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Delaware › Fishing › Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits

Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits

Tidal Waters (Changes expected for species listed in RED)

Species

Open Season

Minimum Size

Daily Limit
Illustration of an American eel (Anguilla rostrata), a long, slender fish with a smooth, elongated body and a brownish-green coloration. Found in freshwater rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters, American eels are catadromous, meaning they migrate to the ocean to spawn.

American eel

All year

9 inches

25
Illustration of an American shad (Alosa sapidissima), a silvery migratory fish with a deep body, forked tail, and distinctive dark spots along its side. American shad are anadromous, meaning they migrate from the ocean to freshwater rivers to spawn, and are valued for both sport fishing and their historical significance in U.S. fisheries. Illustration of a hickory shad (Alosa mediocris), a migratory fish with a slender, silvery body, deeply forked tail, and a protruding lower jaw. Hickory shad are anadromous, migrating from the ocean to freshwater rivers to spawn, and are popular among anglers for their strong fight when caught.

American & hickory shad

Closed Nanticoke R. & its tribs.; Open all year elsewhere

No Size Limit

2 American shad

10 Hickory shad
Illustration of an Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), a coastal fish known for its golden-brown coloration, slightly elongated body, and distinctive 'croaking' sound produced by its swim bladder. Commonly found in estuaries and nearshore waters, Atlantic croakers are popular among anglers for their strong fight and excellent table fare.

Atlantic croaker

All year

8 inches

50
Illustration of an Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus), a large, prehistoric-looking fish with a long, armored body, bony scutes, and a distinctive snout with barbels. This anadromous species migrates between freshwater rivers and the ocean and is federally protected due to population declines from overfishing and habitat loss.

Atlantic sturgeon

Endangered – no harvest permitted (see Have You Seen a Sturgeon Lately? section in Tidal Fishing Regulations)
Illustration of a black drum (Pogonias cromis), a large, bottom-dwelling fish with a robust, dark-colored body and distinctive chin barbels. Found in coastal waters and estuaries, black drum are known for their drumming sound and are a popular target for anglers due to their size and strong fight.

Black drum

All year

16 inches

3
Illustration of a black sea bass (Centropristis striata), a bottom-dwelling marine fish with a dark, mottled body and spiny dorsal fin. Commonly found along the Atlantic coast, black sea bass are a popular target for anglers due to their firm, white flesh and excellent table quality.

Black sea bass

May 15 - Sep. 30

13 inches

15

Oct. 10 - Dec. 31
Illustration of a bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), a streamlined, silver-blue predatory fish with sharp teeth and a forked tail. Found in coastal and offshore waters, bluefish are known for their aggressive feeding behavior and are a favorite among sport anglers for their strong fight.

Bluefish

All year

No Size Limit

3 – fishing from a private vessel or shore

5 – fishing from a charter boat or headboat
Illustration of a channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), a freshwater fish with a slender, whiskered body, forked tail, and spotted sides. Commonly found in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, channel catfish are popular among anglers for their strong fight and excellent table fare.

Catfish (any species)

All year

No Size Limit

No Daily Limit
Illustration of a cobia (Rachycentron canadum), a large, elongated fish with a dark brown body, broad head, and distinctive lateral stripe. Found in coastal and offshore waters, cobia are prized by anglers for their powerful fight and high-quality meat.

Cobia

All year

43 inches

2 per angler or 2 per vessel
Illustration of a red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), a popular saltwater game fish with a copper-bronze body and a distinctive black spot near the tail. Commonly found in coastal waters and estuaries, red drum are known for their strong fight and are highly sought after by anglers.

Red drum

All year

20 - 27 inches may be retained

5
Illustration of two species of shad, the gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) on top and the threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) on the bottom. Both are silvery, deep-bodied fish with forked tails, commonly found in freshwater and coastal waters. Shad play a crucial role in the food chain as forage fish for larger predators.

River herring (alewife & blueback)

Closed - no harvest permitted
Illustration of a scup (Stenotomus chrysops), a deep-bodied, silvery fish with a spiny dorsal fin and faint vertical stripes. Commonly found along the Atlantic coast, scup are popular among anglers for their abundance and are often caught in nearshore waters and around structures like reefs and piers.

Scup

All year

9 inches

30
Illustration of a Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus), a sleek, fast-swimming fish with a silver body, greenish back, and distinctive yellow spots along its sides. Commonly found in coastal and offshore waters, Spanish mackerel are prized by anglers for their speed, sharp teeth, and excellent table quality.

Spanish mackerel

All year

14 inches

15
Illustration of a spot fish (Leiostomus xanthurus), a small, deep-bodied fish with a silvery body, distinctive dark spot near the gill, and yellowish fins. Commonly found in coastal and estuarine waters, spot fish are popular among anglers and serve as an important forage species for larger predators.

Spot

All year

No Size Limit

TBD – Please refer to electronic version
Illustration of a spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), a slender, silver-gray fish with black spots along its back and tail. Commonly found in coastal estuaries and bays, spotted seatrout are a popular sport fish known for their aggressive strikes and excellent table quality.

