DEP 2009 Preseason Trout Stocking Well Underway
Opening Day of trout season is Saturday, April 18th
Trout Management Areas offer preseason angling opportunities
FIND YOUR RODS, DUST OFF YOUR LURES, CHECK YOUR WADERS, AND GET READY FOR OPENING DAY OF TROUT FISHING SEASON! The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is also gearing up for the 2009 season. DEP’s Inland Fisheries Division began its annual spring trout stocking on March 4th, and expects to have 386,000 trout stocked throughout the state by Opening Day on April 18, 2009.
"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 Susan Frechette, Deputy Commissioner of the DEP. "Fishing is one of the outdoor activities that we are encouraging more people to do as part of our No Child Left Inside campaign. Fishing can be a great, and relatively inexpensive, outdoor adventure for the entire family."
Our hatchery staff have worked hard to get another excellent crop of trout ready for Opening Day, said Deputy Commissioner Frechette. "Connecticut’s anglers can look forward to exceptional trout fishing this spring." Over 200 truckloads of trout will be distributed throughout the state in preparation for Opening Day. These trout will be released into 102 lakes and ponds and 201 rivers and streams throughout Connecticut. The following species & sizes will be stocked for Opening Day:
66,700
brook trout
(10-11 inch)
198,600
brown trout
(10-11 inch)
7,000
brown trout
(12 inch)
6,500
tiger trout
(10-12 inch brook/brown hybrid)
90,000
rainbow trout
(10-12 inch)
16,000
rainbow trout
(12-14 inch)
1,800
surplus broodstock
(3-10 pound trout)
An additional 700 broodstock Seeforellen strain brown trout ranging in size from 1 to 19 pounds were stocked into 13 lakes and ponds in late December, 2008 and early January, 2009. The broodstock were released into Bashan Lake, Beach Pond, Black Pond (Middlefield/Meriden), Black Pond (Woodstock), Cedar Lake (Chester), Coventry Lake, , Mohawk Pond, Mt. Tom Pond, Quonnipaug Lake, Stillwater Pond, Tyler Lake, West Hill Pond and West Side Pond.
Trout anglers looking for an early start to the fishing season can visit one of the state’s sixteen Trout Management Areas (TMA). All these popular areas are open for pre-season catch-and-release fishing. The TMA’s on the Mill River (Fairfield), Saugatuck River, Pequabuck River (including Coppermine Brook), Hammonasset River, Hockanum River, Mill River (Hamden), Naugatuck River, Farmington River, Mianus River, Willimantic River, Moosup River, Yantic River, and Salmon River have already been stocked. There are also plenty of large holdover trout in the TMA’s located on the West Branch Farmington River and the Housatonic River (Housatonic River TMA in Cornwall/Sharon). 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, and Wachocastinook (Riga) Brook. Additionally, downstream portions of five of the designated Sea-run Trout Streams (Eightmile River, Farm River, Hammonasset River, Latimer Brook, Whitford Brook) are open year-round with a two trout per day creel limit and a fifteen-inch minimum length.
Anglers should consult their 2009 CT Angler’s Guide for detailed information on specific locations and angling regulations. Angler’s Guides are available at many DEP offices, all Town Clerks Offices and at many tackle shops and other retail vendors of fishing equipment. Anglers can now purchase their fishing licenses directly online, or at one of the many participating town halls, tackle retailers and DEP offices. For a complete list of vendors, visit the DEP website www.ct.gov/dep/fishing or call DEP Licensing and Revenue (860-424-3105).
Opening Day of trout season is Saturday, April 18th
Trout Management Areas offer preseason angling opportunities
FIND YOUR RODS, DUST OFF YOUR LURES, CHECK YOUR WADERS, AND GET READY FOR OPENING DAY OF TROUT FISHING SEASON! The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is also gearing up for the 2009 season. DEP’s Inland Fisheries Division began its annual spring trout stocking on March 4th, and expects to have 386,000 trout stocked throughout the state by Opening Day on April 18, 2009.
"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 Susan Frechette, Deputy Commissioner of the DEP. "Fishing is one of the outdoor activities that we are encouraging more people to do as part of our No Child Left Inside campaign. Fishing can be a great, and relatively inexpensive, outdoor adventure for the entire family."
Our hatchery staff have worked hard to get another excellent crop of trout ready for Opening Day, said Deputy Commissioner Frechette. "Connecticut’s anglers can look forward to exceptional trout fishing this spring." Over 200 truckloads of trout will be distributed throughout the state in preparation for Opening Day. These trout will be released into 102 lakes and ponds and 201 rivers and streams throughout Connecticut. The following species & sizes will be stocked for Opening Day:
66,700
brook trout
(10-11 inch)
198,600
brown trout
(10-11 inch)
7,000
brown trout
(12 inch)
6,500
tiger trout
(10-12 inch brook/brown hybrid)
90,000
rainbow trout
(10-12 inch)
16,000
rainbow trout
(12-14 inch)
1,800
surplus broodstock
(3-10 pound trout)
An additional 700 broodstock Seeforellen strain brown trout ranging in size from 1 to 19 pounds were stocked into 13 lakes and ponds in late December, 2008 and early January, 2009. The broodstock were released into Bashan Lake, Beach Pond, Black Pond (Middlefield/Meriden), Black Pond (Woodstock), Cedar Lake (Chester), Coventry Lake, , Mohawk Pond, Mt. Tom Pond, Quonnipaug Lake, Stillwater Pond, Tyler Lake, West Hill Pond and West Side Pond.
Trout anglers looking for an early start to the fishing season can visit one of the state’s sixteen Trout Management Areas (TMA). All these popular areas are open for pre-season catch-and-release fishing. The TMA’s on the Mill River (Fairfield), Saugatuck River, Pequabuck River (including Coppermine Brook), Hammonasset River, Hockanum River, Mill River (Hamden), Naugatuck River, Farmington River, Mianus River, Willimantic River, Moosup River, Yantic River, and Salmon River have already been stocked. There are also plenty of large holdover trout in the TMA’s located on the West Branch Farmington River and the Housatonic River (Housatonic River TMA in Cornwall/Sharon). 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, and Wachocastinook (Riga) Brook. Additionally, downstream portions of five of the designated Sea-run Trout Streams (Eightmile River, Farm River, Hammonasset River, Latimer Brook, Whitford Brook) are open year-round with a two trout per day creel limit and a fifteen-inch minimum length.
Anglers should consult their 2009 CT Angler’s Guide for detailed information on specific locations and angling regulations. Angler’s Guides are available at many DEP offices, all Town Clerks Offices and at many tackle shops and other retail vendors of fishing equipment. Anglers can now purchase their fishing licenses directly online, or at one of the many participating town halls, tackle retailers and DEP offices. For a complete list of vendors, visit the DEP website www.ct.gov/dep/fishing or call DEP Licensing and Revenue (860-424-3105).