The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) will be restocking local ponds and rivers with rainbow and brook trout, now through Friday, for the fall fishing season.
“With crisp clear weather and lighter crowds than in spring, fall is a terrific time to try to reel in a trout,” said DEM Acting Director Terry Gray. “DEM’s dedicated hatchery staff have been busy raising plentiful trout for anglers. Buy your trout stamp today, put your waders on, and go out and have fun!”
A current fishing license and a trout conservation stamp are required to keep or possess a trout or salmon. The DEM reminds anglers to obey all the freshwater fishing regulations, for instance:
The minimum size of all trout or charr species, taken from the waters of the state, shall be eight inches, measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail. This regulation applies to both wild and stocked trout.
Go here for a list of newly stocked locations. The two closest to Providence are Willett Pond in East Providence and Olney Pond at Lincoln Woods. Trout season is currently open through the last day of February. Go here for freshwater fisheries FAQs.
Stocking continues through October 8th. Keep up at the DEM Facebook page, where knowledgeable locals are free to put in their own two cents:
Why would you stock Willett pond there is a 100 lb pound turtle that lives there it’s going to eat all the stocked trout . . . you better off stocking brickyard pond in Barrington.
(Photo of Olney Pond from RIDEM. Nobody says you have to fish — you can just go sit on a rock.)