Trout Coming To Barbers Pond Just In Time For Fall Fishing

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Just in time for fall fishing, Rhode Island's Department of Environmental Management will stock the state's ponds with rainbow and brook trout.

Trout stocking will begin Friday and continue for a week. This will allow adequate fishing supply for the fall, a popular time for recreational fishing.

"With crisp clear weather and lighter crowds than in spring, fall is a terrific time to try to reel in a trout," said Terry Gray, the department's acting director. "DEM’s dedicated hatchery staff have been busy raising plentiful trout for anglers. Buy your trout stamp today, put your waders on, and go out and have fun!"

Barbers Pond in South Kingstown is on the list to be stocked in the next week.

Because of blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, blooms, several popular bodies of water will not be stocked. They may be stocked later in the season if conditions improve.

Rhode Island's freshwater fishing regulations apply. All trout or charr must be at least eight inches long to keep, or 11 inches for Atlantic salmon.

Richmond's Beaver River is a designated no-kill, catch and release area. Fishing is acceptable as long as a single barbless or crimped single-barb hook is used. The river was removed from the trout stocking list and will no longer receive hatchery raised fish from the DEM.

All anglers must have a current fishing license and a trout conservation stamp to keep a trout or salmon. From opening day through Dec. 1, anglers can keep up to five trout or salmon per day. That limit drops to two from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28.