May 21, 2013
Saturday, April 20, is Opening Day for anglers
Written by Cyndy Chanaca, CT DEEP
Thursday, 18 April 2013 14:56
A Seeforellen strain brown trout.Opening Day of the Trout Fishing Season is Saturday, April 20, and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has the state’s rivers, streams, lakes and ponds stocked and ready. Approximately 381,000 trout have already been released this spring into 102 lakes and ponds and 200 rivers and streams throughout Connecticut and are awaiting Opening Day anglers. DEEP’s spring trout stocking effort began in early March and will continue through the end of May. When the spring stockings are completed, DEEP expects to have stocked over 630,000 trout.
“Opening Day is an exciting time for Connecticut’s many trout anglers, and they can look forward to exceptional fishing this season,” said Susan Whalen, Deputy Commissioner of DEEP. “The fish are in excellent condition, nearly all of our trout waters are stocked and anglers can enjoy a wide range of fishing options. Additionally, Opening Day is a special time for many families, the traditional first time to get outdoors together after winter.”
Among the best places for families to fish on Opening Day are the designated Trout Parks. “Trout Parks are easily accessible, have picnic areas and other amenities nearby, and are stocked frequently so that there are plenty of trout for children, families, and novice anglers to catch,” said Bill Hyatt, Chief of DEEP’s Bureau of Natural Resources. “And as an added feature, families will be able to help stock trout at eight of the Trout Parks on Opening Day. We have found that these stockings are a real highlight for many families.”
Ten of the Trout Parks have already been stocked by the DEEP, including the areas that are scheduled to be stocked again on Opening Day: Black Rock Pond (Watertown), Chatfield Hollow State Park (Killingworth), Southford Falls State Park (Oxford), Stratton Brook State Park (Simsbury), Wharton Brook State Park (Wallingford), Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich), Valley Falls Park Pond (Vernon) and Great Hollow Pond/Wolfe Park (Monroe). Each of the Trout Parks stocked on Opening Day will receive 400-450 trout (see table on last page for times). All the remaining Trout Parks will be re-stocked shortly after Opening Day and all Trout Parks will be stocked multiple times through May. The Trout Park at Kent Falls State Park, which is currently closed due to ongoing renovations, has not yet been stocked this year. DEEP does expect to stock the Kent Falls Trout Park once it reopens in early May.
DEEP has again stocked the Community Fishing Areas at Keney Park Pond (Hartford), Lake Wintergreen (Hamden), Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport), Mohegan Park Pond (also managed as a Trout Park) and Upper Fulton Park Pond (Waterbury) with trout for Opening Day. Begun in 2006 as part of the “No Child Left Inside” initiative, Community Fishing Areas are intended to enhance fishing opportunities in Connecticut’s major population centers.
Depressed river herring population continues
Monday, 08 April 2013 12:35
Top, an alewife; below, a blueback herring; both are also known as river herring because they live in salt water and spawn in fresh water.Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced April 5 that the prohibition on the taking of alewives and blueback herring from most inland and marine waters in Connecticut has been extended for another year. This action was initially taken in April of 2002, and has been extended each successive year because there has been no improvement in population size during the past year. The current action by DEEP Commissioner Daniel C. Esty extends the prohibition through March 31, 2014.
“Despite the conservation efforts taken by this agency and others over the past decade, the runs of river herring in Connecticut are still diminished,” said DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen. “The best available data from this past year indicates that the closure of these fisheries must therefore remain in place.”
River herring is a term used collectively to refer to alewife and blueback herring. Both species are anadromous, which means they hatch in freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow, then return to freshwater to spawn. Historically, millions of river herring returned to Connecticut’s rivers and streams each year. More than 630,000 blueback herring were passed over the Holyoke Dam (Massachusetts) on the Connecticut River in 1985. By 2006, only 21 passed the Holyoke Dam, the lowest number in the history of the Holyoke Fishlift. Last year that number was only 39. While river herring are not typically consumed by humans, they are important food to many species of freshwater and marine gamefish, as well as osprey, bald eagle, harbor seals, porpoise, egrets, kingfishers and river otter.
