Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Saltwater Fishing Guide


Saltwater State Record Fish


Connecticut Saltwater Trophy Fish Records Youth and Women's Categories

State Record Marine Fish (Harvested)

 Common Name Weight Length Location Caught Angler Year Caught
lbs.
oz.

 Albacore

68

14

46.5"

Atlantis Canyon

John Dagon

2012

 American Eel

5

3

39.5"

West Haven

Alyssa Zuppe

2017

 Atlantic Bonito

11

8

29.5"

Ocean Beach

Mark Drummey

2017

 Atlantic Chub Mackerel 2 5.28 16.75" Fishers Island Sound John Roy 2021

 Atlantic Cod

45

0

 

South of Block Island

John Chomen

2004
 Big Eye Tuna 294 2 78" West Atlantis Chris Anderson 2021

 Black Sea Bass

7

8

25"

Six Mile Reef

Mike Lane

2005

 Blackfish (Tautog)

26

9.6

34"

Two Tree Island

Thien Nguyen

2015

 Bluefin Tuna

770

0

 

Block Island Sound

Lester Debetta

1990

 Bluefish

24

13

Norwalk Island

Charles J. Toth

1979

 Blue Marlin

449

6

Atlantis Canyon

Jeffery K.Eckert

2001

 Blue Shark

361

0

 

Ranger Wreck

Robert H. Olsen

1993

 Clearnose Skate
 WORLD RECORD

9

8

37"

Fort Hale Park

Anthony Carpentino

2017

 Conger Eel

13

8

51.75"

Niantic Bay

Steven Bender

2022

 Cunner

3

4

Block Island Sound

Wesley E. Sargent

1998

 Hickory Shad

3

4

23"

Niantic River, Niantic

Richard Kozlowski

2003

 Hogchoker

0

9

10.25"

West Haven

Albert Zuppe

2016

 Little Tunny
 (False Albacore)

16

13

37"

Butterfish Hole

Vincent Deledda

2011

 Mako Shark

650

0

 

Block Island Sound

Gregory J. Erisoty

1987
 Northern Kingfish 2 10 19.5" Silver Sands State Park Christopher Shea 2016

 Oyster Toadfish

2

12

14"

Millstone Outflow, Waterford

William Kondrasiewicz

2018

 Pollock

34

2

Block Island Sound

Joe DeCosta

2000

 Porbeagle Shark

191

0

75"

Ryan's Horn

Austin Urban

2013

 Sandbar (Brown) Shark

118

7

CT River, Old Saybrook

Bruce Kelly

1995

 Scup (Porgy)

5

4.8

21"

Montauk Harbor

Travis Kupchok

2019

 Sheepshead Porgy

10

11

 

Branford Reef

Clyde Turner

1998
 Smooth Dogfish 18 11 57" New Haven Breakwall Jennifer Zuppe 2017
 Spiny Dogfish 22 11 57.75" Milford Jennifer Zuppe 2018

 Squid (Longfin)

15.5" mantle

Stonington

Marc Pantalone

2019

 Striped Bass

 WORLD RECORD

81

15

54"

Outer Southwest Reef

Greg Myerson

2011

 Striped Sea Robin

4

3

20"

Housatonic River

Howard Wolowitz

2012

 Summer Flounder
 (Fluke)

15

4.8

32.625"

Niantic Bay

Bill Proulx

2023

 Thresher Shark

467

0

 

Montauk Point

Mark Hiller

2006
 Weakfish 17 14 36" Fayerweather Island June Andrejko 1986

 White Perch

2

3.2

14.5"

Short Beach

Harry B. Sheffield

2020

 Windowpane Flounder
 (new species)


11.2 12.75" Long Sand Shoal Alexander Welford 2020

 Winter Flounder

6

1

Millstone Pt., Waterford

Tom Kobas

1999

 Winter Skate

17

6

 

Watch Hill, R.I.

William F. Zanks

1995

 Yellowfin Tuna

210

7

Block Canyon

Cahrles J. Lobacz

1991

 

Exotic Marine Species Category (Harvested)

 Common Name Weight Length Location Caught Angler Year Caught
lbs.
oz.

