle spin fisherman.  Stripers have been in the mix, blues are plentiful and tautog season is on the run.  The fall is one of my favorite times and don't forget about the all might Blue Fin Tuna! This photo was courtesy of Andy Anderson, professional photographer who joined us on one our recent albacore trips.

Fly or Spin, Albies are on Fire!!

I think the title says it all! If you want Albacore and Bonito, they are RED HOT right now in Rhode Island and the Cape. I had a chance to take some guys from Simrad and Lowrance out prior to the boat show this past weekend and got our fill in only 2 hours each morning! This season won't last long so get out and join the topwater fly and spin club (especially since the Blue Fin are mostly caught trolling right now).

I love the Fall!

I know it has been a while since my last post and for that I apologize. Charters have been taken over my computer time and now I finally have a chance to jot down some reports.

Albacore have made there way into the Newport area and we had a great time chasing them. We found a pile of them crashing bait into the cliffs (literally) and they took our flies readily. All of the albies were in the 8-10 lb range, the biggest we have seen in a while inshore. This is just the start so hopefully the weather holds up and we can chase them for the entire month.

Stripers are still going strong at Block Island with most fish from 25 to 30 lbs, and the occasional larger ones working around the schools.

Bluefish continue to swarm the inshore area in aggressive schools. Most of the fish are in the 2-5 lb mark but sure make for a consistent rod bend when you want to fish for a short time.

Blackfish/tautog has also been a popular fishery now that we are working into the fall. It is a great way to spend a half day on the water with some of the best fish for the table.

For those tuna lovers out there, now is the time to get in on the books! From now to November the fish start to feed on larger baits so throwing plugs and jigs produce some great topwater action.  These fish can be finicky and are typically not for the beginner fisherman. You really do want to practice throwing 2-3 oz plugs with heavy weight rods over and over again with accuracy. Then you need the stamina to fight a 150-200 lb fish for 20-30 minutes.  If you think you have what it takes, then call and book the day! My trips are about 12 hours long because there is really no telling when and where these guys will show up. When they do... be ready! It is a sight you will never forget.  Time is limited for them so if you are at all interested, give me a call with some dates.

Sincerely,

Capt. Brian

Blues to Blackfish

If you want to catch fish, now is the time to be in Newport. Swarms of Blues are all over the place. Fly rodders  are having a blast as they mimic the soon to be speedsters (Bonito and Albacore). Be ready, because at any moment you may be thinking you are just casting to blues and then BAM, your line is out 150 yards!

Blackfish season reopened this week with some decent fish. 19 inches was the average but that is a great size for the table! I am looking forward to the continued season of this hard fighting fish as it is a welcomed break to those early morning runs. Blackfish are more tide based than light so we can all sleep a little longer!
Get the kids out for some blues or get technical with the blackfish, either way you can't lose this time of year! For more information, just check out the website or give me a call, I love to talk fishing!

Quite the Day at Block

Well things happen fast a furious at Block every now and again. Today was that time. I picked my crew up at 5 a.m at Block. We were on the grounds by 5:15. By 6:00 am, the crew had kept a 34 lb, a 33 and a 39 lb fish and then a 29 lb fish. They safely released the others.

Big Blues made their way in shortly as well as some of the Dog Fish. Just a great way to start the morning... A double hook up with lines in for less than a minute!!

Father / Son Fluking

Took a break from the Block to get a father and son trip for some flatfish and while there were many shorts, there was enough action and larger ones to get food for their BBQ dinner! Fish were so close to shore and just an overall great morning fishing. Fish are just a bonus after seeing 3 generations of men fishing together! A striper on the way home just topped it off!

What a week and it is only Wednesday!!

Here is the "need to know"

Block Island is ridiculous right now. Multiple fish in the 20 and 30 lb range and a 48.6 lb fish last night!
If you want to get the kids out, Turn around to local areas and keeper Sea Bass are scattered in the typical spots. Hit the structure and make multiple passes as they are spreading out. One 17 inch Sea Bass even had a 5 inch lobster in its stomach! Get in while the getting is great!

The Block

Oh WOW! Block Island was just loaded with mid 30 pound fish last night! When was that last time you thought you would ever say "Oh, its looks like JUST another 35 lb fish?". Consistent on each drift and it looks like it is not letting up any time soon. Strategy is a must and any variation will leave you empty handed. Night trips are limited so you must call well in advance to take advantage of this opportunity.

Shifting Gears

Well the upper bay near Bristol has had one it's best seasons ever. We produced many stripers in the mid 18-22 pound range (see picture) over and over and well within 5 minutes of the boat ramp! The bait was plentiful and the bass staged in similar spots time and time again which made for action packed days!

