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Size, Season & Creel Limits

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Regulations in red are new this year.

Purple text indicates an important note.

Certain waters are closed to fishing for all species from March 18 to April 6, 2013 at 8 a.m. because of trout stocking.

Refer to General Trout Information for complete lists and exceptions. For Delaware River and Greenwood Lake, see Delaware River Regulations and Greenwood Lake Regulations.

		SEASON	LOCATION	MINIMUM SIZE	DAILY LIMIT
Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
		Jan.1–April 14 April 15–June 15 Catch & Release only (all waters) June 16–Dec.31	Statewide (exceptions below)	12 inches	5 combined
			Lunker Bass Lakes: Alloway, Assunpink, Parvin, Delaware lakes, Splitrock Reservoir	15 inches	3 combined
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
			Conservation Regulations: Ryker Lake	15 inches	2 combined
		Year-Round	Lake Audrey	Catch & Release only	0
Northern Pike, Tiger Musky, Muskellunge
		Open year round March 20–May 20 are Catch & Release only for Echo Lake Reservoir, Mercer Lake, Mountain Lake, Monksville Reservoir	Statewide	Northern Pike: 24 inches	2
			Statewide (exceptions below)	Tiger Musky & Muskellunge: 36 inches	1 combined
Northern Pike

			Trophy Musky Waters: Mountain & Echo Lake reservoirs	Tiger Musky & Muskellunge: 40 inches
Muskellunge
Chain Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel
Chain Pickerel		Open year round	Statewide	15 inches	5 combined
Walleye
Walleye		Jan.1–Feb. 28 March 1–April 30 Catch & Release only May 1–Dec.31	Statewide	18 inches	3
Striped Bass (freshwater only) Striped bass regulations are subject to change. Consult our website NJFishandWildlife.com and the news media for updates.
Striped Bass		March 1–Dec.31	Statewide	28 inches	2
Hybrid Striped Bass(freshwater only) Striped bass regulations are subject to change. Consult our website NJFishandWildlife.com and the news media for updates.
Hybrid Striped Bass		Open year round	Statewide (exceptions below)	16 inches	2
		March 1–Dec.31	Raritan River (downstream of Duke Island Park dam)	28 inches	2

American Shad
American Shad		Open year round**	Statewide	No minimum size	3
Channel Catfish
Channel Catfish		Open year round	Statewide	12 inches	5
Crappie (Black and White)
Crappie		Open year round	Statewide	8 inches	10 combined
Sunfish and All Other Species with No Specified Creel Limits
Rock Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Sunﬁsh (see below for sunfish exceptions), Bullheads, White Catﬁsh, Suckers, Carp, Bowﬁn, Pumpkinseed and all other species with no specified creel limit.		Open year round	Statewide (exceptions below)	No minimum size	25 combined
			Conservation Regulation Ryker Lake	Sunﬁsh: 7 inches	10 combined
				Yellow Perch: No minimum size	10
			Conservation Regulation Rainbow Lake (Salem Co.)	Sunﬁsh: 7 inches	10 combined
Banded, Blackbanded, BlueSpotted and Mud Sunfish
Banded Sunfish*	Blackbanded Sunfish*	Closed	Statewide	Protected	0
Bluespotted Sunfish*	Mud Sunfish * Illustrations by Ted Walke, PA Fish and Boat Commission
Freshwater Baitﬁsh (See Baitfish Regulations for complete description of gear types and restrictions)
Golden Shiner, Banded Killiﬁsh, Mummichog, Spotﬁn Killiﬁsh, Rainwater Killiﬁsh, American Brook Lamprey, Fathead Minnow, Bluntnose Minnow, Tadpole Madtom, Margined Madtom, All Shiners, Daces, Minnows, Gizzard Shad and American Eel. For Herring, Alewife and Blueback—see River Herring Closureand Baitfish Regulations.		Open year round Exceptions Baitﬁsh may not be taken in trout stocked waters from March 18 to June 15	Statewide	No minimum Exception American Eel: 6 inches	35 combined

** Due to serious declines in American Shad numbers, the taking of American Shad, except for the Delaware River, is anticipated to be prohibited beginning January 1,2013. Be sure to check for updates on Fish and Wildlife’s website, NJFishandWildlife.com.

Regulations in red are new this year.

Purple text indicates an important note.

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