The annual fall stocking of our specially produced Atlantic salmon continues. Two lakes, Mount Tom Pond (Washington) and Crystal Lake (Ellington) were stocked earlier this fall, and now the very popular Atlantic Salmon Management Areas on the Naugatuck River and the Shetucket River have each been stocked on two separate occasions over the last few weeks. About 25% of these fish produced each fall are stocked into the lakes and 75% into the rivers. Stocking of more and bigger Atlantic Salmon will continue throughout November!
For more on this program please visit our Atlantic Salmon Management Area webpage.
It is important to understand that these fish are not part of any restoration effort, they are produced specifically to provide a unique recreational fishery. The Fisheries Division can only stock these fish in waters outside of the Connecticut River Watershed (it is illegal to fish for Atlantic salmon within the CT River Watershed).
Regulations for these waters can be found on page 28 of the 2020 Fishing Guide.
For the lakes, the daily limit is one salmon per person per day. A trout and salmon stamp is needed to keep these fish.
For the rivers, fishing is catch and release until December 16, 2020. A trout and salmon stamp is required to FISH in both the Naugatuck River and Shetucket River Atlantic Salmon Management areas.
Official Posting of ATLANTIC SALMON FISHING REGULATIONS by Commissioner Dykes
In the Naugatuck, Housatonic and Shetucket Rivers, from September 1 through December 15, angling for Atlantic salmon is restricted to catch-and-release only. From December 16, 2020, through March 31, 2021, the daily creel limit for Atlantic salmon will be one. During the open season in the rivers, the legal method for taking Atlantic salmon is limited to angling using a single fly, or an artificial lure with a single free swinging hook and no additional weight can be added to the line above the fly or lure. Also, from September 1st through March 31st, fishing for other species in the designated Atlantic Salmon “Broodstock Areas” is restricted to the gear legal for Atlantic salmon.
On the Shetucket River, anglers can fish for salmon downstream from the Scotland Dam (Windham) to the Water Street Bridge in Norwich (the first bridge upstream of Norwich Harbor). The salmon are stocked into one designated Atlantic Salmon “Broodstock Area”, from the Scotland Dam to the Occum Dam.
Anglers are allowed to fish for salmon in the Naugatuck River from the confluence of the East and West Branches (Torrington) downstream to the Housatonic River (Derby). Anglers may also fish for Atlantic salmon in the Housatonic River downstream of Derby Dam. The salmon are typically stocked into two designated Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Areas on the Naugatuck River, the “Campville Section” of the upper Naugatuck River from Route 118 downstream to the Thomaston Flood Control Dam (Litchfield-Thomaston) and the “Beacon Falls Section” of the lower Naugatuck, from Prospect Street (Naugatuck) downstream to Pines Bridge Road (Route 42 bridge, Beacon Falls). From September 1st through March 31st, fishing for other species in these designated Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Areas is restricted to the gear legal for Atlantic salmon.
The regulations for Atlantic salmon released into lakes and ponds are different from the regulations for salmon on the Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers. In each lake, the regulations for methods, seasons and minimum lengths for salmon will be the same as for trout in that specific water body but the daily creel limit will be one salmon per day. (Please refer to the 2020 CT Angler’s Guide for trout regulations).