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.

The passage of Public Act 21-12 removed the closed season for trout. As such the DEEP revised the inland fishing regulations to implement a period of Catch and Release statewide for trout from March 1 until 6:00 am on April 8, 2023. This applies to all waters except for Trout Management Lakes (which allow harvest of 1 trout per day; minimum length apply); waters classified as "Tidal Waters and Tributaries" (daily limit of 2 trout; 15 inch minimum length), and in Trout Management Areas which are either Catch and Release year-round or have been since 9/1/22. When in doubt, check the regulations for the waterbody your are fishing using our online resources or download a copy of the fishing guide.

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.

Sylvia Morris is a figurehead in Connecticut competitive bass fishing. As President of CT BASS Nation for over 34 years, Sylvia provided leadership for thousands of members across dozens of local clubs. Sylvia started in 1989 and from that day forward, became more and more involved. She is currently the Secretary, but served many years as the President.

Sylvia is the State Team Administrator. The 2023 CBN State Team is 22 people who fished qualifying CBN Tournaments the year prior to form the CBN State Team - "Cream of the Crop" sort of speak. The Team travels to a B.A.S.S. Northeastern Regional, they compete to be the Top Boater and Top Non Boater on the CBN State Team and move on to the B.A.S.S. Nationals, from there they can possibly make the B.A.S.S. Masters Classic, the Super Bowl of fishing!

From Sylvia:

We (23 people) stay together as a Family for one week under one roof fishing, eating all meals together and sharing. The friendships and comradery that are created each year are the reward for me.

In the process of all of this I also found a love for fishing and the outdoors myself, thus getting involved with the DEEP, Conservation, Youth & Fishing Tournaments with my husband, we are a pretty good Team!

Through the last 34 years I have acquired many great friendships & have a lot of adopted Sons! 

One thing I have learned is that Fishing is the greatest therapy!!!

I have been married for 50 wonderful years, two children, seven Grandchildren and three Great Grandchildren. They are my world, I am blessed!

More about Sylvia and Fishing:

At what age did you start fishing?

34

Who introduced you to fishing?

My Husband

What is your favorite fish to try and catch?

Freshwater Bass

Why do you like to fish?

It is a very rewarding Sport. Being on the Boat all day with none of the issues in the world affecting your day. The excitement of catching a Bass and hoping for the big one! I also love the Tournament Fishing. Nothing like fishing for 8 hours, coming in with your allotted Limit, not knowing what all the other Anglers have caught & if you have enough to win the Tournament. Then to top all of that excitement, releasing all your fish alive!

What were some barriers that you had to overcome? (and maybe still battle)

The Biggest issue I had was having to use the Bathroom. I have since learned to manage my liquid intake throughout the day. When you are in a tournament you do not want to have to come in to use the Portlets.

What is your favorite fishing memory or memories?

The first big Tournament Jim and I fished back in 1990 on Candlewood, a Two Day event, we came in second place!!! We won $2000.00!!! I was HOOKED LOL!

Please share anything else that you think would be motivational or helpful and speak to female anglers.

I believe Women can do anything that they want to do. This is certainly something I never thought I could do. I got on the Boat for the first time as a favor to my Husband, I do not swim and have a great fear of water, we caught fish all day! I out fished him and learned something very valuable that day, I can do anything that I set my mind to, even in a sport that WAS considered primarily a mans.

The Fisheries Division – Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education Program (CARE) is seeking volunteers to join our team of certified Fishing Coaches! FISH with CARE program hosts classes and events all over the state where we teach basic fishing skills to adults, families, and youth. FISH with CARE coaches work with Fisheries staff to educate and engage the public in the outdoors through the sport of fishing. If you are interested in sharing your love and knowledge of fishing while creating the next generation of environmental stewards, consider joining our Fishing Coach team! Our next certification training is being offering in April, information to get involved can be found HERE!

The Fisheries Division is performing a population estimate of the northern pike population on Pachaug Pond, Griswold. We are using five trap nets to perform this assessment. They are well marked with bouys and are located in shallow water (5-9 feet) in the coves around the lake out of the way of boating traffic. The nets will be checked up to three times per week and will likely remain in the lake into early April. Captured northern pike are measured, then a scale sample for later aging is taken and a small fin clip is made on the top portion of its tail fin to mark the fish, which allows us to see that we have handled the fish before. The fish are then released back into the lake. By keeping track of how many unmarked and marked fish we capture over a period of time we can make a determination of the size of the northern pike population in the lake. 

We are also retaining 24 northern pike from Pachaug Pond to bring to our managed spawning marsh in Mansfield as part of our juvenile northern pike production program. These retained fish will spawn in the marsh where their eggs will hatch and the resultant production will grow until June when we will drain the marsh and collect the juvenile pike (which will be approximately 4-6 inches long at that time). The juvenile pike will then be stocked into our pike management lakes (i.e. Pachaug Pond, Mansfield Hollow Lake, Winchester Lake and Bantam Lake). Any adults captured during the juvenile collection will be returned to Pachaug Pond.

The female in the photo above was captured on 2/27. She was 39 inches and estimated to be about 15-17 pounds.

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 Burlington State Fish Hatchery turns 100 this year!

Long time hatchery superintendent Bill Robinson taking stock of trout fry (recently hatched and about 1 inch), in throughs within the "Hatch House" at the Burlington State Fish Hatchery. These rearing troughs have been replaced with concrete raceways with the ability to put shallow troughs on top of the concrete raceways, thus gaining additional space.

The following video from Michigan Department of Natural Resources highlights key points for successful catch and release fishing.

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 February mystery fish was a Bowfin (Amia calva) or is it? A recent study looking into the potential for this ancient fish being more than one species was conducted by Brownstein et al. 2022 (using some fish collected here in Connecticut). The findings indicated there is enough evidence to support having 2 species. The one in Connecticut being Amia ocellicauda, the Eyed Tail Bowfin.

Bowfin are native to North America with apparently speciation happening following the last glacial period. So the next time you are out fishing the Connecticut River, maybe you will catch an ancient, but newly discovered eyed tail bowfin.

Citation for the full article Brownstein CD et al. 2022 Hidden species diversity in an iconic living fossil vertebrate. Biol. Lett. 18: 20220395.

https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0395