Inland District Statewide Species Regulations
Connecticut
Fishing
Notes | Legal methods | Area | Open Season* | Minimum | Daily | |
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 Broodstock Atlantic Salmon & River Herring for more information. Exception: Landlocked alewife only may be taken from specific lakes. See Broodstock Atlantic Salmon & River Herring for list of lakes. Methods, seasons & creel limits for these lakes are as follows: | ||||
Angling | Open year-round* | No minimum length | 25 | |||
Scoop Net | 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, | All areas | Open year-round* | 9″ | 25 |
American Shad | Harvest of American shad allowed only in the Connecticut River system. | Angling | Connecticut River | Open year-round | No minimum length | 6 |
Atlantic Salmon | Taking of Atlantic Salmon is prohibited. Exception: Atlantic Salmon Broodstock Fisheries (see Broodstock Atlantic Salmon & River Herring) | |||||
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 | |||
Catfish (Channel Catfish & White Catfish) & bullheads | Daily creel limit is for both catfish (Channel Catfish & White Catfish) species in aggregate. No creel limit for bullheads. | Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing | All areas | Open year round* | No minimum length | Catfish – 6 Bullheads – No limit |
Common Carp | 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, only 1 fish >30” | 5 |
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, | All areas | Open year-round* | No minimum length | No limit |
Chain Pickerel | — | Angling, Icefishing | Lakes & Ponds | Open year-round* | 15″ | 6 |
Rivers & Streams | Open year-round* | No minimum length | No limit | |||
Hickory Shad | Daily creel limit is in aggregate with American shad. | Angling, Icefishing, | All areas | Open year-round* | No minimum length | 6 |
Kokanee | Trout & salmon stamp may be needed. | 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 | No person shall possess any striped bass less than 28 inches. No person shall possess any striped bass greater than or equal to 35 inches measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. Any striped bass less than 28” or greater than or equal to 35” shall, without avoidable injury, be returned immediately to the water from which taken. No spearing or gaffing | Angling | All areas | Open year-round* | 28″-35″ | 1 |
Sturgeon, Burbot | Taking of sturgeon and burbot prohibited. | |||||
Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Tiger & | Trout & salmon stamp may be needed. | Angling, Icefishing | Lakes & Ponds, Rivers & Streams | 2nd Saturday in April – last day in February | No minimum length | 5*** |
Lower Rivers/ | Open year-round* | 15″ | 2*** | |||
White Perch | — | Angling, Icefishing, Bobbing | Connecticut River (including Coves & Tributaries) Tidally influenced Rivers & Streams | Open year-round* | 7″ | 30 |
Lakes & Ponds All other Rivers & Streams | Open year-round* | No minimum length | No limit | |||
Walleye | — | Angling, Icefishing | All areas | Open year-round* | 18″ | 2 |