Elm Lake Fishing in Providence County, Rhode Island

• Overview

  You will find Elm Lake in Providence County, Rhode Island. Salt water lies 0.9 miles off. At 21 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Cranston at 1.4 miles is the nearest place to stop. Providence sits 3.1 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Elm Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The tide is the timetable on this water; two hours either side of the change usually fish hardest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. The shape of Elm Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 73°F in July and bottoms out near 28°F in January. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It sets the rhythm of the year at Elm Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. A toilet block sits 0.9 miles away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Deep Spring Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Elm Lake in what we hold.