KENT—Families brought their children to Kent Falls State Park April 13, the opening day of the “catch and keep” fishing season, to help the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) stock the park’s stream with trout. Kent is designated as one of DEEP’s 11 trout parks.
Trout Parks are designed to enhance trout fishing opportunities and success for young and novice anglers, as well as for those with mobility challenges. Located within state and municipal parks, they provide restroom facilities and picnic areas, and are easily accessible with open shoreline for casting.
The state stocks these parks with hatchery-raised fish for opening-day anglers and then replenishes the stock every fortnight in the spring and again in the fall when temperatures have cooled. The frequent stockings increase angler’s chances of catching a fish.
The daily creel limit (the number of fish an angler can keep) has been reduced from five to two per day, however, to ensure more people have a chance to catch a trout. Those older than 16 must have a Trout and Salmon Stamp to fish in a trout park.
Connecticut fish hatcheries raise four species of trout—rainbow, brook, brown and tiger (a hybrid of brown and brook trout).
