Rhode Island - Fishing Locations

Rhode Island fishing licenses and regulations for 2008

Opening day for trout fishing in Rhode Island is April 12, 2008. Licenses are required for anglers 15 years of age and older. Licenses many be purchased at Rhode Island’s city halls and town halls and many local bait and retail shops or online at the Licensing and Registration web page of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

A non-resident freshwater fishing license costs $35 and is valid for one year. Tourist freshwater fishing licenses are valid for three days and cost $16. Non-resident saltwater shellfish licenses are valid for 14 days and cost $11. Rhode Island law mandates that you keep your license visible while fishing. A Trout Stamp is required of any person wishing to keep or possess a trout, salmon, or char caught in Rhode Island waters or to fish in a catch and release area or in a fly fishing only area. Trout Stamps cost $5.50.

Rhode Island residents are not required to have a license for saltwater fishing unless they wish to sell the catch. Out-of-state residents must have a license to shellfish in Rhode Island waters; also, they are forbidden to take lobster. For more information contact the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management at 401-789-3094.

Lincoln Park - Olney Pond
Lincoln, RI

126 acres. Lincoln Woods State Park. Location: Route 95 North to Route 146. 3½ miles to State Park.

Pascoag Reservoir -Echo Lake
Glouscester, RI  

352 acres. Location: Route 44 West to Jackson School House Road, North, site is ½ mile on the right. Parking: Yes.

Beach Avenue/Dunns Bridge
Block Island, RI  

Location: The bridge over the Harbor Pond Channel. This site has traditionally provided public access for fishing, scenic enjoyment, and shellfishing. No parking is available.

Ocean Avenue Bridge
New Shoreham (Block Island), RI  

Location: This bridge crosses over Trims Pond, a tidal pond that is connected to Great Salt Pond in New Harbor.

Barker Avenue
Warren, RI  

Location: At the end of Barker Avenue. A 50- yard gravel path leads to the remnants of stone columns on both sides of the Kickemuit River.

Colt State Park
Route 14
Bristol, RI  02809  
Phone: 401-253-7482

This is a 464-acre state park on the shore of Narragansett Bay, with four miles of hiking and biking trails, gardens, 10 playing fields, and six picnic groves. Fishing, concerts, and naturalist programs are offered in season.

Haines Memorial State Park
Barrington, RI  

Location: Just off Narragansett Avenue. Haines Park is an ideal park for fishing, boat launching, picnicking and ball playing. The East Bay Bike path runs through the park.

Mount Hope Fishing Access
Bristol, RI  

Location: Off Annawamscutt Drive. This access has a single-width concrete boat ramp into shallow water, with a breakwater fronting Mount Hope Bay. Adjacent to the boat ramp is a cobble beach and a fringing marsh. There is parking for about 10 vehicles with trailers or about 20 vehicles without trailers, with possible additional parking along the entrance road.

Goat Island Connector 1
Newport, RI  

Location: Linking Newport to Goat Island, the causeway is a popular spot for fishing. A paved road and two concrete sidewalks extend from the circle in front of the hotel to the west side of the causeway and Newport Harbor. Curbside parking is available.

Kings Beach and Fishing Access
Newport, RI  

Location: Next to Price’s Neck, off Ocean Avenue, This is a state-maintained fishing area in a well-protected cove. There is plenty of on-site parking available. Swimming, and picnicking are also popular here.

Potter Cove/Taylor Point
Jamestown, RI  

Location: Two different parking areas located just north of the Newport Bridge, off Bayview Drive. A long, narrow beach hugging Potter Cove can be reached by stairs descending from one parking lot.

Sakonnet Harbor
Little Compton, RI  

Location: At the end of Bluffhead Road, off Sakonnet Point Road, at the mouth of the Sakonnet River, there is a breakwater that forms the entrance to Sakonnet Harbor. The breakwater is good for walking, fishing, etc. There is no public ramp here, only private docks. On-site parking is available.

Seapowet Marsh and Point Fishing Area
Tiverton, RI  

Location: Off Seapowet Avenue, this refuge area includes a variety of coastal habitats. There is a parking area along a cobble beach north of the bridge over the Seapowet River and walking or driving access to Seapowet Point. There is a marsh on the point, popular for shellfishing. The beach is a good spot for walking, fishing, bird watching, or enjoying the view of the river.

Stafford Pond
Tiverton, RI  

476 acres. Route 24 East to Fish Road South, to Bulgarmarsh Road, take left on Route 81. Stafford Pond Road, access on left. Parking: Yes.

Van Zandt Avenue
Newport, RI  

Location: Just south of the Newport Bridge is a well-maintained pier that extends west from the intersection of Van Zandt Avenue and Washington Street to Narragansett Bay. There is no on-site parking available. Picnic tables and benches on-site.

Barber's Pond
South Kingstown, RI  

28 acres. Location: Route 102 to Route 2 South, about 7 miles on right. Parking: Yes.

Black Point
Narragansett, RI  

Location: Off Ocean Road, just north of Scarborough State Beach. This state fishing area consists of a wooded dirt path that extends toward the Bay from a parking lot just north of the old stone carriage house ruins. Use caution when walking out on the rocks, particularly during high tide. On-site parking is available.

Carbuncle Pond
Coventry, RI  

48 acres. Location: Route 102 to Route 14, 4.5 miles on Route 14, sign and road on left. Parking: Yes.

Charlestown Breachway
Charlestown, RI  

Location: Off the west end of Charlestown Beach Road. It borders Ninigret Pond on the north and Block Island Sound on the south. The area consists of a wide sandy beach on the ocean, a rock jetty, which is a popular fishing site, a recreational vehicle campground along the east arm of the breachway, and a wetland area bordering Ninigret Pond. Ninety parking spaces are available o- site. There is an entrance fee during the summer season. Picnic tables, benches, toilets, trash receptacles are on-site.

Middle Bridge
Narragansett, RI  

Location: The causeway and bridge over the Narrow River. At the southwest end of the bridge there is a path to the Narrow River identified by a historic marker. There is restricted parking along Middlebridge Road. Trash receptacles are on-site.

Old Sprague Bridge Overlook
Narragansett, RI  

Location: East of Scenic Route 1A. The bridge abutments provide a view of the Pettaquamscutt Refuge and the Narrow River. There is parking available for cars on both sides of the river. Handicap access.

Quonochontaug Breachway
Charlestown, RI  

Location: West Beach Road, off of Route 1. A popular fishing spot for striped bass, winter flounder, snapper, and Bluefish. Parking is available at the end of West Beach Road for cars and boat trailers. Toilets on-site.

Worden's Pond
South Kingstown, RI  

1,043 acres. Location: Route 138 to Route 110 to Worden's Pond Road, take right ½ mile on north side. Parking: Yes.

Wyoming Pond (Wood River)
Richmond, RI  

26 acres. Location: Route 95 to Route 138 West, site just past intersection of Routes 3 and 138 on the right.