100% of your investment in fishing license fees come to the DEEP Bureau of Natural Resources to support your passion for the outdoors- Thank You! 👍👍

March 2026

Please reach out to mike.beauchene@ct.gov with any suggestions, comments, or questions related to CT's Fisheries.

2026 Fishing Licenses Available

Don't miss any days of fishing in 2026 - renew or get your fishing license today!

Annual Fish Stocking Report

Some cool stocking in 2025... with Lake Trout and Tiger Muskie in the mix! Over 1,136,069 fish were stocked last year (this includes all sizes). Check out your favorite species and/or waters in our 2025 Fish Stocking Report.

Ice Safety is Paramount as Winter Ends

Lots of ice fishing this winter, however, all good things must come to an end. As the seasons transition to warmer and longer days ice thickness will once again become an issue.

Thawing temperatures bring the potential for lakes and ponds to have variable ice conditions. We strongly encourage all to make sure ice is safe before heading out - be sure to check as you go and never assume ice thickness is uniform! View some ice safety tips here. Watch a video on how to check ice thickness.

Trout Fishing: Strictly Catch and Release March 1 - April 11, 2026

March 1 is the beginning of the statewide catch and release season for trout with a few exceptions*. All trout must be released without avoidable injury from March 1 until 6:00 am on the second Saturday of April, which is April 11th this year.

*Exceptions include waters or sections of classified as Trout Management Lakes (TML) where anglers may keep 1 trout per day (check the minimum length regulation for the TML being fished), Anglers may keep 2 trout/15 inches minimum length from Sea-Run Trout Streams and sections of waters designated as "Tidal Waters and Tributaries".

Tips For Successful Catch and Release

Not only is catch and release for trout required in many instances, it is also preference of many anglers regardless of species. Delayed mortality from poor release techniques is real. To ensure best chance of survival for the fish you release, please check out these tips and the video below:

using barbless hooks
swap treble hooks to a single hook
being attentive to the line to prevent fish from swallowing the hook
keep fish in the water to unhook
when taking a picture, wet your hands before handling the fish
minimize time you keep the fish out of the water
avoid dragging the fish on land or flopping in the mud, sand, pavement

Angler of the Year - 2025

Congratulations to Daniel Kornegay of East Hampton who is the 2025 Inland Fisheries Angler of the Year. Daniel had four species of fish, which were the largest of that species submitted to DEEP as part of our Trophy Fish Award Program. Daniel's four top fish were:

Brown Trout
Walleye
White Perch
Yellow Perch

To see all of the 2025 trophy fish and anglers with the largest of each species check out the Inland Trophy Fish Summary Report for 2025.

Winter Fishkill - A Natural Occurrence

A winter fishkill is generally caused by a depletion of dissolved oxygen in lakes and ponds. Winter kills occur most frequently in very shallow, nutrient rich ponds that are subject to abundant growth of aquatic plants and algae. Conditions conducive to winterkill arise when heavy snow cover over ice inhibits sunlight penetration, thereby preventing aquatic plants and algae from producing oxygen via photosynthesis. The Fisheries Division expects many reports of winter fishkills as the ice and snow melt off of ponds.

For more info - Winterkill factsheet. If you would like to report a fishkill call 860-424-3474.

Marine Recreational Angler Survey Commences

Anglers- it’s that time of year again! The MRIP (Marine Recreational Information Program) fishing survey is officially starting up for the season on March 1. If you’re out fishing, you may be asked to participate- and your input truly matters for fisheries management.

New for 2026!

Anyone who participates in the survey can snag one of the 2026 collectible stickers as shown above! This year the three to collect include:

Little Tunny
Bluefin Tuna
Summer Flounder

Help support recreational fishing data and build your sticker collection while you’re at it!

Keep an eye out for surveyors, participate when you can, and let’s make this a great season on the water!

Meet Your Fisheries Team

During each month in 2026 you will get to meet one of the highly dedicated and passionate staff of the Fisheries Division. Each of our team bring skill and professionalism to make CT's fisheries the best they can be.

