This program allowed people to keep one striper under 28 inches if you possessed a DEEP-issued tag.Īlso, beginning in 2021, Connecticut will implement a regulation that says if you’re fishing for striped bass with bait, you will be required to use circle hooks. The striped bass “bonus program” has been suspended indefinitely. “We’ve had a couple of very strong (spawning) classes getting ready to come into the stock,” Davis said. “People should know that we’re not back in the battle days of the 1980s,” when a moratorium was declared on striped bass.

The good news is a one-fish bag limit and year-round fishing will remain in effect for these prized fish, Davis said. “These are the fish that make lots of eggs,” he said. “The intent of the slot limit is to protect larger, older striped bass (which are almost all female) as these fish are disproportionately important to the reproductive capacity of the population,” explained Justin Davis, assistant director of DEEP’s Fisheries Division. A striper 35 inches or greater, however, must be thrown back.

Any fish greater than or equal to 28 inches, and less than 35 inches may be kept. This means any fish less than 28 inches must be released. Striped bass will go from a minimum length of 28 inches in 2019 to a slot limit of 28-35 inches in 2020. As a result, DEEP will tighten restrictions on size and bag limits so that these species can return to healthy levels. Specifically, striped bass and bluefish are believed to have been overfished in recent years. These changes apply to some of the most popular fish caught in the area. To keep our waters viable fishing grounds for years ahead, the Fisheries Division of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection recently announced new regulations for recreational saltwater fishing in 2020. (Photo submitted)įishing along Connecticut shores has been a favorite pastime for residents and visitors for generations. Francis Pandolfi of Stonington holds a 30-inch striped bass he caught and released near Montauk Point.

Bluefish size