Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced that it will be stocking 11 lakes and ponds in urban areas for the 2014 fishing season under an expansion of its Community Fishing Waters program.
At a Community Fishing Waters Summit in Hartford, DEEP said it is adding six locations to the five urban water bodies it has been stocking under the program, which was launched in 2006. As part of the Community Fishing Waters initiative, urban water bodies are stocked with trout in early spring and channel catfish by early summer to provide a year-round opportunity for anglers of all ages.
“With the expansion of our Community Fishing Waters program we will put enough fish in 11 urban lakes and ponds to create memorable fishing on Opening Day – and beyond – at these convenient locations,” said DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee. “Over the past seven years, we have seen an increase in angler participation and the number of fish caught by local residents at the urban ponds we have been stocking. Our research also showed that 97 percent of the people fishing in these waters traveled less than five miles, sometimes using public transportation, to get there. This is certainly a success story that we want to build on.”
The five original waterbodies in the Community Fishing Waters program are:
- Bridgeport – Bunnell’s Pond
- Hamden Lake – Wintergreen
- Hartford – Keney Park Pond
- Norwich – Mohegan Park Pond
- Waterbury – Lakewood Lake and Upper Fulton Park Pond
The six new waterbodies in the Community Fishing Waters program are:
- Bristol – Birge Pond
- Manchester – Center Springs Park Pond (stocking will occur after dam repairs are final in 2015)
- Meriden – Mirror Lake (Hubbard Park Pond)
- Middletown – Rowan’s Pond (Butternut Park Pond)
- New Britain – Stanley Quarter Park Pond
- New Haven – Beaver Park Pond/Lagoon
DEEP is currently preparing for the opening of the 2014 fishing season on April 19 by stocking 100 lakes and ponds as well as 200 rivers and streams with just over 500,000 trout and before the season ends, will have released close to 750,000 total trout.