2023 Fishing Licenses are Available Online

The changes to the regulations for freshwater fishing are now in effect (as of December 27, 2022). Learn more in the section below or view a simple summary.

Fishing Regulations:

The Fisheries Division WILL be printing a limited run of fishing regulation guide books in 2023. A PDF is available on our webpage for download.

Stay tuned for where and when you can get your printed copy. Please be advised the Fisheries Division strives to do all possible to conserve and protect our environment. This includes encouraging everyone to make use of our digital fishing guide so we can reduce wasted paper whenever possible.

2023 Fishing Licenses are available. Don't miss one day of potential fishing. Get yours online or stop by your favorite license vendor.

Plan on fishing East Twin Lake (Salisbury), Mohawk Pond (Goshen), and Wononskopomuc Lake (Salisbury) this winter? We hope to see you there as the Fisheries Division will be conducting angler creel surveys this winter on those three water bodies.

Due to Saturday’s forecast of dangerously cold weather and for the safety of all involved in/with the Winter Festival Event (staff, volunteers, partners and event goers), the decision was made to move the Winter Festival to Sunday February 5, 2023 from 11 am to 3 pm at Burr Pond State Park in Torrington . 

The annual DEEP Winter Festival is still being held check out our webpage for details.. While Mother Nature may not provide safe ice for ice fishing, stop by to enjoy the following activities;

There will not be any ice fishing due to lack of suitable ice.



Please come and learn about and participate in:



City of Torrington Fire

City of Torrington Police 

CT Horse Council

CT Valley Siberian Husky Club

DEEP Education and Outreach Table 

Fit Together NWCT

Girl Scouts of CT 

Indian Rock Nature Center (Environmental Learning Centers of CT)

Master Wildlife Conservationists (Furs and pelts program, sand track and wildlife program)

Reach Your Summit

REI (Smore's making)

RSAR Inc. (Search and Rescue Dogs)

Storytime by the Bonfire

The Institute for American Indian Studies

Torrington Trails Network (hikes)

White Memorial Conservation Center (animal encounter) 

Winter Games 

Thirty-three youth anglers caught at least one of the 22 species in the year long Youth Fishing Passport Fishing Challenge, with Daniel Echols led the pack catching all 22 (a first for this program)!

Congratulations to all. The top anglers were:

First place with all 22 species - Daniel Echols (walleye)

Second place, each with 19 species - Adam Chrzanowski (pike) and Rocco Semeraro (Atlantic salmon)

Third place, each with 18 species - Adrian Swietek (channel catfish) and Colton Johnson (bluefish)

Check out the news coverage here: NBC 30 and Fox 61

Each month in 2023, CT Fishin' Tips will highlight one of Connecticut's many inspirational female anglers. The featured anglers have a deep passion for Connecticut's fisheries and serve as role models for all of us.

Wethersfield resident, Edith Stoehr, became Connecticut's top female angler and first female warden in April1933. Warden Stoehr's job interview was somewhat unconventional, a fly casting competition! Edith's fly fishing skills out cast four other talented women and as such, was hired to encourage women to take a more active interest in the sport of fishing.

Warden Stoehr's primary duties were to patrol the Branford River, a section of which, was designates as "women only" at the time. This special section of river included a cabin, which was also reserved for women only. Other duties included patrolling a women only shooting and field trial areas.

Warden Stoehr taught fly fishing to women as well as provided her own bird dogs to help other women enjoy the outdoor sports of fishing, hunting, and trap shooting. Warden Stroehr was employed for 13 years.

"Warden Stoher was the first woman to be uniformed and appointed to regular active duties as a game warden. She was particularly fitted for these duties, which are mostly concerned with offering encouragement and instruction in the sports of fishing and hunting - with the particular reference to the skillful use of fishing tackle and firearms.

This action (hiring Warden Stoehr) by the board was met with encouraging response with many women taking advantage of these "women only" areas. Since CT's hire, PA, NJ, and other states have followed suit." - 1932-1934 Report of State Board of Fish and Game.

Photos and information used to support this tribute courtesy of Bill Myers, John Wood, Anne Hunter and from the 1932-1934 Report of State Board of Fish and Game

Stop by and talk all things trout with DEEP's Fisheries Biologist and stocking coordinator, Matt Devine. Matt is a West Hartford native (not a trout), who has a deep passion and commitment to CT's fish and fisheries. Matt will be on hand at the Fly Fishing Expo and

Banquet this Saturday. Details below.