As the water temps increased, the bass have seemed to move south so we are focusing our efforts from Newport to Block Island.  The Block has been producing many quality fish from 30 lbs up to the mid 50's. This run has been going on for a week now so who knows how long the cows will stick around. Most likely it will run well into the summer months which is great for early morning charters. No blinding sun and beautiful sunrises! If you have ever considered fishing Block Island, now is the time to get in on the action.

What a Week!

Wow is a great word to describe Striper fishing this week! Fly fishing, light tackle, bait, you name it and it worked! Fishing began 5 minutes from the boat ramp and extended to blitzes mid day. If you even thought about coming to RI for striper fishing, now is definitely the time.

Striped Bass - When they are in they are in!

This week has been either red hot or dead. One day we had stripers feeding like crazy on the surface and the next day we could not get past bluefish.  The day after that would be mixed bait with mixed stripers and you had to choose your weapon. Flies, Hogy's, or bunker. We found multiple groups of fish in various locations and sometimes had to pull out a different rod at different locations.  While this weekend weather is not looking great, there are fish very close by so weather its with me on a charter or on your own, if you get a window of opportunity, there is no better time to be on the water!  Here is a few images of some of the past weeks trips. The new electronics are simply amazing!

Striper Updates

The good news is that the fish are getting bigger by the day but the bad news is they are not in the same location every day. Reports from Cape Cod to here in RI have been pretty consistent.  Canal, Shore structures, Upper Bay, feeding rivers and strong currents are key. There are still mostly smaller fish with the occasional 30+  inch fish mixed in. This is still good! We are right on track with the mid may consistency that is traditional for this area.  Remember, we have a long season ahead of us (at least that is what I keep telling myself!).  There is plenty of bait in the water with squid, mackerel and bunker keeping the fish active.  Remember to experiment before getting frustrated. Just because they may not take bait does not mean they won't take a fly or small spook lure.  

I will continue to give updates as the season progresses, but as always, if you book a trip with me you fish where the bite IS not where it WAS. I share all my information as my goal is to help you not only have fun but become a better fisherman in the process.  Remember to like PGS on facebook for monthly giveaways!

Until then, Tight lines,

Capt. Brian Patterson

Raffle Rod's New Custom Graphics

The rod is a Contour 6'6 striper rod and has a new flare to it! Check out the unique color combinations that are only located on Patterson Guide Service Rods! Only one week left to book a charter for any calender date this year to be entered in the drawing. Good Luck and see you on the water.

Free Rod raffle entry for all charters booked by April 30!

I am going to give away a brand new Contour 7 foot striper rod to one lucky charter client! All charters booked by April 30 are automatically entered to win. The drawing will be held on May 1st and the rod will be given to the winner the day of their booked charter! Good Luck! P.S, it will have a custom paint job so you will have a rod that stands out among the crowd!

Capt. Brian

2012 is Ready and Waiting!

New year and a whole lot of new things going on! Lowrance electronics has joined forces with PGS and now the NorthCoast 23 is even badder than ever.  2 HDS10 Generation 2 screens with structure scan to get a beautiful presentation of the water below us, 4G radar for safety all the time, Sonic Hub for our entertainment along with the essential Sirius Weather for any alerts!  All this is for you, my customer!

Deep Ocean Apparel has also chose to sponsor me with their new line of clothing and fishing apparel! You can see their full line at DeepOceanApparel.com


The new Patterson Guide Service short sleeve and long sleeve t-shirts are also available for sale (or you get one free when you book a charter of course). The prices are $10 for short sleeves and $15 for long sleeves. That includes shipping and handling!

With the season so close, I am excited to see the bait already in their expected locations. Blues have already been caught from RI to Cape Cod and stripers are being regularly caught in NJ waters so while we still have several weeks for solid numbers up here, May is shaping up to be a great time for striped bass in RI!

I know RI is typically a vacation spot and many people call me on a Thursday for a Saturday trip. To help me plan better, I am offering a $25 discount for any charters booked a month in advance!  This offer will end come Memorial day weekend.

I am so excited for this season as it has been a long winter. I have been prepping for May since the boat was winterized in December! Choose your species and give me a call at 401-396-9464 so we can plan your next adventure to Rhode Island or Cape Cod.

Sincerely,
Capt. Brian

March 16-18, Somerset NJ Saltwater Fishing Expo

Come visit me at Booth 402!
Show Special only - When you book a charter at the show, you get a free custom painted "Patterson Guide Service"spin rod (retail value of $70 - $100) while supplies last! There will be limited quantities so come see me first when the gates open!

Sincerely,
Capt. Brian