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Latest Bites - December 2018
Trout Fishing is HOT!  We have completed fall stocking in most Trout Management Areas, Trout Management Lakes, and Trout Parks.  Over 50,000 trout were stocked this fall.  Get our stocking news on Facebook , the interactive Trout Stocking Ma p, or our Current Stocking Report.

Ice Fishing  is just around the corner (view our ice fishing video).  Give it a go at one of our FREE Learn to Ice Fish Classes.  View out our schedule for a class near you (schedule is updated frequently, so view it often).

Atlantic Salmon stocking is just about completed for 2018.  Fish have been stocked into the Naugatuck River Broodstock Area and Shetucket River Broodstock Area.

2019 Fishing licenses are on sale now.  100% of your investment in licenses, tags, permits, and stamps comes to the Bureau of Natural Resources in support of Fisheries and Wildlife programs.  
Atlantic Salmon Stocking
Our stocking of surplus Atlantic Salmon will be completed by Mid-December.  Each fall the salmon being raised at the Kensington State Fish Hatchery are screened by staff.  The first group to be stocked are 2 year old salmon that are considered to be "barren".  Barren fish are those which will not produce or only produce very limited number of eggs or milt (sperm).  

All non-barren fish are held for spawning later in November or early December.  After these fish are spawned, a second round of stocking (mostly of fish 3-4 years old) occurs.

Details of our Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Fishery can be found on page 28 of the 2018 Anglers Guide.
This Month's Mystery Fish 
(2 different species)
Email your guess to DEEP.inland.fisheries@ct.gov 
License Sales Fund Fish and Fishing
License dollars provide revenue to supports programs to increase recreational fishing opportunities, maintain access, and conserve and protect our fisheries.  

100% of your investment in a fishing license comes to the Bureau of Natural Resources to support fisheries programs (Connecticut General Statutes 26-15, 26-15a, and 26-15b).
The Trout and Salmon Stamp
With approval by the Legislative Regulations Review Committee on February 27, 2018, Connecticut now 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 deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov 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 LITTLE TUNNY, commonly referred to as FALSE ALBACORE. False Albacore are visitors to Long Island Sound, usually showing up around early September and staying for only a month or two. When these speedy fish arrive in our local waters, anglers commonly come down with a case of "albie fever" with the only cure being "fishing therapy"! 

The False Albacore resembles a tuna, but they are actually more closely related to a mackerel then a true tuna. These fish are considered poor table fair, but are prized for their fighting ability and beauty. Many will argue (and for good reason) that the False Albacore will fight harder, pound-for-pound, than any other fish in the sea! 

If you would like to target these fish next fall, the beaches and rocky shoreline of eastern CT are your best bet from shore. Look for classic "albie blitzes" as they erupt from the surface while chasing baitfish. Be ready to cast long distances when you see them blitzing and have light line (15-20 lb) as they can be selective. Good lures to try include heavy spoons and metal lures that can be casted far (i.e. Deadly Dicks, Hoby Epoxy jigs, Crippled Herrings, Albie Snax...). Skip your lures across the surface to mimic a fleeing baitfish, make sure your drag is set properly, and hang on!
All Things Fishing 
We have fishing covered in the new "Connecticut is Fishy" application. Within a 60 minute drive you can be fly fishing the famed Housatonic River or Farmington River, catching monster Northern Pike in Bantam Lake, jumbo Common Carp from the Connecticut River, or on Long Island Sound fishing for tasty favorites like fluke, porgy, sea bass, and bluefish.
The "Connecticut is Fishy" application is a cross between an atlas, our Angler's Guide, our fishing web pages, and interactive maps. We know you will be hooked.
License Fees Fund Hunting and Fishing Programs

100%  of the fees collected from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, tags, permits, and stamps goes to support fish and wildlife conservation, preservation, and recreation programs administered by the Bureau of Natural Resources (Connecticut General Statutes 26-15, 20-15(a), 26-15 (b)). 

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!



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