2026 regulation year
Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area 2026 — Connecticut Fishing Regulations
Connecticut statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area carries 2 special-regulation overlays on top of Connecticut's 2026 fishing rules — covering Trout (rainbow + brown + brook + tiger). Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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Watch Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area (CT) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
State-level special regulation
CT's flagship tailwater trout fishery — cold-water releases from Colebrook River Lake + Goodwin Dam at Riverton support wild brown trout; Year-round catch-and-release artificial-lures-only TMA from Goodwin Dam to the New Hartford Diversion (Bull's Bridge); standard regs on Lower Farmington
Source: Connecticut special-water list
Per-species rules on Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area
Trout (rainbow + brown + brook + tiger) regulations →
C&R artificial-lures-only TMA Goodwin Dam to New Hartford Diversion year-round
Official source
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) — Inland Fisheries + Marine Fisheries Divisions publishes the authoritative 2026 Connecticut fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection's emergency-order feed — check it before any Connecticut trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Connecticut
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area?
- Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area carries 2 special-regulation overlays that override Connecticut's statewide 2026 rules, covering Trout (rainbow + brown + brook + tiger). One of them reads: "CT's flagship tailwater trout fishery — cold-water releases from Colebrook River Lake + Goodwin Dam at Riverton support wild brown trout; Year-round catch-and-release artificial-lures-only TMA from Goodwin Dam to the New Hartford Diversion (Bull's Bridge); standard regs on Lower Farmington." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area?
- Yes. Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area is in Connecticut, so a valid Connecticut fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) — Inland Fisheries + Marine Fisheries Divisions. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Farmington W Branch TMA; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Connecticut rules.
- Do Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area's special rules replace Connecticut's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Connecticut's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Farmington W Branch TMA by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Farmington W Branch TMA?
- Trout (rainbow + brown + brook + tiger) has a water-body-specific rule on Farmington River West Branch Trout Management Area, each linking to its full Connecticut regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Connecticut limits.