Connecticut Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many Connecticut charters on Unreel target each fish.
Biting now in October:BluefishBlack Sea BassStriped BassTautogAlbacoreFalse AlbacoreSalmonBluefin TunaTrout
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluefish33 charters · June to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Flounder31 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Black Sea Bass27 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass20 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Tautog7 charters · April to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Albacore5 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 False Albacore5 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Salmon5 charters · April to June and September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Bluefin Tuna4 charters · July to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Trout4 charters · April to June and September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Mahi-Mahi3 charters · July to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Marlin3 charters · July to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Shark3 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
Connecticut fishing, month by month
- January
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- February
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- March
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
- May
- Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Tautog, Salmon, Trout
- June
- Bluefish, Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Salmon, Trout, Shark
- August
- Bluefish, Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Albacore, False Albacore, Bluefin Tuna, Mahi-Mahi, Marlin, Shark
- September
- Bluefish, Flounder, Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Albacore, False Albacore, Salmon, Bluefin Tuna, Trout, Mahi-Mahi, Marlin, Shark
- October
- Bluefish, Black Sea Bass, Striped Bass, Tautog, Albacore, False Albacore, Salmon, Bluefin Tuna, Trout
- November
- Tautog
- December
- Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
Before you book
- Striped Bass: Striped bass is closed in federal waters, more than 3 miles offshore, so trips fish inside that line. Many states also close spawning rivers in spring.
- Tautog: Tautog seasons differ by state. Rhode Island closes June and July, and Connecticut opens only in April, July and August, and Oct 10 to Nov 28. The minimum is 16 inches.
- Albacore: Charters here that list albacore usually mean false albacore ("albies"), a fast inshore fish, not albacore tuna.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Connecticut charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for New England, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Connecticut's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.