Anglers crowd Portsmouth's Melville Pond for opening day (photos)
Ron LaChance, holding his 11-month-old granddaughter, Madiana Holt, poses with his limit of five trout at Melville Pond on Saturday, the opening day for the freshwater fishing season in Rhode Island.
Tim Marshall
Paul Chapman, Steven Hall and Matt Murray of Portsmouth celebrate opening day at Melville Pond.
Tim Marshall
Caleb Connell proudly shows off the trout he caught with his dad, David, at Melville Pond.
Tim Marshall
Two canoes full of casters float in the center of Portsmouth's Melville Pond during Rhode Island's first day of freshwater fishing season.
Tim Marshall
Kevin Jones reels in a catch off the dock of Melville pond during Rhode Island's first day of the fishing season.
Tim Marshall
Matt Murray removes the hook from a fish he caught at Portsmouth's Melville Pond.
Tim Marshall
Steven Hall pulls in a catch at the end of Matt Murray’s line while fishing at Melville Pond on Saturday.
PORTSMOUTH — Dozens of anglers grabbed their poles and headed to Melville Pond for the start of the freshwater fishing season in Rhode Island on Saturday.
The R.I. Department of Environmental Management stocked 80,000 trout into Rhode Island ponds and streams in preparation for opening day, which is celebrated annually by more than 40,000 anglers across the state.