BROOKLYN: Basset Pond

EAST WINDSOR: Butternut Pond-(Closes October 31)

GLASTONBURY: Pasture Pond

MANCHESTER: Center Springs Pond

PLAINFIELD: Pasture Pond (Quinebqug Valley Hatchery) Cloese Sept. 30th.

PUTNAM: Hurlburt Pond

STAFFORD: Hyde Park Pond

THOMPSON: Lilly Pond.

ANSONIA: Abe Stone Park Pond (Colony Park Road)

BRISTOL: Page Park Pond

EASTON: Helen Keller School Pond

FAIRFIELD: Gould Manor Pond

MILFORD: City Hall Pond North Street Pond

MERIDEN: Mirror Lake (Hubbard Park Pond)

NEW BRITAIN: Stanley Quarter Pond

NEW HAVEN: Edgewood Park Pond

NEWINGTON: Mill Pond

SALISBURY: Factory Pond

SEYMOR: Sochrin Pond

TORRINGTON: Clark Pond (Besse Pond)

TRUMBULL: Katz Pond

WATERBURY: Lower Fulton Park Pond

WEST HARTFORD: Beachland Pond, Fernridge Park Pond, McGovern Pond

WETHERSFIELD: Mill Woods Park Pond

WINDSOR: Stroh Pond, Washington PArk Pond

WINDSOR LOCKS: Upper Bassin Pond.

Trout Management Areas are established to allow the implemtetion of special management concepts in areas judged to be excellent trout habitat. The ultimate goal is to enhance recreational fiishing and provide a variety of opportunities for Connecticut's trout anglers.

The DEP Fisheries Division is involved in an effort to restore Atlantic salmon to the CT River and selected tributaries. This effort in CT includes: operation of the Kensington Atlantic Salmon Hatchery; release of juvenile salmon into the Farmington and Salmon River systems; operation of fish passage facilities at Rainbow Dam on the Farmington River, on the Eight Mile River and at Leesiville Dam on the Salmon River; collection of adult salmon that return to these fishways; and operation of an adult holding facility on the Farmington River in Barkhamsted. In addition, the DEP is a member of the CT River Atlantic Salmon Commission, a compact of the CT River basin states created by legislation in each state and ratified by the U.S. Congress. The Commission is charged with the management of Atlantic salmon and has the authority to regulate the harvest of salmon in the main stem of the CT River. The returns of adult improve when larger numbers of young salmon migrate from the river to feeding grounds in the open ocean. A DEP fry stocking program releases newly hatched fish . The young fish grow to 3 to 5 inches parr which closely resemble trout except for their deeply forked tails. Up to two years after release from our Kensington Hatchery as fry, young salmon (smolts) turn silver at lengths of from 5 to 9 inches. As they prepare for their spring migration, salmon smolts are present in large numbers. Unfortunately the smolts are very aggressive and easily caught. In order to provide maximum protection, DEP has placed a length limit on trout (and salmon) of nine inches in the areas where salmon smolts may be found. Since salmon smolts congregate in large schools during their migration, anglers are urged to leave an area where they are catching numbers of trout-like fish under nine inches. The cooperation of every angler is necessary if the Atlantic salmon restoration program is to succeed.

Kokanee are landlocked cousins of the larger, sockeye salmon that return from the Pacific ocean to spawn in west coast rivers. How they came to East Twin Lake is unknown, but they have supported fisheries of varying importance for more than fifty years in CT. Each autumn, adult kokanee are tarpnetted from East Twin Lake, West Hill Pond and Lake Wononscopomuc, Salisbury and transported to the Burligton State Trout Hatchery for spawning. There, the eggs are incubated and the resulting fry reared until late May. They are then stocked into three lakes. Within three summers, the fry grow into adult salmon 10-16 inches long. In the past, this cost effective management effort has created a highly productive and important fishery at East Twin Lake and small fisheries at West Hill Pond and Lake Wononscopomuc. Recently, however, alewives were illegally introduced into East Twin Lake. These small shad-like fish have become very abundant, and are out-competing the kokanee for food. Survival and growth of kokanee have become so reduced that they can no longer support a recreational fishery.

The Fisheries Division is attempting to control alewife numbers by increasing the poulation of large brown trout in East Twin Lake. Brown trout are iscivores and the alewife is a favored prey item. Beginning in 1993, all brown trout equal to or greater than (14) inches and less than (22) inches must be released, without avoidable injury. In addition, the open season for brown trout in East Twin Lake is from 6:00 A.M. on the third Saturday in April through May 31st. Once alwives are controlled, it is hoped that the kokanee fishery in East Twin Lake can be restored.

The northern pike is a coolwater species that is not native to Connecticut. This species is the largest of out freash water gamefish and has reached a record weight of 29 pounds. Northern pike are closely related to the more commonly found native chain pickerel. The two species can be identified by chainlike markings on the chain pickerel and the white spots on the pike, but are most easily seperated by the fact that pike have scales only on the top half of the gill covers. Fishable pike poulation are currently found in Bantam Lake and in the CT River. In 1992 pike were introduced into Mansfield Hollow Reservoir in hopes of developing a fishery. Angler reports of pike captures are on the increase at Mansfield Hollow. the Fisheries Division maintains and manages several spawning marshes for pike. There is no closed season for northern pike, except in Bantam Lake and its tributaries where the closed season is from March 1- April 30. Statewide daily creel limit is (2) fish and the minimum length limit is 24 inches. In Bantam Lake and its tributaires the daily creel limit is (1) fish and the minimum length limit is 36 inches, during the period December 1 through the last day in February.

The DEP Fisheries Division produces aproximately 800,000 catchable trout each year for distribution into the public waters of the state. All waters open to public fishing and suitable for trout are stocked. Catchable trout are defined as yearlings-from six to eight inches long-and adults-from nine to twelve inches long. It has been determined that most suitable trout for most CT waters is the brown trout which make up about 65% of our hatchery production. The remaining production includes 20% rainbow trout and 15% brook trout.

Springtime trout distribution begins in early March and is generally completed by the end of May with a total of 308 rivers and streams and 82 lakes and ponds receiving fish. Major streams and lakes are stocked preseason and at least once during the season. Aproximately 60% of the distribution is complete prior to the opening of the fishing season. Aproximately 20 lakes and 18 rivers and streams are stocked again in October to provide for fall trout fishing. The numbers of fish stocked in each location depends on total trout production, area open to the public, habitat quality and fishing pressure. An annual report of the previous year's trout distribution is available on request.

Public visitation is welcome at DEP trout hatcheries. For further info call the Burlington Valley (Plainfield) Trout Hatchery at (860) 564-7542.