Reminder on ATLANTIC SALMON FISHING REGULATIONS AND AREAS SUMMARY
Regulations for Atlantic salmon on the Shetucket and Naugatuck Rivers. In the Naugatuck, Housatonic and Shetucket Rivers, from September 1 through December 15, angling for Atlantic salmon is restricted to catch-and-release only. From December 16, 2020, through March 31, 2021, the daily creel limit for Atlantic salmon will be one. During the open season in the rivers, the legal method for taking Atlantic salmon is limited to angling using a single fly, or an artificial lure with a single free swinging hook and no additional weight can be added to the line above the fly or lure. Also, from September 1st through March 31st, fishing for other species in the designated Atlantic Salmon “Broodstock Areas” is restricted to the gear legal for Atlantic salmon.
On the Shetucket River, anglers can fish for salmon downstream from the Scotland Dam (Windham) to the Water Street Bridge in Norwich (the first bridge upstream of Norwich Harbor). The salmon are stocked into one designated Atlantic Salmon “Broodstock Area”, from the Scotland Dam to the Occum Dam.
Anglers are allowed to fish for salmon in the Naugatuck River from the confluence of the East and West Branches (Torrington) downstream to the Housatonic River (Derby). Anglers may also fish for Atlantic salmon in the Housatonic River downstream of Derby Dam. The salmon are typically stocked into two designated Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Areas on the Naugatuck River, the “Campville Section” of the upper Naugatuck River from Route 118 downstream to the Thomaston Flood Control Dam (Litchfield-Thomaston) and the “Beacon Falls Section” of the lower Naugatuck, from Prospect Street (Naugatuck) downstream to Pines Bridge Road (Route 42 bridge, Beacon Falls). From September 1st through March 31st, fishing for other species in these designated Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Areas is restricted to the gear legal for Atlantic salmon.
The regulations for Atlantic salmon released into lakes and ponds are different from the regulations for salmon on the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers. In each lake, the regulations for methods, seasons and minimum lengths for salmon will be the same as for trout in that specific water body but the daily creel limit will be one salmon per day. (Please refer to the 2020 CT Angler’s Guide for trout regulations).
I hope everything is well. FYI: A news release will be coming out next week with more information, but we’re letting folks know now that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) had reached out to the Connecticut Fisheries Division to see if we would want to make 490 Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) available to our anglers as a bonus fishery this fall. These Fish are from USFWS Berkshire National Fish Hatchery (New Marlborough, MA) where Lake Trout are raised for restoration efforts in the Lower Great Lakes. We said “yes” and so we did a one-time stocking of 490 Lake Trout this week. These fish average about 5.3 lbs per fish, and were stocked into Winchester Lake, Coventry Lake, Tyler Lake, Squantz Pond, and Bigelow Pond. These stockings are intended to provide a short-term specialty fishery and there’s no expectation that these fish will holdover for an extended period of time (years) or that they will reproduce.
The daily limit is five fish per day, BUT to help spread the catch out among as many people as possible, please only take the fish one will immediately use.
If you go out to fish for a Lake Trout in CT, we want to hear how your fishing is going, both successful and skunked. Please fill out this very short form https://arcg.is/CzOHr after each fishing trip. We will not share your information with anyone; it will help us to evaluate this bonus fishery. Please remember we need to hear about each fishing trip, no matter the duration or success! From all of the completed surveys, we will randomly pick five folks to receive a free copy of the “Pictorial Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of CT” or “A Fisheries Guide to the Lakes and Ponds of CT”- you choose!
More information will be out next week. Have a good weekend!
#1801622 - 11/23/2012:04 PM
Re: Lake trout stocking in CT + fall trout stocking
[Re: Mitch P.]
danny k
The Good Life
Registered: 02/14/03
Posts: 2557
Loc: Port Huron Michigan
But why the heck would they put those great lakes lakers into winchester lake???? I guess they absolutely don't want them to live at all. They should of just put them in little tiny ponds then. Well, Maybe Connecticut can send Michigan 490 striped bass. I guess they might interfere with our Arctic Grayling reintroduction that's never going to work. Kind of like the Atlantic Salmon reintroduction that didn't work in the CT River but ended up working Phenomenal in Lake Huron and Thunder Bay River. Just so you know, this what they look like!!!
Edited by danny k (11/23/2012:25 PM)
St. Clair River. Port Huron, MI. #1 Prolific Fishery in North America Bar None!
#1801627 - 11/23/2012:41 PM
Re: Lake trout stocking in CT + fall trout stocking
[Re: Mitch P.]
JLMOS
Member
Registered: 11/30/04
Posts: 5316
Loc: Meriden,CT.
I have to agree with DannyK on this one.
Why Winchester Lake? Did the stocking truck breakdown in front of Winchester Lake while on it's way to Colebrook Res. and they figured, ah let's just dump them in here, the truck won't be moving any time soon.
Makes no sense to put them in Winchester Lake.
I should've been here yesterday? I was... And I didn't catch anything then either!!!
"Cheese has no business being on a turkey sandwich."~ Silas Robertson
"This here not keeping score crap; Ends today! " ~ Frank Barone
"I want to go back And do it all over But I can't go back I know" ~ Eddie Money
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