To talk about managing...first there must be a management goal.

The current bass management lakes have a goal of increasing the average size bass caught.
Probably something fairly conservative like from a 1.6 pound average to a 2.2 pound average.
With one over 18 and a harvest of bass under 12" - they probably reach the goal.....if anyone followed it and harvested small bass.

Want more than that? Gotta ask the State to raise the bar.


My opinion - why stop at 18" - Its hard to get bass to 18" and once you do, the odds are good that they live to a ripe old age and weight. To get there, small bass need to regularly be removed in some (majority of) lakes.

I say one bass over 24" (unless you already caught one over 24"...then only keep PB's)
....and I think I'm being generous about it

Name one lake where "too many large bass" is a problem.
Manage one lake for trophy bass is all I ask for now

I'd drive a couple hours and pay a few bucks to fish a lake where all the large bass are C&R only - before I'd fish another "average" CT lake.
Lake Saltonstall would have been perfect for this - - until allowing regular CT creel limits ruined it. (or took it from great to very average in no time flat)

For tourneys - very simple waiver form process is all you need to weigh in 5 fish.