Rhode Island saltwater fishing rules
Recreational size, bag and season for Narragansett Bay, the south shore and Block Island, from Rhode Island DEM Division of Marine Fisheries. Open as of Oct 13, 2026: striped bass, summer flounder, black sea bass, bluefish, tautog, scup, weakfish.
| Species | Size | Bag | Season | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped bassChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 28" to less than 31" total length (slot) | 1 fish per person per day | January 1 – December 31 | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Summer flounderChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 19" minimum (special shore sites: up to 2 of the 6 may be 17"+) | 6 fish per person per day | April 1 – December 31 | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Black sea bassChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 16" minimum (not including tail tendril) | General recreational: 3 fish per person per day; party/charter: 4 fish (May 16 – Aug 31), 6 fish (Sept 1 – Dec 31) | May 16 – December 31 (closed January 1 – May 15) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| BluefishChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | No minimum size | 5 fish per person per day (licensed party/charter: 7 fish per person per day) | January 1 – December 31 | Openas of Oct 13 |
| TautogChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 16" minimum; only one fish may be greater than 21" | 3 fish per person per day (Apr 1 – May 31 and Aug 1 – Oct 14); 5 fish per person per day (Oct 15 – Dec 31) | April 1 – May 31; August 1 – December 31 (closed January 1 – March 31 and June 1 – July 31) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| ScupChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 11" minimum (private/rental and party/charter); 9.5" minimum (shore) | 30 fish per person per day (party/charter: 40 fish Sept 1 – Oct 31) | May 1 – December 31 | Openas of Oct 13 |
| WeakfishChecked Oct 12, 2026 · STALE | 16" minimum | 1 fish per person per day | Open year-round (1/1 – 12/31) | Openas of Oct 13 |
This table summarizes Rhode Island DEM Division of Marine Fisheries pages on the dates shown, and status is derived from each row's season dates on Oct 13, 2026. Rules change in season. The agency page controls:Rhode Island DEM Division of Marine Fisheries ↗
Not on this list?
We publish a row only after checking it against the agency's own page. A species missing here is one we have not verified yet. That does not mean it has no rule. Use the agency link above, and see how we source.
Rhode Island portsPoint JudithNewport