April 19th marks the opening day of fishing season for all Connecticut rivers and streams, with trout the primary objective of most anglers at that time of the year. In northeastern Connecticut there are many options available for those in pursuit of trout, as there are several rivers, brooks and streams that provide trout action. Most of these are stocked with trout by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, making them even more attractive. Here are some of the foremost places to fish for trout in northeastern Connecticut.
1. Blackwell’s Brook in Canterbury and Brooklyn
Blackwell’s Brook is a meandering stream that you can access from Route 169 in Brooklyn or from Wauregan Road in Canterbury. It is stocked with trout and it eventually flows into the nearby Quinebaug River. It is a typical New England brook, meaning it is not very deep, has plenty of pools that trout love to feed in, along with ample brush and trees in and around it.
2. Little River from Hampton to Canterbury
The Little River is a large stream that flows from north to south, coming out of the Hampton Reservoir and dumping into a pair of ponds in the Norwich area. It crosses Route 14 in Canterbury heading into Scotland and also Windham Road in Hampton. It is heavily stocked with trout in most years and offers some fine fishing.
3. Fivemile River in Thompson, Putnam, and Killingly
This is a bit larger stream that winds up going into the Ballouville region. Fivemile River winds along River Road in northeast Killingly, eastern Putnam, and southern Thompson. It is stocked in different spots by the DEP in the spring.
4. Kitt Brook in Canterbury
Kitt Brook is the smallest of these streams, running from the northwest to the southeast and emptying into the Quinebaug near the Packerville section of town. Kitt Brook is stocked with regularity. It crosses Route 14 between Kitt Road and Manship Road and also can be fished from Tracy Road and Elmdale Road before it makes it way across Route 169 at the bottom of a big hill.
5. Natchaug River in Chaplin, Eastford, Mansfield, and Windham
The Natchaug is a fast flowing river that truly offers some extremely scenic vistas, especially in Chaplin at a place known as Diana’s Pool. This spot is absolutely packed come Opening Day of the trout season, so it may be wise to wait until fishermen have thinned out a bit later in the month. The Natchaug River is a Trophy Trout Stream, meaning it is much more heavily stocked with these fish, with a creel limit of 2 per day.
6. Quinebaug River from Thompson to Norwich
There are several species of fish residing in the Quinebaug besides trout, but early in the year it is a favorite target of fishermen since it is stocked. It can be fished from many places, including Route 14 on the Canterbury/Plainfield town line and from the Butts Bridge area in Canterbury. Actually, from the south side of Butts Bridge into Lisbon the Quinebaug is known as Aspinook Pond and is open to fishing year round. There are some very nice brown trout swimming in the Quinebaug; these old soakers are caught mostly in the spring.
7. Moosup River in Plainfield and Sterling
The Moosup also is a tributary of the Quinebaug, plus it is a Trout Management Area, meaning it is open to trout fishing year round. However, it is catch and release only in this area, which runs from the Route 14 Bridge to where the Moosup goes into the Quinebaug.
http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp
