UTERBigeye tuna fishing in Rhode Island and Cape Cod
In Rhode Island and Cape Cod, bigeye tuna peak September and are around August–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Bigeye in the eastern canyons in the warm years.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Bigeye tuna in Rhode Island and Cape Cod, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustArriving
- SeptemberPeakBigeye in the eastern canyons in the warm years.
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish bigeye tuna near Point Judith, Newport, Block Island
Rhode Island's rocky south coast and salt ponds, Narragansett Bay, Block Island, Buzzards Bay and the Elizabeth Islands, Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds with their shoals and rips, the Cape Cod Canal, Cape Cod Bay's sand flats, and the Monomoy rips and outer Cape beaches; offshore Coxes Ledge and the southern New England canyons (Block, Atlantis, Veatch).
What to use for bigeye tuna
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Flying fishRigged whole on a trolling rig for tuna and marlin, or a strip on a skirted lure.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 60–78°F water, best at 64–74°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch bigeye tuna in Rhode Island and Cape Cod?
Peak season is September. Bigeye tuna are in Rhode Island and Cape Cod August–October. September: Bigeye in the eastern canyons in the warm years.
Where do bigeye tuna hold in Rhode Island and Cape Cod?
Look on ledge / hard bottom — around Point Judith, Newport, Block Island, Westport, Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard.
What is the best bait for bigeye tuna in Rhode Island and Cape Cod?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), flying fish. Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
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