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 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 2024 Fishing Guide* is available for download in English and Spanish. Please note this document is now freshwater onlyThe saltwater regulations will be published at a later date in a separate brochure once they are finalized, which is usually late February.

*There are no changes to freshwater regulations for 2024.

2024 Fishing Guide Typographical Error in the print version of the guide: please note on page 37, the daily creel limit for the two seasonal catch and release sections of the Farmington River, the daily creel limit was incorrectly printed as "five" fish per angler per day. The correct limit is "two" fish per angler per day / 12 inch minimum length from the second Saturday of April until August 31.

Direct your questions to mike.beauchene@ct.gov.

Going Digital

Current Freshwater Digital Fishing Guide 

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.

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Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions. 

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

Content last updated April 2024