Fishing Guide (Formerly Angler's Guide)
The Fishing Guide is intended to provide a summary of the more important rules and regulations governing sport fishing in Connecticut and to assist in the enjoyment of the angling experience. For legal purposes, the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies and the General Statutes of Connecticut must be consulted.
The Fisheries Division will be printing a limited number of simple fishing guides (contains the regulations and definitions) as soon as the regulations for the marine species is finalized. This time frame is traditionally mid-February to mid-March.
2023 Fishing Guide is available for download here.
Please feel free to download the most recent version as indicated by the date on the cover of the fishing guide. Direct your questions to mike.beauchene@ct.gov.
Going Digital
Current Freshwater Digital Fishing Guide / changes to the freshwater regulations (effective 12/27/2022)
Current Saltwater Digital Fishing Guide
An exciting development is underway in what we refer to as “Information on Demand", where the DEEP Bureau of Natural Resources will expand on the delivery of fishing, hunting, and trapping information through the DEEP website and seek development of a robust smartphone APP. As 2020 highlighted for all of us, information continues to be sought and consumed at an ever faster and faster rate. And you, our customers are ready, willing, and able to consume that information in novel way. That is true in our education, licensing, permitting, virtual public gatherings, and more.
As part of this transition, the printed full-color guides will be phased out. Beginning with the 2021/2022 season, each guide will be available on the DEEP website (see links above). To bridge any gaps as we transition, a pamphlet-style pocket guide of the fishing regulations will be printed in English and Spanish versions and published on our website.
This effort will represent major change and we have carefully considered those impacts. The benefits to “going digital” are many—convenient, immediate access to information from nearly anywhere; the ability to include multiple languages; the ability for real-time updates as regulations change or new areas open; increased relevance to the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts; and elimination of thousands of unused copies that end up being recycled or worse, simply disposed of. The option of having shorter PDF versions that can be printed for users if needed will help ease the transition.
Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions.
Phone: 860-424-FISH (3474)
E-mail: deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov
Content last updated January 2023