DEEP Announces New Inland Sportfish Regulations to Conserve

Wild Brook Trout

I just wanted you to know that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced that sportfishing regulations for the Inland District will be updated January 1, 2026, and will include additional protections for declining populations of brook trout, the only species of trout native to Connecticut.

According to DEEP, decades of monitoring by DEEP biologists shows a clear trend of reduced range and abundance of brook trout in the state. Brook trout require cold water to survive and flourish, meaning that they are particularly susceptible to the impacts of our warming climate.

Effective January 1, 2026, only trout nine inches or longer can be kept in waters open to trout harvest in the state, except where a more restrictive length limit is already in place. DEEP stocks hatchery-raised brook trout in many waters, and nearly all these fish are greater than nine inches in length, thus providing opportunities for brook trout harvest.

Additionally, 22 waters or portions of waters are now newly designated as Class 1 Wild Trout Management Areas, with brook trout populations in these areas now protected by year-round catch-and-release-only regulations and a requirement that anglers use only artificial lures or flies with a single barbless hook.

A summary of the new regulations can be found on the DEEP web site. The new regulations will be reflected in the 2026 Online Freshwater Fishing Guide and the 2026 printed Inland Fishing Regulations booklets available at DEEP offices, many Town Clerk offices, and fishing license vendors.