January 2022
2022 Fishing Licenses are Available Online
Fishing Fuels Conservation!
100% of your investment funds fish and fishing
Latest Updates from the Fisheries Division
To advance the conservation, enhancement, restoration, use, and appreciation of Connecticut’s fish, fisheries and fish habitats.
Ice is dangerous when starting to form! With the temperatures dropping, ice is beginning to form on many of our waters. "Early Ice" is an especially dangerous time as ice thickness will vary greatly until there is a lengthy period of below freezing temperatures. When in doubt - don't walk out! And NEVER GO ALONE.

Ice Fishing Classes: Check out our Learn to Fish web page for more information.
As we still have open water and have stocked some big trout, wear your PFD when boating. The water is super cold right now. Wearing your PFD at all times will help to make sure the fishing trip you are about to take will not be your last.
Trophy Fish, Youth Fishing Passport, State Record Fish are fully digital. Last year the Fisheries Division was pleased to roll out our new and fully digital "Angler Recognition Form" - This super simple, easy, and convenient form allows you to submit your catch to us in Real Time. No more needing to seek out the affidavit, print, and mail it to us. It is all at your finger tips. Check out the great catches on our dashboard.
Inland Fishing Regulations -
Clarification During Transition
Fishing Regulations for 2022: The passage of Public Act 21-12 by the legislature eliminated the closed season for trout. Since that time, the Fisheries Division has been working to revise inland fishing regulations to support the new law. We are close, but are not there yet. A public hearing to comment on the proposed changes should be forthcoming in early 2022. As such, there are no changes to the inland (freshwater regulations) at this time. The 2021 regulations continue to be in effect until formal adoption of any new regulations (likely in June of 2022).

This means the current regulations are as follows:
  • Some waters listed as closed to fishing as of a date (10/31, 11/30, 12/31, and last day of February) remain open for trout fishing only. Fishing for all other species is not allowed. A detailed list of effected waterbodies is provided here.

  • The 2021 fishing regulations including daily creel limits, methods, gear, and size limits remain in effect.
 
Questions may be directed to Mike.Beauchene@ct.gov or by calling the main Fisheries Phone line at 860-424-3474.

View the Digital Freshwater Guide Here

View the Digital Saltwater Guide Here
Winter Festival - In Person for 2022!
Chinese Mitten Crabs - BOLO
Chinese Mitten Crabs are an invasive species - meaning an animal that is not from this area but is able to live, reproduce and establish a population here. When abundant, Chinese Mitten Crabs can damage fishing gear, clog pumps and intake pipes, cause riverbank erosion through their burrowing activities, feed on recreational important fish species eggs and outcompete native species for food and habitat.
 
We need YOUR help! Be on the lookout for Chinese Mitten Crabs! These crabs have several distinct characteristics such as:
  • Brownish-orange to greenish-brown color.
  • Hairy, white-tipped claws (look like mittens).
  • Distinct notch between the eyes.
  • Four spines along each side of the shell.
  • Legs are twice as long as the width of the shell.

Any crab found in freshwater should be investigated, as there are no freshwater crabs in New England. If you spot a Mitten Crab, do not release it! Capture the crab and freeze it and report your findings to David Molnar at david.molnar@ct.gov or call (860)-434-6043. You can also report a mitten crab sighting and capture using the Marine Aquatic Invasive Species Map. 
Digital Versions of Guide Books for 2022
Being a responsible user of the Connecticut outdoors means staying informed of, and complying with, the current laws and regulations.

Connecticut DEEP's outdoor field guides make it easy to find and follow the laws and regulations that apply to you. And now, Connecticut's Fishing and Hunting Guides are online in an easy-to-use eBook version.

Coming in 2022, NEW digital formats will allow you to quickly check a regulation, confirm legal methods, look up best practices and more – from anywhere, anytime. Stay tuned! Printed hunting and fishing guides will be scaled back and available in limited quantities.

Visit our Online Outdoor Licensing System to purchase licenses, permits, and stamps, and check hunter safety and boating certifications.

View the Digital Freshwater Guide Here

View the Digital Saltwater Guide Here
Why Digital?
The 2022 Fishing Guide has gone digital along with the Hunting Guide. Going digital helps us to provide the most accurate product possible, increase convenience, reduce waste (from unused guides), and save money. For those who prefer to retain a hard copy, we are producing a scaled back "text only" version. This version will be available to print from our web page and will have some printed copies at many town clerks and retail outlets.

View the Digital Freshwater Guide Here

View the Digital Saltwater Guide Here
In 2020, we printed over 200,000 fishing and hunting guides, of which very few were distributed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many outdoor users learned how to use the DEEP website to find their information. With over 70% of the U.S. population currently using smartphones, our agency's mission clearly directed us to make a shift to reduce waste. And, while we are still printing some fishing and hunting guides (available at most town clerks, DEEP offices, and license agent locations in limited quantities), we are asking you to do your part and make use of the convenient and responsible digital options.
Special SEEF Stocking
Faced with significant challenges including staff retirements, availability of water, and reduction in general hatchery resources, the Fisheries Division decided to stop raising Seeforellen strain Brown Trout in 2016.

