Trout Management Lakes

Fishing Tips for TMLs | Care of Your Catch | Background | Research

Connecticut's Trout Management Lakes (TMLs):

Regulations for TMLs have changed effective 12/27/2022.

1. Long Pond (North Stonington) and Lake Wononskopomuc (Salisbury) have been added to the list of Trout Management Lakes.

2. In addition, the following have changed for East Twin Lake and Lake Wononskopomuc: Establishes the following special trout regulations on East Twin Lake and Lake Wononskopomuc: During the period from 6:00 a.m. on the second Saturday in April through the last day of February the daily creel limit for trout shall be five, not more than one of which may be a brown trout, and the minimum length for brown trout shall be twenty-two inches. During the period from March first through 6:00 a.m. on the second Saturday in April, inclusive, the daily creel limit for trout shall be one and the minimum length limit shall be twenty-two inches. Establishes a limit of two devices per person when ice fishing on East Twin Lake or Lake Wononskopomuc. This may be two (2) tip ups, two (2) jigging rods or one of each.

Amos Lake, Preston
Black Pond, Woodstock
Candlewood Lake, Danbury-New Fairfield-Sherman-New Milford-Brookfield
Crystal Lake, Ellington
East Twin Lake, Salisbury
Highland Lake, Winchester
Long Pond, North Stonington
Mohawk Pond, Cornwall/Goshen
Quonnipaug Lake, Guilford
Rogers Lake, Lyme
Squantz Pond, New Fairfield
West Hill Pond, New Hartford-Barkhamsted
Lake Wononskopomuc, Salisbury

Catch and Keep Trout fishing is allowed at a Trout Management Lake year-round (even when all other waters are catch and release from March 1 until the second Saturday of April). The daily limit is 1 trout. The minimum size varies depending upon the lake. Please refer to our lake and pond regulations to see the rules specific to where you are fishing.

The return of the “Seeforellen” strain brown trout: this trout is a lake-based strain of brown trout, originally from Europe, that sexually matures later in life and as such, typically grows faster than other strains of brown trout. In fact, the majority of the biggest trout ever sampled by FD staff or caught by anglers in our TMLs and important coldwater lakes have been Seeforellens. The last two state record brown trout have been 20 plus pound Seeforellens! The current plan will be to stock and assess this strain of trout in select coldwater lakes (Lake Wononskopomuc, Lakeville and Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding) beginning in 2021. The hope is that these two lakes will, over time, only be stocked with fingerling size Seeforellens in addition to adult rainbows and/or brooks, which may reduce hatchery costs of raising these trout to adults. The Seeforellens will also be stocked as adult size fish in other TMLs and important coldwater lakes.

seeforellen brown trout

Fishing Tips for TMLs

Regulations differ among TMLs and important coldwater lakes in CT, so consult the Fishing Guide prior to heading out to one of these locations to fish. A unique opportunity at the TMLs is that each lake is open for fishing during the month of March (all other stocked lakes close on the last day of February). During the month of March, each angler can take one trout that is 16 inches or larger per day.

Shore fishing opportunities vary among coldwater trout lakes from being very limited in some (e.g., West Hill Pond) to exclusively shore-based fishing (e.g., Saugatuck Reservoir). Even though Saugatuck Reservoir is shore-only fishing (western shoreline only), it offers excellent opportunities to connect with true holdover brown trout. Saugatuck Reservoir also has excellent fisheries for walleye and smallmouth bass. The reservoir is owned by the Aquarion Water Company and a permit (obtained for a fee) to fish this reservoir is required.

When fishing for holdover trout from the shore, timing can be critical. Night fishing (where legal to do so) is an excellent way to connect with large trout, as they often come in closer to shore to feed under the cover of darkness. In addition, brown trout are fall spawning fish, and will often be found October through December coming into shallow water. Catching them at this time can prove frustrating because their focus is more on spawning and less on feeding.

For boat fishermen, all of the state’s TMLs have well maintained boat launch facilities. Some lakes, however, do have either speed or horsepower restrictions, so again consult the Fishing Guide or the Boater's Guide before heading out to fish. Depending on season and time of day, trout will be found in specific locations within the lake and within the water column. Most avid trout fishermen that target holdover trout in Connecticut lakes concentrate their efforts during mid-May through June. Water temperatures in CT lakes during that time of year are ideal and large trout activity at this time is considered “peak.”

Methods of catching trout via boat generally fall into two categories 1) trolling, or 2) still fishing. Trolling is a great way to cover water and can be done in the early season by simply letting a lure/fly/bait out behind your boat, canoe, or kayak and “troll” between 1 -2 miles per hour. As water temperatures warm and trout move deeper in the water column to colder, more oxygen rich waters, using downriggers or lead core line is common practice. Each angler has their preferred method, but both are designed to get the bait/lure/fly to the appropriate depth where trout are feeding. Still fishing can be done by anchoring or if fairly calm, can be done by allowing the breeze to slowly move the boat through the desired fishing location. This is a bait fishing method and as with trolling, requires the fishermen find the right depth, which at times (especially early morning) can be at the surface. Still fishing live bait at night can and does produce some spectacular holdover trout fishing!

Care of Your Catch

As with any fish, if you plan to keep them for the table, make sure to get them on ice as soon as possible to protect the delicate nature of the meat. If ice is not readily available, use a stringer to keep the fish in the water as this will help prevent deterioration of the flesh. Trout, especially holdover trout, can be prepared in endless different ways from smoked, baked, planked, steamed or fried. A simple Google search will provide more recipes than anyone can eat in a lifetime! But, for a simple and excellent trout preparation we suggest the following:

Almond Trout with Mushroom Macarons and Gourmet Potatoes (serves 4)

Simple Trout Recipe

Background

large brown trout

Trout have been at the forefront of fisheries management in Connecticut for more than a century, and are one of the most sought after fish species by anglers, who spend approximately 2.1 million fishing trips a year seeking them. There are three main trout species (brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout) currently raised at Connecticut's fish hatcheries. While all three species are commonly stocked in CT lakes, it is the brown trout and rainbow trout that serve as the primary species stocked into special Trout Management Lakes (TMLs) and other important coldwater trout lakes.

Brown trout are fairly temperature tolerant and extremely piscivorous (fish eaters), making them an excellent choice for long-term management in Connecticut’s coldwater lakes, as they have the ability to “hold-over” and survive several years after being stocked. The addition of rainbow trout into Connecticut’s TMLs isn’t so much for the holdover potential, but rather to provide excellent fishing for large trout in the early spring season (i.e. March season in TMLs).

Connecticut's TMLs were selected because of their coldwater habitat, forage base (primarily landlocked alewife), or in some cases both. It is the combintation of both coldwater habitat and food availability that make certain lakes able to support and grow large holdover brown trout. Management efforts on these lakes have focused on size and timing of trout stocking, specific fishing regulations, and also forage fish monitoring and manipulation (e.g., efforts to restore rainbow smelt into West Hill Pond) as a means of producing sustainable and, in some cases, notable brown trout fisheries.

Research

brown trout at east twin lake

Conditions for growth and survival of brown trout in some of these management lakes have changed over recent decades and become less favorable for producing holdover trout due to decreased summertime coldwater habitat and fluctuations or losses of the forage base. East Twin Lake is one such water that has proven to be challenging for fisheries managers. In response to these changes, Fisheries Division biologists developed a lake classification system in 2013 based on each lake’s current biological conditions. By clearly defining what each TML can and cannot be expected to produce, biologists will be able to better utilize hatchery-reared trout and provide more opportunities for fishermen to catch large trout.