Spotted seatrout

All year

12 inches

No Daily Limit
Illustration of a striped bass (Morone saxatilis), a popular game fish with a silver body, dark horizontal stripes, and a slightly forked tail. Commonly found in coastal and estuarine waters, striped bass are highly sought after by anglers for their strong fight and excellent table quality.

Striped bass

All year, except catch & release only on spawning grounds Apr 1- May 31

28 – 31 inches; except 20 – 24 inches only - Jul 1 - Aug 31 in the DE Bay, River and their tributaries.

1, except catch & release only on spawning grounds April 1 - May 31
Illustration of a summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), a flatfish with a brownish body covered in spots and both eyes on one side of its head. Commonly found in coastal and estuarine waters, summer flounder are a prized catch among anglers for their mild, flaky meat and unique ambush hunting behavior.

Summer flounder

All year

January 1 - May 31: 16 inches
June 1 - December 31: 17.5 inches

4
Illustration of a tautog (Tautoga onitis), a stout, dark-colored fish with a thick body, strong jaws, and distinct mottled patterns. Commonly found around rocky reefs and wrecks along the Atlantic coast, tautog are known for their powerful fight and are prized by anglers for their firm, white flesh.

Tautog

Jan. 1 - May 15

16 inches

4

July 1 - Dec. 31

4
Illustration of a blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps), a deep-water fish with an elongated body, a distinctive blue line running along its face, and a brownish coloration. Found along the Atlantic coast in sandy or muddy bottoms, blueline tilefish are prized for their firm, white meat and are a popular target for offshore anglers.

Tilefish (Blueline)

May 1 - Oct. 31

No Size Limit

3 - person from private vessel
5 - person from US Coast Guard uninspected for-hire vessel
7 - person from US Coast Guard inspected for-hire vessel

Illustration of a golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps), a deep-water fish with a vibrant blue-green body, yellow spots, and a distinctive golden hue along its back. Found along the Atlantic coast in deep, sandy burrows, golden tilefish are highly valued for their firm, white meat and are a popular catch among offshore anglers.

Tilefish (Golden)

All year

No Size Limit

8
Illustration of a weakfish (Cynoscion regalis), a slender, silver-gray fish with dark speckling along its body and yellowish fins. Commonly found in estuaries and coastal waters along the Atlantic coast, weakfish are known for their delicate flesh and are a popular target for recreational anglers.

Weakfish

All year

13 inches

1
Illustration of a white perch (Morone americana), a small, silver-gray fish with a slightly compressed body and faint vertical bars. Commonly found in freshwater, brackish, and coastal waters along the Atlantic coast, white perch are a popular catch among anglers for their mild, flaky meat.

White perch

All year

8 inches

No Daily Limit
Illustration of a winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), a right-eyed flatfish with a dark brown, oval-shaped body and a white underside. Commonly found in coastal and estuarine waters along the Atlantic coast, winter flounder are prized for their mild, flaky meat and are a popular target for commercial and recreational fishing.

Winter flounder

Feb. 11 - Apr. 10

12 inches

2

Blue crab - See Crab page for more details

Illustration of a blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), a highly recognizable crustacean with a dark green shell, blue claws, and spiny legs. Native to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, blue crabs are an important species for both commercial and recreational fisheries, prized for their sweet, delicate meat.

Pots: Mar. 1 - Nov. 30; other gears year around

Peeler - 3 inches

1 bushel

Soft-shell - 3.5 inches

Hard-shell - 5 inches

Jonah crab

Illustration of a Jonah crab (Cancer borealis), a robust, reddish-brown crustacean with large, black-tipped claws and a rough, oval-shaped shell. Found in the Northwest Atlantic, Jonah crabs are harvested for their sweet, flavorful meat and are commonly used in seafood dishes.

All year

4 3/4 inches

50

Hard clams

Illustration of a hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), also known as a quahog, with a thick, ridged, light grayish-white shell. Native to the Atlantic coast, hard clams are a commercially valuable shellfish harvested for their tender, flavorful meat, commonly used in chowders and seafood dishes.

All year

1.5 inches

100/resident

50/non-resident

Lobster

Illustration of an American lobster (Homarus americanus), a large, dark green to brown crustacean with two powerful claws, long antennae, and a segmented body. Found in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, American lobsters are a highly prized seafood species known for their sweet, tender meat.

All year

3 3/8 - 5 1/4 inches (slot)

2; V-notched prohibited

Conch - See Conch page for more details

Knobbed whelk

All year

5 inches / 3 inch whorl

5 bushels

Channeled whelk

All year

6 inches / 3.125 inch whorl

5 bushels

Sharks and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) - Special permit required for federal waters

Species

Open Season

Minimum Size

Daily Limit
Illustration of a smoothhound shark (Mustelus spp.), a slender, brownish-gray shark with a streamlined body, elongated snout, and smooth, non-ridged dorsal fins. Commonly found in coastal waters, smoothhound sharks are small, bottom-dwelling species known for their mild temperament and preference for crustaceans as prey.

