NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire started revamping its trout management strategy a few years ago, and those changes have made a major difference in the diversity of the trout available, and also in the quantity and quality of those resources. They have also boosted the odds of catching larger fish and increased angling opportunity in general.

The changes include a number of lakes and ponds specifically managed for trout that are open to angling year ’round. Most of the state’s trout waters traditionally open to angling the fourth Saturday in April and close Oct. 15, but places like Crystal Lake in Gilmanton, Opechee Lake in Laconia, Chocorua Lake in Tamworth, Crystal Lake in Eaton, Little Dan Hole Pond in Ossipee, Wentworth Lake in Wolfeboro, Big Akers Lake in Errol and nearly 80 others about the state can be fished year ’round.

In addition, there are now eight rivers or sections of rivers that are open to year ’round angling as well. They include the Androscoggin River from the Dummer-Cambridge town line to the Pontook Dam, the section of the Contoocook River from Contoocook Dam downstream to West Henniker and the section of the Pemigewasset River below Ayers Island Dam in Bristol downstream to Eastman Falls Dam in Franklin.

A complete list of trout waters open year ’round can be found on the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Web site.

On some of the state’s best-known salmon and lake trout lakes, the stocking of rainbow trout, which started in the early 1990s, is really paying off. Lake Winnipesaukee, Newfound Lake, Winnisquam and Squam lakes have been producing trophy-size rainbows the past couple years. Landlocked salmon and lake trout are available to complete the mixed bag.

Ossipee Lake in Freedom and Third Connecticut Lake in Pittsburg now offer lake-run rainbows, too.

New Hampshire will continue to manage a number of lakes and ponds as Quality Trout Fisheries (QTF) and Wild Trout Fisheries (WTF). Many of the waters under the QTF heading carry special regulations, such as reduced bag limits, minimum length limits and special tackle requirements, such as fly-fishing only. Some examples include Archery Pond in Allentown, Cole Pond in Enfield, Little Squam Lake in Holderness and Silver Lake in Madison.

Some of the state’s best trout lakes, such as Winnipesaukee, Newfound Lake, Winnisquam, Merrymeeting Lake and Big Dan Hole Pond also fall within the QTF category, so check this year’s regulations for details.

Again this year, most of the waters listed as WTF are rivers and streams, but they offer some great angling opportunities. These include the Dead Diamond River, parts of the Androscoggin River, the West Branch Mohawk River and Gulf Brook in Chesterfield. A few ponds are also listed.

For more information on trout fishing, contact the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department at (603) 271-3211, or visit the agency’s Web site at www.wildlife.state.nh.us.

VERMONT

The Green Mountain State offers some of the finest trout fishing in the Northeast. With over 5,000 miles of rivers and streams, anglers will find native brook trout in most headwater runs and either holdover or stocked browns or rainbow trout below — in many cases both.

About a decade ago, a survey indicated the fishing public wanted the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department to develop a coldwater fisheries management plan. New regulations went into effect a few years ago and included lower bag limits and reduced length limits on waters containing wild brook trout.

In the larger rivers and streams, rainbow and brown trout are well represented. For the most part, the hatchery truck maintains these resources, but on average the fish being released these days are over 10 inches.

A number of rivers are also stocked with larger fish when available, many in the 14-inch range. Last year, the department stocked more than 600,000 catchable trout and fry in addition to one million fingerlings (yearlings and 2-year-old fish). Of that number, some 123,000 were brook trout, nearly 70,000 were brown trout and more than 123,700 were rainbows. About the same number are scheduled for release this year. A large number of the fish released went into lakes and ponds about the state, but rivers and streams got their share.