Certain waters are closed to fishing for all species from March 21 to April 9, 2011 at 8 a.m. because of trout stocking. Refer to General Trout Information for complete lists and exceptions. Also refer to Delaware River and Greenwood Lake regulations.
Size, Season and Creel Limits
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Season |
Location |
Min. Size |
Daily Limit |
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Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass |
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Jan. 1–April 14 April 15–June 15 Catch & Release only (all waters) June 16–Dec. 31 |
Statewide (exceptions below) |
12 inches |
5 combined |
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Lunker Bass Lakes: Assunpink, Parvin, Delaware lakes, Splitrock Reservoir |
15 inches |
3 combined |
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Smallmouth Bass |
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Conservation Regulations: Ryker Lake |
15 inches |
2 combined |
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Year-Round |
Lake Audrey |
Catch & Release only |
0 |
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Northern Pike, Tiger Musky, Muskellunge |
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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 |
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Statewide (exceptions below) |
Tiger Musky & Muskellunge: 36 inches |
1 combined |
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Northern Pike |
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Trophy Musky Waters: Mountain & Echo Lake reservoirs |
Tiger Musky & Muskellunge: 40 inches |
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Muskellunge |
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Chain Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel |
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Chain Pickerel |
Open year round |
Statewide |
15 inches |
5 combined |
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Walleye |
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Walleye |
Jan. 1–Feb. 28 March 1–April 30 Catch & Release only May 1–Dec. 31 |
Statewide |
18 inches |
3 |
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Striped Bass (freshwater only) |
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| Striped bass regulations are subject to change. Consult our Web site NJFishandWildlife.com and the news media for updates. | |||||
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March 1–Dec. 31 |
Statewide |
28 inches |
2 |
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Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater only) |
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| Striped bass regulations are subject to change. Consult our Web site NJFishandWildlife.com and the news media for updates. | |||||
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Open year round |
Statewide (exceptions below) |
16 inches |
2 |
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March 1–Dec. 31 |
Raritan River (downstream of Duke Island Park dam) |
28 inches |
2 |
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Season |
Location |
Min. Size |
Daily Limit |
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American Shad |
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American Shad |
Open year round |
Statewide |
No minimum size |
3 |
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Channel Catfish |
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Channel Catfish |
Open year round |
Statewide |
12 inches |
5 |
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Crappie (Black and White) |
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Crappie |
Open year round |
Statewide |
8 inches |
10 combined |
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Banded, Blackbanded, BlueSpotted and Mud Sunfish |
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 Banded Sunfish*  Blackbanded Sunfish* |
Closed |
Statewide |
Protected |
0 |
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 Bluespotted Sunfish*  Mud Sunfish |
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Other Species |
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Rock Bass, White Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Sunfish (see above for sunfish exceptions), Bullheads, White Catfish, Suckers, Carp, Bowfin
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Open year round |
Statewide (exceptions below) |
No minimum size |
25 combined |
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Conservation Regulation Ryker Lake |
Sunfish: 7 inches |
10 combined |
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Yellow Perch: No minimum size |
10 |
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Conservation Regulation Rainbow Lake (Salem Co.) |
Sunfish: 7 inches |
10 combined |
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Freshwater Baitfish (See page 28 for complete description of gear types and restrictions) |
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Alewife (anadromous and land-locked 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, Gizzard Shad and American Eel |
Open year round Exceptions Baitfish may not be taken in trout stocked waters from March 21 to June 15 |
Statewide |
No minimum Exception American Eel: 6 inches |
35 combined, of which no more than ten may be alewife or blue-back herring |
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Largemouth Bass
* Illustrations by Ted Walke, PA Fish and Boat Commission
Brought to you by:
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