Would you like to see your catch highlighted in upcoming issues of CT Fishin' Tips? If so, please email your photo to mike.beauchene@ct.gov 

The following is a simple summary of the key changes to the regulations for sport fishing in the inland district. The full version of the regulations is available on the Secretary of State’s web page. Questions may be sent to mike.beauchene@ct.gov

Download the simple summary of inland fishing regulations.



Seasons

Removes the closed season for fishing on all lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. (Legal access still required, for example if a park is closed to all activity then fishing is not allowed).

Establishes a statewide “Catch and Release” season for trout and kokanee salmon from March 1 to 6:00 am on the second Saturday of April (Opening Day of harvest).

Extends the season on Trout Management Lakes from March 31 to 6:00 am on the second Saturday of April (Opening Day of harvest). (Previously the season was March 1 to March 31, then it was closed to fishing).

Retains thermal refuge closures to protect trout seeking refuge in cold-water tributaries as indicated by signs posted by CT DEEP.

Species

Revises the statewide daily creel limit for trout and kokanee to be 5 trout daily AND 5 kokanee daily (previously 5 of either, 8 in aggregate).

Waterbodies

Establishes the following special trout regulations on East Twin Lake and Lake Wononskopomuc: During the period from 6:00 a.m. on the second Saturday in April through the last day of February the daily creel limit for trout shall be five, not more than one of which may be a brown trout, and the minimum length for brown trout shall be twenty-two inches. During the period from March first through 6:00 a.m. on the second Saturday in April, inclusive, the daily creel limit for trout shall be one and the minimum length limit shall be twenty-two inches.

Adds Long Pond (North Stonington) and Lake Wononskopomuc to the list of Trout Management Lakes.

Prohibits ice fishing on Factory Pond (Salisbury), Lake Chamberlain (Bethany), Lake Saltonstall (Branford, East Haven), Maltby Lakes (Orange, West Haven), Lake McDonough (New Hartford, Barkhamsted) and Shenipsit Lake (Ellington, Tolland, Vernon).

Gear

Establishes a limit of two devices per person when ice fishing on East Twin Lake or Lake Wononskopomuc. This may be two (2) tip ups, two (2) jigging rods or one of each.

Definitions

Establishes a definition for Cast Net, Inline Circle Hook and Culling.

Revises the definition of Closed Season to conform with the definition provided in state statute

The recent warm weather has eliminated safe ice for the time being. When the cold weather returns, the Fisheries Division encourages you to be safe by checking our ICE FISHING WEBPAGE with resources to get you started safely and successfully, including tips and pointers on how to dress for cold, what equipment you will need, popular ice fishing locations, ice safety, published articles on ice fishing CT, an ice fishing 101 blog, and a list of learn to ice fish classes and events.

The Burlington State Fish Hatchery turns 100 this year! CT's first attempts to raise and stock trout began with "field rearing stations", which were simple structures with water flowing through troughs. These field stations hatched eggs and the resultant fry were distributed directly to rivers and streams. Attempts to hold and grow fish started with the addition of the first state owned trout hatchery in Windsor Locks (1899). After years of running multiple rearing stations across the state, it was determined a central facility would be more effective. A potential location was found in Burlington as several springs were found in pasture land. A 2 inch pipe with an open point was driven to a depth of feet, which resulted in a discharge of 30 gallons per minute. With the addition of several more wells in the fall of 1923, there was enough water to hatch 400,000 trout eggs and raise many to be 4 inches in length. The current facility, now 100 years old, still operates on spring fed water as the primary source.

The Fisheries Division is currently looking for help. Jobs are available in our Marine Program, Habitat Conservation and Enhancement Program, Inland Fish Management, Diadromous Fish Program, our state fish Hatcheries, and our "Fish with CARE" program. Learn a bit about each program in the short videos below. More info about these jobs are on our web page.

NEW for 2023 - The list of species has been increased to include many popular fish, both freshwater and saltwater. The challenge is ON! Start catching and submitting, you can be CT's next "Top Angler"

If you have a guess as to the fish pictured below, email Mike.beauchene@ct.gov

The January mystery fish was a Fallfish (Semotilus corporalis). One of Connecticut's largest native minnows, the fallfish is found in rivers and streams statewide. In waters like the Farmington River, Housatonic River, Willimantic River, and Shetucket River fallfish can grow to over 12 inches.

Fallfish are also know as river dace or simply dace, but please "Don't Call Me Dace", as a it is not a "dace" in icthyolocial speak. Fallfish have a large mouth and will take a variety of live prey such as aquatic insects, worms, smaller fish, crayfish, and many artificial lures or flies cast in their direction.

Fallfish build spawning pyramids out of quarter-sized gravel. These pyramids can be 2-3 feet in circumference and 18-20 inches high. Quite impressive construction should you be lucky to see one.