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Latest Bites - November 2019
Land Your Family on the 2020 Fishing Guide Cover
Deadline is November 1
We are currently looking for the best "Family Fishing" photo to be featured on the cover of the 2020 CT DEEP Fishing Guide.  Please visit our web page for  contest details.  Photos to contend for the cover should be high resolution, colorful, and represent the great fishing Connecticut has to offer.  We especially want to see the family together as a group in the photo.  Email your entries to [email protected] 
TIP of the Month!
Atlantic Salmon  Fall in Connecticut brings many things, from changing leaves, fairs, and hunting season for many popular game.  Fall also brings Atlantic salmon from our Kensington State Fish Hatchery to our Atlantic Salmon Management Areas on the Naugatuck River and Shetucket River as well as Mount Tom Pond and Crystal Lake (Ellington).  These salmon are specifically produced from fish being held at our Kensington State Fish Hatchery to support our "Legacy" program.  The "Legacy" program is an effort put forth by the Fisheries Division to maintain a captive line of the Connecticut River Salmon strain. 

The majority of the fish produced for the recreational fishery are 2+ years old and average 18-20  inches and 2 pounds and are stocked in mid-October.  A smaller number of large 4+ year old fish are stocked in early December following their spawning.

Fishing for Atlantic Salmon is only allowed in the Designated Atlantic Salmon Management Areas.  The rules and regulations vary depending upon if you are fishing in the rivers or the lakes.  Please see page 28 of or Fishing Guide for all of the details.  
DEEP's Catfish Management Lakes
Hoop Nets,  as pictured below, are an effective way to catch Channel Catfish in order to determine the number of fish in a particular waterbody.  During this past late summer and fall the Fisheries Division have been setting and monitoring these nets on several of our Catfish Management Lakes. Early indications are that our stocking of yearling Channel Catfish for the past decade had matured into a very robust population of this popular game fish.  If you are looking to diversify your fishing skill while also catching a delicious and healthy meal, look no further than CT's Catfish Lakes.  
DEEP's Lake and Pond Fish Monitoring Efforts
The Fisheries Division  has regularly monitored fish populations among the state's important lakes and large rivers  since 1988 via night boat electrofishing. Lakes are dynamic systems that are subject to both  natural variations as well as anthropogenic influences (e.g. winter drawdowns, chemical  herbicide applications, dredging, invasive species, changes in angler pressure, and climate  change). Maintaining current fish population data is therefore vital for fishery biologists to  make informed management decisions. 

Through this work, Connecticut's special management  lakes (Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish and Northern Pike) are sampled to assess potential  changes in fish populations. Additionally, a variety of waterbodies are also sampled on a regular  rotational basis to document overarching statewide trends among Connecticut's freshwater fish  populations.

Data from our lake and pond surveys can be accessed via the DEEP's Fish Community Data Viewer.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Big Memories
On October 19th the Nutmeg chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters joined our CARE (Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education) program at Center Springs Pond in Manchester to take our Introduction to Fishing class. They were quick learners and had a great day of fishing! Many of the mentees hooked their first fish, and got hooked themselves on fishing. If you or your organization are interested in attending an Introduction to Fishing class check out the class schedule on our website. If there are no classes offered in your area, have your local recreation department contact the CARE Center at (860) 663-1656. We'll try to get one started!
The Future of Walleye
On October 28, we completed our annual stocking of Walleye fingerlings.  The fish are stocked into our Walleye Management Lakes each fall as 4-6 inch fingerlings.  The fish were reared and shipped from a commercial hatchery in Minnesota.  Stocking fingerlings is a cost-effective method to support quality catches of Walleye in Connecticut.  Each lake is allocated a set number of fish per acre (larger lakes receives more fish than smaller lakes), and this ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 fish per lake.  For more details about our Walleye Program, please visit our annual Walleye Report.      
Fishing Spot of the Month
The Naugatuck River "Campville Section" is a hidden gem for those looking to get away from the crowds of the most popular fishing locations.  The "Campville" section of the river begins at the Route 118 crossing in Harwinton and extends approximately 2.5 miles downstream into the Army Corps of Engineer's Thomaston Dam area.  Continuous access is best upstream of Campville Road with a well established dirt path on either bank.  The best way to fish this section is to walk 5-10 minutes upstream on the road and then fish your way back down.  The length of river has a series of deep pools, lengthy runs, and swift flowing riffles.  A great way to spend an afternoon.  To get to the Campville Bridge - take exit 41 off of Route 8.  Head downhill from the exit ramp.  The bridge over the river is about 3/4 of a mile from the exit ramp. 
We need you:
 Become a DEEP volunteer Fishing Instructor!


