Connecticut Freshwater Regulations
Freshwater Regulations of Connecticut
Alewife/Blueback Herring
SEE EXCEPTIONS |
| Taking of anadromous alewife and blueback herring from all Connecticut waters is prohibited. Emergency closure is in effect. |
| Exception: Landlocked alewife only may be taken from the following lakes: Amos Lake, Ball Pond, Beach Pond, Candlewood Lake, Crystal Lake, Highland Lake, Mount Tom Pond, Lake Quassapaug, Lake Quonnipaug, Squantz Pond, Uncas Pond, and Lake Waramaug. |
Within the exceptions mentioned above, there are two legal methods to follow:
1)Angling which is open year round, with a daily creel limit of 25 with no minimum length.
2)Scoop Net which is open from April 1 through June 15, with a daily creel limit of 25 with no minimum length.
|
| American Eel |
| Spearing and bow and arrow use prohibited in streams or stream sections stocked with trout. Spearing prohibited in all lakes and ponds. The taking of elver eel, glass eel, and silver eel is prohibited. |
By means of: Angling, Ice fishing, Bobbing, Bow and Arrow, Spearing
On any waters not prohibited as mentioned above, open year round with a minimum length of 9″ and a daily creel limit of 25 eels. |
| American Shad |
| Harvest of American shad allowed only in the Connecticut River system. |
| By means of angling within the Connecticut River, including its tributaries open year-round, anglers can fish for American shad year round, with no minimum length and a daily creel limit of 6. |
Atlantic Salmon (Rivers & Streams)
SEE EXCEPTIONS |
| Taking of Atlantic Salmon is prohibited. |
Exceptions: (Trout & Salmon Stamp Required)
Naugatuck River extending from the confluence of the East and West Branches of the Naugatuck River (Torrington) downstream to its confluence with the Housatonic River
Shetucket River: From the Scotland Dam (Windham) downstream to the Water Street Bridge (Norwich)
Housatonic River: From the confluence of the Naugatuck River, extending from the Derby Dam (Derby-Shelton) downstream to its confluence with Long Island Sound (Stratford-Milford) |
| Angling using a single fly, or an artificial lure with a single free swinging hook. Additional weight may not be added to the line. A bubble float attached to the line or leader to adjust buoyancy shall not be considered additional weight. |
| From September 1, 2023 – December 15, 2023 Catch and Release only. |
| From December 16, 2023 – August 31, 2024 there is a daily creel limit of 1 with no minimum length. |
Atlantic Salmon (Lakes & Ponds)
SEE EXCEPTIONS |
| Taking of Atlantic Salmon is prohibited. |
| Exception: (Trout & Salmon Stamp Required) Mount Tom Pond |
| Allowed on Mount Tom Pond by means of angling and ice fishing with the following seasonal regulations: |
| From September 1, 2023 – February 29, 2024 there is a daily creel limit of 1 with no minimum length. |
| From March 1, 2024 – 6:00 AM on April 13, 2024 salmon fishing is catch and release only on these waters. |
| From 6:00 AM on April 13, 2024 – August 31, 2024 there is a daily creel limit of 1 with no minimum length. |
Atlantic Salmon (Lakes & Ponds)
SEE EXCEPTIONS |
| Taking of Atlantic Salmon is prohibited. |
| Exception: (Trout & Salmon Stamp Required) Crystal Lake (Ellington) |
| Allowed on Crystal Lake (Ellington) by means of angling and ice fishing with the following seasonal regulations: |
| From September 1, 2023 – August 31, 2024 there is a daily creel limit of 1 with a 16″ minimum length. |
| Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth) |
| Lakes & Ponds: By means of angling & ice fishing, open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 6 and a minimum length of 12″. |
| Rivers & Streams: By means of angling & ice fishing, open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 6 and no minimum length. |
| Connecticut River: By means of angling & ice fishing, open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 6 and a minimum length of 12″. |
| Bass Management lakes have different regulations that listed here. Please check individual lake/pond page for specific regulations that may apply. |
| Bowfin, Tench, Suckers, and Lampreys |
| Spearing and bow and arrow use prohibited in streams or stream sections stocked with trout. Spearing prohibited in all lakes and ponds. |
| In all open areas not eliminated by the statement above, by means of angling, ice fishing, bobbing, bow & arrow, and spear, there shall be no closed season, with no daily creel limit or minimum size limit. |
| Burbot |
| Taking of burbot is prohibited. |
| Catfish (Channel, White) and bullheads (Brown, Yellow)
|
| By means of angling, ice fishing, and bobbing, on any location with the exception of community fishing waters, the season shall remain open year-round. There is no minimum length but catfish do have a daily creel limit of 6, with bullheads having no daily creel limit. |
| Community Fishing Waters: By means of angling, ice fishing, and bobbing, the season shall remain open year-round. There is no minimum length but catfish do have a daily creel limit of 3, with bullheads having no daily creel limit. |
| Chain Pickerel |