“We still are not certain about the exact cause of the decline in river herring runs, but there is no indication that there is a problem with Connecticut’s rivers and streams,” said William Hyatt, Chief of DEEP’s Bureau of Natural Resources “The decline has been observed all along the east coast and the common factor is the ocean and estuaries. There was a renewed effort during 2012 to address this problem and new steps have been taken. We now wait to see if they help.
Trout stocking is underway for April 20 Opening Day
Written by Cyndy Chanaca, CT DEEP
Friday, 15 March 2013 09:37
Opening Day for fishing is Saturday, April 20th and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) expects to have over 378,000 trout stocked throughout the state in time for Opening Day.
Late February into early March historically marks the beginning of the trout stocking for the DEEP’s Inland Fisheries Division. This year, highly variable winter conditions have made the task even more challenging.
“Stocking nearly four hundred thousand fish prior to Opening Day is a monumental task in the best weather,” said Pete Aarrestad, director of DEEP’s Inland Fisheries Division. “Despite challenges we faced, we still plan to stock all water bodies that have been scheduled by Opening Day.”
December update from Connecticut DEEP
Friday, 07 December 2012 13:47
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Dec. 6, 2012
Inland Update
ATLANTIC SALMON
2012 fall broodstock Atlantic salmon update –DEEP completed its 2012 fall broodstock Atlantic salmon stockings this week by releasing over 200 fish into Beach Pond (106 salmon) and Mount Tom Pond (100 salmon). These stockings brought the total number of salmon stocked this fall to over 2,000 fish with Beach Pond (106 salmon), Crystal Lake (200 salmon) Mount Tom Pond (200 salmon), the upper Naugatuck River (403 salmon), lower Naugatuck River (403 salmon) and Shetucket River (713 salmon) all stocked. The fish stocked this fall ranged in size from 2 to 21 lbs each.
WINTER DRAWDOWNS of a number of Eastern CT lakes are in progress. Reported lake depth status for the following water bodies is current as of Wednesday, December 5th: Bashan Lake (down 37 inches), Beseck Lake (down 3 feet), Gardner Lake (down 36 inches), Lower Bolton Lake (down 24 inches), Middle Bolton Lake (down 26 inches), Pachaug Pond (down 36 inches) and Mashapaug Lake (down 32 inches).
WESTERN CT WINTER DRAWDOWNS. A three foot drawdown of Highland Lake and a two foot drawdown of West Hill Pond are ongoing.
SEASON CLOSINGS
Anglers are reminded that the fishing season is now closed at a number of areas, including BUNNELLS POND (Beardsley Park), GREAT HOLLOW POND (Wolfe Park), LAKE MCDONOUGH, the MALTBY LAKES, LAKE SALTONSTALL, MOHEGAN PARK POND (Spaulding Pond, Norwich), LAKE CHAMBERLAIN and at most designated “children’s areas”. (Please refer to the 2012 CT Angler’s Guide for complete regulations).
The fishing season at SAUGATUCK RESERVOIR will close after December 31st (reopens April 20, 2013)
NOTES & REMINDERS:
Connecticut's fall trout stocking has begun
Friday, 28 September 2012 14:27
The Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced this week that its 2012 autumn trout stockings have begun. From now through mid-October, DEEP is releasing over 29,000 trophy and adult sized trout into selected waters throughout the state. Among the areas scheduled to be stocked this fall are twenty-four lakes and ponds, fourteen rivers and streams including twelve of the Trout Management Areas (TMA) and eight Trout Parks. DEEP will also be stocking more than 42,000 “yearling” trout into selected waters throughout the state.
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 the DEEP. “A family can get outdoors before winter sets in and enjoy a day of fishing and picnicking in the late fall weather.”
Approximately 29,000 adult trout will be released this fall, of which 14,000 will be trophy size brown trout (all greater than 12 inches in length). The remaining 15,000 adults are standard size (9-10 inch) rainbow trout. Additionally, 3,000 “yearling” brown trout (6-9 inch fish) will be stocked into the Housatonic River and another 39,000 will be stocked into 13 rivers and streams scattered throughout the state. These fish are intended to provide additional angling opportunities, and in some cases, to also enhance wild trout populations.
