Fishing at Hammonasset Beach

You can fish at Hammonasset from the two stone jetties during the day and from the whole two-mile beach at night in peak season. DEEP allows daytime fishing, 8 a.m. to sunset, only at the Meigs Point jetty and the West Beach jetty. Anyone 16 or older needs a Connecticut marine waters fishing license. Striped bass, bluefish, fluke and blackfish are on DEEP's list.

Where You Can Fish

• Meigs Point jetty, at the east (south) end of the park. DEEP describes surfcasting from the stone breakwater here; Friends of Hammonasset dates the Meigs Point breakwater to 1955, built with stone trucked in from northern New England. DEEP lists a fishermen's parking area nearby; follow the signs to Meigs Point.
• West Beach jetty, at the west end of the beach.
• The whole beach, at night, in peak season.
• From a canoe or kayak, launched from the car-top boat launch.

Don't fish from the swimming beach during the day. DEEP's beach rules ban fishing in swimming areas, and its fishing rules keep daytime anglers on the jetties.

When You Can Fish

DEEP treats May through October as peak season. In those months the jetties are open from 8 a.m. to sunset, and the park stays open 24 hours for fishing from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, with night fishing allowed along the whole beach, about two miles of it.

In the off-season, DEEP says the full beach is not open to night fishing. The park itself is open 8 a.m. to sunset all year; see Hours & Fees.

Night Fishing Rules

• If you drive in, you need a vehicle permit to park and fish.
• If you walk in, you don't need a parking permit, but you must have fishing tackle (rod and reel, bait, a light), a marine waters fishing license, and actually be fishing.
• No car is admitted to the park's day-use areas between 6:30 and 8 a.m., so don't plan to drive in during that window.

Cars with Connecticut plates park free. Out-of-state cars pay the daily parking fee in season.

What You Can Catch

DEEP lists these saltwater species for Hammonasset, from spring through fall:

• Striped bass
• Bluefish
• Summer flounder (fluke)
• Winter flounder
• Blackfish (tautog)
• Porgy (scup)
• Weakfish

Size limits, bag limits and seasons differ by species and change year to year. Check DEEP's current saltwater regulations before you keep anything.

Connecticut Fishing License

Anyone 16 or older fishing from shore or from a boat in Connecticut's marine waters needs a marine waters fishing license. It runs for the calendar year and expires December 31. Connecticut residents aged 16 and 17 pay half price.

• Buy it online any time from DEEP's Online Outdoor Licensing System, and keep a digital copy on your phone.
• You can also buy one from outdoor shops and some town halls.
• A valid marine license from Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island or Maine also works in Connecticut.

Fishing From a Kayak or Canoe

To reach the car-top boat launch, follow the signs to Meigs Point and the fishermen's parking area. The launch is on the east side of the Meigs Point jetty (DEEP's launch map). Life jackets are required from October 1 to May 31, and children under 12 must wear one all year. Check the tides before you go out.

Safety on the Jetties

The jetties are big stones, uneven and slick when wet. Wear shoes with grip, watch for waves at high tide, and bring a light at night. Never fish from the rocks during a thunderstorm; DEEP clears its beaches when lightning or thunder is near.

DEEP's park page and its shore-fishing page are the source of record for these rules.