Quick Reference Guide

Fishing

1. Minimum length is measured as the straight line (not curved over the body) from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail. The tips of any forked tail may be squeezed together for the final measurement.
2. Trout applies to Brook, Brown, Rainbow, and Tiger Trout (a cross between a female brown and a male brook trout). From Apr. 1 to Sept. 10, no more than 8 trout (as defined) may be taken daily, and only 3 of those trout may be from lakes, ponds, or major rivers3. From Sept. 11 to Mar. 31, no more than 3 trout (as defined) may be taken daily.
3. Major Rivers: Childs, Coonamessett, Deerfield, Farmington, Green (Colrain), Green (Great Barrington), Ipswich, Jones, Mashpee, Millers, Nissitissit, North (Colrain), North (West Branch), Parker, Quaboag, Quinapoxet, Quinebaug, Seven Mile, Santuit, Scorton Creek, Shawsheen, Squannacook, Stillwater (Sterling, Princeton), Swift (East Branch), Swift (Winsor Dam to Ware River, except as posted), Tully (East and West Branches), Ware, Ware (East Branch), Westfield (all branches).
4. Mainstem Housatonic only, from the confluence of the East and West Branches to the MA–CT line, exclusive of the catch-and-release areas where no trout may be kept.
5. Special Brown Trout water: South Pond (Quacumquasit), Brookfield. Total daily creel is 3 trout but only 1 may be a brown trout and it must be at least 15”.
6. Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs: Opening and closing dates are set by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. For Quabbin Reservoir visit www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/quabbin.htm or call (413) 323-7221. For Wachusett / Sudbury Reservoirs visit www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/wachRes.htm or call (508) 835-4816 or (978) 365-3800. Quabbin Reservoir and its tributary streams within the Quabbin Reservation are closed to all fishing except during the open season as set by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Wachusett/Sudbury/West Waushacum fishing season normally opens the first Saturday in April and closes Nov. 30, but the DCR/DWSP may alter those dates depending on ice conditions. At Wachusett Reservoir, shoreline fishing only is allowed from Gate 6 on Route 70 to Gate 36 on Route 110.
7. The harvest of broodstock salmon (Atlantic Salmon) is lawful in all inland waters of Massachusetts except in: the Connecticut River and all its tributaries; and the Merrimack River downstream of the Essex Dam in Lawrence, MA and all its tributaries downstream of the Essex Dam in Lawrence, MA. The possession of an Atlantic salmon (including broodstock salmon) while fishing in the Connecticut River and all its tributaries and in the Merrimack River downstream of the Essex Dam in Lawrence, MA and all its tributaries downstream of the Essex Dam in Lawrence, MA is prohibited.
8. Smelt may be taken by hook and line only.

Freshwater SPORTFISHING AWARDS

Awards for freshwater fish are offered in 22 categories. Each qualified entry receives a bronze pin. Largest fish in each category each year receives a “gold” pin and plaque. There is also an annual “Angler of the Year” award for the person who has taken the greatest variety of “pinfish” during the year. Fish must meet minimum weight requirements listed below, and must be weighed on a scale certified by the Massachusetts Division of Standards or a town official. Please check our website for a list of weigh stations and/or to download an affidavit. This information is also available at DFW offices.

Hunting Seasons & Limits

Upland game bird hunting is closed during shotgun deer season.

* Migratory game birds (includes waterfowl, woodcock, snipe, rails): Seasons set annually. see Migratory Bird Abstracts.

** Must have completed the youth turkey hunt program.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA REGULATIONS

The Division of Fisheries & Wildlife owns 144 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), 13 Wildlife Sanctuaries, and other properties. Maps are available for many properties on the DFW website and at all DFW offices.

1. No person shall possess any alcoholic beverage except under permit, or dump or discard any can, bottle, or rubbish.
2. No person shall remove vegetation, soil, or stones from any WMA except under permit.
3. No person shall use excessive speed in driving a vehicle.
4. No person, unless under permit, shall drive or possess any vehicle except on roads or trails maintained for public vehicular traffic.
5. No person shall deface or tamper with any sign, building, or equipment.
6. No person shall build or maintain a fire without written permission from the Director of the DFW or his designee.
7. No person shall camp within any WMA without written permission from the Director or his designee.
8. No person shall engage in target practice without written permission from the Director or his designee.
9. No person shall use any means other than shotgun or bow and arrow during the pheasant and quail season on areas stocked with pheasant or quail except for hunting raccoons and opossums between 9pm and 3am.
10. No person shall hunt before sunrise or after sunset on any WMA where pheasant or quail are stocked during the open season on pheasant or quail, Oct. 15 to Nov. 26, except for the hunting of raccoons and opossums between 9pm and 3am.
11. No person shall hunt during the pheasant or quail season on WMAs where pheasant or quail are stocked without wearing a ”hunter orange“ cap or hat except while night hunting for raccoons or opossums or while hunting from a blind or boat.
12. No person, except under permit, shall dig or disturb any artifact or archaeological remains.
13. The Director may make special regulations to handle special situations peculiar to any WMA. Controlled hunts are in effect at certain times on Martin Burns, Delaney, and Ludlow WMAs. Contact District Supervisor for details.

NEW ANTLERLESS DEER PERMIT PROCEDURES

This year, with the start of the new electronic licensing system, MassWildlife has changed the issuance process for Antlerless Deer Permits.

MassWildlife will NO LONGER conduct a permit drawing, and hunters’ chances of winning will no longer involve hunting/sporting license numbers.

MassWildlife will NO LONGER mail notification and/or remittance postcards to customers. Please review the following information, and please be prepared to convey this information to your customers.

Antlerless Deer Permit Application Period (December 1, 2011 – July 16, 2012)

As in the past, all hunters who are interested in obtaining an Antlerless Deer Permit must apply when they initially purchase their licenses or at any time prior to the application deadline of July 16, 2012. There will be no exceptions!

Instant Award Period (August 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012)

Beginning August 1, 2012 (and continuing through the end of the calendar year) antlerless deer permit applicants MUST RETURN to the MassFishHunt website either via the Internet, authorized license agent location, or MassWildlife Office to try to win antlerless deer permits in the zones for which they previously applied. Upon returning to the MassFishHunt site, you or the license agent will select the zone for which you previously applied, and the system will instantly notify you if you won an antlerless deer permit. If the permit is won, the hunter can pay the $5.00 permit fee immediately and print the permit, or leave the winning permit in the shopping cart where it will remain until payment is made or until the permit expires. All permits expire on December 31st of the year issued.

The Instant Award system will still be based on a percent chance of winning, but permit issuance will be completely random rather than based on the last digit of a hunting/sporting license number. Winning percentages will be determined by the number of permits available for each Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ) divided by the number of applicants for each zone. Hunters will have the same odds of winning a permit in their selected zones whether they return on August 1st or December 31st. This will NOT be a first-come/first-served system. Only hunters who applied during the Application Period will be able to try for an antlerless deer permit, and there will only be ONE attempt per hunter during the Instant Award Phase.

Over the Counter Surplus Permit Period (October 2012)

Surplus antlerless deer permits will still be available in October for any zone in which MassWildlife has more permits available than hunters that apply. These surplus antlerless deer permits will continue to be issued on a first-come/first-served basis. Surplus antlerless deer permits will be available over the counter through the Internet, authorized license agent locations, and MassWildlife Offices. Additional information regarding over the counter permit sales will be posted on

Trapping Seasons

* Pelt sealing required