(Additional photograph below.)
About 450, two-year-old brown trout were unceremoniously dumped from buckets in twos and threes by children and adults alike at the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s trout restocking event Thursday, at Haverhill’s Plug Pond.
The noontime occasion, which attracted 75 to the pond, which is also called Lake Saltonstall, showcased the state’s recreational fishing programs. The young 12- to 14-inch-long trout released into the fresh water by enthusiastic releasers are headed eventually for the dinner plate, noted MassWildlife spokesperson Emily Stolarski.
“When people see the stocking trucks rolling, their first thought is that we are reintroducing the trout. It’s a common misconception people have but we just want to underscore that this is for folks to enjoy,” she said.
The enjoyment began as the stocking event brought out fish lovers of all ages.
MassWildlife technicians Josh Granagan and Tucker Skowyra scooped the wiggling fish out of a specially outfitted fish transport vehicle by nets and transferred them into buckets. Then they handed the buckets off to a waiting line of eager releasers ready to run them down to the waterfront, upend the buckets and watched the fish swim away in their new home.
And just around the corner was a row of fishing poles dangling in the pond minded by those hoping for a free dinner. Among those who stood patiently in line waiting for their bucket of fish were 25 adults from Haverhill’s Opportunity Works out enjoying a sunny April day.
“When I learned about this event, I thought it was a way to show our clients another kind of job they might be interested in that they had never thought about,” said Amanda Borowski, an Opportunity Works development specialist. “So, we are exploring what jobs in natural resource management are like. We’re releasing the fish and enjoying being outside on this wonderful spring day.”
Likewise, Katie Dolan drove up to Haverhill from Wakefield with her four-year-old, Maddy, as part of a mom’s group called Adventure Buddies of the North Shore. Her friend, Lisa Ellis, organized the outing.
“This is such a cool event,” Ellis said. “We’re all about combating screen time by getting our kids outside we so really appreciate this event.”
John Iorio, Andover, was one of the fishermen hoping to catch dinner. He was at the water’s edge with his grandson, Ethan. Ethan, however, was more interested in exploring his grandfather’s can of worms than waiting for the fishing line to jiggle.
“We’re hopeful we’ll be bringing something home,” Iorio said.
Stolarski noted that better incubation techniques at MassWildlife’s five fish hatcheries are producing larger fish than just 10 years ago. Some 80% of the brown trout that went into Plug Pond yesterday were more than a foot long and some were as big as 14 inches, she said.
“MassWildlife’s stocking program is one of our most popular programs and it is aimed to provide extra recreational opportunities for people, for families to go fishing.”
MassWildlife stocked Haverhill’s Round Pond, officially known as Lake Pentucket, March 21. Millvale Reservoir got a new fish population on April 3. Methuen’s Forest Lake was stocked with rainbow trout in late March and Berry Pond in North Andover two weeks ago. These community fishing spots close to the 300 across the state hosting fish stocking programs this spring.
John Iorio attempts to catch dinner while his grandson, Ethan, looks for the perfect fish meal in a can of worms. (WHAV News photograph.)