Rhode Island Freshwater
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skunkedalot
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i hear there is a fabulous hatch in the early summer on that stream. I just cannot remember what bug it is - perhaps Riptide knows. if you like still water- Rhode is loaded with good ponds. Beach Pond is one.
Rip Tide
Well-known member
I haven't fished Wood River in a very long time.
Nice stream though. Lotta watercress.
I lived in Providence for 7 years but even then I did 90% of my trout fishing in eastern CT
:secret: TIP> they don't call Rhode Island the Ocean State for nothing :secret:
Nice stream though. Lotta watercress.
I lived in Providence for 7 years but even then I did 90% of my trout fishing in eastern CT
:secret: TIP> they don't call Rhode Island the Ocean State for nothing :secret:
mike_r
Well-known member
STRIPAH!!!!
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I grew up in RI, and did a fair amount of bass fishing, but no trout fishing. Mainly, though, we fished in the sea. I still go back for a week every summer to do salt water fishing; kayaking for bluefish and stripers is a gas. I live in Vermont now and while I do like it here, and Lake Champlain is very nice, there is no substitute for the ocean.
trev
Well-known member
FAQs Freshwater Fisheries- Rhode Island -Department of Environmental Management
Designated Trout Waters- Rhode Island -Department of Environmental Management
ArcGIS Web Application
Wood & Pawcatuck Rivers, Connecticut, Rhode Island
I lived in RI 15 years in the '70s & '80s and at that time it had more trout fishing with less driving than any state I have been to, although a lot of the stocked were spring only and done by July. Some like Abbot Run, Deep Pwaters ond, Olney Pond, Pawcatuck River, Wallum Lake, Falls River, Flat River and a dozen others had year round trout.
Some of the brooks i used to take native brookies in have since been built over and forced underground, but the last time I visited there the Blackstone River had been cleaned up enough that it was carrying trout year round. in the early-mid '80s I was finding parr in parts of the Pawcatuck (IIRC) indicating brown trout reproduction.
Almost a secret how much trout water was available, although tens of thousands would turn out on opening day at the most accessible places, I don't believe there were more than 40-50 avid year round fly fishers chasing trout. About 20-25 that fished most of the places I did.
Other than major venues like Olney or Deep Ponds most of the trout went unmolested after the first week of season.
I never did well in the Wood River itself and didn't personally know anyone who did, it wanted a boat, and as I recall had very little access.
While I lived there I went to Ma., NH, & Me. and was always disappointed with the trout fishing in comparison to RI. Possibly better fishing but hard to find access and far apart streams.
Designated Trout Waters- Rhode Island -Department of Environmental Management
ArcGIS Web Application
Wood & Pawcatuck Rivers, Connecticut, Rhode Island
I lived in RI 15 years in the '70s & '80s and at that time it had more trout fishing with less driving than any state I have been to, although a lot of the stocked were spring only and done by July. Some like Abbot Run, Deep Pwaters ond, Olney Pond, Pawcatuck River, Wallum Lake, Falls River, Flat River and a dozen others had year round trout.
Some of the brooks i used to take native brookies in have since been built over and forced underground, but the last time I visited there the Blackstone River had been cleaned up enough that it was carrying trout year round. in the early-mid '80s I was finding parr in parts of the Pawcatuck (IIRC) indicating brown trout reproduction.
Almost a secret how much trout water was available, although tens of thousands would turn out on opening day at the most accessible places, I don't believe there were more than 40-50 avid year round fly fishers chasing trout. About 20-25 that fished most of the places I did.
Other than major venues like Olney or Deep Ponds most of the trout went unmolested after the first week of season.
I never did well in the Wood River itself and didn't personally know anyone who did, it wanted a boat, and as I recall had very little access.
While I lived there I went to Ma., NH, & Me. and was always disappointed with the trout fishing in comparison to RI. Possibly better fishing but hard to find access and far apart streams.
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Rip Tide
Well-known member
I used to fish the Wood River in the Arcadia Management Area
Public land, plenty of access, easily wade-able. No boat required.
I've even fished the headwater here in CT, but there's only a very short stretch worth even thinking about.
Public land, plenty of access, easily wade-able. No boat required.
I've even fished the headwater here in CT, but there's only a very short stretch worth even thinking about.
trev
Well-known member
RipTide, I only remember one Wood R. access in Arcadia, that I fished more in winter, I was thinking the Wyoming area and down. I lived in the north part of the state and really never spent as much time exploring the Wood as I did a lot of smaller waters. There were quite a few brooks back then that the state didn't stock that had some trout and some they did stock that I don't recall the names of. All the places I used to fish may be housing developments now, it's been 15-20 years since my last visit.
Rip Tide
Well-known member
It's been over 30 years for me, but Wood River is as close as you get to a spring creek around here.
It's the best known trout stream in the state, so for me that was a good reason to avoid it.
Like I said, at that time I did most of my trout fishing here in eastern CT, but I kept my RI licence just for one FFO pond that I liked which is almost walking distance from where I live now
New owners shut it down and I don't blame them. A nice little pond back in the woods with only three good spots to cast from.
Otters had the tendency to clean it out, but they were fun to watch.
It's the best known trout stream in the state, so for me that was a good reason to avoid it.
Like I said, at that time I did most of my trout fishing here in eastern CT, but I kept my RI licence just for one FFO pond that I liked which is almost walking distance from where I live now
New owners shut it down and I don't blame them. A nice little pond back in the woods with only three good spots to cast from.
Otters had the tendency to clean it out, but they were fun to watch.
trev
Well-known member
Most of the tiny streams that I used to fish there had their beginnings in swampy seep springs, but if asked I have said they were all spring fed. The term "spring creek" as it is often used makes no sense to me, I reckon that all creeks are either spring fed or snow melt, not much permanent snow pack in that region. I'd guess all the "spring creeks" in the west are the result of snow/glacial melt, when I was growing up in Id. there sure wasn't enough rain to recharge any kind of aquifer. I guess going there from Id. & Nv. desert is why I was so impressed with the numbers of springs and streams along the coast there. People born there just saw them as mosquito factories.
The first otter I ever saw was in a mill pond behind the casket company, they'd slide down the bank from the street. First place I ever encountered swans too.
If the OP goes through that list of stocked waters that the state publishes before the middle of June he should find a couple nice places. And he should take advantage of the bass and pickerel in the ponds along the way. My biggest LMB to date was taken in a Providence park.
Won't find the outta the way way spots of 40-50 years ago, given the population growth, but that state is small enough and has so much fresh water that he should stay busy looking.
I always wanted to become good at salt fishing but I had to pass 15-50 good fresh water spots to get to the salt, so it was rare that I actually made it to the beach.
The first otter I ever saw was in a mill pond behind the casket company, they'd slide down the bank from the street. First place I ever encountered swans too.
If the OP goes through that list of stocked waters that the state publishes before the middle of June he should find a couple nice places. And he should take advantage of the bass and pickerel in the ponds along the way. My biggest LMB to date was taken in a Providence park.
Won't find the outta the way way spots of 40-50 years ago, given the population growth, but that state is small enough and has so much fresh water that he should stay busy looking.
I always wanted to become good at salt fishing but I had to pass 15-50 good fresh water spots to get to the salt, so it was rare that I actually made it to the beach.