The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) will be stocking ten lakes and ponds with rainbow trout, Sebago Atlantic salmon, and new this year, lake trout through January 17.
DEM will stock the following waterbodies:
Barber Pond, South Kingstown: trout, salmon, and lake trout
Round Top Ponds, Burrillville: trout and salmon
Carbuncle Pond, Coventry: trout, salmon, and lake trout
Carolina Trout Pond, Richmond: trout and salmon
Meadow Brook Pond, Richmond: trout and salmon
Melville Ponds, Portsmouth: trout and salmon
Silver Spring Lake, North Kingstown: trout and salmon
Stafford Pond, Tiverton: trout, salmon, and lake trout
Watchaug Pond, Charlestown: trout and salmon
Willet Pond, East Providence: trout and salmon
A 2022 fishing license is required for anglers 15 and older, and a Trout Conservation Stamp is required to keep or possess trout or salmon. Trout Stamps are not required for minors under 15, persons over 65, persons with 100% disability, landowners fishing from a property on which they are domiciled, possessing trout taken from a lake or pond that shares a border with Rhode Island, or privately owned trout from privately owned ponds. Fishing licenses can be purchased online on DEM’S Rhode Island Outdoors (RIO) portal.
DEM would like to remind anglers of the following Freshwater Regulations:
- The daily creel and possession limit for trout and/or salmon is two fish, of which two can be salmon, or two trout or a combination of one trout and one salmon, through February 28, 2023.
- The creel and possession limit for trout taken in the Wood River, between the Route 165 check station and Barberville Dam at Arcadia Road, is two fish from the second Saturday in May through the last day of February. That portion of the Falls River, from the bridge at Austin Farm Road to the bridge at Brook Trail, is a catch-and-release area.
- The portion of the confluence of the Beaver River and the Pawcatuck River, upstream to New London Turnpike, is designated as a catch-and-release area.
- There is an eight-inch minimum size for any trout caught in any state waters.
- The minimum size limit for domestic (landlocked) Atlantic salmon is 11 inches.
- For the purpose of fishing through the ice, up to five lines with a single hook on each, personally attended, and held by any device designed for that purpose (tip-up), may be used. Exceptions are for Beach Pond, Killingly, and Hazard Pond whereby six lines with a single hook may be used while ice fishing in accordance with CT regulations.
The following activities are prohibited:
- The use of external felt-soled or any natural or synthetic porous material capable of absorbing water in any freshwaters in Rhode Island is strictly prohibited. This includes any waters shared with adjacent states in which Rhode Island fishing regulations apply.
- It is prohibited to enter or exit a state boat ramp with any vegetation attached to any type of boats, motors, boat trailers, or any other conveyance or equipment to curtail the spread of invasive aquatic plants.
According to the DEM Facebook Page, Barber Pond in South Kingstown, Carolina Pond and Meadow Brook Pond, both in Richmond, Silver Spring Lake in North Kingstown and Watchaug Pond in Charlestown were stocked on January 12. On January 11, Stafford Pond in Tiverton, Willet Pond in East Providence and the Mellville Ponds in Portsmouth were stocked. On the 10th, Carbuncle Pond in Coventry and Round Top Ponds in Burrilville were stocked. According to their social media, the lake trout have not yet been stocked, look for that to happen in the next 24 hours.
