The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) recently presented “Angler of the Year” awards to three freshwater and five saltwater anglers who submitted entries to the Trophy Fish Award Program and earned awards for catching the widest assortment of fish during 2014.
A fish is recognized for a Trophy Fish Award if it exceeds minimum length or weight requirements as detailed in the Connecticut Angler’s Guide and on the DEEP web site at www.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing. Anglers are required to complete and submit an affidavit with an attached photo of their catch for verification.
Angler of the Year is awarded to both inland and marine fish species, youth and adult, and male and female. The anglers were recognized at the 7th annual Trophy Fish Awards ceremony held earlier this month at the Northeast Fishing and Hunting Show at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. This year there was a tie for both male youth and female adult in the marine species categories.
2014 Connecticut Angler of the Year awardees:
Inland Fisheries
Category Name
Female youth Ellie Forintino
Male youth Joey Takeman
Female adult No winner this year
Male adult David Murawski
Marine Fisheries
Category Name
Female youth No winner this year
Male youth Hunter Landen
Male youth Chet Chechoski
Female adult Karen Westerber
Female adult Sara Roman
Male adult Bryan Bottone
Fish of Merit
A Fish of Merit award is given to an angler who landed a memorable fish but did not have precise weight or measurements of their fish to support trophy fish award criteria.
The 2014 Fish of Merit award was given to Frank J. Baratta of Bantam who caught a 48-inch and a 39-inch Northern Pike in Bantam Lake.
State Record Brown Trout
The 2014 state record award was given to James M. Lucas II of Harwinton for his 19.01 lb. Brown Trout caught in West Hill Pond, New Hartford.
source: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection