PROVIDENCE – The Department of Environmental Management has stocked trout in ponds throughout Rhode Island for the winter fishing season. During the first two weeks of December, DEM's Division of Fish and Wildlife stocked approximately 2000 Rainbow trout in several ponds statewide; Carbuncle Pond (Coventry), Barber Pond (South Kingstown), Silver Spring Lake (North Kingstown), Meadowbrook Pond (Richmond), and the Wood River, Rt 165 access (Exeter).
"We're happy to announce this holiday present to anglers and young anglers on school vacation" says Catherine Sparks, Assistant Director for Natural Resources.
Anglers can be assured that winter stocked fish will hold over for the April 12th 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 December 1, 2013 - February 28, 2014 currently stands at two per day.
Anglers are reminded of a new regulation that began in 2012 that prohibits the use of felt soled 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 safe ice currently, the Department advises anglers to check with individual communities about safe ice conditions on local ponds before ice fishing, as DEM does not monitor ice conditions in local communities. 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 and is determined by a number of 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 Division of Parks and Recreation at 667-6200. DEM has an ice safety guide that can be found online at its parks website, www.riparks.com.