Excited anglers looked on as Lauren Tuffy, a state fish and wildlife technician, supervised the release of 520 rainbow trout into Kaler’s Pond in Center Moriches. The fish, delivered from a state hatchery in the Catskills, were poured into the pond along its shoreline, immediately darting into the deeper waters of their new home.
Tuffy described the effort as a “put-and-take” fishery, a Department of Environmental Conservation program designed to provide immediate fishing opportunities for the public. “Most of these fish will be caught,” she said, but some may survive and grow much larger over the next few years.
The stocking is part of the DEC’s broader statewide program, which annually releases more than 2 million catchable-size trout into lakes, ponds, and streams to support recreational fishing.
Spring trout stocking typically begins in March and continues into early summer and the fall, with locations across Long Island regularly receiving fish to ensure consistent action for anglers.
Kaler’s, a popular local fishing destination, offers more than just stocked trout. The man-made millpond is home to a healthy mix of largemouth bass, sunfish, perch, and carp, making it a year-round spot for fishing enthusiasts. Freshwater eels have been known to be caught there as well.
Some anglers gathered during the stocking, watching as buckets of fish were released into the water from a special tanker truck. The event heralds the start of the freshwater fishing season, which begins April 1. “I’m looking forward to getting out there with my Popiel pocket fisherman,” said Center Moriches angler Bryan Hellmer, a local legend who’s been plying area waters for the last 60 years. “Rainbow trout are very good eating,” said Hellmer, who goes by the moniker “Asphalt Angler.”
The DEC works with hatcheries and local partners to coordinate stocking efforts, ensuring fish are disease-free and suitable for New York waters before release. Other release locations include Southaven Park, West and Canaan lakes in Patchogue, and Yaphank’s Upper Lake.