Danbury Times 6/2/06

• Trout regulations remain the same on Candlewood: There was some controversy recently, when signs regarding trout regulations said there was a 12-inch to 16-inch slot limit were posted by DEP at the state launches on Candlewood.
• The signs were not meant for Candlewood and there is no slot limit. An eager seasonal employee started enforcing the nonexistent rule and ordering people to release trout between 12 and 16 inches, and telling them that if they brought in trout that size after the start of June, they would be fined.
• During the regular season, (third Saturday in April through Feb. 28, the limit is five, and there’s no size restrictions. During the special Trophy season, (March 1 through 31) the limit is two, and they must be over 16 inches.
• If you saw any bass floating in your favorite waters during the last week, it’s not necessarily cause for alarm. Waters in area lakes and ponds got a lot warmer, very quickly beginning last weekend. Places that were in the mid-50s late last week were in the low 70s by Monday. With a lot of bass “locked in’’ to shallow water, waiting to spawn or actually spawning, there was some mortality related to the relatively sudden temperature shift. Cold blooded creatures are stressed by sudden and severe temperature changes in their environment. When it happens on top of the stress of spawning, it can be fatal to some. Now that they’ve had time to adjust, things should settle down pretty quickly. [Danbury Times, Rich Zaleski]