Light tackle fishing and fly fishing around Block Island, Rhode Island is always a unique experience. Block Island has been called the Bermuda of the north because of it’s gin-clear coastal waters. Some have even called it the Ireland of New England because of the rolling hills and long rock fences. I am lucky enough to call it home from mid June through the month of September. As a fishing guide, I spend every morning (weather permitting) on the water with clients perched on the bow of my boat waiting for instruction on when, where and how to cast to cruising striped bass, bluefish, and tuna. We are always waiting for a large swirl, tail slap or pod of baitfish fleeing for their lives as some large predator lurks below.
Block Island poses some unique obstacles for the light tackle and fly fishing anglers that probe the rips, beaches, points, and impressive boulder fields that the island is known for. I will talk about what I feel are the three most important things to realize and adapt to when light tackle fishing the Block. These three things are proximity, water clarity, and forage.
