Rhode Island’s Wood River

Little Rhody, although small, offers big surprises. Many anglers visit the Ocean State for the excitement of chasing big stripers, bluefish, false albacore and bonito; however, if you’re looking for a more tranquil fly-fishing experience, the biggest little state of the union has a lot to offer.

Arcadia Management Area covers roughly 14,000 acres of Rhode Island woodland, and meandering through the middle of it is the Wood River. Small tributaries such as the Flat River, Breakheart Brook, Paris Brook, and the Falls River feed in to make up the Wood River, Rhode Island’s crown jewel of trout fishing.

 

Arcadia Management Area offers a number of recreational activities including hiking, mountain biking, and hunting for small game and whitetail deer. But its best feature, in my biased opinion, is the trout fishing. The Wood River is an intimate New England trout stream that meanders through a canopy of pines that shelter its waters from the sun, keeping the river running cool throughout the summer.

The Wood consists of runs, small riffles, bends and curves with undercut banks and deep pools. During the peak season, May through September, the river is easy to wade from the beginning of Route 165 and for several miles downstream. What this brings to the fly angler is a wonderful fishery and an unforgettable experience.

The Wood is generously stocked with rainbow and brown trout. The river receives several stockings per year, which consist of float stockings staffed by two groups: the Narragansett Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Wood River Club. Both of these groups, along with Rhode Island Department of Fish and Wildlife, have been extremely instrumental in the preservation of this fishery.

Brook trout are no longer stocked in this area, so as not to mingle with the wild population of resident brook trout, some of which grow in excess of 10 inches. Many anglers have also caught wild brown trout in the Wood.

There are several access points, including the Deer Check Station on Route 165. Others further downstream can be reached by Mt. Tom Rd to Blitzcreek Trail. The High Banks section, as well as the Pines, offer ample parking and access to the river. Additional access points are located North at the Midway Parking Area.

The trout fishing season in Rhode Island runs from the second Saturday in April to the end of February. March rains usually swell the river a bit. The limit is 5 fish from the start of opening day, however starting May 15, the creel limit drops to 2 fish from the Route 165 Bridge to Barberville Dam, an effort to help preserve stocks through the summer months.

Starting in early April we find excellent large mayfly hatches to include False Gray Drakes and Black Quills. These hatches will usually occur in the early afternoon and run through early evening. The early False Gray Drake hatch usually excites anglers, however Black Quill mayflies are the ones responsible for bringing trout to the surface. Large Gray Drakes will hover just a few feet over surface of the river, while Black Quills will dance and drop to the water as they lay their eggs. My personal favorite patterns to trick finicky trout during this time are Pheasant Tail Nymphs in size 12, fished subsurface, and Mahogany Sparkle Duns, size 12, to use when trout are feeding on the surface. Later in the evening, a Rusty Spinner can work wonders. During heavyspring hatches, I’ve enjoyed afternoon fishing with my good friend John Focorilli, catching brown trout that were sipping egg-laying Black Quills in the midst of swarming False Gray Drakes.

As spring progresses, we find mayfly hatches emerging much later in the day. Next we find Mahogany Duns in size 14 and 16. Duns will emerge late in the afternoon, and spinner falls occur in the early evening and into dark. This hatch can be incredible. Several patterns will attract fish during this hatch, such as Red Quill, Dun Variants, Mahogany Compara Duns, and Rusty Spinners later in the evening. During this hatch, it is very common to see the sky full of mayflies dancing above. Mixed in on the tail end of this hatch we transition into the lighter-colored mayflies such as Sulphurs and Light Cahills. The Sulphurs at this time will be small, size 16 through 20. The Light Cahills are larger, size 14s. Spinners usually fall around 8:15 to 8:45 pm.

As spring progresses into summer, we find true Gray Drakes emerging at dusk in early July. These big large mayflies, as well their spinner fall, can be so incredible to watch. Gray Drake Spinners usually lay their eggs in shallow gravel runs on the Wood, and the trout will move out from the undercuts and feed on spinners with no fear. Large Adams Dries in size 12 work great during these times. I suggest trying the female version, with dubbed yellow egg at end of the abdomen to mimic the egg-laying process.

Once the Gray Drakes show up, the best hatch is upon us. The Wood River is known for this ultimate hatch. As the muggy nights bring water temperatures into the high 60s, the Hexagenia limbata mayflies begin to emerge. This is the larger, if not largest of the mayfly species. As a burrowing nymph, the Hex swims swiftly to the surface to emerge. We usually see these mayflies no earlier than 8:30 in the evening, with the hatch often lasting to 10:00 pm. Spinners and duns can be mixed, and every trout in the river will be sipping and slurping these mayflies. Patterns such as Hex Drakes, size 6 long, tied with calf tail wings and elk hair bodies and tails, will produce when trout are keying in on the duns. Emergers also work well when fished in the surface film. Try a curved shank, dry-fly hook in size 8 with a pale yellow body, antron olive trailing shuck and yellow super-select CDC wing draped over the body. The fly is bright and floats like a cork. I don’t particularly like fishing the nymph, as these naturals don’t seem to spend much time between the silt and the surface. This hatch can last the month of July, with trout keying in on Hex imitations through the first and second week in August.

Once the Hexagenia hatch is over, the Wood River becomes a great terrestrial river with ants, beetles, hoppers and inchworms being great options. If water levels remain low and water temperatures cool come September, Trico Spinners can blanket the river between 7:00 and 9:00 am. I have found no true consistency with this hatch; however, if you get out in September you may be pleasantly surprised. This can be a great time to fish the Wood, as many fly anglers are out chasing false albacore and fall stripers along Rhode Island’s saltwater shoreline. As fall progresses, midge patterns will keep trout looking up. If you do not find fish near the surface, try using nymph patterns such as Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears, Prince Nymphs as well as others to trigger a strike.

When venturing out in the fall, pay attention to special regulations with regard to wearing hunter orange while on management areas. Check with the Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife and your local tackle shop to verify these regulations.

The major tributaries of the Wood River, the Falls and Flat rivers, flow through  just north of Route 165, both feed into each other to make up the Wood River. These sections are much more intimate, and you can find yourself fishing in solitude in these stretches. Many of the same hatches will occur here, however you will find fewer stocked fish. The Falls River just north of the Midway parking area is noted as the end of the catch-and-release area. From the Falls River Bridge north to Plain Road Bridge is dedicated to the protection of Rhode Island’s wild brook trout. This area is no longer stocked and holds a wonderful wild brook trout population. The catch-and-release area is great for the fly angler who likes to fish small light rods from 0 to 4 weight, measuring 7 feet or less. Anglers can have a ball skittering caddis dries or striping Mickey Fins in the deeper pools or tail-outs. Maximum width of the Falls River may not exceed 10 feet, however it can hold some wonderful surprises. Although that section of the Falls River is catch and release, it does close in February through the second Saturday in April. The Flat River is much tighter and does get stocked annually with mostly class-A stockings.

David Porreca is a native Rhode Islander and the owner of River & Riptide Anglers fly shop.

 

Getting There

From exit 5A on I-95, head west on Route 165. Access the Wood River at the Arcadia Deer Check Station on Route 165, a state-run facility located right on the river. The old Quonset Hut has recently been torn down to make way for a newly updated facility that offers outdoor enthusiasts the ability to park, picnic, and enjoy the scenery.

For more information, visit the Narragansett Chapter of Trout Unlimited.