Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
Fishing
Page 6 of 17
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The channel catfish is the state’s largest catfish species.
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Warmouths can be distinguished from other sunfishes by feeling for the patch of small teeth on the tongue.
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Apparently during Colonial times, “hogchokers” fed to pigs proved difficult to swallow.
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Striped mullet support important commercial fisheries in Southern states. Smaller fish are sold as bait.
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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.
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Sometimes known as “frostfish.” For unclear reasons, Atlantic tomcod have recently experienced a precipitous decline in Connecticut and throughout much of their range.
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The summer/fall recreational fishery for hickory shad is gaining in popularity.
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Also known as “mossbunker” or simply “bunker.” Menhaden are important forage fish for large predatory fishes such as striped bass and bluefish.
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The state's only parasitic fish to enter freshwater, the sea lamprey gets a bad reputation. Learn more about this fascinating fish.
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The longnose dace has a hydrodynamic body similar to a miniature sturgeon that helps it hold near the bottom in fast water.
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Learn more about this endangered, maybe native, and definitely not parasitic fish!
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The American eel is commonly used for bait and food, but is declining throughout much of its range.
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Often confused with the snakehead, the bowfin is an introduced fish that has grown rapidly in abundance since 2003.
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With no obvious and distinctive characteristics, the common shiner is one of the most difficult fish to identify.
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Learn more about trout management in Connecticut and the research that informs our decision making.