Arnold Pond, Rhode Island: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Arnold Pond is one of the Kent County waters in Rhode Island. It sits 16 miles in from the sea. With some 75 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 2.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Size puts it in the front rank of our Kent County list. For a base, Coventry sits 4.1 miles out. Providence sits 21 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Arnold Pond

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Species logged across Kent County include bluegill, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Arnold Pond before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 70°F for July and 26°F for January. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. The season on Arnold Pond rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Whitford Pond sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Arnold Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.