| Lakes and Ponds: By means of angling & ice fishing, open year-round, minimum length of 15″ and a daily creel limit of 6. |
| Rivers and Streams: By means of angling & ice fishing, open year-round, no minimum length and no daily creel limit. |
| Common Carp |
| Spearing and bow and arrow use prohibited in streams or stream sections stocked with trout. Spearing prohibited in all lakes and ponds. |
Exception:TROPHY CARP WATERS (Entire CT River including coves, Batterson Park Pond, Squantz Pond, West Thompson Lake)
SEE NEXT LISTING FOR REGULATIONS ON THESE BODIES OF WATER |
| By means of angling, ice fishing, bobbing, bow & arrow, and spear, there shall be no closed season, no matter the location, with a daily creel limit of 5, with no minimum length, of which only 1 fish can be greater than 30″. |
| Bow and Arrow Bonus:The daily creel limit for common carp taken by bow and arrow fishing shall be twelve (12), not more than three (3) of which may exceed thirty inches in length, in the following areas: West Thompson Lake, the Thames River and its coves, including the Shetucket River downstream from Greenville Dam and the Yantic River downstream of the falls at Indian Leap in Norwich, the Connecticut River and its coves downstream of the Arrigoni Bridge, the Mattabesset River (Sebethe River) downstream of Route 3, including the Cromwell Meadows Wildlife Management Area, the Coginchaug River downstream of Route 3, the Quinnipiac River downstream of Route 40 and the Housatonic River downstream of the Derby Dam. |
| Common Carp (Trophy Carp Waters) |
| Spearing and bow and arrow use prohibited in streams or stream sections stocked with trout. Spearing prohibited in all lakes and ponds. |
TROPHY CARP WATERS (Entire CT River including coves, Batterson Park Pond, Squantz Pond) by means of angling, ice fishing, bobbing, bow & arrow, and spear, shall be open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 1 fish, and a maximum length of 26″.
|
| Hickory Shad |
| Daily creel limit is in aggregate with American shad. |
| By means of angling, ice fishing, and scoop net, on all locations shall be open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 6, with no minimum length. |
| Kokanee |
“Trout and Salmon Stamp needed for anyone aged 16+ if:
you harvest trout, kokanee, or Atlantic salmon from any water and/or you fish in a trout management area, wild trout management area, trout park, atlantic salmon management area” |
| By means of angling and ice fishing, on all locations from 6am on 2nd Saturday in April until last day of February, daily creel limit of 5, with no minimum length. |
| By means of angling and ice fishing, on all locations from March 1 until 6am on 2nd Saturday in April, Catch and Release ONLY. |
| Northern Pike/Tiger Musky |
| By means of angling and ice fishing, on all locations shall be open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 2, and a minimum length of 26″. |
| Exceptions:CT River, Lake Lillinonah, Bantam Lake and Little Pond (Litchfield) each have regulations for Pike that differ than those listed here. Please check individual locations for these specific regulations. |
| Panfish (Crappie, Rock Bass, All Sunfish Species, Yellow Perch) |
| By means of angling, ice fishing, and bobbing, on all locations shall be open year-round, with no daily creel limit, and no minimum length. |
| Smelt |
| Taking of smelt in rivers and streams is prohibited. |
| By means of angling and ice fishing, on lakes & ponds, shall be open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 50, and no minimum length. |
| Striped Bass |
| When using bait, circle hooks are required. |
| By means of angling in any location, shall be open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 1, and a slot limit of 28″-31″. |
| Sturgeon |
| Taking of sturgeon is prohibited. |
| Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow, Tiger, other hybrids) |
| (Trout & Salmon Stamp Required) Many waters may have different sizes/creels, please be sure to check individual locations on our Lakes/Ponds and Rivers/Streams pages. |
| Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, & streams, by means of angling or ice fishing, from 6am on the 2nd Saturday of April until the last day of February, there is no minimum length, and a daily creel limit of 5. |
| Lakes, Ponds, Rivers, & streams, by means of angling or ice fishing, from March 1 until 6am on the 2nd Saturday of April, Catch and Release ONLY. |
| Lower rivers & tidal waters are open year-round and can be fished by angling and ice fishing. The minimum length on trout is 15″ and the daily creel limit is 2. |
| Walleye |
| By means of angling and ice fishing, on all locations, shall be open year-round, with a daily creel limit of 2, and a minimum length of 18″. |
| White Perch |
| The Connecticut River (including coves and tributaries) and tidally influenced rivers and streams are open year-round, with a minimum length of 7″, and a daily creel limit of 30. |
| Lakes, ponds, & all other rivers and streams are open year-round, have no minimum length, and no daily creel limit. |
