While saltwater enthusiasts look forward to the “Fall Run” with great excitement, there is another fishing opportunity in the form of fall trout stocking which takes place in September and October. While not associated with the same fanfare of the spring program, it may in fact offer bigger and better opportunities for local anglers. As it sees much lower fishing pressure than the spring, you will likely see more fish make it through the first few days. Also, this is a time of the year when a lot of the broodstock fish are released so your chances of hooking up with a truly over-sized trout or even a salmon are quite high.
CONNECTICUT
In the Connecticut DEEP’s most recent fishing report on September 28, it was noted that “Trout stocking remains on hold due to the record warm temperatures we experienced early this week. We are monitoring the conditions and as soon as possible, we will be stocking.”
A look to the past fishing reports, as well as the fall stocking report, indicates that a good slug of trout have already been stocked in the Nutmeg state. The Housatonic River and Farmington River in western Connecticut received 10,300 fish combined in the final week of August through the first week of September. In the eastern part of the state, the Salmon River and Moosup River received 1,400 fish on 9/18, and another 4,000 trout were stocked in the Housatonic River.
Connecticut also has the unique opportunity to target broodstock Atlantic salmon. While the specifics have yet to be announced on the fall 2017 program, expect to see some news on this in the coming weeks. In 2016 the stocking took place in mid-October. In our update last year, it was noted that “275 broodstock Atlantic salmon were stocked into the Shetucket River Broodstock Area, and 270 broodstock Atlantic Salmon were stocked into the Naugatuck River (135 fish in the upper broodstock area and 135 fish into the lower broodstock area.) In addition, 500 fish were stocked into Mount Tom Pond and 500 fish into Crystal Lake (Ellington) three weeks ago. These salmon are 2- to 6-pound fish. Additional fish will become available from the Kensington State Fish Hatchery in November, including some in the 6- to 20-pound range.”
Your best bet for specifics on where and how many fish have been stocked would be to review either the Fish & Wildlife Facebook page Fish & Wildlife Facebook page or the weekly fishing reports provided by the DEEP.
RHODE ISLAND
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is stocking ponds across Rhode Island with some 10,000 trout in advance of Columbus Day weekend – a popular time for recreational fishing. The number of waterbodies stocked will be limited given current drought conditions; if conditions improve, additional stocking will take place this fall.
The following waters will be stocked:
Carbuncle Pond, Coventry
Olney Pond, Lincoln
Silver Spring Pond, North Kingstown
Barber Pond, South Kingstown
Round Top Ponds, Burrillville
Meadowbrook Pond, Cronan Landing, Lower Shannock Fishing Area, and Beaver River (Rt. 138), Richmond
Ponagansett Fishing Area, Foster; Wallum Lake, Burrillville
Wood River, Dow Field, Mechanic Street, Barberville, Wyoming Pond, Pawcatuck River, Hopkinton
Potter Hill Landing, Westerly
For timely stocking information, follow DEM’s outdoor education page on Facebook.
As part of a new initiative aimed at making larger, trophy-sized, hatchery-raised brown trout available to anglers, 400 brood stock brown trout with an average weight of 4 to 6 pounds will be stocked at Carbuncle Pond in Coventry beginning this fall.
MASSACHUSETTS
Fall Trout Stocking varies each year, but stocking takes place during a 2-week period (depending on water temperatures), beginning in the last week of September and ending before Columbus Day weekend. More than 60,000 trout measuring 12 inches and longer will be stocked this fall according to Mass Fish & Wildlife. Fall stocking reports – updated daily – are available online. The trout stocked waters pages provide a list of Massachusetts waters that are usually stocked in the spring and fall.
Between September 26 and 29 this year, rainbow trout were stocked in seventeen waters in the Southeast Wildlife District which includes Cape Cod. Included were the following ponds:
Fearing, Spectacle (Sandwich)
Baker, Hamblin, Schubael, Big Sandy, Long (Plymouth)
Little, Mashpee, Peters, Cliff, Sheep, Ashumet, Johns, Grews, Mary’s, and Flax
(Hamblin, Baker, Cliff, Johns, Ashumet, and Mashpee were stocked twice.)
The Ware River, located within the Central Wildlife District, was the only other venue to receive a slug of trout last week.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department stocks trout every year during the fall months, mostly to bolster the winter ice fishery. This should translate into some exciting action for winter anglers, according to Inland Fisheries Division Chief Jason Smith.
Anglers going after trout can find lists of waters that remain open to the taking of trout year round on the Fish and Game website for lakes and ponds and for rivers and streams. Rules for waterbodies with special regulations are listed in the N.H. Freshwater Fishing Digest, available from license agents or on the Fish & Game website.
Additionally, the Fish and Game Department hatcheries will stock out post-spawn brook and brown trout into selected waterbodies without a closed season before winter. These fish can range from 2-3 pounds each. Numbers, dates and stocking locations vary annually, depending on availability.
