Recreational Saltwater Fishing — Finfish

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Recreational saltwater fishing in New Hampshire provides diverse opportunities. Saltwater anglers can cast a line from boats, bridges, jetties or the beach. Many saltwater fish species are available along the coast and in our rivers and bays. Recreational saltwater fishing in N.H. requires a recreational saltwater license. See Recreational Licenses for details.

Below are species that have rules or laws that apply to recreational anglers or spearfishers while fishing in state waters.

Additional regulations apply in federal waters for most of the below-listed species — contact NOAA Fisheries at (978) 281-9315 or fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/recreational-fishing/recreational-fishing-regulations-species directly if you have questions regarding fishing in federal waters.

New Hampshire Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations
Species	Closed Season	Minimum Length (Total Length)	Daily Bag Limit	Special Rules
American Eel	No closed season (except surrounding fishways)	9 inches	25 fish per day	Fishway closures apply October 2 – June 14 (see Coastal Harvest)
American Plaice*	No closed season	14 inches	No bag limit
American Shad	No closed season	No minimum length	No bag limit	All shad must be immediately released
Atlantic Cod*	Nov. 1 – Aug. 31	23 inches	1 fish per day	Head and tail intact, unless fillet is ≥14 inches minimum See Gulf of Maine Cod Spawning Protection Area
Atlantic Halibut	No closed season	41 inches	1 fish per trip/vessel	Head and tail intact while on or leaving waters of the state
Atlantic Mackerel	No closed season	No minimum length	20 fish harvest or possession per day
Atlantic Sea Herring	No closed season	No minimum length	No bag limit	Federal regulations apply in federal waters
Atlantic Salmon (Sea-run )	No closed season	No minimum length	No bag limit	All sea-run Atlantic salmon caught on coastal and estuarine waters must be immediately released
Atlantic Wolffish	Closed year round	Possession is prohibited	Possession is prohibited
Black Sea Bass	No closed season	16.5 inches	4 fish per day	Length does not include filament/tail extension
Bluefin Tuna	No closed season	27 inches CFL**	Variable; see website	Federally managed — follow federal regulations (call 1-888-USA-TUNA) or visit hmspermits.noaa.gov
Bluefish	No closed season	No minimum length	Recreational — 3 fish per day For-Hire — 5 fish per day	Non-offset, corrodible circle hooks required if angling with bait.
Dogfish, Spiny	No closed season	No minimum length	No bag limit	Finning prohibited
Haddock*	March 1 – March 31	18 inches	15 fish per day	Head and tail intact, unless fillet is ≥10 inches minimum
Monkfish	No closed season	17 inches	No bag limit
Pollock*	No closed season	No minimum length	No bag limit	19 inches, if taken in federal waters
Ocean Pout	Closed year round	Possession is prohibited	Possession is prohibited
Rainbow Smelt (Saltwater)	No closed season	No minimum length	4 liquid quarts	Head and tail must remain intact
Redfish*	No closed season	9 inches	No bag limit
River Herring (Alewife/Blueback Herring)	Closed sunrise Wednesday – sunrise Thursday		See Squamscott River in Special River Restrictions. Page 19.	See Special River Restrictions and Coastal Harvest Section, page 19. Fishing prohibited around fishway closure areas. Cocheco, Oyster, and Taylor rivers closed.
Salters (Sea-run Trout) see Definitions	No closed season	No minimum length	1 fish per day	Recreational angling only In Berry Brook**: Single-hook artificial lures and flies only. Immediate release required. In Winnicut River**: The salter daily limit applies only downstream of the B&M Railroad bridge
Sharks — Blue, Thresher, and Porbeagle	No closed season	No minimum length	No bag limit	All sharks — head, fins and tail must remain attached through landing. Non-offset, corrodible circle hooks required if angling with bait. Additional federal regulations apply in federal waters (call 1-978-281-9315).
Sharks — Shortfin Mako	Closed year round	Possession is prohibited	Possession is prohibited	See Fis 603.20 for additional species not common to NH waters.
Striped Bass***	No closed season	28 inches to less than 31 inches	1 fish per day	Gaffing and culling are prohibited; No sale allowed, regardless of origin. Non-offset, corrodible circle hooks required if angling with bait. Head and tail must be intact while on or leaving the waters or shores of the state except may possess up to 2 fillets with skin intact if also possess fish rack ≥ 28" and less than 31" TL with head/tail intact that fillets came from.
Sturgeon	Closed year round	Possession is prohibited	Possession is prohibited
Summer Flounder*	No closed season	15 inches	No bag limit	Sale is prohibited
White Perch	No closed season	No minimum length	25 fish per day	Sale is prohibited
Windowpane Flounder	No closed season	No minimum length	Possession is prohibited
Winter Flounder*	No closed season	12 inches	8 fish per day
Yellowtail Flounder*	No closed season	13 inches	No bag limit
* All groundfish species that are filleted and skinned must retain at least 2 square inches of contiguous skin intact for identification purposes. Curved fork length — See definition in Definitions. * Possible new rules in 2025. Check electronic Saltwater Regulation Digest for updates. ** Anglers fishing Berry Brook in Rye: All fish species caught must be immediately released.**