Smoothhound and spiny dogfish

All year

No Size Limit

No Daily Limit
Illustration of a sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), a large, heavy-bodied shark with a tall, triangular dorsal fin and a bluish-gray body. Commonly found in coastal and estuarine waters, sandbar sharks are a protected species known for their slow growth and importance in marine ecosystems.

Blacktip shark, bull shark, lemon shark, nurse shark, silky shark, spinner shark, tiger shark

Jan. 1 - May 14

July 16 - Dec. 31

54 inches FORK LENGTH

Boat anglers - only 1 shark of any species per vessel, except 1 additional bonnethead and 1 additional Atlantic sharpnose per angler onboard vessel. Shore anglers - only 1 shark of any species per angler, except 1 additional bonnethead and one additional Atlantic sharpnose per shore angler.

Possession of oceanic white-tip sharks is prohibited.
Illustration of a scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini), a large, coastal pelagic shark with a distinctive hammer-shaped head and curved, scalloped indentations along the front edge. Found in warm waters worldwide, scalloped hammerheads are known for their schooling behavior and are a protected species due to population declines from overfishing.

Great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead

Jan. 1 - May 14
July 16 - Dec. 31

78 inches FORK LENGTH
Illustration of a shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus), a sleek, fast-swimming shark with a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body, pointed snout, and metallic blue coloration. Known as the fastest shark species, shortfin makos are found in offshore waters worldwide and are prized by sport fishermen for their speed and acrobatic leaps.

Blue shark, oceanic white-tip shark, porbeagle, thresher shark

All year

54 inches FORK LENGTH
Illustration of a blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus), a small, slender shark with a light gray body, a distinctive black mark on the tip of its snout, and a streamlined shape. Commonly found in warm coastal waters of the western Atlantic, blacknose sharks are known for their agility and are an important species in marine ecosystems.

Atlantic sharpnose shark, blacknose shark, bonnethead, finetooth shark

All year

No Size Limit

Prohibited Species
Illustration of a sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus), a large coastal shark with a robust body, tall dorsal fin, and bluish-gray coloration. Commonly found in shallow coastal waters, sandbar sharks are a protected species known for their slow growth and importance in marine ecosystems. Illustration of a sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus), a large coastal shark with a bulky body, pointed snout, and distinctive sharp, protruding teeth. Recognizable by its brownish-gray body with dark spots, sand tiger sharks are commonly found in shallow coastal waters and are known for their slow, hovering swimming behavior. Illustration of a dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus), a large, slender shark with a streamlined body, dusky gray coloration, and a distinctive rounded snout. Found in warm coastal and offshore waters, dusky sharks are slow-growing and highly migratory, making them vulnerable to overfishing and conservation concerns.

Sandbar shark, sand tiger, Atlantic angel shark, basking shark, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye sixgill shark, bigeye thresher, bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, dusky shark, Galapagos shark, longfin mako, narrowtooth shark, night shark, sevengill shark, shortfin mako, sixgill shark, smalltail shark, whale shark, white shark

The sandbar & sand tiger are toothed sharks commonly taken in the nearshore waters of the state and are prohibited species. Like all prohibited species, they must be immediately released to ensure the maximum probability of survival.

Special Restrictions for Shark

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 probability of survival (i.e. no gaffs, no clubbing, careful hook removal, etc.). A non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless steel circle hook must be used when fishing for shark, except when fishing with flies or artificial lures.

It is unlawful to possess the fins from any shark prior to landing unless they are naturally attached to the body of the shark.

Tunas and HMS - Special permit required
Illustration of five highly migratory fish species, including yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, blue marlin, white marlin, and swordfish. These pelagic species are found in offshore waters and are prized by sport anglers for their speed, strength, and value in commercial and recreational fishing.

Atlantic tunas, swordfish and billfish

*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 the Atlantic HMS Angling Permit page or call toll free (888) 872-8862 for specific information and permits.

Measuring Your Catch

Place the fish on a measuring board or stick with the tip of the jaw or snout (the mouth closed) at the end of the instrument. Hold the head down with one hand to keep the fish in place, pinch the upper and lower lobes of the tail together while swiping the tail back and forth across the board. Note the measurement of the longest part of the tail*; that is the “total length.” Keep in mind that fish which barely make the minimum length may shrink after being on ice for an hour or more. Sometimes it is possible to get an accurate measurement while the fish is still in the landing net.

Black-and-white diagram of a fish illustrating fork length and total length measurements. Fork length is measured from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail, while total length is measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail fin. Proper fish measurement is essential for complying with fishing regulations and conservation efforts.
Fish Measurement Guide – This diagram illustrates the difference between fork length and total length when measuring fish. Fork length is measured from the snout to the fork of the tail, while total length extends to the tip of the tail fin. Understanding these measurements is essential for complying with fishing regulations and supporting sustainable fisheries.


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