We are pleased to announce that things have turned around and we have been able to completely restore a functional broodline (enough fish to produce enough eggs annually to meet annual stocking goals). A result of re-establishing this broodline are about 400 5/6 year old fish, which are very large (10-15 pounds).

These fish were the base of the broodline for the past three years are now being retired and stocked in 10 lakes across the state over the next couple of weeks. Going forward the any retired broodstock will be 3+ years old and not be as large, but still very good size. The list of lakes are Highland Lake, Black Pond (Meriden), Cedar Lake, West Hill Pond, Crystal Lake, East Twin Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Squantz Pond, Beach Pond, and Long Pond.
Report Sturgeon Sightings - NEW App
Have you seen a prehistoric looking fish jump out of the water? Have you seen the carcass of a large fish with shark-like tail washed up on the riverbank? Have you had a STURGEON jump into your boat?!

We know people have seen these things, and more, based on social media posts. Tracking these observations is an important part of research into the Shortnose and Atlantic Sturgeon populations in Connecticut waters being conducted by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. But sometimes biologists working on Sturgeon research don’t see the social media post. And sometimes researchers need more information but don’t have an effective way to get the information directly from the person who saw the Sturgeon.

Would you like to help with Sturgeon Research in Connecticut waters? Any sturgeon sighting information, past or present, whether the sturgeon was healthy, injured, or dead, is important to CT DEEP researchers. One easy way to help is to use CT DEEP’s new online app, Report-a-Sturgeon, whenever you see a Sturgeon.
Video of the Month- Converting Hooks
Treble hooks are standard on most fishing lures, however, if you plan to release what you catch the treble hook will most likely will cause more harm than a standard single hook. Treble hooks are designed to hold onto a fish and they do the job very well. For those of you who prefer to "catch and release", please consider swapping the treble hook to a single hook. The change will help you to release the fish much faster as well as prevent additional injury to the mouth, gills, and throat that can result from the 2 extra hooks on the treble set up.

Watch this video and hundreds of others by subscribing to the DEEP YouTube channel.
Be Smart About Ice Safety
As the ice is starting to form on our lakes and ponds, it is an especially dangerous time. Ice thickness will vary with the temperature and until a lengthy period of below freezing temperatures occurs, venturing onto the ice is very risky. Please be sure ice is safe by continually checking the thickness. Start at the shore and check every 10-15 feet. If too thin, turn back. More on ice safety can be found on our webpage.
This Month's Mystery Fish
If you have a guess as to the type of fish pictured below, email Mike.beauchene@ct.gov
Fishing Challenge - For YOUth
NEW- Enter your catches online
Please use our online form to enter your youth fishing challenge catches
Youth Fishing Passport
Fishing is the perfect family activity during this time of "distance learning" and being "socially distant". CT's FREE Youth Fishing Passport is your child's ticket to all of the amazing outdoor discoveries fishing has to offer. Fishing involves knowing about habitat, environmental quality, food webs, life history of species, and so much more. You can get a Youth Fishing Passport, for those 15 or younger, using our online licensing system. Register your child as a new user. If you have questions please contact us.
Fishing Challenge Scorecard
The Youth Fishing Passport Fishing Challenge is a year long fishing scavenger hunt. To have your catch count, simply snap a photo of your fish (from our scorecard) and use our online submission form. The top four anglers (who catch the most different types on our list) receive a prize pack full of fishing swag.
Mystery Fish Revealed
Last month's mystery fish was a Tench (Tinca tinca). If you a wondering what is a Tench, you are not alone. Tench are only known to be in Lake Winnemaug and Bantam Lake. They are native to Eurasia where they are esteemed by anglers for both food and fight. Tench prefer lakes and ponds with muddy bottoms and ample vegetation. Tench can be caught near the bottom on small hooks with such baits as worms or dough balls.

Tench have an interesting history dating back to the US Fish Commission (whose roots were tap into CT's Fish Commission est. in 1866). From the USGS - This species was imported into North America from Germany by the U.S. Fish Commission in 1877 apparently for use as a food and sport fish (Baird 1879). The Commission apparently spent several years learning to culture tench, for it was not until well into the 1880s that the agency started to seriously distribute the species in the United States. According to Baughman (1947), the Commission planted more than 138,000 tench across North America during the period 1886 to 1896. By the end of that period, the Commission had provided tench to at least 36 different states. Shortly thereafter, the agency discontinued working with tench and turned over their hatchery ponds to the rearing of bass (Baughman 1947).
How to get your License Online
Your E-Tackle Box
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, or require some other accommodation, including equipment to facilitate virtual participation, please contact the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at 860-418-5910 or by email at deep.accommodations@ct.gov. Any person needing an accommodation for hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event.