Inland District Statewide Species Regulations

Connecticut Fishing

DETERMINING REGULATIONS

A summary of the Statewide Species Open Seasons, Legal Methods and Length & Daily Creel Limits is listed in the table on page 21. The regulations on many water bodies differ from the statewide regulations.

Use this two-step process to determine regulations on a specific waterbody:

Check the table on page 21 for the general statewide regulations.
Refer to the specific waterbody in the alphabetical listings of Lakes & Ponds (pages 32–41) or Rivers & Streams (pages 44–52) for special site-specific regulations. If no site-specific regulations are listed for a waterbody, statewide regulations apply for seasons, methods, and/or limits.

Unless otherwise indicated in the Lakes & Ponds and Rivers & Streams listings:

Lakes and ponds are open year-round.
Rivers & streams are open from 6:00 a.m. on the 2nd Saturday in April through the last day of February (Closed to all fishing from March 1st to 6:00 a.m. on the 2nd Saturday in April).

The open seasons listed in this table do not apply in areas closed to all fishing during a period of the year.

Lower River/Tidal Waters

Designated rivers & streams with no closed season. These include the entire Connecticut and Thames Rivers, and downstream portions of the Coginchaug, Farmington, Housatonic, Mattabesset, Mystic, Naugatuck, Niantic, Quinnipiac, Salmon and Yantic rivers. Check individual waterbody listing for boundaries.

For more information on Legal Methods & Gear, Length Limits, Creel & Possession Limits and Species, refer to the definitions on pages 26–27.

Note: Regulations for several marine species found in the Inland District are subject to change.

Species	Notes	Legal methods	Area	Open Season*	Minimum Length	Daily Creel Limit
Alewife/Blueback Herring	Daily creel limit is for both species in aggregate.	Taking of anadromous alewife & blueback herring from all Connecticut waters is prohibited. Emergency closure is in effect. See page 28 for more information. Exception: Landlocked alewife only may be taken from specific lakes. See page 28 for list of lakes. Methods, seasons & creel limits for these lakes are as follows:
		Angling	Lakes & Ponds (see page 32)	Open year-round*	No minimum length	25
		Scoop Net	Lakes & Ponds (see page 32)	April 1 – June 15	No minimum length	25
American Eel	Spearing and bow and arrow use prohibited in streams or stream sections stocked with trout. Spearing prohibited in all lakes & ponds. The taking of elver eel, glass eel and silver eel is prohibited.	Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing, Bow and Arrow, Spearing	All areas	Open year-round*	9″	25
American Shad	Harvest of American shad allowed only in the Connecticut River system.	Angling	Connecticut River (including tributaries open year-round)	Open year-round	No minimum length	6
Atlantic Salmon	Taking of Atlantic Salmon is prohibited. Exception: Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Fisheries (see page 28)
Largemouth Bass & Smallmouth Bass	Daily creel limit is for both species in aggregate.	Angling, Icefishing	Lakes & Ponds	Open year-round*	12″	6
			Rivers & Streams	Open year-round*	No minimum length	6
			Connecticut River	Open year-round	12″	6
Carp, Bowfin, Tench, Suckers & Lampreys	Spearing and bow and arrow use prohibited in streams or stream sections stocked with trout. Spearing prohibited in all lakes & ponds.	Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing, Bow and Arrow, Spearing	All areas	Open year-round*	No minimum length	No limit
Chain Pickerel	—	Angling, Icefishing	Lakes & Ponds	Open year-round*	15″	6
Chain Pickerel	—	Angling, Icefishing	Rivers & Streams	Open year-round*	No minimum length	No limit
Hickory Shad	Daily creel limit is in aggregate with American shad.	Angling, Icefishing, Scoop Net	All areas	Open year-round*	No minimum length	6
Kokanee	—	Angling, Icefishing	All areas	2nd Saturday in April – last day in February	No minimum length	5
Northern Pike	—	Angling, Icefishing	All areas	Open year-round*	26″	2
Panfish**	Except White Perch, see below.	Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing	All areas	Open year-round*	No minimum length	No limit
Smelt	Taking of smelt in rivers & streams is prohibited.	Angling & Icefishing	Lakes & Ponds	Open year-round*	No minimum length	50
Striped Bass	—	Angling	All areas	Open year-round*	28″	1
Sturgeon, Burbot	Taking of sturgeon and burbot prohibited.
Trout (Brook, Brown, Lake, Rainbow, Tiger & other hybrids)	—	Angling, Icefishing	Lakes & Ponds, Rivers & Streams	2nd Saturday in April – last day in February	No minimum length	5
	—	Angling, Icefishing	Lower Rivers/ Tidal Waters	Open year-round*	15″	2
White Perch	—	Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing	Connecticut River (including Coves & Tributaries) Tidally influenced Rivers & Streams	Open year-round*	7″	30
White Perch	—	Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing	Lakes & Ponds All other Rivers & Streams	Open year-round*	No minimum length	No limit
Walleye	—	Angling, Icefishing	All areas	Open year-round*	18″	2
* Except in areas closed to all fishing during a period of the year. **Yellow Perch, White Perch, Calico Bass (Crappie), Rock Bass, bullheads, all species of catfish, and all species of sunfish.