If you are a non-resident you may fish CT waters with either a CT non-resident salt water license or a license from a state that we have reciprocal rights with. If you are a Mass/RI/Maine/NH/NY resident and have a NY salt water license you can fish in CT marine waters. If you are a non-resident and have a boat registered in Mass/RI/Maine/NH/NY, and you launch from a CT boat launch you may fish CT marine waters as long as you have a valid salt water license from a state with reciprocal rights. If you are a CT resident you need a CT license, there's no way around that because the statute is specific.

If you catch fish in CT waters or land fish in CT, they must meet all CT size and creel limits. The statute/public act does not prohibit fishing/landing fish because you have a boat registered out of state that is launched in CT. There is no such requirement. If you are a non-resident with a valid salt water license issued in accordance with the public act (below), you can legally land fish in CT.

Here is the applicable language in the public act:

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective June 15, 2009) (a) Except as provided in subsections (b), (d), (e) or (f) of this section and other provisions of chapter 490 of the general statutes providing specific license exemption, no person more than sixteen years of age shall take, attempt to take or assist in taking any fish or bait species in the marine district by any method or land marine fish and bait species in the state regardless of where such marine fish or bait species are taken, without first having obtained a marine waters fishing license as provided in section 5 of this act.

(b) No marine waters fishing license shall be required for any person who is rowing a boat or operating the motor of a boat from which other persons are taking or attempting to take fish.

(c) The taking of fish and bait species as herein provided shall be regarded as sport fishing and the taking or landing of such species in the marine district by commercial methods for commercial purposes shall be governed by other provisions of chapter 490 of the general statutes.

(d) No marine waters fishing license shall be required for any resident of the state who is participating in a fishing derby authorized in writing by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection provided (1) no fees are charged for such derby, (2) such derby has a duration of one day or less, and (3) such derby is sponsored by a nonprofit civic service organization. Such organization shall be limited to one derby in any calendar year.

(e) No marine waters fishing license shall be required for any person who is fishing as a passenger on a party boat, charter boat or head boat registered under section 26-142a of the general statutes and operating solely in the marine district.

(f) The Commissioner of Environmental Protection may designate one day in each calendar year when no license shall be required for sport fishing in the marine district.

Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective June 15, 2009) (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the fee for a resident marine waters fishing license shall be ten dollars and the fee for a nonresident marine waters fishing license shall be fifteen dollars. Persons sixty-five years of age and over who have been residents of this state for not less than one year may be issued an annual marine waters fishing license without fee. The town clerk shall retain a recording fee of one dollar for each marine waters fishing license issued by him or her.

(b) Any nonresident residing in one of the New England states or the state of New York may procure a marine waters fishing license for the same fee or fees as a resident of this state if he or she is a resident of a state the laws of which allow the same privilege to residents of this state.

Sec. 6. Section 26-46 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective June 15, 2009):

(a) If and when the state of New York, the state of Massachusetts or the state of Rhode Island enacts a similar law granting reciprocal privileges to residents of this state,any person who holds a license to fish in inland waters in the state of New York, the state of Massachusetts or the state of Rhode Island may fish in inland waters lying partly in this state and partly in such adjoining state, or in such waters as negotiated by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection of this state and any similar authority in such adjoining state, without a nonresident inland waters license to fish as required by this chapter, [; ] provided such nonresidents shall be subject to all other provisions of the statutes and the regulations of the commissioner relating to fishing in lakes and ponds.

(b) If and when the state of New York, the state of Massachusetts, the state of New Hampshire, the state of Maine or the state of Rhode Island enacts a similar law granting reciprocal privileges to residents of this state, any nonresident who holds a marine waters fishing license issued by one of said states having such reciprocal privileges may fish in the marine district or land marine species in Connecticut and shall not be required to purchase a Connecticut nonresident marine waters fishing license. Such nonresidents shall be subject to all other provisions of the statutes and the regulations of the commissioner relating to fishing in the marine district.