In the News
Connetquot State Park's Trout Exhibit Examines Their Role in the Local Ecosystem
Brianne Ledda, Newsday - October 9, 2024
In early fall, the hatchery at Connetquot River State Park Preserve teems with juvenile rainbow trout. The young fish are among 50,000 rainbow and brook trout eggs hatched at the facility each year to stock waters for recreational fishers — a tradition that goes back more than 100 years, and one that park officials want to teach visitors about with a new exhibit that opened Saturday at a celebration of the New York State park system’s 100th anniversary.
Fishing the Connetquot River for Trout
From "On the Water" by Joseph Albanese
Long Island's Connetquot River State Park Preserve has an international reputation for big, hungry trout.
I couldn’t help but giggle as the rod bent deep into the cork. I was tight to the fifth or sixth rainbow of the morning, and this one was doing her best to put some river between us. She went airborne a handful of times, forcing me to bow to her, as I would a tarpon, to spare the 5x tippet. By keeping the rod tip low and letting the reel’s drag apply gentle but constant pressure, I tired the big trout out enough to slowly regain line. Eventually, I slid the net under the 20-inch ‘bow.
Stained-glass window restored at Connetquot River State Park Preserve
A stained-glass window that dates back to the late 19th century has been restored and reinstalled at the Sportsman's Club at Connetquot River State Park Preserve.
See the full story behind the history of the transom and its restoration at Newsday.