DEEP STOCKS CATFISH IN 24 LAKES, PONDS

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced Tuesday that for the 11th consecutive year, one of the most sought-after freshwater game fish species in the country, the channel catfish, has been stocked into 24 bodies of water across Connecticut.

Three of the ponds are in eastern Connecticut. At Spaulding Pond at Mohegan Park in Norwich, 500 adult catfish were released. At Hopeville Pond at Hopeville Pond State Park in Griswold, 1,300 juvenile catfish were released. Quinebaug Lake at Quinebaug Lake State Park in Killingly received 800 juvenile fish.

This year approximately 15,800 catfish were stocked statewide, DEEP said in a news release. The “cats” stocked include adult fish averaging 12-18 inches in length and weighing just under 2 pounds; and juvenile fish averaging 9-12 inches and about a half-pound in weight. Stocking the larger fish provides an immediate summer fishery for a great tasting, high-quality fish, while stocking the smaller fish provides a cost-effective investment for great catfish fishing into the future, DEEP said.

“This DEEP program establishes channel catfish in lakes where we know there is sufficient habitat to support a population of large game fish,” said Bill Hyatt, chief of DEEP’s Bureau of Natural Resources. “Anglers have reported taking five-to-seven pound fish from several of the lakes. DEEP believes that the combination of a popular game fish stocked into waters that are selected based on scientific data is a winning combination. We’ve had great success in using this approach to develop exciting fisheries for northern pike and walleye and now we’re seeing similar results with catfish.”

Just over half of the locations stocked are part of DEEP’s Community Fishing Waters Program. The intent of the program is to create and enhance year-round fishing opportunities in highly populated areas by combining trout stocking in the spring, catfish stocking in late spring or early summer, or both. This program began in 2007 and has expanded to now include 14 lakes or ponds.

There is currently no minimum size for harvest or daily catch limit for catfish in Connecticut. DEEP encourages anglers to enjoy fishing and catching catfish, but to only take the fish intended for eating.

Fishing regulations can be found at www.ct.gov/deep/anglersguide.