Close to 500,000 brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout will be stocked this spring from Mass Wildlife’s five hatcheries located in Sandwich, Palmer, Belchertown, Sunderland, and Montague. It has been a challenging year for the hatcheries this year given the extremely cold, icy, and snowy conditions that have prevailed this winter. Nevertheless, the close to 500,000 fish being stocked this spring, coupled with the more than 67,000 12+ inch trout stocked last fall should provide some excellent fishing in the coming months. Due to the heavy snow and thick ice that remains on lakes and ponds across the state, trout stocking likely will not begin until the last week of March or the first week in April, beginning with the eastern region of the state moving westward as the ice and snow melts.
Anglers are encouraged to check the trout stocking schedule for the district near you, or contact individual district offices for the latest stocking information. Trout stocking schedules will be updated every Friday between the end of March and Memorial Day in May.
Due to the heavy snow and thick ice that remains on lakes and ponds across the state, trout stocking likely will not begin until the last week of March or the first week in April, beginning with the eastern region of the state moving westward as the ice and snow melts. When stocking begins, the schedule will be updated on the below noted pages every Friday.
TROUT STOCKING SCHEDULE
Western District
TROUT STOCKING SCHEDULE
Connecticut Valley
TROUT STOCKING SCHEDULE
Central District
TROUT STOCKING SCHEDULE
Northeast District
TROUT STOCKING SCHEDULE
Southeast District
2015 SPRING TROUT FACTS:
- 45% of the fish average over 14 inches
- 72% of the fish average over 12 inches
- 218,000 rainbows will average over 14 inches
- 46,500 rainbows will average over 12 inches
- 10,000 rainbows will average between 9 and 12 inches
- 750 brown trout will be over 18 inches
- 46,600 brown trout will average over 12 inches
- 79,400 brown trout average between 9 and 12 inches
- 1,350 brook trout will average over 15 inches
- 37,600 brook trout will average over 12 inches
- 47,000 brook trout between 9 and 12 inches
- 2,500 tiger trout that will average over 14 inches
