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Freshwater Fishing

Freshwater Fishing

New Jersey › Fishing › Freshwater Fishing › Size, Season & Creel Limits

Size, Season & Creel Limits

Trout Stocked rivers and streams are closed to fishing for all species from March 23 to April 11, 2026, at 8 a.m. because of trout stocking. Refer to General Trout Regulations for complete lists. Regulations in red are new this year. See Delaware River and Greenwood Lake regulations.

Season

Location

Minimum Size

Daily Limit

Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Illustration of a largemouth bass with a green body, dark lateral stripe, and large mouth extending past the eye.

Largemouth 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 and Delaware lakes; Merrill Creek, Round Valley and Splitrock reservoirs

15 inches

3 combined
Illustration of a smallmouth bass with a bronze-green body, dark vertical bars, and a mouth that does not extend past the eye.

Smallmouth Bass

Northern Pike, Tiger Musky, Muskellunge*
Illustration of a northern pike with an elongated green body, light oval spots, and a pointed snout with sharp teeth.

Northern Pike

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:
40 inches

1 combined
Illustration of a muskellunge with a long green body, dark vertical markings, and reddish fins.

Muskellunge

Trophy Muskie Waters: Echo Lake Reservoir, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong & Monksville Reservoir

Tiger Musky & Muskellunge:
44 inches

*IMPORTANT: trout may not be used as bait in the Pequest River drainage.

Chain Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel
Illustration of a chain pickerel with a slender green body, chain-like dark markings, and a long pointed snout.

Chain Pickerel

Open year-round

Statewide

15 inches

5 combined

Walleye
Illustration of a walleye with an olive-gold body, large reflective eye, spiny dorsal fin, and faint vertical markings.

Walleye

Jan. 1–Feb. 28

March 1–April 30
Catch & Release only

May 1–Dec. 31

Statewide

18 inches

3

Striped Bass (freshwater only)
Illustration of a striped bass with a silver body and bold dark horizontal stripes running from head to tail.

Striped Bass

March 1–Dec. 31

Please check website for possible Striped Bass regulation changes during 2026.

Statewide
Non-offset circle hook required when fishing with bait

One @ 28" to a maximum of 31"

1

Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater only)
Illustration of a hybrid striped bass with a silver body, broken horizontal stripes, and a prominent spiny dorsal fin.

Hybrid Striped Bass

Open year-round

Statewide
(exceptions below)

16 inches

2

March 1–Dec. 31

Please check website for possible Hybrid Striped Bass regulation changes during 2026.

Raritan River
(downstream of Duke Island Park dam)

One @ 28" to a maximum of 31"

1

American Shad
Illustration of an American shad with a silvery body, forked tail, and faint row of dark spots along the upper side.

American Shad

Open year-round

Season Closed in all other fresh waters

Delaware River Mainstem

—

2

Channel Catfish
Illustration of a channel catfish with a smooth gray-blue body, forked tail, and long whisker-like barbels extending from the mouth.

Channel Catfish

Open year-round

Statewide

12 inches

5

Crappie (Black and White)
Illustration of a white crappie with a silvery-green body, dark speckled pattern, and tall dorsal fin.

Crappie

Open year-round

Statewide

8 inches

10 combined

Sunfish, Perch, Catfish, American Eel, and Non-Native Species with No Specified Creel Limits
Illustration of a common carp with a bronze-gold body, large scales, and whisker-like barbels near the mouth. Illustration of a pumpkinseed sunfish with a bright orange belly, blue-green body, and red spot on the ear flap.

Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Redbreast, Rock Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Bullheads, White Catfish, White Sucker, Common Carp, Bowfin, American Eel and all other non-native species with no specified creel limit.

Illustration of a bullhead catfish with a stout brown body, rounded tail fin, and whisker-like barbels around the mouth. Illustration of a yellow perch with a golden-yellow body, dark vertical bars, and orange-tinted fins.

Open year-round

Statewide

No minimum size

Exception
American Eel: 9 inch minimum size

25 combined

Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species and other native species with no specified creel limits

American Brook Lamprey, Atlantic Sturgeon, Shortnose Sturgeon, Bridle Shiner, Comely Shiner, Ironcolor Shiner, Blackbanded Sunfish, Mud Sunfish, Banded Sunfish, Bluespotted Sunfish, Northern Hog Sucker, Shield Darter, Slimy Sculpin, etc.

Illustration of a shortnose sturgeon with an elongated armored body, rows of bony plates (scutes), and a pointed snout with barbels.

Shortnose Sturgeon

Illustration of a blackbanded sunfish with a small, deep body, dark vertical bands, and rounded fins.

Blackbanded Sunfish*

* Illustration by Ted Walke, PA Fish and Boat Commission

It is illegal to take, possess, land, purchase, or sell any of these species.

Statewide

Protected

0

Potentially Dangerous Fish
Illustration of a northern snakehead with a long mottled brown body, extended dorsal fin, and snake-like head. Asian Swamp Eel, Bighead, Grass (diploid) and Silver Carp, Blue and Flathead Catfish, Round Goby, Brook Stickleback, Green Sunfish, Oriental Weatherfish, Snakehead, Freshwater Drum, Warmouth, and all black bass except for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass.

Open year-round

(The possession or release of live potentially Dangerous Fish is prohibited. Anglers MUST destroy these species if encountered while fishing.)

Statewide

No minimum size

Unlimited

See Freshwater Baitfish for complete description of regulations
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