Delaware Minimum Fish Sizes and Legal Bag Limits

The most recent laws and information for Delaware saltwater fishing. We try to stay up to date but to beabsolutely sure you have the very most recent fishing information then you may want to visit the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife.

Year 2006 Tidal Water Recreational Fishing Limits

No license is required for hook and line recreational fishing in tidal waters. It is illegal to fish for any species of game fish (see Gamefish and General Fishing Restrictions)
with more than two hooks and lines, and each hook and line shall have no more than three separate lures with hooks.

(Photos provided as a courtesy and/or purchased from artist Duane Raver and the US Fish & Wildlife Service )

*State waters include the Delaware River and Delaware Bay, Coastal Bays, and Atlantic Ocean out to 3 miles. Federal Waters include the Atlantic Ocean beyond 3 miles from the Delaware Shore.

**Striped bass recreational season is closed on the spawning grounds (Nanticoke River, C & D Canal, and Delaware River and their respective tributaries north of the southern most jetty at the C & D Canal) during April and May. Striped Bass are not permitted to be retained if taken with a recreational gill net.

*** American shad and hickory shad (species combined) daily limit 10; catch and release only in the Nanticoke River and its tributaries.

# River herring and alewife 25 fish limit, aggregate of fish.

Finfish are measured from tip of snout to tip of tail.
Blue crabs are measured tip to tip on the back (Females with eggs are protected, females with U-shaped apron have no size limit).
Lobster carapace length is measured from rear of eye socket
to rear of body shell.

SHARKS - It is unlawful to:

Additional Information about Sharks