Each fall, beginning in October, the Fisheries Division stocks roughly 2,000 2-year-old Atlantic Salmon, and about 300 retired broodstock 3-year-old Atlantic Salmon to provide a unique and highly popular recreational fishery.
But once they are stocked, where and how far do they go? How quickly do they get there? How many are caught and how often? To answer these questions, DEEP Fisheries Biologists and salmon anglers teamed up during the 2024-25 fishing season to conduct an angler tag-return study. The concept was simple; mark individuals with unique ID numbers and record information during stocking such as stocking location and date, age and sex of the fish, and habitat characteristics (e.g., water temperature, river levels, and habitat type) for each fish. Then, call on anglers to hit the water and report data about their catch.
Last year, close to 500 tags were reported by more than 150 unique anglers, which resulted in some fascinating discoveries. For example, one salmon (#0008) was caught five times, the majority either moved downstream (49%) or stayed where they were stocked (42%), and the winner for furthest distance traveled went to salmon #0885 who was stocked into the Naugatuck River on October 21st and was caught and reported on May 21st in the Block Island Sound near Point Judith, Rhode Island, 177 kilometers, or 110 miles away!
After last year’s success we are expanding the tagging study to 2025-26 in hopes to learn more, and again, we need your help. Prior to being stocked in rivers, 2,000 salmon will be tagged under the dorsal fin with blue (last year was orange) external T-Bar anchor tags that each have a unique ID #. We ask anglers to report their catches of tagged Atlantic Salmon including the tag number, date, and specific location, using one of three available reporting methods (online survey, phone, email). Please do not remove the tag from the fish. This unique collaboration between the Fisheries Division and the angling public will help to fill critical data gaps and inform management decisions such as the density, timing, frequency, and location of stocking events.
Reporting options:
Call: 203.500.2513
Email: matthew.devine@ct.gov
Online: https://arcg.is/1TCCLT
Atlantic Salmon Stocking is Underway!
Connecticut’s Fisheries Division is pleased to offer a unique and amazing fishery for Atlantic salmon each fall! Grown specifically at our Kensington State Fish Hatchery for recreational fishing, approximately 2,000 adult Atlantic salmon will be stocked starting last week until mid-December. We have stocked Crystal Lake in Ellington and Mount Tom Pond in Washington with 125 salmon each. The remainder of the salmon will be stocked into our two Atlantic Salmon Management Areas over the next few months.
The regulations for the Atlantic salmon fishery are set by Commissioner’s Declaration and did not change from last year. In summary:
Naugatuck and Shetucket Rivers:
September 1 until December 15: Catch and release only. The daily creel limit is zero and all Atlantic Salmon shall be immediately returned, without avoidable injury.
December 16 until August 31, 2026: Daily limit 1 salmon per angler
Gear: A fly or an artificial lure with a single free-swinging hook. No additional weight may be added to the line.
Minimum length: none
Crystal Lake and Mount Tom Pond:
September 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026: inclusive, the daily creel limit for Atlantic Salmon is one.
March 1, 2026, to 6:00 AM on April 11, 2026: inclusive, angling for Atlantic Salmon will be restricted to catch-and-release only. The daily creel limit is zero and all Atlantic Salmon shall be immediately returned, without avoidable injury.
6:00 AM on April 11, 2026, through August 31, 2026: inclusive, the daily creel limit for Atlantic Salmon is one.
Gear: No special gear restriction.
Minimum length: none