DEEP BEGINS FALL TROUT STOCKING
Trout Parks and TMA’s among the areas being stocked.
Low stream flows may delay stockings of some areas.

Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced that its 2014 autumn trout stockings have begun. From now through mid October, DEEP is releasing 30,000 trophy and adult sized trout into selected waters throughout the state. Among the areas scheduled to be stocked this fall are twenty-three lakes and ponds, fifteen rivers and streams that include twelve of the Trout Management Areas (TMA), and eight Trout Parks.
Trout Parks are managed to enhance fishing opportunities for families and novice anglers and are easily accessible with picnic areas and other amenities nearby. “Our Trout Parks are great places for family fishing outings,” said Susan Whalen, Deputy Commissioner of DEEP. “A family can get outdoors before winter sets in and enjoy a fine day of fishing and picnicking in these special areas.”
Anglers are advised that the current dry weather conditions may cause a number of changes in this fall’s stocking schedule. Despite some recent rains and a relatively cool summer, flows are well below typical levels for this time of the year in many of the state’s rivers and streams, especially in eastern Connecticut, and environmental conditions in some lakes and ponds are unsuitable for stocking at this time.
“Water levels have been too low to permit releasing trout into some of the rivers and streams currently scheduled for stocking. We’ve already had to make a number of changes to stocking schedules, postponing the stocking of some rivers and streams and moving up the scheduled stockings of those lakes and ponds with suitable conditions,” said Peter Aarrestad, Director of DEEP’s Inland Fisheries Division. “Whether flows remain low or return to normal, we’ll post updates on the status of trout stocking in the Weekly Fishing Report, and on our website and Facebook page.”
Approximately 30,000 adult trout will be released this fall, of which 14,000 are trophy size brown trout (all greater than 12 inches in length). The remaining 16,000 adults are standard size (9-10 inch) rainbow trout.
In addition, the Farmington River TMA also received its annual Labor Day stocking of 2,000 large brown trout (12 inches and larger fish) just prior to the Labor Day weekend. These fish were stocked into the sections of the Farmington River Trout Management Area from the Goodwin (Hogback) Dam to the old bridge abutments just below “Whittemore pool” (Barkhamsted), and from the Route 219 bridge (New Hartford) to the Route 177 bridge (Unionville).
Among the other Trout Management Areas (TMA) being stocked this fall are the two areas on the Housatonic River. A total of 9,000 trout (1,000 large brown trout, 5,000 rainbow trout, 3,000 “yearling” brown trout) will be released into the Housatonic River TMA and the Bull’s Bridge TMA will be stocked with 500 brown trout and 2,000 “yearling” trout. The large brown trout are intended to augment the population of holdover trout in the river this fall, while the rainbow trout and “yearling” browns (5-7 inch fish) should enhance the holdover population for next spring.
In addition to the 5,000 “yearling” trout stocked into the Housatonic River, another 28,000 will be stocked into eight rivers and streams scattered throughout the state. These fish are expected to grow and holdover, providing additional angling opportunities in late fall, winter and especially next spring; and in several cases, to also enhance wild trout populations.
Fishing in all sixteen Trout Management Areas during the fall is catch-and-release only. Trout Parks have a two-fish per day creel limit. Regulations vary on many of the other waters being stocked this fall. The DEEP advises anglers to check fishing regulations in the 2014 Connecticut Angler’s Guide, found online at www.ct.gov/deep/anglersguide. Print versions of the guides are available from many Town Clerks and bait & tackle stores, or by contacting DEEP’s Inland Fisheries Division (860-424-FISH).
Additional fishing and fisheries related information, including the Weekly Fishing Report, can be found on the DEEP Fisheries web pages at www.ct.gov/deep/fishing and on the Fisheries and Wildlife Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CTFishandWildlife. This fall, anglers will find updates on DEEP’s broodstock Atlantic salmon stockings and the fall trout stockings in the Weekly Fishing Report, on the Fisheries webpage and on the Fisheries and Wildlife Facebook page.



Areas that are scheduled to be stocked with large brown trout and/or adult rainbow trout this fall (2014):

TROUT PARKS (two trout per day limit):
Black Rock Pond Mohegan Park Pond Wharton Brook
(Allen Brook Pond)
Chatfield Hollow
(Schreeder Pond) Natchaug River Wolfe Park
(Great Hollow Pond)
Day Pond Valley Falls Park Pond

TROUT MANAGEMENT AREAS (TMA, all catch-and-release only during the fall & winter):
Bulls Bridge TMA
(Housatonic River) Mianus River TMA Saugatuck River TMA
Farmington River TMA
(West Branch Farmington & Farmington rivers to Unionville) Mill River TMA
(Fairfield) Sleeping Giant TMA
(Mill River- Hamden)
Hammonasset River TMA Moosup River TMA Willimantic River TMA
Housatonic River TMA Salmon River TMA Yantic River TMA


OTHER RIVERS AND STREAMS (regulations vary; see 2014 CT Angler’s Guide):
East Aspetuck River Natchaug River Salmon River
Hammonasset River Pomperaug River Shetucket River

LAKES AND PONDS (regulations vary; see 2014 CT Angler’s Guide):
Amos Lake Gardner Lake Rogers Lake
Beach Pond Highland Lake Squantz Pond
Bigelow Pond Long Pond Stillwater Pond
Black Pond (Meriden) Mashapaug Lake Tyler Pond
Black Pond (Woodstock) Mohawk Pond Wauregan Reservoir
Cedar Lake Mt. Tom Pond West Hill Pond
Coventry Lake Pattaconk Lake West Side Pond
Crystal Lake (Ellington) Quonnipaug Lake