How to Catch Fish

Connecticut Fishing

Contact your local bait and tackle shop for updated fishing information. See Connecticut Bait & Tackle Shops for a list of bait and tackle shops or go to www.ct.gov/deep/baitandtackle.

Striped Bass

©Tomelleri

Habitat

• Large rivers in spring and fall
• Estuaries and bays in summer

Fishing Method

• Drifting with live bait
• Jigging and trolling
• Bottom fishing with bait
• Casting to fish

Baits & Lures

• Live bait, menhaden, eels, shad and sand worms
• All types of swimming lures, plastic and rubber baits

Black Sea Bass

Habitat

• Estuaries and Sound
• Rock piles/reefs
• Oyster and mussel beds
• Pilings and jetties

Fishing Method

• Anchored over structure, reefs
• Bottom fishing
• Fishing with bait

Baits & Lures

• Sand worms, conch, shrimp, mummichogs, silversides, mussels/clams and baited jigs or jigs with plastic/rubber bodies or trailer

Fluke

Habitat

• Estuaries and bays
• Lower sections of rivers
• Hard bottom and channels preferred

Fishing Method

• Drifting with bait
• Jigging up and down
• Casting and slowly moving jig with bait

Baits & Lures

• Live/dead bait (bunker, mummichogs, shiners & silversides), cut squid strips, baited jigs and plastic baits

Scup

Habitat

• Estuaries and bays
• Rock piles/reefs
• Oyster and mussel beds
• Pilings and jetties

Fishing Method

• Anchored over structure/reefs
• Bottom fishing
• Live or dead bait

Baits & Lures

• Squid or conch strips, sand worms, shrimp, and mussels/clams