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Do you need a Connecticut fishing license?
Yes. Anglers age 16 and older must have a current Connecticut fishing license to fish in inland or marine waters. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) issues all fishing licenses and permits.
Children 15 and under fish free in both inland and marine waters. Connecticut residents who are blind or have a 100% disability rating qualify for a free license.
Connecticut fishing license cost in 2026
A resident Inland Fishing License is $32. A resident Marine Waters Fishing License is $10. The All-Waters Fishing License (covers inland and marine) is $35. Trout & Salmon Stamps are required to keep trout or salmon and cost $5 for residents and non-residents.
Non-residents pay $63 for an annual inland license, $15 for a marine waters license, and $66 for All-Waters. Short-term: a 1-day inland or marine license is $9, and a 3-day non-resident inland license is $24.
Residents 65 and older pay reduced fees, and seniors who held a Connecticut license at age 65 qualify for a free Senior Free Lifetime Fishing License. Active-duty military residents on leave also fish free.
Where to buy a Connecticut fishing license
Buy online through the DEEP Online Sportsmen Licensing System at portal.ct.gov/deep. Licenses can be printed or saved on your phone. You can also call DEEP at 860-424-3105.
In person, licenses are available at DEEP offices in Hartford, Marlborough, and Old Lyme, plus more than 200 town clerk offices, sporting goods stores, and bait-and-tackle shops. The state's All-Waters license offers the simplest one-purchase option for anglers fishing both Long Island Sound and freshwater.
Connecticut free fishing days in 2026
Connecticut's Free Fishing Day is Saturday, May 9, 2026 for inland waters. All anglers can fish without a license on that day. Marine waters in Connecticut do not have a free fishing day because the marine license is free for residents fishing from shore at certain Enhanced Shore Fishing locations.
Bag, size, and season limits still apply, including the Trout & Salmon Stamp requirement to keep trout or salmon.
Key Connecticut fishing regulations
Trout limits are 5 per day in most Trout Management Areas, with various size and season rules. Trout Parks open year-round have 2-fish daily limits and youth-only restrictions in early spring. Wild Trout Management Areas are catch-and-release artificial-only.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass have a 12-inch minimum and 6-fish daily aggregate on most waters. Walleye on Squantz Pond, Bantam Lake, and Saugatuck Reservoir have 18-inch minimums and 5-fish limits. Striped bass in Long Island Sound follow Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission rules with a 28-31 inch slot.
DEEP designates Enhanced Shore Fishing Opportunity sites where unlicensed shore anglers can fish saltwater. The state also enforces strict bait and gear rules on Atlantic salmon broodstock waters.
Best fishing in Connecticut
The Farmington River is Connecticut's blue-ribbon trout stream, with year-round flows from Colebrook Reservoir and trophy brown trout in the Permanent Trout Management Area near New Hartford. The Housatonic River downstream of Cornwall is another top trout water.
Long Island Sound offers striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and blackfish action from spring through fall. Candlewood Lake is the state's largest lake and a top destination for smallmouth bass, walleye, and trout.
Find local waters with GilledIt's Connecticut directory at /us/fishing-pond-directory/connecticut.
Frequently Asked Questions
A resident inland license is $32, marine is $10, and All-Waters is $35. Non-residents pay $63 inland, $15 marine, and $66 All-Waters. A 1-day license is $9.
Anglers age 16 and older need a Connecticut fishing license. Children 15 and under fish free. Senior, military, and disabled anglers qualify for reduced or free licenses.
Connecticut's inland Free Fishing Day is Saturday, May 9, 2026. No license is needed for inland waters, but Trout & Salmon Stamps are still required to keep trout.
Connecticut sells annual inland, annual marine, All-Waters combo, 1-day, 3-day non-resident, senior, and free Senior Lifetime Fishing Licenses for qualifying residents.
Yes. Connecticut residents who held a license at age 65 qualify for a free Senior Lifetime Fishing License. There is no general lifetime license for younger anglers.
Yes, if you keep trout or salmon. The stamp costs $5 for residents and non-residents and is in addition to your standard fishing license.