Freshwater Fishing Guide


Freshwater Record Fish


If your record is not listed here, please contact us. For more information about Connecticut's angler recognition program, please visit our Trophy Fish Award Program webpage.
Harvest Category (Weight)  |  Catch and Release (Length)

The link within the common name column opens the state record photos page. The harvest category recognizes the heaviest fish for each species. The fish must be weighed on a certified scale.

Common Name  Weight Location Caught Angler Year Caught
lbs. oz.
American Eel 10 3 Shetucket River, Norwich Charles J. Lobacz 1993
American Shad 9 4 Connecticut River, Windsor Edward Cypus 1981
Bluegill 2 4 Private Pond, Madison Daniel Gesner 1996
Bowfin 9 11 Connecticut River, Hartford Fejzo Akaratovic 2022
Brook Trout 9 3 Blackwells Brook, Brooklyn David Andes 1998
Brown Bullhead 4 15 Prospect Pond, Southington Robert Richey 1990
Brown Trout 19 0 West Hill Pond, New Hartford James M. Lucas II 2014
Brown Trout (Sea-run) 10 8 Saugatuck River, Westport Ronald J. Merly 2006
Calico Bass 4 0 Pattagansett Lake, East Lyme James M. Boos 1974
Chain Pickerel 8 9 West Twin Lake, Salisbury Alden L. Foss 2005
Channel Catfish
29
6
Mashapaug Lake, Union
Appleton Barrows
2004
Common Carp
45
5 Lake Lillinonah, Bridgewater
Brian Santos
2024
Fallfish 2 4 Farmington River, Simsbury Chad Tessman 2012
Kokanee 2 14 East Twin Lake, Salisbury Tom Pasko 2011
Kokanee 2 14 West Hill Pond, Barkhamsted Seth Harris 2018
Lake Trout 29 13 Wononscopmuc Lake, Salisbury Dr. Thompson 1918
Largemouth Bass 12 14 Mashapaug Lake, Union Frank Domurat 1961
Northern Pike 29 0 West Branch Reservoir, Colebrook-Hartland Leslie Slater 2020
Northern Pike 29 0 Lake Lillinonah, Brookfield Joseph Nett 1980
Pumpkinseed 1 3 Lake Marie, Windham Robyn Rogers 1973
Rainbow Trout 14 10 Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Mansfield Michael V. Ludlow 1998
Rock Bass 1 3 Colebrook Reservoir, Colebrook Ernie Gonsalves 1989
Rock Bass
1 3 Shenipsit Lake, Tolland Joseph Mankauskas, Jr. 1980
Smallmouth Bass 7 12 Shenipsit Lake, Tolland James Bonan 1995
Tiger Trout 7 14 Quassapaug Lake, Woodbury-Middlebury Jerry Barth 2011
Walleye 15 4 Beach Pond, Voluntown Vincent Deledda 2015
White Catfish 12 12 Connecticut River, Middletown John L. Shatas 1999
White Perch 3 1 Crystal Lake, Ellington Jacob Niemczyk 2018
White Sucker 5 4 Crystal Lake, Ellington Zach Stoltenberg 2021
Yellow Perch 2 13 Black Pond, Woodstock Miller B. Bassett 1973
 
Catch and Release Category (Length)
The Catch and Release category recognizes the longest fish of each species caught in Connecticut. The fish is measured and immediately released.
Common Name Length (in inches) Location Caught Angler Year Caught
American Eel 41 Lake Terramuggus, Marlborough Daniel E.S. Kornegay III 2011
Bluegill 10.5 Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding Jude Lundbye 2023
Bluegill 10.5 Andover Lake, Andover Gregory Doane 2015
Bluegill 10.5 Private Pond, Killingworth Evan Kamoen 2018
Bluegill 10.5 Private Pond, Rocky Hill Ted Munette 2015
Bowfin 28.5 Crow Point Cove, Wethersfield Benjamin Florian 2023
Brook Trout* 21.25 Natchaug River, Chaplin Nicholas Burnore 2010
Brown Bullhead 17.5 Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding Keith Bonenfant 2016
Brown Trout* 30 Saugatuck Reservoir, Redding Liam Sikora 2023
Calico Bass 19 Candlewood Lake, Danbury Evan Kamoen 2016
Chain Pickerel 33 West Hill Pond, Barkhamsted Mark R. Popolizio 2013
Channel Catfish 36 Game Club Pond, Chaplin Colby Kerttula 2020
Common Carp 42 Connecticut River, Hartford Michael Hudak 2012
Fallfish 17 Quinebaug River, Thompson Mike Nordman 2024
Fallfish 17 Bladdens River, Seymour William Hein 2020
Hybrid Sunfish 10.5 Private Pond, Cheshire James Robitaille 2014
Hybrid Sunfish 10.5 Risley Reservoir, Vernon Ryan McKinney 2019
Kokanee Salmon 20 East Twin Lake, Salisbury Timothy E. Kilbride 2010
Lake Trout 32 Coventry Lake, Coventry Christopher Rinaldi 2023
Largemouth Bass 25.25 Lake Pocotopaug, East Hampton Daniel E.S. Kornegay III 2008
Northern Pike 45.75 Housatonic River, Falls Village David L. Jones 2009
Pumpkinseed 10 Lake McDonough, Barkhamsted Ellie Fiorentino 2012
Pumpkinseed 10 Lake McDonough, Barkhamsted Joey Takeman 2014
Rainbow Trout* 30 Scoville Reservoir, Wolcott Michael Thureson 2010
Redbreast Sunfish 10.75 Andover Lake, Andover Brandon Powers 2022
Rock Bass 12.75 Housatonic River, Kent Daniel E.S. Kornegay III 2008
Smallmouth Bass 24.25 Farmington River, Windsor Jacob Long 2018
Tiger Trout* 22 Woodbridge Lake, Goshen Cristian Cifaldi 2018
Walleye 30 Lake Zoar, Southbury Alexander Daignault 2022
Walleye 30 Lake Pocotopaug, East Hampton Daniel E.S. Kornegay III 2010
White Catfish 25.5 Salmon River, East Haddam Shawn Sims 2012
White Perch 15.5 Mill River, Fairfield Ryan Mozelack 2024
White Sucker 22.5 Squantz Pond, Sherman Thomas Dorman 2024
Yellow Perch 16.25 Lake McDonough, New Hartford Ron Barbour 2011

*Anglers may catch trout in tidal portions of rivers but not all may be a "sea-run" fish. To determine if a fish has spent significant time in saltwater analysis of scales and/or the earbone is necessary. As such, the Fisheries Division will not recognize records for "sea-run" within the catch and release category.

 

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Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions. 

Phone: 860-424-FISH (3474)
E-mail: deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov

Content last updated June 2024