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Title Recreational Fishing Size, Seasons, and Creel Limits for 2016* |
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PageContent * Regulations as of April 11, 2016
ADVISORY: A license is required for fishing, crabbing, or clamming in tidal and non-tidal waters throughout the State of Delaware. (see Fishing Guide page 6 for Fishing License Exemptions)
Also note: It is illegal to fish for any species of game fish in Delaware with more than two hooks and lines, and each hook and line shall have no more than three separate lures with hooks.
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2016 Recreational Fishing Size, Seasons, and Creel Limits |
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Non-tidal Waters |
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Species |
Minimum Size Limit |
Season |
Creel Limit per Angler |
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Largemouth Bass
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12 inches
15 inches (from Beck's Pond)
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Open Year Round |
6; 2 from Beck's Pond |
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Smallmouth Bass
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Smallmouth Bass between 12 inches and 17 inches must be immediately released.
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Open Year Round |
6 (No more than 1 greater than 17 inches) |
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Striped Bass Hybrid
(found only in Lums Pond)
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15 inches |
Open Year Round |
2 |
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Panfish
(Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Redear, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Yellow and White Perch)
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No Size Limit |
Open Year Round |
50 (no more than 25 of one species) |
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Trout
(Freshwater)
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No Size Limit |
Opens first Saturday in April |
6 (All Trout species combined)
4 in fly-fishing only waters |
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Tidal Waters |
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Minimum Size Limit |
Season |
Creel Limit per Angler |
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American Eel
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9 inches |
Open Year Round |
25 |
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Shad
(American and Hickory)  |
No Size Limit |
Closed: Nanticoke River/tributaries
Open Year Round: Ocean, Del Bay/ tribs, Del River/tribs, and Inland Bays/ tribs |
10 in any combination |
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Atlantic Croaker
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8 inches |
Open Year Round |
No Limit |
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Atlantic Sturgeon
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Closed |
Closed |
Closed |
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Black Dum
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16 inches |
Open Year Round |
3 |
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Black Sea Bass
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12½ inches
(tip of snout/jaw (mouth shut) to farthest extremity of tail, not including tail filament) |
May 15 to Sep. 21 |
15 |
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Oct. 22 to Dec. 31 |
15 |
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Bluefish
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No Size Limit |
Open Year Round |
10 |
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Catfish
(any species)
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No Size Limit |
Open Year Round |
No Limit |
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Red Drum
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20 to 27 inches (slot) |
Open Year Round |
5 |
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River Herring
(Alewife and Blueback)  |
Closed |
Closed |
Closed |
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Scup
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8 inches |
Open Year Round |
50 |
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Spanish Mackerel |
14 inches |
Open Year Round |
15 |
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Spotted Seatrout
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12 inches |
Open Year Round |
No Limit |
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Striped Bass
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28 to 37 inches or 44 inches and greater, except only 20 to 25 inch fish may be retained from July 1 to Aug. 31 in the Delaware River, Delaware Bay and their tributaries. |
Open Year Round in State of Delaware waters (coast to 3 miles off shore).
