Enhanced Opportunity Shore Fishing Program
This Marine Fisheries program is part of a broader Department effort to improve the fishing experience and quality of access to our Public Trust marine fisheries resources in Connecticut, especially in urban areas (also see Bonus Striped Bass Program). Shore-based fishing is the simplest and most affordable form of saltwater fishing and a popular way to enjoy Connecticut’s coastline. At the same time, shore fishing is an opportunity to catch the evening’s meal. To that end, minimum size limits have been reduced for two abundant marine species at 41 public fishing access areas listed in the DEEP Coastal Access Guide. These sites offer good shore-based summer flounder and/or scup fishing opportunities in at least 18 different communities distributed from Stonington to Westport.
At these sites, summer flounder may be taken at 17 inches (compared to 19.5 inches otherwise) and scup may be taken at 9.5 inches (versus 10.5 inches), giving the shore angler at these sites a considerably better chance of taking home a meal or two. To aid law enforcement the sites chosen for this program are separate from any boat launches or marinas where boat caught fish may be present. It is important to the success and continuation of this program that anglers at these enhanced access sites take their catch directly home after fishing. Possession of these species under the standard minimum size at other locations is a violation and can result in significant fines.
Multi-Lingual Enhanced Marine Recreational Fishing Regulation Sign
Enhanced Shore Fishing Access Sites are locations where smaller summer flounder - fluke (17 inch minimum length) and scup (9.5 inch minimum length) may be taken.
Find an Enhanced Shore Fishing Access Site
County | City | Coastal Access Guide Link |
---|---|---|
Fairfield | Bridgeport | Pleasure Beach Family Fishing Pier |
Fairfield | Bridgeport | Saint Mary's by the Sea |
Fairfield | Bridgeport | Seaside Park |
Fairfield | Fairfield | Ash Creek Open Space |
Fairfield | Fairfield | Jennings Beach |
Fairfield | Fairfield | Penfield Beach |
Fairfield | Fairfield | Penfield Reef |
Fairfield | Norwalk | Calf Pasture Beach |
Fairfield | Norwalk | Maritime Aquarium Park |
Fairfield | Stratford | Bond's Dock |
Fairfield | Stratford | Long Beach |
Fairfield | Stratford | Point-No-Point |
Fairfield | Stratford | Russian Beach |
Fairfield | Stratford | Short Beach Park |
Fairfield | Westport | Sherwood Island State Park |
Middlesex | Old Saybrook | South Cove Causeway |
Middlesex | Old Saybrook | Saybrook Point |
New Haven | Branford | Branford Point |
New Haven | Guilford | Chaffinch Island Park |
New Haven | Madison | Hammonasset Beach State Park |
New Haven | Milford | Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center |
New Haven | Milford | Gulf Beach |
New Haven | Milford | Silver Sands State Park |
New Haven | New Haven | Tomlinson Bridge Fishing Pier |
New Haven | New Haven | Fort Nathan Hale Park |
New Haven | New Haven | Criscuolo Park |
New Haven | West Haven | Bradley Point Park |
New Haven | West Haven | Sandy Point |
New Haven | West Haven | Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary |
New London | East Lyme | Cini Memorial Park |
New London | East Lyme | Hole-in-the-Wall Beach |
New London | East Lyme | McCook Park |
New London | East Lyme | Rocky Neck State Park |
New London | Groton | Bluff Point State Park and Reserve |
New London | Groton | Eastern Point Beach |
New London | Groton | UCONN-Avery Point |
New London | New London | City Pier and Waterfront Park |
New London | New London | Fort Trumbull State Park |
New London | Old Lyme | DEEP Marine Headquarters-Ferry Landing Park |
New London | Stonington | Mystic River Park |
New London | Stonington | Stonington Point |
New London | Stonington | Stonington Town Dock Fishing Pier |
New London | Waterford | Harkness Memorial State Park |
New London | Waterford | Mago Point Park |
New London | Waterford | Waterford Beach Park |