Table 3: Connecticut River Regulations

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Table 3: General Fishing Regulations for the Connecticut River

General Fishing Regulations for the Connecticut River for that portion of the river between New Hampshire and Vermont. “Connecticut River” means all waters of the river, including the bays, setbacks, and tributaries, only to the first highway bridge crossing said tributaries on the Vermont and New Hampshire sides.

Licenses: All New Hampshire- and Vermont-resident fishing licenses are valid for the taking of fish from the Connecticut River as defined above. All other nonresidents with a New Hampshire nonresident fishing license shall only take fish east of the Vermont low- water mark while on the Connecticut River.

Season: Open to fishing all year, except no fishing Oct. 16–Dec. 31 from the confluence of the Upper Ammonoosuc River and the Connecticut River in Northumberland, New Hampshire, to the northern boundary of the town of Canaan, Vermont.

Devices: No more than six ice fishing devices shall be used to take fish while ice fishing. When fishing in open water, no more than two lines may be used. Lead sinkers and lead jigs one ounce or less, regardless of length, are prohibited.

Species Rules: The rules below apply during the open season.

SPECIES RULES: The rules below apply during the open season for fishing.
American Shad	Catch and release only.
Atlantic Salmon	No open season for Atlantic salmon until declared by the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission.
Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout	The season for taking brook, brown, or rainbow trout by all legal methods shall open on Jan. 1 and close Oct. 15. Through open water, the daily limit is 5 fish or 5 pounds (whichever limit is first reached), except the daily limit is 1 fish from the Samuel Moore Dam downstream to the Route 18 bridge. Through the ice, the daily limit is 2 fish, except the daily limit is 1 fish from the Samuel Moore Dam downstream to the Route 18 bridge. Fishing for trout is closed from 2 hours after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise daily. See NH Fishing Digest.
Black Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass)	The daily bag limit for black bass from Jan. 1 to March 31 is 2 fish, of which only 1 bass may be greater than 16”. The daily limit for black bass from April 1 to May 14 and June 16 to June 30 is 2 fish. Between May 15 and June 15, all black bass shall be immediately released unharmed, at the site of catch, to the waters from which taken. The daily limit for black bass from July 1 through Dec. 31 is 5 fish. During the period beginning May 15 and ending June 15, black bass shall be taken only by artificial lures and flies.
Carp	May be taken by any legal method, and by bow and arrow with cord attached, in that part of the river beginning at the point on the northern boundary of Grafton County in New Hampshire, which is directly opposite the town of Concord, Vermont, south to the Massachusetts border.
Horned Pout	The daily limit is 25 fish.
Northern Pike	The daily limit is 1 fish; minimum total length 28”.
Pickerel	The daily limit is 10 fish.
River Herring	Closed to the taking of alewives and blueback herring.
Walleye	No person shall take walleye 16”–18”; the daily limit is 4 fish, of which only 1 can be larger than 18”.
All Other Species	The daily limit for black crappie, white perch, yellow perch, and sunfish is 25 fish for each species. The daily aggregate possession limit is 50 fish for all listed species, including horned pout.
Special Exceptions From the Murphy Dam in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, downstream to the highway bridge that crosses the river from West Stewartstown, New Hampshire, to Canaan, Vermont: from Jan. 1 to March 31, catch and release only with barbless lures and flies. From a point 1,600’ upstream from the bridge in North Stratford, New Hampshire, upstream to a point 250’ below the Lyman Falls Dam in North Stratford, New Hampshire, and marked by a sign, the following restrictions shall apply: Fishing shall be permitted by artificial lures and flies only. All lures and flies shall have barbless hooks or shall have all barbs pinched so they will not interfere with removal of the hook from the fish. All fish are to be immediately released unharmed. Fishways Closed Vernon Dam in Vernon, Vermont, and Hinsdale, New Hampshire, shall be closed to all fishing to a point 150’ below the dam. Wilder Dam in Wilder, Vermont, and Lebanon, New Hampshire, shall be closed to all fishing to a point 150’ below the dam.