Fishing Around Connecticut

If you're from New England you've likely been exposed to the sport, hobby or past time of fishing. This leisure activity will have you spending the brunt of most days casting and reeling just for the satisfaction of hooking something alive. Joy stems from achieving what you've set out to do and the ambiguity of what's on the line.

If you want to get started fishing you'll need to go to your town hall or a fishing outlet store (Wal-Mart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro, etc.) to buy a fishing license. It costs about $28. Now, technically, you don’t need a license and can very well catch fish without one. However, you really should buy a license because in some of the better spots, game marshals stop by and if you're caught without a license--you're in hot water.

I've gotten away without a license for years in the past, but I learned that the $28 fee goes to things like restocking ponds and lakes across the state with fish and fish eggs. More fish, more fun.

If you're anything like me you catch and release, some people keep their catch to eat though. When it comes to Connecticut waters, you have to be careful about what you're putting in your mouth. A lot of bodies of water have mercury and other harmful substances in the water, so the fish are often contaminated. Fish harbor unique chemicals that are absorbed from the water they live in, if you’re pregnant or have a lack of immunizations then eating too much of a fish from a certain body of water can make you sick.

Statewide consumption regulations are placed on fish, depending on species. Trout and sunfish, for example, have no regulation and can be consumed to no limit. However, in the Housatonic River area, along with lakes located off of it, there are strict consumption regulations on all of the fish.

Refer to the 2016 Connecticut Fish Consumption Advisory guide for guidelines about what fish you can eat.