UTERSwordfish fishing in Rhode Island and Cape Cod
In Rhode Island and Cape Cod, swordfish peak August–September and are around July–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Swords in the eastern canyons — deep-drop by day.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Swordfish in Rhode Island and Cape Cod, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyArriving
- AugustPeakSwords in the eastern canyons — deep-drop by day.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish swordfish 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 swordfish
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader80–150 lb mono
- Hook8/0–14/0
- Braid65–100 lb
Feeds in 55–75°F water, best at 58–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch swordfish in Rhode Island and Cape Cod?
Peak season is August–September. Swordfish are in Rhode Island and Cape Cod July–October. August: Swords in the eastern canyons — deep-drop by day.
Where do swordfish 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 swordfish in Rhode Island and Cape Cod?
Live bait: squid. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 80–150 lb mono, hook 8/0–14/0, braid 65–100 lb.
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