It’s early January and the chill of winter is settling in on our lakes and ponds, setting the stage for that wonderful wintertime activity called ice fishing! In anticipation of this winter’s freeze, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has just completed its annual winter stocking of surplus broodstock brown trout.

The DEP stocked 725 surplus Seeforellen-strain broodstock brown trout into thirteen lakes and ponds scattered throughout the State during the last two weeks. The fish released this winter were raised at the Kensington State Fish Hatchery average 5 pounds apiece, ranging from 1 to 19 pounds each. “These trout are spawned at the hatchery in the late fall and are then stocked out in the winter to provide additional opportunities for ice anglers to catch a very large trout,” said Ed Parker, Chief of DEP’s Bureau of Natural Resources.

A total of 350 broodstock trout were stocked into seven eastern Connecticut lakes. Bashan Lake (East Haddam), Black Pond (Middlefield/Meriden), Cedar Lake (Chester), Coventry Lake (Coventry) and Quonnipaug Lake each received 50 fish, Beach Pond was stocked with 55 fish and Black Pond (Woodstock) was stocked with 45 fish. In western Connecticut, 375 broodstock were released into six water bodies, Tyler Lake (Goshen) (85 fish), West Hill Pond (New Hartford/Barkhamsted) (135 fish), Stillwater Pond (Torrington) (30 fish), Mohawk Pond (Cornwall/Goshen) (45 fish), Mt. Tom Pond (Morris/Litchfield/Washington) (35 fish) and Westside Pond (Goshen) (45 fish).

DEP reminds winter anglers that SAFETY COMES FIRST. Although it may look and feel like winter is upon the state, be aware that ice thickness varies on all water bodies due to a number of environmental factors including in-lake water circulatory patterns, snow cover and the type and amounts of recent precipitation. Please check the ice carefully before venturing out and check repeatedly to make sure that ice thickness is sufficient

Anglers can obtain their 2009 fishing and hunting licenses online www.ct.gov/dep/fishing or at participating town halls, tackle retailers and DEP offices. For a list of vendors, anglers should contact DEP Licensing and Revenue at 860-424-3105.

The DEP advises anglers to check fishing regulations in their new 2009 Connecticut Angler’s Guide. Guides are available from Town Clerks, DEP offices and many bait & tackle stores, or by contacting the DEP Inland Fisheries Division (860-424-FISH). The Guide is also available for viewing, printing and downloading on the DEP web site at: www.ct.gov/dep/fishing