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Rhode Island · Fishing
Hope, Rhode Island sits in the heart of Providence County, and the fishing around it leans heavily on still water. Hope Pond is the most accessible option right in town, a modest lake that draws local anglers year-round for warmwater species.
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Hope, Rhode Island sits in the heart of Providence County, and the fishing around it leans heavily on still water. Hope Pond is the most accessible option right in town, a modest lake that draws local anglers year-round for warmwater species. The bigger draw for anyone willing to drive a few minutes is Scituate Reservoir, the largest freshwater body in Rhode Island and the state's primary drinking water supply — which comes with real access restrictions worth understanding before you load up the truck. Burlingame Pond rounds out the local options and tends to see lighter pressure than the reservoir. None of the waters in this area carry a gold-medal or wild-trout designation, so expectations should be set accordingly: this is solid community fishing for panfish, bass, and whatever the state has stocked, not a destination trip for trophy trout. That said, Hope Pond and Burlingame Pond are genuinely pleasant places to spend a morning, and Scituate Reservoir's size means you can find productive stretches if you know where public access is actually permitted.
Scituate Reservoir is a public drinking water supply managed by the Providence Water Supply Board, so access is tightly controlled. Fishing is allowed in designated areas only, and you'll need to obtain a free fishing permit from Providence Water in addition to your Rhode Island fishing license. Check directly with Providence Water for current permitted access points before your trip, as these rules are enforced.
Hope Pond and Burlingame Pond hold typical Rhode Island warmwater species including largemouth bass, yellow perch, and bluegill, along with trout during stocking season. Scituate Reservoir also holds bass and perch across its larger basin. None of these waters are designated wild-trout or gold-medal fisheries, so stocked trout are the main trout opportunity and they fish best shortly after DEM stocking runs in spring and fall.
Scituate Reservoir
~1 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Stafford Pond
~13 min drive
Easy
Hope Pond
~1 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Scituate Reservoir
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Burlingame Pond
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Black Rock Reservoir
~3 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Black Rock Reservoir
~3 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Upper Dam Pond
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Middle Dam Pond
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Flat River Reservoir
~5 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Flat River Reservoir
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Scituate Reservoir
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near RI.
Yes, anyone 15 or older needs a valid Rhode Island freshwater fishing license for Hope Pond, Burlingame Pond, and Scituate Reservoir. For Scituate Reservoir specifically, you also need the separate Providence Water fishing permit on top of the state license. Licenses are available through the Rhode Island DEM website or at local license agents.
Early morning and the last two hours before sunset are consistently the most productive windows for bass and panfish in still-water ponds like Hope Pond. Midday fishing slows down in summer when surface temperatures rise, but can hold up better in spring and fall when water temps are cooler throughout the day.
Hope Pond is a good fit for beginners and younger anglers — it's easy to access, not overwhelming in size, and panfish are forgiving targets that bite reliably on simple rigs. Burlingame Pond is similarly approachable. Scituate Reservoir is better suited to anglers who already understand access rules and can navigate a larger, less structured fishing environment.
