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Delaware fishing regulations, 2026

Size limits, seasons and daily limits for every species DNREC regulates, rewritten in plain English and rechecked against the official pages automatically. Last captured 2026-09-20.

Most searched

Striped Bass Summer Flounder Black Sea Bass Tautog Bluefish Weakfish Largemouth Bass Blue Crab Red Drum Scup All 196 species A–Z →

Saltwater →

African PompanoNo size limit Albacore TunaNo size limit AlewifeNo size limit Almaco JackNo size limit American Eel9 inch minimum American ShadNo size limit Atlantic Angel SharkNo size limit Atlantic Bluefin Tuna27 inch minimum Atlantic BonitoNo size limit Atlantic Chub MackerelNo size limit Atlantic CodNo size limit Atlantic Croaker8 inch minimum Atlantic CutlassfishNo size limit Atlantic MackerelNo size limit Atlantic NeedlefishNo size limit Atlantic Sharpnose SharkNo size limit Atlantic SpadefishNo size limit Atlantic SturgeonNo size limit Atlantic Torpedo RayNo size limit Atlantic TripletailNo size limit Banded RudderfishNo size limit Bar JackNo size limit Barndoor SkateNo size limit Bigeye Tuna27 inch minimum Black Drum16 inch minimum Black Sea Bass12.5 inch minimum Blacknose SharkNo size limit Blacktip Shark54 inch minimum Blue Marlin99 inch minimum Blue RunnerNo size limit Blue Shark54 inch minimum Blueback HerringNo size limit BluefishNo size limit Blueline TilefishNo size limit Bluntnose StingrayNo size limit Bonnethead SharkNo size limit Bull Shark54 inch minimum Bullnose RayNo size limit ButterfishNo size limit Cero MackerelNo size limit Clearnose SkateNo size limit Cobia43 inch minimum Cownose RayNo size limit Crevalle JackNo size limit Cubera snapperNo size limit Cunner (Bergall)No size limit Dog snapperNo size limit DolphinfishNo size limit Dusky SharkNo size limit EscolarNo size limit False AlbacoreNo size limit Florida PompanoNo size limit Four-Spot FlounderNo size limit Gafftopsail CatfishNo size limit Golden TilefishNo size limit Goosefish (Monkfish)No size limit Gray SnapperNo size limit Gray TriggerfishNo size limit Great BarracudaNo size limit Great Hammerhead Shark78 inch minimum Greater AmberjackNo size limit Hickory ShadNo size limit Horse-Eye JackNo size limit Inshore LizardfishNo size limit King MackerelNo size limit LadyfishNo size limit LeatherjackNo size limit Lemon Shark54 inch minimum Lesser AmberjackNo size limit Little SkateNo size limit Longbill SpearfishNo size limit LookdownNo size limit Northern KingfishNo size limit Northern PufferNo size limit Northern SearobinNo size limit Northern StargazerNo size limit Nurse Shark54 inch minimum Ocean TriggerfishNo size limit Oceanic Whitetip Shark54 inch minimum Oyster ToadfishNo size limit PalometaNo size limit PermitNo size limit PigfishNo size limit PinfishNo size limit PollockNo size limit Rainbow RunnerNo size limit Red Drum20–27 inch slot Red Hake (Ling)No size limit Red PorgyNo size limit RemoraNo size limit Rock HindNo size limit Roundscale Spearfish66 inch minimum Sailfish63 inch minimum Sand Tiger SharkNo size limit Sandbar SharkNo size limit Scalloped Hammerhead Shark78 inch minimum Scup9 inch minimum Sea BreamNo size limit Sea RavenNo size limit SheepsheadNo size limit Shortfin mako SharkNo size limit Silky Shark54 inch minimum Silver HakeNo size limit Silver PerchNo size limit Skipjack TunaNo size limit Smooth Butterfly RayNo size limit Smooth Hammerhead Shark78 inch minimum Smooth PufferNo size limit Smoothhound (Smooth Dogfish)No size limit Snowy GrouperNo size limit Southern KingfishNo size limit Southern StingrayNo size limit Spanish Mackerel14 inch minimum Spinner Shark54 inch minimum Spiny DogfishNo size limit SpotNo size limit Spottail PinfishNo size limit Spotted HakeNo size limit Spotted Seatrout12 inch minimum Striped Bass28–31 inch slot Striped SearobinNo size limit Summer Flounder16 inch minimum (January 1 – May 31); 17.5 inch minimum (June 1 – December 31)Swordfish47 inch minimum TarponNo size limit Tautog16 inch minimum Thresher Shark54 inch minimum Tiger Shark54 inch minimum WahooNo size limit Warsaw GrouperNo size limit Weakfish13 inch minimum White GruntNo size limit White Marlin66 inch minimum White Perch8 inch minimum White SharkNo size limit Windowpane FlounderNo size limit Winter Flounder12 inch minimum Witch FlounderNo size limit WreckfishNo size limit Yellow JackNo size limit Yellowfin Tuna27 inch minimum Yellowtail FlounderNo size limit Yellowtail snapperNo size limit

Freshwater →

AlewifeNo size limit American Eel9 inch minimum American ShadNo size limit Atlantic SturgeonNo size limit Black CrappieNo size limit Blue CatfishNo size limit Blueback HerringNo size limit BluegillNo size limit BowfinNo size limit Brook TroutNo size limit Brown BullheadNo size limit Brown TroutNo size limit Chain PickerelNo size limit Channel CatfishNo size limit Common CarpNo size limit Flathead CatfishNo size limit Golden Rainbow TroutNo size limit Golden ShinerNo size limit Green SunfishNo size limit Hickory ShadNo size limit Largemouth Bass12 inch minimum Longnose GarNo size limit Mirror CarpNo size limit Mud SunfishNo size limit MuskellungeNo size limit Northern SnakeheadNo size limit Pumpkinseed SunfishNo size limit Rainbow TroutNo size limit Redbreast SunfishNo size limit Redear SunfishNo size limit Redfin PickerelNo size limit Rock BassNo size limit Shortnose SturgeonNo size limit Smallmouth Bassunder 12 inches; 17 inch minimum Striped Bass28–31 inch slot Striped Bass Hybrid15 inch minimum Tiger MuskellungeNo size limit Tiger TroutNo size limit WalleyeNo size limit Warmouth SunfishNo size limit White CatfishNo size limit White CrappieNo size limit White Perch8 inch minimum White suckerNo size limit Yellow BullheadNo size limit Yellow PerchNo size limit

Shellfish & crabs →

Atlantic Lobster3.375–5.25 inch slot Blue Crab5 inch minimum Channeled Whelk6 inch minimum Grass ShrimpNo size limit Hard Clam1.5 inch minimum Knobbed Whelk5 inch minimum OysterNo size limit Sand FleaNo size limit

Is it a keeper?

Say what you caught, snap a photo, or type it. SlotGauge checks today's rules and answers KEEP or RELEASE.