Stocked fish on the move; planning on tap to help reservoir, wildlife
Local anglers will find more trout in Chittenden and Pittsford ponds this year, part of a re-stocking effort due to work being done at a dam in central Vermont. Planning will commence later to sustain the reservoir and its wildlife.
This photo was taken during a drawdown of Sugar Hill Reservoir in Goshen, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Local anglers will find more trout in Chittenden and Pittsford ponds this year, part of a re-stocking effort due to work being done at a dam in central Vermont.
After work at Goshen Dam is complete, planning will commence for a restoration project to preserve the reservoir and help sustain its aquatic communities for the long-term. All in all, it was a fitting announcement for the week of Earth Day.
On Wednesday, the state announced that 1,800 trout originally planned for the 2021 stocking season at Sugar Hill Reservoir, also known as Goshen Dam in Goshen, Addison County, will be stocked at other waterways for anglers. These fish are being reallocated to four locations in south and central Vermont: Lefferts Pond in Chittenden, Smith Pond in Pittsford, Silver Lake in Leicester, and Prentiss Pond in Dorset.
The shift is being made to ensure there are plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy Vermont’s waterways, while on-going safety enhancements are made to the Goshen Dam, wildlife officials said in a statement.
“Goshen Dam has always been a popular place for anglers. The yearling and trophy-sized brook trout we stock there attract anglers from all over the area,” said Shawn Good, fisheries biologist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department. “It’s in a beautiful setting in the Green Mountain National Forest, and the fishing platform and access facilities Green Mountain Power and the National Forest provide and maintain make it a great fishing destination.”
The reservoir was slated to receive an April stocking of 1,350 yearling brook trout averaging nine inches and 450 two-year old “Trophy Brook Trout” averaging 13 inches in length, according to Good.
A drawdown for dam enhancements on the 58-acre waterbody began last year and the need for additional work was identified over the winter. New plans call for water levels in the reservoir to be drawn down further in the early spring, reducing the maximum depth to about 1 foot with a surface area of approximately 1.5 acres.
“Obviously, this is important work to enhance safety, and it will make it impossible for normal trout stocking there and will also eliminate fishing opportunities at the work site," Good said. "In the meantime, trout normally destined for Goshen Dam will provide anglers with increased opportunities at other area waterways.”
State and federal agencies will be working with Green Mountain Power to develop a plan to restore Sugar Hill Reservoir and its aquatic and fish communities for 2022 and beyond, once dam work is completed and the reservoir is refilled.
Most facilities at Sugar Hill Reservoir will be inaccessible this season for safety while work is continuing. Those facilities include the roundabout at the reservoir, the access road across the dam, and the road to the plunge pool area due to contractor parking, vehicle traffic, and equipment operation.
In a statement, U.S. Forest Service biologist Jeremy Mears says plenty of fishing opportunities remain available on the area’s federal forest land.
“There are still many places for anglers to enjoy fishing on the National Forest," he said. "Stream fishing for native brook trout is abundant throughout the area, and there also are opportunities for shore fishing at Chittenden Reservoir, Blueberry Lake, or Silver Lake. Please be sure to check the Green Mountain National Forest website for updates before you go.”
— Gareth Henderson
To find Vermont fishing locations near you, visit the department’s access area and family fishing pages.