SlotGaugeCheck a catchSmelt regulations in Connecticut
· Freshwater · 2026 season
Smelt size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut inland waters (statewide; managed lakes differ) | Open year-round | No size limit | 50 per person per day |
Exact CT DEEP wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- 50 fish
- Inland waters — as printed
- “Smelt: Lakes and Ponds; No minimum length; Daily Creel Limit: 50 fish (taking in rivers and streams prohibited)”
Source: CT DEEP, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).
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About the smelt
Species of fish
The rainbow smelt is a North American species of fish of the family Osmeridae. Walleye, trout, and other larger fish prey on these smelt. The rainbow smelt prefer juvenile ciscoes, zooplankton such as calanoid copepods, and other small organisms, but are aggressive and will eat almost any fish they find. They are anadromous spring spawners and prefer clean streams with light flow and light siltation. The rainbow smelt face several barriers. They are weak swimmers and struggle to navigate fish ladders preventing them from making it past dams to the headwater streams where they spawn. The rise in erosion and dams helped to decimate the smelt population in the 1980s. There are currently plans to try to reduce damming and to help control erosion.
Read more about Rainbow smelt on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from CT DEEP, not Wikipedia.
All 34 Connecticut species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Smelt in Connecticut?
No size limit in Connecticut state waters.
How many Smelt can you keep per day in Connecticut?
50 per person per day.
When is Smelt season in Connecticut?
Open year-round.
Is my Smelt a keeper today?
Smelt has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 50.