Do you enjoy fishing? Spending time outdoors? Interested in sharing your knowledge and passion?  We need you!

Becoming a DEEP CERTIFIED FISHING INSTRUCTOR is easy...
  1. Submit an application and pass a background check
  2. Attend a 1-day training and begin teaching fishing courses
  3. We provide YOU with equipment and teaching materials
  4. YOU provide introductory level fishing classes and events to the public
  5. YOU create life-long memories of FIRST FISH!!
The Fisheries Division - Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) program is seeking volunteer fishing instructors. The next New Instructor Certification Training will be held on February 29th, 2020 at Keney Park Pond House in Hartford. Any interested individuals can contact Tom or Justin at the CARE Center (860) 663-1656. 

Youth Fishing Passport's Fishing Challenge
There is still plenty of great fishing to be had and time to get or renew the  Youth Fishing Passport  for your budding fisher-folk under the age of 16.  The  Fishing Challenge  is a scavenger hunt to see if you can catch all of the fish on the scorecard.  Email your successful catches along with the angler's conservation ID to get credit.  The Top 4 (most number of species on the  scorecard ) will be acknowledged at our annual angler recognition ceremony.

Youth Fishing Passport
This Month's Mystery Fish 
Email your guess to [email protected] 
The Trout and Salmon Stamp
With approval by the Legislative Regulations Review Committee on February 27, 2018, Connecticut has a Trout and Salmon Stamp.  100% of the money invested in this stamp is guaranteed to support fisheries programs.  Please visit our FAQ page or email [email protected] with questions.  A summary is provided below.

Anyone age 16 or older including everyone who is age 65 or older who chooses to do one or both of the following must purchase a trout and salmon stamp:

1. FISH in one of the following areas:  Trout Park, Trout Management Area, Wild Trout Management Area, or a Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Area.

2. HARVEST (keep) trout, Kokanee Salmon, or Atlantic Salmon anywhere in the state (except for waters stocked at no expense to the state).

The fee is $5.00 for age 18 and older and $3.00 for those 16-17.  The stamp is good for the calendar year (expires on December 31).

The Trout and Salmon Stamp will print on your fishing license as an additional privilege.
Mystery Fish Revealed
Last month's  Mystery Fish  was the Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), the "palomino" version.  Some call these a "Golden Trout", however the Golden Trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita) is actually one of the types of trout found in a few waterbodies in California.  It is also California's state fish.  

So what is a palomino Rainbow Trout?  The palomino version is actually a genetic mutation that was discovered in 1949 by hatchery staff in West Virginia.  The hatchery was rearing fry obtained from the White Sulfur Federal Fish Hatchery when one of the fish seemed "off color".  This one fish was isolated and reared over the next several years.  This female, then was spawned with hopes of passing on the genetics for this unique coloration.  The rest is history. The State of West Virginia perfected the selection for this mutated gene and now routinely produces tens of thousands of "Golden Trout".  For more about the palomino Rainbow Trout, visit the West Virginia web page.

The CT DEEP Fisheries Division had stocked "goldens" decades ago and does not have plans for rearing this strain in our hatcheries.  Each year, privately funded fish and game clubs, municipalities, and non-profits apply for and are granted liberation permits (from the Fisheries Division) to each stock a handful of "golden" trout for their derby or special fishing event.  The fish pictured above was captured in July of 2019, but was initially stocked into the West Branch Farmington River by the Trophy Fish Club as part of the annual Opening Day Fishing Derby in Riverton, CT.
License Fees Fund Hunting & Fishing Programs

Each time you purchase a license your contribution goes to support hunting, fishing, and open space right here in CT. 

So, the next time you see a bald eagle, harvest a white-tail, pheasant, or turkey, or catch a brown trout or striped bass, give yourself and your fellow sportsmen a pat on the back!

You are making a difference and we thank you for your support!
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