No Fluke

Trout season opens with restrictions

Posted

The trout season in Rhode Island is now open. In a surprise announcement the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) adopted an emergency regulation opening the freshwater fishing season Tuesday, April 6. The season was opened early with restrictions to eliminate the large crowds that often accompany the traditional Opening Day of trout fishing season (originally scheduled to open April 11).

While freshwater fishing is open year-round for other species, trout are stocked by DEM each winter in preparing for a special trout season that opens traditionally on the second Saturday in April. Visit www.dem.ri.gov/fishing for a complete list of stocked ponds in your area and licensing and trout stamp (required) information. The daily creel and possession limit for trout is five from April 6, 2020, through November 30, 2020, and two from December 1, 2020, through February 28, 2021.

Please note that State Parks are temporarily closed due to COVID-19. These areas only represent a small proportion (less than 8 percent) of the overall stocking locations in Rhode Island. Trout stocked waters within state parks are Lincoln Woods State Park, Lincoln; Pulaski Park, Chepachet; and Meshanicut Pond Park, Cranston.

To reduce the number of people fishing at any given time and mitigate crowds during the COVID-19 public health crisis, DEM has implemented a system that staggers the days when licensed anglers with trout stamps can fish. Those with last names beginning with A through M can only fish on even numbered calendar days, and those with last names beginning with N through Z can only fish on odd numbered calendar days. For families or other small groups – less than five – who routinely fish together, but have different last names, we ask that you use the last name of the youngest member of the group.

DEM will also impose parking restrictions during the first two weekends of the fishing season and has removed porta-johns from fishing sites. DEM environmental police officers and DEM staff will be present at fishing locations to assist licensed anglers, answer questions, and monitor fishing spots for compliance.

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, fishing should be enjoyed as a solitary experience, with just the members of your immediate household, and not as a group activity. Anglers must follow social distancing practices and maintain a distance of at least six feet from others and in groupings of no more than five persons. If you arrive at a favorite fishing spot and find that crowds are forming or the parking lots is full, please leave and choose a different location or return at another time or day.

Bait & tackle shops open

Call your local bait and tackle shop as many are open for online sales, curbside pickup or limited indoor sales. Big box retailers that sell bait may also be open. 

COVID-19 marina, yacht club and harbor master guidelines

Last week the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) provided marinas, yacht clubs and harbor masters with guidance on how to operate with Governor Gina Raimondo’s COVID-19 Executive Orders. The guidelines aim to allow for business operations, provide safety measures for staff/customers and ensure that we are all doing as much as we can to prevent the transmission and spread of the virus.

First, any person coming to Rhode Island from another state for a non-work-related purpose must immediately self-quarantine for 14 days. This quarantine restriction shall not apply to public health, public safety, or healthcare workers.

General marina operations such as placing docks in water, providing boat service to prepare vessel for the water and the installation/preparation of mooring fields are deemed non-essential and elective by the State of Rhode Island. However, in a statement last week DEM said, “These operations are an important part of our economy and way of life. We are asking that the following measures be utilized so that this work can continue.” This is the good news, however, marinas and yacht clubs have been asked to follow the following parameters:

1. Yards at marinas and yacht clubs should remain secure so that admittance can be monitored by the owners/operators.
2. In the event an owner or other persons wish to work on their vessel, they should be cautioned about social distancing and monitored to ensure no groups form. This is important to protect your employees as well.
3. Any sales at your stores must be curbside pickup only.
4. Limit use of facilities to seasonal slip holders only. Use of facilities by transients and out of state boaters should be prohibited.
5. In the event that a vessel arrives at your facility, they must be provided with the Public Health documents being provided to all out of state travelers. They should also be directed to the RI Department of Health website site to fill out the required information. See attached link you can add to your web pages. https://health.ri.gov/covid/.
6. Gloves must be worn while pumping out or fueling.
7. Moorings may be installed and serviced per local harbor management plans.

For more information regarding business guidelines during the COVID-19 crisis, visit https://commerceri.com/business-guidelines-during-crisis/.

These are the official RI State Guidelines created in coordination with the RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM). Please keep in mind that these guidelines can be adapted at any time by the Governor / Department of Health.

Where’s the bite?

Freshwater and saltwater fishing. At press time, if you do not have to travel in a vehicle to fish, and you are obeying all other emergency COVID-19 orders you can fish recreationally. Commercial fishing is allowed. When stay-at-home orders are lifted I hope to be out fishing as there is nothing better than to be on the water, in wide open spaces, breathing fresh clean air to catch and bring fresh nutritious Rhode Island fish to the dinner table.

Dave Monti is a charter captain, member of the American Saltwater Guides Association, RISAA, RIPCBA, serves as vice chair of the RIMFC and is a marketing communications practitioner. Forward fishing news & photos to dmontifish@verizon.net, visit www.noflukefishing.com or www.noflukefishing.blogspot.com.
                      

Dave Monti

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