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Brook Trout regulations in Delaware

Trout · Freshwater · 2026 season

Brook Trout
Is it a keeper? Brook Trout has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 6.

Brook Trout size limit, season and daily limit

WhereSeasonSize limitDaily limit
Trout streamsfirst Saturday in April – December 31No size limit6 trout, all species combined
Ponds / lakesfirst Saturday in March – December 31No size limit6 trout, all species combined
Fly-fishing-only waterfirst Saturday in April – December 31No size limit4 in fly-fishing-only waters

Notes

Exact DNREC wording

Season
Streams open 1st Saturday in AprilPonds open 1st Saturday in March
Size
No Size Limit
Limit
6 (All Trout species combined)4 in fly-fishing only waters

Source: DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-09-20 (2026 season).

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About the brook trout

Brook trout

Species of fish

The brook trout is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus Salvelinus of the salmon family Salmonidae native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada. Two ecological forms of brook trout have been recognized by the US Forest Service. One ecological form is long-lived potamodromous populations in Lake Superior known as coaster trout or coasters. The second ecological form is the short-living predaceous anadromous populations which are found in northern lakes and coastal rivers from Long Island to Hudson Bay, which are referred to as salters. In parts of its range, it is also known as the eastern brook trout, speckled trout, brook char, squaretail, brookie, or mud trout, among others. Adult coaster brook trout are capable of reaching sizes over 2 feet in length and weigh up to 6.8 kg (15 lb), whereas adult salters average between 6 and 15 inches in length and weigh between 0.5 and 2.3 kg. The brook trout is characterized by its distinctive olive-green body with yellow and blue-rimmed red spots, white and black edged orange fins, and dorsal vermiculation. The diet of the brook trout is restrictive to the season and location of the fish, but will typically consist of terrestrial and aquatic insects, fry, crustaceans, zooplankton, and worms.

Read more about Brook trout on Wikipedia →

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Brook Trout in Delaware?

No size limit in Delaware state waters.

How many Brook Trout can you keep per day in Delaware?

6 trout, all species combined.

When is Brook Trout season in Delaware?

first Saturday in April – December 31.

Is my Brook Trout a keeper today?

Brook Trout has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 6.