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2026 Saltwater Fishing Regulations

CT & NY — Long Island Sound. Always verify current regulations with DEEP/DEC before fishing.

Important: Regulations are subject to change. Always verify current rules with the CT DEEP or NY DEC before heading out. This information is provided as a general guide only.
Official WSBC Document

WSBC Fish Contest Rules & Regulations

Revised May 23, 2026 — includes contest rules, measurement standards, boundaries, weigh-in stations & more.

View Full Rules & Regulations
Primary Species

2026 Species Regulations — Long Island Sound

Striped Bass
SectorMin. SizeBagSeason
All Sectors28" – 31" slot1 FishApr 15 – Dec 15

Slot fish only — fish must measure 28" to 31" (snout to pinched tail) to keep. Circle hooks required when using natural bait.

★★ WSBC WSBC Striped Bass Contest Rules
  • ★
    Measurement Standard: WSBC contests use a snout-to-fork measurement — more conservative than the CT DEEP standard of snout to pinched tail. All contest entries must be measured snout-to-fork to qualify.
  • ★
    Entry Submission: All fish results and photos must be emailed to Westportstripedbassclub@gmail.com to qualify. Entries are reviewed by the WSBC Fish Committee for final qualification.
  • ★
    Eligibility: Active paid membership and a minimum of 3 WSBC meetings attended during the contest year are required to participate in WSBC complimentary fish contests.
  • ★
    Fishing Boundaries:
    🗺 WSBC Contest Waters Greenwich Point (CT) across to Eaton's Neck (NY)  |  Stratford Point (CT) to Port Jefferson (NY)
Black Sea Bass
SectorMin. SizeBagSeason
CT Private/Shore16"5 FishMay 17–Jun 23; Jul 8–Nov 25
CT For-Hire16"5 (May–Aug) / 7 (Sep–Dec)May 17–Dec 31
NY All Sectors16.5"3 (Jun–Aug) / 6 (Sep–Dec)Jun 23–Dec 31
Fluke (Summer Flounder)
SectorMin. SizeBagSeason
CT Private/For-Hire19" (Early) / 19.5" (Late)3 FishMay 4–Oct 15
CT Enhanced Shore17"3 FishMay 4–Oct 15
NY All Sectors19" (Early) / 19.5" (Late)3 FishMay 4–Oct 15
Scup (Porgy)
SectorMin. SizeBagSeason
CT Private Vessel11"30 FishMay 1–Dec 31
CT Enhanced Shore9.5"30 FishMay 1–Dec 31
CT For-Hire11"30 (May–Aug) / 40 (Sep–Oct)May 1–Dec 31
NY Shore9.5"30 FishMay 1–Dec 31
NY Private/For-Hire11"30 (May–Aug) / 40 (Sep–Oct)May 1–Dec 31
Blackfish (Tautog)
SectorMin. SizeBagSeason
CT All Sectors16"2 (Apr/Jul/Aug) / 3 (Oct/Nov)Apr 1–30, Jul 1–Aug 31, Oct 10–Nov 28
NY (LI Sound)16"2 (Spring) / 3 (Fall)Apr 1–30, Oct 11–Dec 9
Other Species
SpeciesMin. SizeBagSeason
Bluefish (Private/Shore)No Limit5 FishYear-Round
Bluefish (For-Hire)No Limit7 FishYear-Round
Weakfish16"1 FishYear-Round
Winter Flounder12"2 FishApr 1–May 30 (NY) / Dec 31 (CT)
Connecticut

CT Enhanced Opportunity Shore Sites

Anglers at these 41 specific sites may keep 17" Fluke and 9.5" Scup.

Fairfield County
  • Ash Creek Open Space (Fairfield)
  • Bond's Dock (Stratford)
  • Calf Pasture Beach (Norwalk)
  • Jennings Beach (Fairfield)
  • Long Beach (Stratford)
  • Maritime Aquarium Park (Norwalk)
  • Penfield Beach (Fairfield)
  • Penfield Reef (Fairfield)
  • Pleasure Beach Fishing Pier (Bridgeport)
  • Point-No-Point (Stratford)
  • Russian Beach (Stratford)
  • Saint Mary's by the Sea (Bridgeport)
  • Seaside Park (Bridgeport)
  • Sherwood Island State Park (Westport)
  • Short Beach Park (Stratford)
New Haven & Other Counties
  • Bradley Point Park (West Haven)
  • Branford Point (Branford)
  • Chaffinch Island Park (Guilford)
  • CT Audubon Coastal Center (Milford)
  • Fort Nathan Hale Park (New Haven)
  • Gulf Beach (Milford)
  • Hammonasset Beach State Park (Madison)
  • Sandy Point (West Haven)
  • Silver Sands State Park (Milford)
  • Saybrook Point (Old Saybrook)
  • Bluff Point State Park (Groton)
  • Fort Trumbull State Park (New London)
  • Harkness Memorial State Park (Waterford)
  • Rocky Neck State Park (East Lyme)
  • ...and more — see CT DEEP for full list
Key Rules

Compliance & Key Rules

Circle Hooks

Circle hooks must be used when fishing for Striped Bass with any natural bait.

Measurement

Length is measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail (Total Length).

NY Regional Split

These rules apply only to the Long Island Sound. The NY Bight (South Shore/Ocean side) has different dates and bag limits for Blackfish.

Official Sources
  • CT DEEP — portal.ct.gov/DEEP
  • NY DEC — dec.ny.gov