 Banded Rudderfish

1

5

13.0"

Milford

Israel Ruman

2018

 Black Drum

15

3

New Haven Breakwater

Howard D. LaFrance

2001

 Black Grouper

1

4

13.5"

Millstone Outflow

Hugh Durham

2012

 Cobia

43

 

56"

Long Sand Shoal

John Bertolasio

2022

 Dolphin (Mahi Mahi)

47

2

60"

Fish Tales Cnyon

John Dagon

2016

 Gray Triggerfish 6 1.5 19" Pine Island, Groton Keith Mehmet 2016
 Grey Snapper 5 15 25" Millstone Outflow Nelson Carey 2016

 Jack Crevalle

3

7.5

18.8"

Millstone Outflow, Waterford

Hugh Durham

2014

 King Mackerel

7

2

33.5"

Saybrook

Doug Clark

2018

 Ladyfish

3

8

23"

Millstone Pt., Waterford

Nelson Carey

2014

 Monkfish

42

0

40"

Southside of Fisher's Island

Craig Weagle

2016

 Porbeagle Shark 191 75" Ryan's Horn Austin Urban 2013

 Roughtail Stingray

86

15

88"

Millstone Outflow, Waterford

Kevin McCaffery

2014

 Scalloped Hammerhead
 Shark

235

0

Block Island Sound

Richard Bonaccorsi

1992

 Smooth Puffer

9

12

25.25"

Six Mile Reef

Robert M. Mielke

2019

 Spanish Mackerel

6

5

Branford Beacon

Michael Audet

2003

 Swordfish 359 Fish Tales Fred J. Malcarne 2004
 Tilefish 58 2 47" West Atlantis Canyon Jarred Velardi 2022

 Torpedo Ray

89

8

Misquamicut, R.I.

Chuck Adams

2008

 Wahoo

88

0

Fish Tales

Mike Matrishon

2005

 White Marlin 110 6 75" Hudson Canyon Aaron Kolodziej 2022

 

State Record Marine Fish (Catch and Release)

Common Name Weight Length Location Caught Angler Year Caught
lbs. oz.
Atlantic Needlefish
34" Mystic River Zacery Martindale 2016
Black Sea Bass 24" Six Mile Reef Evan Kamoen 2018
Blackfish (Tautog) 25 12 36" Thames River Aiden Cole 2023
Bluefish

40" Race Alex Erdmann 2022
Blue Shark 120" Block Island Sound Timothy E. Kilbride 2009
Chub Mackerel

17.25" Fishers Island Sound Evan Kamoen 2022
Clearnose Skate 36.5" Mystic River Stephen Stella 2022
Cownose Ray 46 6   New Haven Harbor  John Gibbons 2024
Little Tunny (False Albacore) 6 8 26.5" Block Island Sound Timothy E. Kilbride 2009
Northern Kingfish     16" Silver Sands State Park Jonathan Baldovin 2021
Northern Puffer 10" Hammonasset Evan Kamoen 2017
Oyster Toadfish 3 4 16" Norwalk Patrick DeVito 2014
Pinfish 13" Groton Long Point Evan Kamoen 2019
Scup (Porgy) 19.87" New Haven Breakwater Jennifer Zuppe 2020
Smooth Dogfish 51" New Haven Breakwall Albert Zuppe 2016
 Spot      8" Greenwich Harbor  Johnathan Agosta 2024
Striped Bass     54" Sunken Island Joseph Jackson 2023
Striped Bass

54" Long Island Sound Derek Williams 2017
Summer Flounder 10 11 29" Sara's Ledge Sara Roman 2018
Striped Sea Robin 20" Long Island Sound Alex Erdmann 2016
Weakfish 33.75" West Haven Seawall Al Zuppe 2020

 

Exotic Marine Species Category (Catch and Release)

Common Name Weight Length Location Caught Angler Year Caught
lbs. oz.
Atlantic Stingray 14 4 58" New Haven Breakwater Larry E. Lainey 2010
Barracuda 19   48" Montauk Jonathan Rogers 2023
Gray Triggerfish 4 8 19.25" Niantic Bay Christopher Otis 2013
Inshore Lizardfish 8 10" Milford Point Dean Vogel Sr. 2011
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark 120" Butterfish Hole Christian Urban 2013
Smooth Puffer 9 15 26.25" New London Al Zuppe 2023
Snake Mackerel 28" Block Canyon Alex Erdmann 2019
Tiger Shark 550 108" Block Channel Pauly Randazzo Jr. 2017

 

Marine Species Blue Crab Category

Common Name Weight Length Location Caught Angler Year Caught
lbs. oz.
Blue Crab 8.81 Oyster River, Old Saybrook Thomas Buonanni 2016

 

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Please contact the Fisheries Division with any questions. 

Phone: 860-434-6043
E-mail: deep.marine.fisheries@ct.gov

Content last updated in October 2024.