Connecticut tautog season opens October 10; New York follows October 11 and 15
CT tautog opens October 10. NY tautog opens October 11 in Long Island Sound and October 15 in the NY Bight. MA black sea bass and FL flounder close after October 14. CT and NY fluke close after October 15. ME black sea bass reopens October 18.
Connecticut's fall tautog season opens October 10 and runs through November 28. New York opens in two separate areas on different dates: Long Island Sound opens October 11, and the NY Bight (ocean) opens October 15. The NY Bight season runs through December 9, with a partial window through December 22 covering specific modes and areas. An ASMFC draft addendum addressing overfishing signals in the NJ-NY Bight and Delmarva stocks is working through review and is expected to affect 2027 limits, not the current fall season. Current 2026 rules for Connecticut are at the Connecticut DEEP saltwater fishing regulations page. New York 2026 rules are at the New York DEC recreational fishing regulations page.
Three recreational seasons also close in the same period. Massachusetts black sea bass closes after October 14; current rules are at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries page. Florida summer flounder closes after October 14, with a separate reopening window starting December 1; current rules are at the Florida FWC flounder page. Connecticut and New York summer flounder (fluke) close after October 15. For trips in federal waters beyond state jurisdiction, the federal season calendar may differ from state season dates; NOAA Fisheries carries the federal recreational season.
Maine black sea bass reopens October 18 and runs through December 31. Maine's 2026 season details are in the 2026 Maine Sportfishing Regulations document at the Maine DMR site.
All dates above reflect 2026 rules on file. Emergency closures or in-season quota triggers can change these windows without advance notice. The state agency page on the morning of the trip is the only current source. State water jurisdiction extends roughly three nautical miles from shore for most Atlantic states; a trip that crosses state lines may enter a different regulatory zone.
On the water: Rules and conditions can change quickly. Confirm current regulations and official marine forecasts for your exact trip.