Connecticut state waters, out to 3 miles
Maximum size only; no minimum length.
CT DEEP 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
Black drumHas chin barbels, no tail spot. Tell them apartNot listed by Connecticut: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
Black spot (sometimes several) at the tail base, coppery-bronze back, no chin barbels. More on the red drum page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask4
What is the size limit for red drum in Connecticut?
27" maximum. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many red drum can you keep in Connecticut?
1 per angler.
When is red drum season in Connecticut?
Open year-round.
How current is this Connecticut red drum rule?
Source: CT DEEP 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
In the appPoint the camera at a red drum in Connecticut and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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