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[size 2]DEP Starts Autumn Trout Stockings
The state Department of Environmental Protection announced Friday that its annual autumn trout stockings have begun.
During September and October, DEP expects to release nearly 44,000 trout into selected waters throughout the state. Among the areas scheduled for stocking this fall are 24 lakes and ponds, 19 rivers and streams including 12 Trout Management Areas, four “Urban Fishing Areas” - including Mohegan Park Pond in Norwich - and nine Trout Parks.
The DEP advises anglers to check fishing regulations in their 2008 Connecticut Angler's Guide. Guides are available from town clerks, bait and tackle stores, or by contacting the DEP Inland Fisheries Division at 424-3474.
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[size 2]Fall stockings and sufficient flows
mean a great autumn for trout anglers
Urban Fishing Areas, Trout Parks and TMA’s
among the areas to be stocked
FALL…when cool, crisp days, clear blue skies, bright white clouds, and vibrant foliage provide a spectacular backdrop for trout fishing! The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that its annual autumn trout stockings have begun. During September and October, DEP expects to release nearly 44,000 trout into selected waters throughout the state. Among the areas scheduled for stocking this fall are twenty-four lakes and ponds, nineteen rivers and streams including twelve Trout Management Areas (TMA), four "Urban Fishing Areas", and nine Trout Parks.
This fall, DEP will again stock four of its "Urban Fishing Areas", Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Keney Pond (Hartford), Lake Wintergreen (Hamden) and Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich). These lakes and ponds have been designated as "Urban Fishing Areas" and are intended to create and enhance fisheries in urban areas as part of the DEP’s "No Child Left Inside" initiative. "This will be the second consecutive year that these four areas have been stocked with trout in the spring, catfish in the summer, and trout again in the fall. They should provide excellent opportunities for children and families to get outside and enjoy fishing without having to travel far," said DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy.
Also intended to be attractive areas for families to get together and fish are the designated Trout Parks. All the Trout Parks that DEP plans to stock this fall will be stocked twice. "Our designated Trout Parks have become quite popular with anglers," said Commissioner McCarthy. "Trout Parks are great places for a family to spend an afternoon fishing and picnicking, especially during the height of the foliage season."
Conditions for both trout and trout anglers this fall should be much improved over last year when low stream flows extended well into the fall, especially in eastern Connecticut. "Last year, many rivers and streams couldn’t be stocked," noted Bill Hyatt, Director of DEP’s Inland Fisheries Division. "Conditions in 2008 have been much better, with moderate temperatures and plenty of water. Barring any unforeseen storms, Connecticut anglers can look forward to excellent trout fishing throughout the fall."
This year, of the approximately 44,000 trout scheduled to be released in the fall, 14,000 will be large brown trout (greater than 12 inches in length) that are being stocked in September; whereas 30,000 will be standard size (9-12 inch) rainbow trout that will be stocked in October. DEP started stocking trout in early September to take advantage of the longer day-length and the better weather found in late summer and early fall. The extended season will facilitate multiple stockings of a number of the more popular areas including the Trout Parks.
Among the Trout Management Areas (TMA) to be stocked this fall are the two areas on the Housatonic River. DEP will be releasing 1,200 brown trout into the Housatonic River TMA and 400 brown trout into the Bull’s Bridge TMA. These stockings are intended to enhance the population of large trout on the river. Recent DEP sampling found populations of "holdover" trout to be at low levels, possibly due to last year’s extreme conditions.
DEP also reminds anglers that the West Branch Farmington River (West Branch Reservoir to the West Branch TMA upper boundary) did receive its annual Labor Day stocking. In late August, a total of 2,400 trout (mostly 14-16 inch brown trout, with a few 12-14 inch rainbow trout mixed in) were released.
Trout Parks have a two-fish per day creel limit. Fishing in all sixteen Trout Management Areas is catch-and-release only during the fall. Regulations vary on many of the other waters to be stocked this fall. The DEP advises anglers to check fishing regulations in their 2008 Connecticut Angler’s Guide. Guides are available from Town Clerks, many bait & tackle stores, or by contacting the DEP Inland Fisheries Division (860-424-FISH). The Angler’s Guide, Weekly Fishing Reports and news releases can all be found on the DEP web site at: [/size][url "http://www.ct.gov/dep"][#006600][size 2]www.ct.gov/dep[/size][/#006600][/url][size 2]
Below are list of the Urban fishing Areas, Trout Parks, Trout Management areas, and other locations that are scheduled to be stocked this fall. Fall trout stocking is currently scheduled to be completed by mid-October.
URBAN FISHING AREAS:
Bunnells Pond (Beardsley Park)
Mohegan Park Pond
Keney Park Pond
Lake Wintergreen
TROUT PARKS:
Black Rock Pond
Mohegan Park Pond
Chatfield Hollow
Natchaug River
Day Pond
Valley Falls Park Pond
Great Hollow Pond (Wolfe Park)
Wharton Brook (Allen Brook Pond)
Kent Falls
TROUT MANAGEMENT AREAS (TMA):
Bulls Bridge TMA (Housatonic River)
Naugatuck River TMA
Farmington River TMA (Collinsville to Unionville)
Salmon River TMA
Hammonasset River TMA
Saugatuck River TMA
Housatonic River TMA
Sleeping Giant TMA (Mill River-Hamden)
Mianus River TMA
Yantic River TMA
Mill River TMA
RIVERS AND STREAMS (see Trout Parks & TMAs for additional locations):
East Aspetuck River
Natchaug River
Salmon River (Colchester)
Hammonasset River
Norwalk River
Sandy Brook
Mianus River
Pequonnock River
Saugatuck River
Mill River (Fairfield)
Pomperaug River
Scantic River
Mill River (Hamden)
East Branch Salmon Brook (Granby)
Shetucket River
LAKES AND PONDS (see Trout Parks for additional locations):
Amos Lake
Crystal Lake (Ellington)
Quonnipaug Lake
Bashan Lake
Gardner Lake
Rogers Lake
Beach Pond
Long Pond
Stillwater Pond
Bigelow Pond
Mashapaug Lake
Tyler Pond
Black Pond (Meriden)
Mohawk Pond
Wauregan Reservoir
Black Pond (Woodstock)
Moosup Pond
West Hill Pond
Cedar Lake
Mt. Tom Pond
West Side Pond
Coventry Lake
Pattaconk Lake
Wyassup Lake
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