Fisherman and families alike celebrated Opening Day for fishing in Connecticut on Saturday.
The gates to Stratton Pond State Park in Simsbury opened at 6:00 a.m. and people were already patiently waiting to get in and set up in the right spot along the water line.
Stratton Pond is one of 11 designated “trout parks” across the state, which are categorized as fishing areas for families, and young, aspiring anglers. To many it has become a shared tradition.
“When I was a kid I went with my father and my brothers and they stopped coming,” said Tom Hawran of Enfield. “Now I have two boys and they’ve probably been coming seven or eight years, ever since they were old enough.”
The state has more than 400 ponds and rivers where people can catch fish and getting ready for trout season has been no easy task. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection expected to stock almost 390,000 trout in waters across the state, despite having to suspend their efforts several days this spring due to morning temperatures in the single digits.
A fishing license is required for those who wish to take part in Opening Day or the duration of the trout season. There is also a daily “creel” limit – or the amount of trout a person can keep from their catch, which is two per day.
