5 Reasons You’ll Be Hooked on Inland Fishing in Connecticut

Connecticut covers just 5,543 square miles. But within its border are more than 180 public lakes and ponds and thousands of awe-inspiringly beautiful miles of rivers and streams. Better yet, it’s teeming with an extremely diverse array of game fish and pan fish. There’s largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, walleye, northern pike, striped bass, carp, bluegills, crappie and the list goes on…

Fish Connecticut — and you might not have to tell that “big-one-that-got-away” story. Plenty have returned home with unretouched photos of monster brown trouts on the Farmington or Housatonic Rivers, a giant carp on the Connecticut River or Batterson Park Pond. Who knows, you could even capture the new world record for striped bass. As of 2011, though, no one has beat the current world record for striped bass caught in Westbrook, CT. Still plenty of opportunities to not just catch a lot of fish, but land that fish of a lifetime.

Not only is Connecticut a terrific place to fish, it’s also a picturesque place to camp. Campgrounds abound, like Macedonia Brook, Green Falls Reservoir, American Legion State Forest, Black Rock Hopeville Pond and more. Bring the whole family and enjoy telling fish tales around the campfire at night while constructing that perfect s’more.

• For campground reservations, visit this site.

It’s easy and affordable to get a Connecticut fishing license for residents or non-residents.

While we can’t guarantee the fish will be easy to catch, they will be easy to reach thanks to more than 110 boat launches across the state on ponds, lakes, rivers and the Long Island Sound. Bring your boat or a kayak and enjoy easy access to Connecticut’s many inland fishing opportunities.

Not sure where you would like to start your Connecticut fishing adventure or how to go about planning it? Don’t worry, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection gives you a tackle box full of information and helpful tips.

• Fishing Guide is your source for all things fishing in Connecticut.
• Boater’s Guide filled with information you need to know about boating on Connecticut waters.
• Weekly Fishing Reports that provide a summary of fresh and saltwater fishing activity in Connecticut collected from tackle stores around the state.
• More… visit the Fishing Main Page for anything from getting your license to fishing FAQ’s.