Inland District Statewide Species Regulations
|
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 Atlantic Salmon & River Herring for more information. Exception: Landlocked alewife only may be taken from specific lakes. See 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, 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 Fisheries (see 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, 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 |
|
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 |
Trout & salmon stamp may be needed. |
Angling, Icefishing |
All areas |
2nd Saturday in April – last day in February |
No minimum length |
5*** |
| Northern Pike Change expected in June, 2021 (see Guide to Inland Regulations): Tiger Muskie are included as Northern Pike. |
Both pike & Tiger Muskie in the aggregate. |
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 |
See Notes on Marine Recreational Fishing Regulations |
Angling |
All areas |
Open year-round* |
28"-35” |
1 |
| Sturgeon, Burbot |
Taking of sturgeon and Burbot prohibited. |
|||||
| Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Tiger & other hybrids) |
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/ 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 |
|
Lakes & Ponds All other Rivers & Streams |
Open year-round* |
No minimum length |
No limit |
|||
| Walleye |
— |
Angling, Icefishing |
All areas |
Open year-round* |
18" |
2 |
