Trout stocking season underway around the state

Get the fishing gear ready, because the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has been stocking trout in Connecticut lakes and rivers for the last four weeks.

DEEP’s Fisheries Division plans to release 500,000 brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and tiger trout — most of them about a foot long with some “much larger” — all grown from state fish hatcheries. The state plans to release the fish well into May, with about 10,700 trout dumped into 17 rivers and streams on March 13.

According to a DEEP stocking report, conditions now are very good for fishing. Air temperatures are warming to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit while the water is still chilly, perfect for cold-water adapted fish like trout.

DEEP maintains three fish hatcheries: the Burlington, Kensington and the Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery in Plainfield. The majority of trout grown to stock Connecticut streams come from Quinebaug, which is capable of housing about half a million trout in its 50 “grow out tanks.”

Trout from the state hatchery program are released into about 150 rivers and streams and 100 lakes and ponds statewide. In 2023, DEEP released over 582,000 trout of various species into Connecticut waters.

Some trout management areas allow for yearlong catch-and-release, with some restrictions. Others are seasonal or time-limited due to conservation concerns. Currently, trout species are available for catch-and-release between March 1 to April 14 statewide.

There are also 28 Wild Trout Management Areas statewide. Nine of these are sections of rivers with adequate reproduction to support year-round fishing with no hatchery stocking. This is where you’ll typically find native brook trout. The rest require the state to stock fry and baby brown trout to support the population.

Regulations on when and how to catch can vary by location and species, so consult the DEEP fishing guide online prior to fishing.