Marine Recreational Fishing Regulations

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NEW for 2021

No person shall engage in angling for striped bass with whole, cut or live natural bait unless such person uses an inline circle hook. For purposes of this subsection, “inline circle hook” means a fishing hook on which the point and barb are not offset from the plane of the shank and bend of such hook and such point is perpendicular to such shank. Visit https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/Saltwater/Striped-Bass-and-Circle-Hooks for more information.

Species, Minimum Sizes, Daily Limits, & Fishing Seasons

Effective 2021: Species regulations are subject to change. For legal purposes, the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies must be consulted. Visit www.ct.gov/deep/laws-regs or contact Marine Fisheries (860-434-6043) for current regulations. Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing Program: This Marine Fisheries Program is part of a broader Department effort to improve the quality of access and fishing to our Public Trust marine fisheries resources in CT, especially in urban areas. This unique program relies on reduced size limit regulations to allow angler’s young and old alike the opportunity to experience the joy and relaxation of outdoor recreation and the satisfaction of catching their own dinner. At the same time, the design of this program assures that marine fish conservation objectives continue to be met.

Red type signifies regulations change in 2021.

See www.ct.gov/deep/saltwaterfishing for updated recreational fishing regulations.

Species	Notes	Minimum Length	Daily Creel Limit (fish per angler)	Open Season
Alewife/ Blueback Herring	The taking of Alewife and Blueback Herring is prohibited.
American Eel	Eel Pots limited to 2 pots per person, personal use only. Legal Methods: Angling, Snagging, Spearing, Eel Pot Silver eel harvest is prohibited.	9"	25	Year Round
American Shad	All state waters closed except the Connecticut River.	None	6 (American and Hickory Shad in aggregate)	Year Round
Atlantic Cod	Visit https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/recfishing/regs/index.html for updated federal regulations.	21"	10	Year Round
Black Sea Bass	Length excludes the tendril (tail filament). See www.ct.gov/deep/saltwaterfishing for Party/Charter fishing regulations.	15"	5	May 19 – December 31
Bluefish	See www.ct.gov/deep/saltwaterfishing for Party/Charter fishing regulations.	None	3 (including snapper bluefish)	Year Round
Haddock	Visit https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/recfishing/regs/index.html for updated federal regulations.	18"	None	Year Round
Hickory Shad		None	6 (American and Hickory Shad in aggregate)	Year Round
Menhaden		None	50 fish or 5 gallons (whichever is the greater amount)	Year Round
Pollock	Visit https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/recfishing/regs/index.html for updated federal regulations.	19"	None	Year Round
Red Drum	No person shall possess any red drum greater than 27 inches measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. Any red drum greater than 27" shall, without avoidable injury, be returned immediately to the water from which taken.	None	None	None
Scup (Porgy)	See www.ct.gov/deep/saltwaterfishing for Party/Charter fishing regulations.	9"	30	Year Round
Scup (Porgy)	At Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing Access Sites (see Appendix A)	8"	30	Year Round
Sea-Run Trout (Brown, Brook, Rainbow)		15"	2 (all species in aggregate)	Year Round
Striped Bass (see callout above)	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	28” - 35”	1	Year Round
Summer Flounder (Fluke)	On the water, fillets must meet minimum length or be accompanied by a legal sized rack (carcass) See portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/Saltwater/Saltwater-Fishing for updated regulations	19"	4	May 4 – September 30
Summer Flounder (Fluke)	At Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing Access Sites (see Appendix A)	17"	4	May 4 – September 30
Tautog (Blackfish)		16"	2	April 1 – April 30 and July 1 – August 31
Tautog (Blackfish)		16"	3	October 10 – November 28
Weakfish		16"	1	Year Round
White Perch		7"	30	Year Round
Winter Flounder		12"	2	April 1 – December 31
Sharks/Tuna*	Highly Migratory Species (HMS) permit is required to take, possess, or land any shark species, other than smooth or spiny dogfish. To obtain an HMS permit see www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/aps/permits or call NMFS Customer Service at 888-872-8862
* Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Compliance Guide: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-fishery-compliance-guides. Striped bass may only be taken by angling (spearing is prohibited) and the use of a gaff in the taking of striped bass is prohibited. However, striped bass legally taken by spearing in another state may be landed in Connecticut. No person shall land or possess on the waters of this state or on any parcel of land, structure, or portion of a roadway abutting tidal waters of this state any striped bass from which the head or tail has been removed or which has otherwise been rendered unidentifiable as a striped bass or unable to be measured. Summer flounder filleting– if summer flounder are filleted onboard either: (1) each fillet is required to meet the minimum fish length, or (2) the carcass (rack) of the fish from which the fillet was removed has to be retained and the carcass has to meet the minimum length. This rule shall not be construed to prevent filleting of fish on shore or dockside.

Minimum length is measured from the tip of the snout (head) to the end of the tail.

Attention!

Effective Dec. 1, 2020: anyone fishing with natural baits (live, dead, or cut) with the intent to catch striped bass MUST be using an inline circle hook. This includes when adding bait to an artificial lure. https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/Saltwater/Striped-Bass-and-Circle-Hooks