Meet Justin Wiggins

I've got the pleasure of coordinating the DEEP Fishing Education Program - Fish with CARE (Connecticut Aquatic Resources Education), and have worked in the Fisheries Division for 23 years! Starting as a seasonal employee I spent my college summers with DEEP Fisheries, and hired full-time right after receiving my bachelor's degree. It's been a great career journey, and I truly love my work and being able to share my passions with others!

Education: University of Connecticut and my degree is from the School of Natural Resources Management and Engineering with an emphasis on Fisheries Management

When not at work: My wife, Kristen, and I are in that very busy life phase of raising three little ones - boys ages 10 and 4 and a 7-year-old girl. When not transporting kids to lacrosse, basketball, dance, flag football, daycare, school, etc... our family prioritizes spending as much time as possible outside - whether on the water, in the woods or in a tent camping together. With only one shot at raising kids, we are doing our best to slow it down when possible and keep them outdoors!

More About Justin

What was the spark to get you interested in fisheries biology/management? Like so many others that choose this career pathway, it all started as a kid. Growing up, I was enamored with the outdoors. Fishing was adventure and fish were captivating - not much has changed in my 42 years of living!

Favorite part of the job: My job as a fisheries educator is unique in that I have a ton of interaction with the public - hands down my favorite part and the ultimate reward is helping people smile and create memorable outdoor experiences. I get to help folks get outside and enjoy the outdoors! It's truly a blessing and pleasure being able to share with others an activity and animals that I love so much.

Least favorite part of the job: Love almost everything about my job but the least favorite is having to say "no". The Fish with CARE program gets inundated with special requests for private fishing events, parties, derbies, etc... it's hard to say "no" and disappoint folks but a necessary evil of the job.

Trivia/Favorites of Justin:

Pizza Topping: Mushrooms, Peppers, Onions

Movie: Forest Gump

Favorite Fish: Tautog AKA Blackfish are far and away my favorite finned resident of Long Island Sound. Tautog are such a cool looking fish and have a really fascinating life history. My favorite summer and fall activity is snorkeling in rock piles and reefs while spearfishing these beautiful and delicious fish out of their rugged habitat. Blackfish ceviche and fried tautog tacos are regular family dinners at the Wiggins house!

Favorite Concert: Bob Segar at Mohegan Sun 2006!

Phobia: Snakes

Dream place to live: Coastal Connecticut, right where I am!

FISH with CARE needs YOU! Sign up and Volunteer as a Fishing Coach Today.

Fishing has given you so much. Now it is your turn to give back!

The FISH with CARE program is looking for volunteers to help the next generation of anglers. Learn more about volunteering as a DEEP Fishing Coach!

New Volunteer Certification Training being held Wednesday, March 25th (ZOOM) and Sunday, April 29 (in-person). Register Today!

DEEP Announces Recruitment Campaign to fill Seasonal Employment Opportunities Across the State

Seasonal Job Fair to be held Sunday, March 15, 2026

A job fair highlighting seasonal opportunities working within DEEP’s Bureau of Outdoor Recreation will be held at DEEP’s Western District Headquarters at Black Rock State Park, Watertown on Sunday, March 15, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. DEEP staff members from the Parks, Boating, and Environmental Conservation Police divisions will be available to speak with potential candidates. Assistance will be available for those who want to apply for a seasonal position on site. More information is available on the Seasonal Job Fair event page. This event is open to the public.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is now accepting applications for hundreds of seasonal positions. Opportunities include working in outdoor recreation, conservation, forestry, scientific research and law enforcement. Positions are available across the state; in field offices, parks, boat launches, forests and indoor educational centers and museums.

The majority of available seasonal positions are located within our state parks and forests. The roles include maintainers, campground office staff, park rangers, ticket booth attendants, lifeguards, and interpretive guides/educators. Watch the video below to learn more.