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).

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, and 3,000 “yearling” brown trout) will be released into the Housatonic River TMA and 2,500 rainbow trout into the Bull’s Bridge TMA. 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 should enhance the holdover population for next spring.

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 2012 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 web site at: www.ct.gov/deep/fishing. Additionally, you can now find Fisheries and Wildlife directly on Facebook. This page features a variety of information on fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching in Connecticut. The address is www.facebook.com/CTFishandWildlife. This fall, anglers can find updates on DEEP’s trout stockings and news on upcoming broodstock Atlantic salmon stockings in both the Weekly Fishing Reports and on the Fisheries and Wildlife Facebook page.

TROUT PARKS (two trout per day limit):

TROUT MANAGEMENT AREAS (TMA, all catch-and-release only during the fall & winter):

OTHER RIVERS AND STREAMS (regulations vary; see 2012 CT Angler’s Guide):

LAKES AND PONDS (regulations vary; see 2012 CT Angler’s Guide):

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