Fishing

Page 11 of 17

  • Families of Connecticut Freshwater Fishes

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

  • Rainbow Smelt

    Smelt are important forage fish for large pelagic predators such as striped bass in estuaries and brown trout in lakes.

  • Sheepshead Minnow

    The sheepshead minnow is a standard for use in many laboratory toxicity and genetics studies.

  • Alewife

    Anadromous alewives are important forage fish for large gamefish such as striped bass and bluefish as well as many other animals, including osprey and marine mammals.

  • Redfin Pickerel

    Connecticut’s smallest pike species. They are typically mistaken for small chain pickerel by anglers.

  • 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.”

  • Channel Catfish

    The channel catfish is the state’s largest catfish species.

  • Warmouth

    Warmouths can be distinguished from other sunfishes by feeling for the patch of small teeth on the tongue.

  • Hogchoker

    Apparently during Colonial times, “hogchokers” fed to pigs proved difficult to swallow.

  • Striped Mullet

    Striped mullet support important commercial fisheries in Southern states. Smaller fish are sold as bait.

  • Sticklebacks

    Four native stickleback species are found predominantly in marine and sometimes fresh waters of Connecticut. The males build and guard nests made out of aquatic vegetation, and they become darker and/or more brightly colored during the spawning season.

  • Common Carp Management and Fishing

    Learn about fishing for common carp in Connecticut!

  • Bluntnose Minnow

    It is unclear how or when bluntnose minnows arrived in Connecticut.

  • Bluegill

    Bluegills often inhabit shallow areas and are very easy to catch on a variety of small lures or baits (especially worms).

  • Mullets

    Mullets are torpedo-shaped fishes with horizontal mouths.