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Wood River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Rhode Island’s trout stream: the Wood River runs cold and clear through Arcadia, stocked heavily and wild in places.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
76 cfs
Air / High
81 / 82 F
Wind
NW 8 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01118000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Wood River rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. The river is running 76 cfs, on the rise. Today brings clear skies, wind NW around 8 mph, rising pressure near 1008 hPa and a high of 82. Water sits around 54 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutGood

Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown troutGood

Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 76 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Wood River at Hope Valley.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01118000.

7714020276 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp81 F
High / Low82 / 67 F
WindNW 8-12 mph
Pressure1008.3 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain4% cloud, 35%
Sunrise / Sunset06:16 / 19:15
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~54 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 82/67 F, wind 12 mph, rain 35%

Fair or better. A 12 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Wood River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Best: Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct

The workhorse of western rivers: riffles, seams and dry-fly eats. Blue-winged olives and midges on soft seams; streamers on overcast days move the better fish.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Best: Sep-Nov

Wary, predatory and nocturnal by preference. The big ones eat streamers. Pre-spawn aggression: this is streamer season for the fish of the year.

When to come: the Wood River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 54 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~54 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Wood River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 80 F, wind to 8 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 74 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at good. High of 69 F, wind to 11 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Rhode Island requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Rhode Island license plus trout conservation stamp. Fly-fishing-only and catch-and-release sections exist: check current DEM regulations.

Access

Arcadia Management Area pull-offs and trails along Route 165 and Arcadia Road; Hope Valley area access.

About this water

A cold trout stream through the Arcadia Management Area in Washington County, Rhode Island, joining the Pawcatuck River.

Fishing Wood River: the full guide

A small state’s best trout water

The Wood River flows through the Arcadia Management Area in western Rhode Island, the state’s premier trout stream and one of southern New England’s prettier small rivers. It runs cold and clear over gravel and sand, holding stocked rainbow, brown and brook trout, with wild brook trout in the colder tributaries and headwaters. Below, it joins the Pawcatuck and heads to the sea.

Fishing the season

Spring stocking makes April and May the busiest and most productive months: spinners, worms and small nymphs take fish throughout the accessible reaches. As summer arrives, holdover trout concentrate in the deeper, shaded pools and near spring seeps: fish early, use small dries and terrestrials, and check the temperature. Fall brings cooler water and a second window before winter.

Wild fish and the tributaries

The colder feeder streams: Flat River, Parris Brook and others: hold wild brook trout for anglers willing to bushwhack, small water with small fish and complete solitude. The main river’s fly-fishing-only sections offer more technical fishing for holdovers. Rhode Island’s modest size means everything is close: a morning on the Wood and an afternoon on the coast is an easy day.

Arcadia logistics

Access is straightforward through the Arcadia Management Area with numerous pull-offs, trails and parking areas along Route 165 and Arcadia Road. The management area also offers hiking and hunting, so wear orange in season. Hope Valley and Wyoming are the local villages, with Providence 45 minutes northeast.

Common questions

Are there wild trout?

Yes: wild brook trout hold in the colder tributaries and headwaters, alongside heavy stocking in the main river.

When is the best fishing?

April and May after stocking, and again in October when water cools. Summer requires early mornings and deeper pools.

Is there fly-fishing-only water?

Yes: designated sections carry special regulations. Check the current DEM rules before fishing a given reach.

Is fishing good at Wood River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Worden Pond8 miWatchaug Pond8 miPawcatuck River9 miNinigret Pond10 miNarragansett15 miPoint Judith15 mi
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