Regulations in red are new this year. Purple text indicates an important note.
See separate regulations for Delaware River. For marine waters, see Marine Issue of New Jersey Fish & Wildlife Digest.
Baitfish
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Baitfish Regulations |
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Baitfish Species |
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Baitfish species: alewife (anadromous and landlocked Forms), blueback herring, 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. In the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, alewife and blueback herring (anadromous and landlocked forms) are regulated as food fish with a one-day possession limit of 10 in aggregate. (See separate regulations for boundary waters.) |
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Season |
Location |
Minimum size |
Daily limit |
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Open year round Exception Season closed March 21–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, of which no more than ten may be alewife or blueback herring |
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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. |
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Gear |
Gear Description |
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Seine |
Not over 50 feet long in ponds and lakes over 100 acres; in all other waters not over 30 feet in length, or half the width of the stream at point of use, whichever is less. 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. |
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Minnow Trap |
Not larger than 24 inches in length with a funnel mouth no greater than 2 inches in diameter. |
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Umbrella Net |
No greater than 3.5 feet square. |
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Dip Net |
Not more than 24 inches in diameter; may be used only for alewife or blueback herring. |
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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). |
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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. |
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Turtle and Frog Regulations |
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Species |
Season |
Location |
Minimum Size |
Daily Limit |
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Snapping Turtle |
January 1–April 30 June 16–December 31 |
Statewide |
No minimum |
3 per day |
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Bull Frog and Green Frog |
January 1–March 31 July 1–December 31 |
Statewide |
No minimum |
15 per day, combined |
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Means of Take |
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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. |
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