CTFishTalk.com: Bantam/Little Pond - Connecticut Lake Fishing ( CT Lake Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

So I was wanting to get up there soon, but looked in the guide and see it's closed to pike fishing. This might be a ridiculous question, but that only refers to keeping them right? What if I catch one while targetting bass?

Ugh! Too many regulations in CT compared to other states.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I know that I once had a conversation about what constitutes "pike fishing" with someone from the DEEP, but I can't remember with whom and I can't find any related emails or notes. Sorry about that. Confused

As I recall, what constitutes pike fishing is a gray area for the DEEP. But if you were caught fishing in waters that are closed to pike fishing with heavy fluoro or wire leaders, or fishing with large bait, I think that any Conservation Officer (CO) could rightly charge you with pike fishing.

If you were to inadvertently catch a pike while bass fishing, the regulations state that the pike, ". . .shall be immediately returned, without avoidable injury, to the waters from which taken." And I think that "immediately" means without taking any time to measure or photograph the pike. Wink

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x182dan · Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 329 Location: Seymour, CT

I dont think you'd have a problem if you were going for bass. Bantam lake is not closed you just can't target pike. I was also informed by a dep officer that the river is "closed" completely and will not re open until trout season opens. This was about 2 weeks before trout season last year. He actually told us to go to the lake or we would have to leave(we were on kayaks).

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

The DEP officer was wrong. Bantam River might sometimes be closed to fishing, but it's never routinely closed to kayaking. Even now, you could paddle up to Little Pond to fish for all species of fish but northern pike.
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x182dan · Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 329 Location: Seymour, CT

When I said closed I meant fishing not kayaking. Are there good fish up in little bantam? Ive wondered if its worth the extra paddling.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

I've been upriver from the canoe launch on Whites Wood Road a few times and all the way up to Little Pond only once. There's a report of good northern pike fishing in Little Pond somewhere on CTFishTalk, but I didn't get any. My guess is that there are times when the pike fishing up there is terrific. I'm counting down to May 1.
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bdiggy · Joined: 15 Aug 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Thomaston, CT

Yes, pike fishing Little Pond can be extremely rewarding. It's really small and you can cover it really well in a couple hours time. Early mornings and right before dusk can explode with fish up there!!