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Latest Bites - May 2017
May 13, 2017 is FREE Fishing Day.  Anyone can fish inland or marine waters without a fishing license. See details and list of events below.

Trout Stocking continues into mid-May.  Each day new waters are stocked.  A new interactive trout stocking map is available on our webpage .  You can also get daily stocking updates by following us on Facebook . 

Know Where and When to Go by subscribing to the Weekly Fishing Report delivered right to your fingertips each week.   Subscribe for electronic delivery through the DEEP e-newsletter subscription.   Get trout stocking updates by following us on  Facebook .

2017 MARINE FISH  regulations  have changed for Summer Flounder (Fluke) and those for Black Sea Bass may change later this year (stay tuned).  

May 20, 2017 is the annual Rainbow Fishway open house from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Come take a tour of the fishway and see fish migrating upstream in the underground viewing window.  GPS Address:  400 Rainbow Road, Windsor, CT.

Marine Species 
Opening May 1:  
  • Black Sea Bass with a 5 fish daily limit and 15 inch minimum size.
  • Porgy (Scup) with a 30 fish daily limit and 10 inch minimum size (except at Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing locations where the minimum size is 9 inches).
  • Those with Bonus Striped Bass Tags can use them (Note: all tags have been distributed for the 2017 quota).
Closed on May 1:  Blackfish (reopens July 1 to August 31)

Opening May 17:  
Summer Flounder (Fluke) with a daily limit of 3 fish and a minimum size of 19 inches (except at Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing locations where the minimum size is 17 inches).

2017 Fishing Licenses:   Licenses for the 2017 season are now available through our on-line system   (mobile friendly).  100% of your investment in the license goes to support Connecticut's fish and wildlife.  A great way for you to show your support for CT's natural resources.
May 13 is FREE FISHING DAY
Saturday, May 13 is FREE FISHING DAY 2017.  Anyone can fish without a fishing license!  Each year the FREE fishing day enables you to connect with nature, improve your health by relaxing outside, and spend quality time socializing with family and friends - all on us!  

So this May 13- Get out and fish!  The benefits are endless.
FREE FISHING DAY (May 13) EVENTS
FLY FISHING CLINIC, Wilton:   The Mianus Chapter of Trout Unlimited is offering a free Fly Fishing Clinic at Merwin Meadows Park in Wilton between 10:00 a.m. and  2:00 p.m. Fly casting, knot tying, aquatic insect identification and a late barbecue lunch are on the schedule. More information can be found at www.mianustu.org . For reservations email jyates@mianustu.org or call 203-216-7078.
 
Carl D'Addaraio Children's Fishing Derby - Mirror Lake (Hubbard Park),  Meriden:  Annual children's fishing event sponsored by the Meriden Rod and Gun Club and the City of Meriden with prizes in various age groups for biggest fish and most fish caught. Each child also gets a free hotdog and soft drink. Some of the top prizes include bicycles. This event is rain or shine and registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the derby starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 12:00 noon. For more information contact Mike Roberts at michaelroberts@mindspring.com

Fishing Northeast invites all children and their families to Casting With Kids at Pickett's Pond, Osbornedale State Park in Derby for a fun filled day of fishing, games, food and great company. All children will be taught the basics of fishing freshwater with all gear, tackle and bait provided. Adults are welcome to join in but must provide their own gear and tackle. Snacks, food and drink will be provided. This is a free event running from 9am-3pm. Full details can be found at http://bit.ly/2pO1b79 .

"FREE Family Fishing Day" as part of the  Great Park Pursuit Connecticut State Parks Family Adventure -  Chatfield Hollow State Park, Killingworth. Open to families and children, this free event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and will include fishing on the pond, fish sampling, fish stocking, a fish fry, and fun activities for all ages.
NEW-Interactive Trout Stocking Map
Connecticut DEEP Interactive Trout Stocking Map: This interactive map will indicate stocked locations and the number of days since each waterbody was last stocked.
The purpose of this map is to provide the angling community with near real-time information on stocked waters (days since the most recent stocking event) and improved location information about Connecticut's trout stocked waters using the latest in mapping technology.
 
Features:
*Search by town name or waterbody name
*Fixed Search (Query) Options
-List of all stocked waters
-List of all stocked waters within 1 day, 1 week, 1 month
-List of Trout management areas
-List of Trout Parks
-List of Community Fishing Waters
-List of Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Areas
-List of Wild Trout Management Areas
*Zoom in and out
*Legend, information, Query, and change base map buttons
* Buy my fishing license link
* Mobile friendly with "near me" feature
* Linked information for most waterbodies
-Detailed stocking point map (rivers and streams)
-Depth (Bathymetric) map for lakes and ponds

Learn to Fish for FREE

The Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education (CARE) program has a schedule of our free learn to fish classes on our web site.  Classes are open to families and kids ages 9 and up who are interested in learning the basics of fishing.  Classes are continually being added to the schedule so check back often.

Youth Fishing Passport
FREE Youth Fishing Passport: Now is the time to get or renew Youth Fishing Passports for your budding young angler.  The Passport is free and available online through our mobile friendly sportsmen licensing system. 

Passport holders are challenged to fish all year long and with every catch, check off the different species on their  Fishing Challenge Score Card. 
This Month's Mystery Fish
Trout Parks
Beginner  Friendly! Trout parks are waters with good shoreline access and are stocked frequently in the spring.  The daily limit of 2 trout per angler helps to make sure as many as possible have the opportunity to catch and take home (if desired) a tasty trout dinner.  
Community Fishing Waters
In Your Neighboorhood ! Community Fishing Waters are waters located in close proximity to lots of people.  Community waters are often located within a municipal park.  Community Fishing Waters are stocked by the DEEP with trout (April), Channel Catfish (May), or both types of fish.
Join Us on FishBrain

We are pleased to be on FishBrain, the most popular social media app for anglers. FishBrain is a free download for iphone and android. Users take advantage of the free angling support features (or elect to subscribe for premium features).  Follow CTDEEPFish and we will follow you back!

 
Mystery Fish Revealed
Last month's  Mystery Fish was t he Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius).  A silvery minnow native to Connecticut, the Spottail prefers sandy areas with slower flow in large rivers.  They can be locally very abundant and form schools. The name is derived from the small black dot at the base of the tail.  
License Fees Fund Hunting and Fishing Programs

100%  of the fees collected from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, tags, permits, and stamps goes to support fish and wildlife conservation, preservation, and recreation programs administered by the Bureau of Natural Resources (Connecticut General Statutes 26-15, 20-15(a), 26-15 (b)). 

Each time you purchase a license your contribution goes to support hunting, fishing, and open space right here in CT. 

So, the next time you see a bald eagle, harvest a white-tail, pheasant, or turkey, or catch a brown trout or striped bass, give yourself and your fellow sportsmen a pat on the back!



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