Connecticut River American Shad Monitoring

American Shad

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) recently completed a third year of cooperatively monitoring juvenile American shad in the Connecticut River.

Biologists collect data on abundance, length, and weight to assess the growth, survival, and productivity of the population.

This study is designed to help determine the impacts of dams on juvenile American shad. 19th century dams prevent adults from migrating upriver to find spawning habitat, contributing to the decline of the iconic species.

Young shad are a food source for smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, perch, and northern pike. Shad also provide food for birds and terrestrial mammals, as well as marine fish including striped bass.

While surveying the river, biologists captured an array of fish species. In addition to American shad, they captured a 25'' walleye, 35'' carp, and 19'' smallmouth bass.

source: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

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2019 - 2020 Texas Winter Rainbow Trout Stocking

Rainbow Trout

Over the winter, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will be stocking a total of 343,650 rainbow trout in Texas waterways.

Winter stocking efforts in the state run from November 26, 2019, through the beginning of March 2020.

This year, TPWD will stock rainbow trout into the Canyon Tailrace on the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake, the Lewisville Tailrace located on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River below Lake Lewisville, and the Possum Kingdom Tailrace on the Brazos River below Possum Kingdom Lake.

Other stocking locations include dozens of local city and county managed park ponds, the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center casting pond, and several rivers including the Frio, South Llano, and Guadalupe rivers and the Clear Fork of the Trinity River.

Rainbow trout can be caught on a variety of baits and lures. Depending on an angler’s experience level and interest, they can be caught using simple, light tackle or on hand-tied flies using a fly rod.

Because rainbow trout are unable to survive in Texas after the winter, TPWD encourages anglers to  keep trout for food and have ice available to keep them fresh. The statewide bag limit is five trout, except on parts of the Guadalupe River where special limits are in effect.

An attractive and popular sport fish, rainbow trout are well suited for the table. Anglers can easily find recipes to prepare these fish online or in traditional cookbooks.

The dates and locations for rainbow trout stocking are subject to change due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

Anglers can review the 2019-20 Trout Stocking Schedule online (tpwd.texas.gov) before fishing to confirm the stocking date, check fishing regulations, and to find other winter trout stocking program angling tips.

source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Lake Elmore Vermont Free Ice Fishing Day and Festival

Lake Elmore State Park Free Ice Fishing Day
January 25, 2020
Lake Elmore State Park
Lake Elmore, Vermont

Lake Elmore State Park in Vermont will host a "Free Ice Fishing Day" on January 25, 2020 (all day).

Often called "The Beauty Spot of Vermont," the Town of Lake Elmore is a popular destination for outdoor explorers.

Lake Elmore (219 acres) lies northwest of the town. The lake empties into the Lamoille River through Pond Brook. Elmore Mountain (2,608 feet) rises almost from the shore of lake.

The park had its beginning in 1936 when the town of Elmore and local citizens made a gift of 30 acres on Lake Elmore to the state of Vermont. Today, with more than 700 acres, Elmore State Park has become a popular, developed recreation facility.

The lake is home to yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bullhead, and panfish.

In addition to fishing, Lake Elmore State Park is a popular destination for camping, swimming, hiking, hunting, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and other outdoor recreation.

New Hampshire Winter Free Fishing Day 2019

Saturday, January 19, 2019 is this year's New Hampshire winter free fishing day. The one day event allows anglers to fish without a license and try ice fishing in New Hampshire.

This annual winter event takes place on the third Saturday in January each year.

Note that all other regulations must be followed. Learn more about fishing rules by reading the NH Freshwater Fishing or Saltwater Fishing digests at www.fishnh.com/fishing/publications.html.

Persons participating in a fishing tournament must still hold a license, even on free fishing day.

Another New Hampshire free fishing day is held annually on the first Saturday in June.

Find more information about fishing in New Hampshire at www.fishnh.com.

source: New Hampshire Fish and Game Department