A rite of spring as much as any other, Opening Day of the 2024 trout season is set for Saturday, April 13, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has stocked more than 100 freshwater locations, including children’s-only ponds, with 60,000 fish – brook, brown, rainbow, and golden rainbow trout.

Fishing is prohibited in all trout stocked waters until Opening Day. Even when fishing in non-trout stocked water, no trout or salmon caught can be kept during this period.

The following East Bay Area locations are included in the stocking locations:

Adamsville Brook and Pond, Tiverton & Little Compton
Brickyard Pond, Barrington
Dunderry Brook, Little Compton
Eight Rod Farm Pond, Tiverton
Upper Melville Pond (Thurston Gray Pond, Wheelchair accessible), Portsmouth
Lower Melville Pond, Portsmouth
Ponderosa Park Pond (Children Only during specified times), Little Compton
Simmons Mill Pond, Little Compton
Slater Park Pond (Children Only during specified times), Pawtucket
Stafford Pond, Tiverton
Ten Mile River, East Providence
Tiverton Trout Pond, Tiverton
Willett Pond, East Providence

“Opening Day is a treasured pastime for thousands of Rhode Islanders who head out on the second Saturday of April to a favorite fishing spot to reel in their first trout of the season,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “The work and logistics involved in raising and stocking 60,000 trout are intense, and I am proud to recognize all members of the DEM Freshwater Fisheries Team who somehow pull off this feat every year – and keep freshwaters stocked throughout most of the year.”

DEM reminds anglers to respect their fellow anglers by adhering to this regulation and not fishing in these areas beforehand. Poachers steal the opportunity from anglers that correctly follow regulations. The closed season enables DEM’s dedicated fisheries staff to stock fishing areas statewide and allows stocked trout time to acclimate and distribute themselves, allowing more anglers to fish for them.

The 2024-25 freshwater fishing abstract, which includes all rules and regulations, is located at https://www.eregulations.com/rhodeisland/fishing/freshwater.

Anglers who catch a golden rainbow trout on Opening Day and through May 6 will be eligible to receive a golden trout pin. Simply take a picture and email it to dem.fishri@dem.ri.gov for verification. Submissions must be received no later than Monday, May 6, to be eligible. One pin per person limit. For more information on stocking, visit DFW's Facebook Page or http://www.dem.ri.gov/fishing.

Information about stocked freshwaters, size and creel limits for all freshwater fish species is available in the 2024-25 Freshwater Fishing Abstract, or by calling DEM's Great Swamp Field Office at 401-789-0281, or DEM’s Aquatic Resource Education office at 401-539-0019.