Fly Fishing Resources

The Mass / RI Council of Trout Unlimited offers fly fishing information, fly fishing classes and weekend long clinics, and free fly tying classes at local chapter meetings Below is an non-inclusive list of fly fishing resources for fly fishing in Massachusetts and Rhode Island including fly fishing only waters.

Buy our Anglers Guide to Trout Fishing in Massachusetts makes a great Christmas Gift for anyone who loves
fly fishing and wants to know how to fish the secret spots!

Read more about the book here ... >>Anglers Guide to Trout Fishing in Massachusetts

This book was written by MA / RI Trout Unlimited Volunteers and proceeds from sales go to fund coldwater conservation projects - namely habitat restoration efforts throughout the area. This site is dedicated to coldwater conservation issues and since we are generally all fly fishermen and fly fisherwomen, here's a page for visitors about fly fishing in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Fly Fishing Courses / Classes

The Cape Cod Chapter of TU offers a weekend long class in fly fishing, including fly fishing for trout, and salt water fly fishing.

Cape Cod Fly Fishing School

Fly Tying Classes

Free fly tying classes are offered on a per-chapter, per-meeting basis. The Cape Cod Chapter is offfering free fly tying classes - view here for a recent newlsetter defining the where and when - or check out other newsletters at our Recent Newsletter page.

Fly Casting Clinics

Occasionally the Taconic Chapter offers Fly Casting Clinics.

One of our favorite vendors - The Bear's Den offers Fly Casting Classes

Ongoing Fly Fishing information

Check out our Chapter Map to find out which chapters cover the waters you want to fish.

Fish Stocking Information

Rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, other trout hybrids and Atlantic salmon are commonly stocked in lakes, ponds and streams in the MA / RI areas by the state agencies responsible for stocking. Check out their stocking schedules and locations here.

Massachusetts Trout Stocking Schedule

Massachusetts Lakes and Ponds stocked with Atlantic Salmon

Help Stock Salmon Fry in Massachusetts (previous volunteer opportunity that presumably will come-round again)

Rhode Island Designated Trout Waters

Keep in mind that TU supports "catch and release" where ever possible.

Here's TU's official wording on Catch and Release:

Local TU councils and chapters are uniquely positioned to participate in the rule-making processes that determine sport harvest regulations. Across the country, hundreds of dedicated TU volunteers attend meetings, provide comments and testimony, and sit on committees within the framework of state regulatory proceedings. Their time and input invariably result in regulation updates or changes that benefit coldwater fisheries.

Catch-and-release angling has become increasingly prevalent in North America, due to both increasingly conservation-minded regulations and anglers. Done properly, catch-and-release can make the difference between a fish that lives to see another day and reproduce or one that doesn't. A visit to any popular fishery reveals that far too many anglers don't understand proper catch-and-release techniques.

Solution: Educate anglers about proper catch-and-release techniques.

TU councils and chapters provide an invaluable outlet for catch-and release education. Through demonstrations, printed materials, video productions, Web sites and word of mouth, TU promotes catch-and-release to its members and other interested anglers. Here are the basics:

• Don't play fish to exhaustion. To prevent a fatal lactic acid build up, bring fish in quickly and use a landing net.
• Handle fish with wet hands, grasping them across the back and head.
• Don't remove swallowed hooks; just cut the line.
• Don't keep the fish out of the water for more than 10-15 seconds.
• When placing fish back in moving water, face them upstream in their natural position.

TU fly fishing classes teach about catch and release for both fresh and salt water fly fishing and is working to designate wild trout resources as catch and release only.

Areas along the Housatonic River, the Westfield River, the Quinnapoxet, Red Brook, the Swift River, Miller's River, the Quashnet and others are designated as catch and release, fly fishing only waters.

Here's the Official Mass Guide to Catch and Release Waters

Send us an email at webmaster@ma-ri-tu-council.org if you have a question or want to know where fly fishing resources are in your area or want to inform us about TU sponsored fly fishing / fly tying / fly casting information that should be on this list.

Thanks!