Fishing

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  • Catfishes and Bullheads

    Catfish and bullheads have eight barbels around the mouth: two off the snout, two off the corners of the mouth, and four under the chin. These long barbels give the impression of whiskers, hence the name “catfishes.”

  • Chain Pickerel

    The chain pickerel is Connecticut’s largest native freshwater predatory fish. Before the introduction of bass, it was the top predator in the state’s lakes and ponds.

  • Burbot

    The burbot is the only completely freshwater member of the cod family. Little is known of its life history in Connecticut.

  • Brown Bullhead

    The brown bullhead is Connecticut’s most widely distributed and only native catfish species. They are good to eat, but are typically underutilized by anglers.

  • Central Mudminnow

    Although central mudminnows look superficially like minnows or killifish, they are actually more closely related to pickerel and pike.

  • Bridle Shiner

    This easily overlooked minnow, the bridle shiner, is apparently declining throughout much of its range.

  • Eastern Mosquitofish

    The Eastern Mosquitofish has been widely introduced as a biocontrol with mixed results.

  • Common Carp

    Learn all about common carp, one of Connecticut's biggest and hardest fighting fish!

  • Fallfish

    Our largest minnow species, the fallfish, is misidentified by many as trout or "dace".

  • Cutlip Minnow

    Cutlip minnows are known to sometimes knock out and eat the eyes of other fishes.

  • Creek Chubsucker

    Creek chubsucker populations have reportedly declined in streams that are subject to siltation.

  • Fathead Minnow

    A popular baitfish, fathead minnows can be found at low abundance almost anywhere in Connecticut.

  • Common Shiner

    With no obvious and distinctive characteristics, the common shiner is one of the most difficult fish to identify.

  • Families of Connecticut Freshwater Fishes

    Learn the defining characteristics of Connecticut's freshwater fish families!

  • Codfishes

    Codfishes are characterized by having a single barbel on the middle of the chin.