Sports

Preseason Trout Stocking is Underway

The opening day of trout fishing season is Saturday, April 21.

 

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection DEEP’s Inland Fisheries Division began its annual spring trout stocking early this year, on February 17, and expects to have 376,000 trout stocked throughout the state by Opening Day on April 21.

"For many Connecticut families, Opening Day is a tradition rich in memories, and the first opportunity of the season to get outdoors and go trout fishing,” said Daniel C. Esty, Commissioner of the DEEP. "Fishing can be a great outdoor adventure for the entire family and is one of the many outdoor activities that we encourage people to take part in."

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Esty said the hatchery staff worked hard readying trout for opening day. He said that favorable conditions during the winter make for an outstanding quality of trout.

More than 200 truckloads of trout will be distributed throughout the state in preparation for Opening Day. These trout will be released into 101 lakes and ponds and 203 rivers and streams throughout Connecticut. The following species and sizes will be stocked prior to Opening Day:

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  •  61,800: brook trout (10-11 inch)
  • 192,600 brown trout (10-11 inch)
  • 6,500 brown trout (12 inch)
  • 1,100 tiger trout (10-12 inch brook/brown hybrid)
  • 96,100 rainbow trout (10-12 inch)
  • 16,000 rainbow trout (12-14 inch)
  • 1,900 surplus broodstock (3-10 pound trout – all species)
  • 700 Atlantic salmon broodstock (1-2 pound salmon)

Among the fish released prior to Opening Day will be 700 surplus Atlantic salmon broodstock. These fish will be stocked into four lakes and ponds scattered throughout the state:

  • Long Pond (Ledyard/North Stonington)
  • Crystal Lake (Ellington)
  • Mount Tom Pond (Morris/Litchfield/Washington)
  • Nells Rock Reservoir (Shelton)

Regulations for broodstock Atlantic salmon stocked in lakes and ponds are the same as for trout, except the creel limit is one fish per day.

Anglers should be aware that the salmon being released this spring are smaller -- one to two pounds each -- than the broodstock salmon typically stocked in the fall -- three to 20 pounds each -- and thus may more easily be confused with brown trout.

Trout anglers looking for an early start to the fishing season can visit one of the state’s 15 Trout Management Areas (TMA).

All these popular areas have been stocked this year and are open for pre-season catch-and-release fishing. TMA’s are located on:

  • The Farmington River
  • Hammonasset River
  • Hockanum River
  • Housatonic River (two TMA’s)
  • Mianus River
  • Mill River (Fairfield)
  • Mill River (Hamden)
  • Moosup River
  • Pequabuck River (including Coppermine Brook)
  • Naugatuck River
  • Salmon River
  • Saugatuck River
  • Willimantic River
  • Yantic River

This year, 11 of these TMAs will be stocked again in April prior to Opening Day. Class I Wild Trout Management Areas (WTMA) are also open year-round for catch-and-release fishing, and are located on:

  • Deep Brook
  • Eightmile River
  • Hawleys Brook
  • Beaver Brook/Merrick Brook
  • Macedonia Brook
  • Mill River in Easton
  • Quinnipiac River
  • Tankerhoosen River
  • Wachocastinook (Riga) Brook.

Additionally, downstream portions of six of the designated Sea-run Trout Streams (Eightmile River, Farm River, Hammonasset River, Latimer Brook, Saugatuck River, and Whitford Brook) are open year-round with a two trout per day creel limit and a fifteen-inch minimum length.

Anglers fishing the Farmington River Trout Management Area are reminded that the invasive freshwater alga Didymosphenia geminata, known as "didymo" or "rock snot," was found in the West Branch Farmington River in March 2011.

Although monitoring that took place this spring did not yet found didymo in the river, anglers are asked to take proper cleaning precautions to avoid spreading these and other invasive plants and animals to new waters.

Anglers will find information specific to didymo on signs posted along the West Branch Farmington and Farmington Rivers. Additional information about didymo and other invasive species can also be found on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/invasivespecies.

Anglers should consult the 2012 Connecticut Angler’s Guide for detailed information on specific locations and angling regulations. Currently, electronic versions of the 2012 Guide (available in both digital-book and pdf formats) can be found on the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/anglersguide.

Printed versions of the 2012 Angler’s Guide will become available at more than 350 locations statewide, including town halls, bait and tackle shops and other vendors selling outdoor equipment, DEEP facilities, and commercial marinas and campgrounds next week.

The DEEP continues to move forward with several projects to provide additional information to anglers electronically. Since spring 2011, trout anglers have been able to access maps of some of the state’s trout streams and rivers showing the many stocking and access points. Just in time for Opening Day 2012, maps of many more of the areas stocked will be made available on the DEEP website. Additionally, bathymetric maps of a number of the state’s lakes and ponds will soon be available online.

Anglers can purchase their 2012 fishing licenses directly online, or at one of the many participating town halls, tackle retailers and DEEP offices. For a complete list of vendors, visit the DEEP website at www.ct.gov/deep/fishing or call DEEP Licensing and Revenue at 860-424-3105.


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