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Latest Bites - October 2018
Blackfish (Tautog)  Opening Day for the fall "TOG" season is October 10, 2018.  Three fish per person per day with minimum size of 16 inches.

Looking to go saltwater fishing?  Check out the saltwater fishing resource map .

NEW State Record White Perch from Crystal Lake, Ellington (see below).

Fall Trout Stocking  We are stocking Trout Management Areas, Trout Management Lakes, and Trout Parks as conditions allow.  Get our stocking news on Facebook , the interactive Trout Stocking Ma p, or our

 of the Angler's Guide is available.

Weekly Fishing Reports - get the latest on what's hot and what's not served directly to your finger tips.  Opt-In at DEEP Newsletter Subscriptions.
COVER SHOT DEADLINE NOVEMBER 1
The deadline to get your entry for the 2019 Angler's Guide cover contest is November 1.  If you have a high resolution picture that represents fishing in Connecticut, email your entry to deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov  ATTN: cover shot.  All details about the contest, including the entry form are online.  
NEW State Record White Perch
Congratulations to Jacob Niemczyk (age 13) who landed a new state record White Perch (from Crystal Lake in Ellington).  Jacob's catch weighed in at 3 pounds 1 ounce, beating Don Loftus Jr.'s 1996 record of 2 pounds 15 ounces (from Candlewood Lake). 

Our Trophy Fish Award program recognizes superb angler catches through new state records (the largest fish by weight of each species ever caught in CT) and as Trophy Fish (fish that meet or exceed the criteria for weight (harvest) and by length (catch and release). Check out the anglers guide for more details or our Trophy Fish Award Web Page.
This Month's Mystery Fish
Email your guess to DEEP.inland.fisheries@ct.gov 
NEW-Crayfish Atlas
An Atlas of the Crayfish of Connecticut is an interactive map showing the distribution of the nine species of crayfish observed though DEEP's Fisheries and Water Quality Monitoring programs. The application contains a map for each species, an overview of crayfish anatomy, key identification characteristics, and detailed photographs. Contact DEEP Fisheries at 860-424-3474 or email DEEP.inland.fisheries@ct.gov to contribute additional information.

Connecticut Crayfish Identification Chart:  A simple flowchart for identifying crayfish of Connecticut
Litter Bugs Often Ruin Fishing Access
There's an old saying that fish live in beautiful places. And this is certainly true here along the 618 miles of tidal shoreline in Connecticut - at least it is until we come along and trash these places.  

Anglers who  leave fishing line, beer cans, worm containers, candy bar wrappers and other kinds of trash cast a dark light on the sport we are so passionate about. Instead of following the "Leave No Trace Behind" mantra, some often leave the place looking like a smelly old garbage can.  This does not go unnoticed, especially by those who are there to enjoy the beauty of our outdoor resourcesComplaints about fishing trash often lead to loss of the ability to access and fish.

This trash negatively impacts the pristine environment fish and their fellow wildlife species need to survive. So it's high time all of us anglers start treating Mother Nature with respect. And it's especially important that we teach our kids to treat the great outdoors well and not like a garbage can. Please lead by example!

PLEASE - Pack in and pack out all of your trash, even garbage like bait containers, bottles, chewing gum, cigarette butts and extra line. If you see others have not done the same, pick up what you can.  

The goal of any angler should be that after we're done fishing, only the fish should know we were there We will be posting this sign to help get the message out - if you are of my vintage "Give A Hoot - Don't Pollute!"  
Changes to Marine Fishing Regulations for 2018

Black Sea Bass:  Details available online.  General Anglers15 inch minimum  length.  Five fish per day May 19 -December 31.  Party/Charter Boats - 15 inch minimum length.  Five fish per day from May 19 - August 31; then 7 fish per day from September 1 - December 31.

Porgy (Scup):  New - 9 inch minimum length except at Enhanced Opportunity Shoreline Locations  where the minimum length is 8 inches . Daily limit remains 30 per person.
 
Summer Flounder (Fluke): New the daily creel limit is 4 fish
and the season has changed to  May 4 - September 30.  Minimum lengths  remain the same as they were in 2017, 1 9 inches everywhere except at Enhanced Opportunity Shoreline Locations where the minimum length is 17 inches.


 
Blackfish (Tautog): New3 fish per day creel limit during October 10 to November 28.  No change to the size of 16 inches for any season and no change in the daily limit for the Spring and Summer Seasons.

The Trout and Salmon Stamp
With approval by the Legislative Regulations Review Committee on February 27, 2018, Connecticut now has a Trout and Salmon Stamp.  100% of the money invested in this stamp is guaranteed to support fisheries programs.  Please visit our FAQ page or email deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov with questions.  A summary is provided below.

Anyone age 16 or older including everyone who is age 65 or older who chooses to do one or both of the following must purchase a trout and salmon stamp:

1. FISH in one of the following areas:  Trout Park, Trout Management Area, Wild Trout Management Area, or a Broodstock Atlantic Salmon Area.

2. HARVEST (keep) trout, Kokanee Salmon, or Atlantic Salmon anywhere in the state (except for waters stocked at no expense to the state).

The fee is $5.00 for age 18 and older and $3.00 for those 16-17.  The stamp is good for the calendar year (expires on December 31).

The Trout and Salmon Stamp will print on your fishing license as an additional privilege.
Mystery Fish Revealed
Last month's  Mystery Fish  was the Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus).  The Redbreast Sunfish is one of Connecticut's native fish.  It prefers good quality water and is more likely to be found in a large river or stream than a lake or pond.  A few characteristics include the dark "ear" on the gill cover, an orange breast and dorsal fin, a body without many stripes, bands, spots or other markings.  Occasionally with some turquoise worm-like banding on the face.  Redbreast Sunfish are fairly aggressive and can be caught using a variety of methods (fly fishing in the photo below).  To see the statewide distribution of the Redbreast Sunfish, check out the DEEP fish community viewer and select "Redbreast Sunfish" as the species.
All Things Fishing 
We have fishing covered in the new "Connecticut is Fishy" application. Within a 60 minute drive you can be fly fishing the famed Housatonic River or Farmington River, catching monster Northern Pike in Bantam Lake, jumbo Common Carp from the Connecticut River, or on Long Island Sound fishing for tasty favorites like fluke, porgy, sea bass, and bluefish.
The "Connecticut is Fishy" application is a cross between an atlas, our Angler's Guide, our fishing web pages, and interactive maps. We know you will be hooked.
License Fees Fund Hunting and Fishing Programs

100%  of the fees collected from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, tags, permits, and stamps goes to support fish and wildlife conservation, preservation, and recreation programs administered by the Bureau of Natural Resources (Connecticut General Statutes 26-15, 20-15(a), 26-15 (b)). 

Each time you purchase a license your contribution goes to support hunting, fishing, and open space right here in CT. 

So, the next time you see a bald eagle, harvest a white-tail, pheasant, or turkey, or catch a brown trout or striped bass, give yourself and your fellow sportsmen a pat on the back!



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You'll find each issue packed with information about wildlife, hunting, and natural resource-related issues in Connecticut.

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