Closed in Federal waters (3 to 200 miles offshore) |
2, in any combination except catch & release only on spawning grounds April 1 to May 31 (see Fishing Guide page 18) |
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Summer Flounder
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16 inches |
Open Year Round |
4 |
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Tautog
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15 inches |
Jan. 1 to March 31 |
5 |
| April 1 to May 11 |
3 |
| July 17 to Aug. 31 |
5 |
| Sept. 29 to Dec. 31 |
5 |
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Tilefish
(Blueline and Golden)
 
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No Size Limit |
Open Year Round |
7 in any combination |
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Weakfish (Sea Trout)
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13 inches |
Open Year Round |
1 |
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White Perch
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8 inches |
Open Year Round |
Non-Tidal Waters: 25
Tidal Waters: No Limit |
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Winter Flounder
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12 inches |
Feb. 11 to April 10 |
2 |
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Shellfish |
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Species |
Minimum Size Limit |
Season |
Creel Limit per Angler |
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Blue Crabs
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Hard shell: 5 inches |
Pots: March 1 to Nov. 30
Other Gear: Open Year Round |
1 Bushel |
| Soft shell: 3½ inches |
| Peeler: 3 inches |
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Whelks
(Conchs)
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Knobbed Whelk:
6 inch length/ 3½ inch whorl |
Knobbed Whelk: Open Year Round |
Knobbed Whelk: 5 bushels
(see Fishing Guide page 22 for more information) |
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Channeled Whelk: 6 inch length/ 3⅛ inch whorl |
Channeled Whelk: Open Year Round |
Channeled Whelk: 5 bushels
(see Fishing Guide page 22 for more information) |
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Hard Clams
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1½ inches |
Open Year Round |
Resident: 100
Non-Resident: 50 |
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Atlantic Lobster
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3⅜ to 5¼ inches (slot)
The measurement is made between the extreme rear of the eye socket to the end of the carapace
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Open Year Round |
2 per diver
V-notched (Females) are Prohibited |
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Sharks
*Special Permit May Be Required For Federal Waters* |
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Species |
Minimum Size Limit |
Season |
Creel Limit per Angler |
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Spiny Dogfish and
Smoothhound (Smooth Dogfish)  |
No Size Limit |
Open Year Round |
No Limit |
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Small Coastal Sharks
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark, Blacknose Shark, Bonnethead Shark, Finetooth Shark
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No Size Limit |
Open Year Round |
Boat Anglers
Only 1 shark of any species per vessel, except 1 additional Bonnethead Shark and 1 additional Atlantic Sharpnose Shark per angler onboard vessel.
ShoreAnglers
Only 1 shark of any species per angler, except 1 additional Bonnethead Shark and 1 additional Atlantic Sharpnose Shark per angler.
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Hammerhead Sharks
Great Hammerhead Shark, Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, Smooth Hammerhead Shark
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78 inch (fork length) |
Jan. 1 to May 14
July 16 to Dec. 31 |
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Large Coastal Sharks
Blacktip Shark, Bull Shark, Lemon Shark, Nurse Shark, Silky Shark, Spinner Shark, Tiger Shark
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54 inch (fork length) |
Jan. 1 to May 14
July 16 to Dec. 31 |
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Pelagic Sharks
Blue Shark, Oceanic White-Tip Shark, Porbeagle, Shortfin Mako, Thresher Shark
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54 inch (fork length) |
Open Year Round |
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PROHIBITED SHARK SPECIES
Sandbar Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Atlantic Angel Shark, Basking Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Sixgill Shark, Bigeye Thresher, Bignose Shark, Caribbean Reef Shark, Caribbean Sharpnose Shark, Dusky Shark, Galapagos Shark, Longfin mako Shark, Narrowtooth Shark, Night Shark, Sevengill Shark, Sixgill Shark, Smalltail Shark, Whale Shark, White Shark
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PROHIBITED SHARKS must be immediately released to ensure the maximum probability of survival (e.g., no gaffs, no clubbing, careful hook removal, etc.).
It is unlawful for any hook and line angler to remove a PROHIBITED SHARK SPECIES from the water.
The Sandbar & Sand Tiger are toothed sharks commonly taken in the nearshore waters of the State and are PROHIBITED.
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Special Restrictions for Sharks
It is unlawful to fillet a shark prior to landing. A shark may be eviscerated prior to landing, but head, tail and fins must remain attached to the carcass. It is unlawful to release a shark in a manner that will not ensure the sharks maximum probaility of survival. It is unlawful to possess the fins from any shark prior to landing unless they are naturally attached to the body of the shark. |
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Highly Migratory Species
*Special Permit Required* |
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Atlantic Tunas, Swordfish, Billfish and Sharks
*Special Permit Required*
All private vessel owners/operators recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) for personal use in the Atlantic Ocean must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit. Further limits and restrictions apply.
Consult https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/ or call toll free (888) 872-8862 for specific up to date information and permits.
There is annual U.S. landings limit for Atlanticc Blue Marlin, White Marlin, and Roundscale Spearfish (combined) as well as annual U.S. landings limits for some Tuna species. Landings updates and seasonal closures are posted under “What's New...” at: https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species are Regulated Federally, subject to frequent changes. |
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(Images courtesy of, or purchased from, artist Duane Raver, Jr.)
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