Typically, DEEP conducts a pre-Labor Day stocking of portions of the West Branch Farmington River to start off the fall season. This year the stockings were postponed two weeks due to atypically warm water temperatures and low flows in this river. Conditions have since improved and in mid-September, DEEP stocked 1,500 brown trout 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).
The Connecticut DEEP Fishing Report No. 17
Written by Dwayne Gardner
Tuesday, 21 August 2012 13:45
The current Connecticut DEEP Fishing Report (No. 17, mid-August) is showing mostly fair to good action across inland and marine locales.
Fishing Report for Aug. 10
Written by Dwayne Gardner
Friday, 10 August 2012 13:15
DEEP officials ask fisherman to keep an eye out for the invasive Chinese Mitten Crab, which has recently been found near the mouth of the Mianus River.The Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Division’s most recent fishing report (No. 16, issued Aug. 10) says that largemouth bass fishing is still good with smallmouth bass also biting well, particularly on the upper Housatonic and in lakes including Candlewood. On the Sound, striped bass fishing is good and bluefish good to excellent.
Inland Report
LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing is reported as good. Night fishing is in full swing and producing many fish. Try black jitterbugs and surface poppers. Areas to try include Lake McDonough, Rogers Lake, Amos Lake, Halls Pond, Lake Wononskopomuc, Lake Williams, Candlewood Lake, Coginchaug River, Pattaconk Lake, Ball Pond, Aspinook Pond, Lake Saltonstall, Seymour Reservoir, Twin Brooks Park Pond, Park Pond, Lake Hayward, Burr Pond, Lower Bolton Lake, Lake Zoar, Pomperaug River, Bantam Lake, Stillwater Pond, Mudge Pond, Hatch Pond, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Pachaug Pond, Batterson Park Pond, Gardner Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Bishop Swamp, Red Cedar Lake, Winchester Lake, Highland Lake, Black Pond (Woodstock), Quaddick Reservoir, Moodus Reservoir, Bashan Lake, Pickerel Lake and Dog Pond.
What's biting in late July?
Friday, 27 July 2012 11:03
The Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Division’s most recent fishing report (No. 14, issued July 26) says that largemouth bass fishing is generally good while northern pike fishing is slow in freshwater lakes. River flows are slow and warm with the recent heat waves, but heavy thunderstorms can increase flows rapidly.
Striped bass and bluefish angling reports include good areas in both eastern and western Long Island Sound.
Keeper-size fluke are worth the effort
Written by Leon Sylvester, Jr.
Thursday, 24 May 2012 14:58
Jack Carr, 10, of Shelton displays his first striped bass, landed on the Housatonic River. He and Brian Berrito, also 10, who also landed his first keeper bass, are the Anglers of the Week.Fluke season officially opened last week prompting many area saltwater anglers to turn their attention to the pursuit of this tasty flatfish. Fluke (also known as summer flounder) are one of the north Atlantic’s prize catches and one of the best-eating fish the ocean has to offer.
Fluke can be easily caught by drifting various baits including squid, sand eels, shiners and worms along the bottom. Landing a keeper-size fluke however, can a bit more tricky. Typically, a 10-1 short fish-to-keeper ratio is a good day, but with new regulations in Connecticut and shorter minimum-length requirements, anglers should find plenty of legal-size fish showing up in our waters over the weeks to come.
Fluke season opens this week
Written by Leon Sylvester, Jr.
Thursday, 17 May 2012 12:12
5-year-old-Angler-of-the-week-Connor Bobbie.Fluke or Summer Flounder season opens this week, but in the meantime striped bass and some early arrival bluefish are keeping saltwater anglers occupied.
Striped bass fishing was once again hit or miss this past week, with some quality fish being reported in the Housatonic River, Black Rock Harbor, Bridgeport Harbor, Penfield Reef and in the vicinity of Charles Island.
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