Trout fishing in winter in Rhode Island

They’re out there

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management is stocking trout in ponds throughout Rhode Island for the winter fishing season beginning January 6, 2015. Division of Fish and Wildlife will stock approximately 3,000 trout in eight (8) ponds statewide.

Carbuncle Pond, Coventry, Olney Pond, Lincoln, Barber Pond, South Kingstown, Silver Spring Lake, North Kingstown, Upper Melville Pond, Portsmouth, and Round Top Ponds, Burrillville, will be stocked with trout.

"Even though there is no ice currently, we have had many beautiful days for fishing this winter. Getting out in the fresh air is a great way to start the new year and generate excitement for Opening Day in April," says Catherine Sparks, Assistant Director for Natural Resources.

Anglers can be assured that winter stocked fish will hold over for the April 11^th Opening Day of Trout season.


A current fishing license and a Trout Conservation Stamp are required to keep or possess a trout. The daily creel and possession limit for trout Dec 1, 2014-February 28, 2015 currently stands at two per day.

Anglers are reminded of a new regulation that began in 2012 that prohibits the use of felt soled or any porous material footgear in any fresh waters of RI. This includes any waters shared with adjacent states in which Rhode Island Fishing Regulations apply.

Although there is no ice at this time, the Department advises anglers to check with individual communities regarding safe ice conditions on local ponds before going ice fishing. 

DEM does not monitor ice conditions on local lakes and ponds. Ice must have a uniform thickness of at least six inches before it is considered safe by DEM. It generally takes at least five to seven consecutive days of temperatures in the low 20s for safe ice to form. 

EDITOR'S NOTE: On January 28, 2013, Ron Areglado, the CCA Party's Minister for Moral and Ethical Conduct and current Chariho School Committee member, asked the Charlestown Town Council to dispatch town volunteer fire fighters to check the thickness of ice on Charlestown's freshwater ponds. Boss Tom Gentz told the Town Administrator to check with the town fire chiefs and there, another bad idea went to die. 

Volunteer fire fighters are not trained or equipped to check out Charlestown's dozens of ponds.  Even if Charlestown had enough volunteer fight fighters, their principal duty is fire-fighting. The Charlestown Town Council does not have the authority to direct the volunteer fire-fighters' duties. So another Areglado brain storm hit the dustbin. - WC

In addition to the requisite cold temperatures, ice thickness is also determined by factors such as the size and depth of a pond, presence of springs or currents, and local temperature fluctuations. For ice conditions at Olney Pond at Lincoln Woods State Park, call DEM's 24-hour ice safety hotline at 667-6200. DEM has an ice safety guide that can be found online at its parks website, www.riparks.com.