SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department continues its new fall trout stocking program this year. 

This will mark the third consecutive year that trophy-sized brook trout and rainbow trout averaging 13-14 inches will be stocked into four ponds and one stream in southern Vermont in the fall.

"We're stocking more than 2,000 one-and-a-half-year-old trout between Knapp Ponds #1 and #2 in Cavendish, Lakes Paran and Shaftsbury in Bennington, and East Creek in Rutland," said Lael Will, a fisheries biologist with the department.  "This is a great opportunity for anglers to spend time fishing for some really nice stocked trout surrounded by Vermont's amazing fall foliage.  And, they can continue right through the winter, catching trout in waters where late season trout fishing was not an option before."

Fish from Bennington, Roxbury and Salisbury fish culture stations will be stocked starting in mid-October to allow for some harvest before the season switches to catch and release only in November. 

"Last year anglers shared with us that they loved the fall and winter opportunity created by this late season stocking," said Will.  "We're excited to continue these stockings and hopefully hear from more people taking advantage of these new trout fishing opportunities."