Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Fishing Challenge Official List of Fish to Catch

Just for YOUth TextJust for YOUth Logo

Try to catch at least one of each type of fish from this list. 

Fish to Catch  Suggested Locations to Catch Fish 
Atlantic Salmon Beach Pond (Voluntown)
Crystal Lake (Ellington)
Mount Tom Pond (Litchfield, Morris, and Washington)
Largemouth Bass
and
Smallmouth Bass		 Amos Lake (Preston)
Bashan Lake (East Haddam)
Billings Lake (North Stonington)
Black Pond (Meriden-Middlefield)
Bolton Lakes (Lower, Middle, Upper; Bolton, Vernon)
Chamberlain Lake (Bethany)
Colebrook River Lake (Colebrook Sandisfield (MA), and Tolland (MA))
Coventry Lake (Coventry)
Gardner Lake (Salem)
Halls Pond (Eastford)
Lake Hayward (East Haddam)
Highland Lake (Winchester)
Lake Housatonic (Oxyford, Seymour, Monroe, Derby, and Shelton)
Lake Kenosia (Danbury)
Maltby Lakes (1,2,3; West Haven and Orange)
Mamanasco Lake (Ridgefield)
Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (Mansfield and Windham)
Mashapaug Lake (Union)
Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich)
Moodus Reservoir (East Haddam)
Mudge Pond (Sharon)
Pattagansett Lake (East Lyme)
Pickerel Lake (Colchester)
Quinebaug Lake (Killingly)
Lake Saltonstall (East Haven and Branford)
Taftville Reservoir (Norwich)
West Side Pond (Goshen)
Wononskopomuc Lake (Salisbury)
Wyassup Lake (North Stonington)
Channel Catfish Black Pond (Meriden-Middlefield)
Bolton Lakes (Lower, Middle, Upper; Bolton, Vernon)
Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport)
Lake Wintergreen (Hamden)
Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich)
Quonnipaug Lake (Guilford)
Silver Lake (Berlin-Meriden)
Kokanee Salmon East Twin Lake (Salisbury)
West Hill Pond (New Hartford)
Northern Pike Bantam Lake (Morris)
Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (Mansfield and Windham)
Pachaug Pond (Griswold)
Quaddick Reservoir (Thompson)
Winchester Lake (Winchester)
Brook Trout, 
Brown Trout and 
Rainbow Trout		 Amos Lake (Preston)
Candlewood Lake (Sherman, New Milford, Brookfield, New Fairfield, and Danbury)
Crystal Lake (Ellington)
Day Pond (Colchester)
East Twin Lake (Salisbury)
Great Hollow Pond (Portland)
Highland Lake (Winchester)
Mohegan Park Pond (Norwich)
Quonnipaug Lake (Guilford)
Rogers Lake (Lyme)
Southford Falls Pond (Oxford-Southford)
Stratton Brook Park Pond (Simsbury)
Valley Falls Pond (Vernon)
West Hill Pond (New Hartford)
Walleye Batterson Park Pond (Farmington)
Beach Pond (Voluntown)
Coventry Lake (Coventry)
Gardner Lake (Salem)
Lake Saltonstall (Branford)
Lake Zoar (Southbury, Newtown, Oxford, and Monroe)
Mashapaug Lake (Union)
Saugatuck Reservoir (Redding, Weston, and Easton)
Bluegill 
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Perch
Chain Pickerel
Yellow Perch		 All are commonly found in many lakes and ponds across Connecticut and can be captured while fishing for other fish listed here.
Community Fishing
Waters (any fish)		 Bunnells Pond (Bridgeport)
Keeney Park Pond (Hartford)
Lake Wintergreen (Hamden)

Download a lake map

Saltwater fish like striped bass, bluefish, blackfish (tautog), and fluke can be caught at many shoreline locations like those in the Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing Program.

Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions.

Phone: 860-424-FISH (3474)
E-mail: deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov

Link to Facebook

Content last updated January 2013