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Baitfish Regulations

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See separate regulations for Delaware River.
For marine waters, see the New Jersey Marine Digest.

Baitfish Regulations*
Baitfish Species
Baitfish species: golden shiner, banded killifish, mummichog, spotfin killifish, rainwater killifish, American brook lamprey, fathead minnow, bluntnose minnow, tadpole madtom, margined madtom, all shiners, daces, minnows, chubs and the American eel.
Season	Location	Minimum Size	Daily Limit
Open year round Exception Season closed March 18–June 15 on trout stocked waters and special regulation trout areas	Statewide (freshwaters)	No minimum size Exception American eel: 6 inches	35 per day, species combined
Herring,* Alewife and Blueback * See River Herring Closure for more information regarding the taking or possession of herring.	All freshwater streams, rivers and marine waters	CLOSED	Possession, take or attempt to take herring PROHIBITED
	Freshwater lakes in Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties; and Spruce Run Reservoir (Hunterdon)	6 inches	10 Any unused herring must be returned to the water upon conclusion of the angler’s fishing trip. Herring may not be transported away from the shoreline of these lakes by any mechanism. They may not be sold.
	All other freshwater lakes (regardless of ownership)	CLOSED	Only purchased herring, no greater than 6 inches, may be possessed. Receipt of purchase, dated within 7 days, must be in possession.
Notes: Any person with a valid fishing license (or those under 16 and residents 70 years or older) may take baitfish in fresh waters. Possession limit is one day’s limit, regardless of the intent to use these fish. Baitfish may be taken from the fresh waters of the state in numbers greater than 35 per day, in lakes over 250 acres, under a special permit issued by Fish and Wildlife at its discretion. Contact (908) 236-2118 for application information.

Gear	Gear Description
Seine	Not over 50 feet long in ponds and lakes over 100 acres; in all other waters not over 30 feet in length. Exception: In trout-stocked waters and special regulation trout areas a seine may not be more than 10 feet in length and 4 feet in depth.
Minnow Trap	Not larger than 24 inches in length with a funnel mouth no greater than 2 inches in diameter.
Umbrella Net	No greater than 3.5 feet square.
Dip Net	Not more than 24 inches in diameter; may be used only for alewife or blueback herring.
Cast Net	No greater than 8 feet in diameter; may be used only in streams that are not trout-stocked or special regulation trout areas (may not be used in lakes).
Hook and Line	Maximum of nine single hooks or three hooks with three burrs per contrivance on all waters except the Delaware River where only three single hooks are permitted.

Turtle and Frog Regulations
Species	Season	Location	Minimum Size	Daily Limit
Snapping Turtle	January 1–April 30 June 16–December 31	Statewide	No minimum	3 per day
Bull Frog and Green Frog	January 1–March 31 July 1–December 31	Statewide	No minimum	15 per day, combined
Means of Take
Snapping turtles may only be taken in fresh waters of the state. See Fishing License Lines for established fishing license lines that designate between fresh and marine waters.Any person with a valid fishing license or those entitled to fish without a license may take snapping turtles, bull frogs, and green frogs by means of spears, hooks, dip nets (not more than 24 inches in diameter), traps or by hand. Snapping turtles may not be taken with a gun or bow and arrow. Snapping turtles, bull frogs, and green frogs may be taken in numbers greater than the daily limit under a commercial harvest permit issued by Fish and Wildlife at its discretion. Contact (908) 236-2118 for application information.

Regulations in red are new this year.

Purple text indicates an important note.

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