As we step into September and all the fall run fishing the ninth month is famous for, there are a few regulation changes New England anglers should be aware of. Since we cover so many states in the New England edition, here’s a breakdown of the key regulation changes that we all should be aware of.
In Connecticut, the summer blackfish (tautog) season officially closes as of September 1. Known as one of the most highly anticipated season openers of the entire year, local anglers will need to pause their Connecticut tog plans or cross state borders to fish Rhode Island or Massachusetts waters until the Connecticut fishery reopens on October 10 with a three-fish limit and a 16-inch minimum length.
Meanwhile, porgy (scup) enthusiasts aboard party and charter boats will enjoy a boosted limit starting September 1 and running through October 31. For-hire limits bump up to 40 fish per angler at an 11-inch minimum size across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Private vessel anglers must stick to the 30-fish limit at the same 11-inch minimum size. And shore-based anglers must also adhere to the 30-fish limit with a slightly reduced minimum size of 9.5 inches.
Further north, Massachusetts anglers will notice a slight step down in their black sea bass bag limit. The limit drops from four fish to two fish beginning September 1 and running through the end of the season on October 14, while the minimum size remains steady at 16 inches.
Finally, Bay State anglers chasing fast-moving pelagics are reminded of new rules for false albacore and bonito that began in 2025. Both species now carry a 16-inch minimum size and a five-fish aggregate limit per angler. This aggregate rule means fishermen can keep any combination totaling five fish between both species—not five of each.
Anglers are encouraged to double-check local state guidelines before hitting the water this fall to ensure full compliance during one of the most exciting months of the entire New England saltwater season.
