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Delaware freshwater size limits and seasons

46 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact DNREC wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-09-20. All 196 Delaware species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Alewife	Closed	—	—
American Eel	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	25 per person per day
American Shad	Open year-round	No size limit	2 per person per day
Atlantic Sturgeon	Closed	—	—
Black Crappie	Open year-round	No size limit	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.
Blue Catfish (invasive)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Blueback Herring	Closed	—	—
Bluegill	Open year-round	No size limit	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.
Bowfin	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Brook Trout	first Saturday in April – December 31	No size limit	6 trout, all species combined
Brown Bullhead	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Brown Trout	first Saturday in April – December 31	No size limit	6 trout, all species combined
Chain Pickerel	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Channel Catfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Common Carp	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Flathead Catfish (invasive)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Golden Rainbow Trout	first Saturday in April – December 31	No size limit	6 trout, all species combined
Golden Shiner	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Green Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Hickory Shad	Open year-round	No size limit	10 in any combination with American Shad
Largemouth Bass	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	6 per person per day
Longnose Gar	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Mirror Carp	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Mud Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Muskellunge	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Northern Snakehead (invasive)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Pumpkinseed Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.
Rainbow Trout	first Saturday in April – December 31	No size limit	6 trout, all species combined
Redbreast Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Redear Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.
Redfin Pickerel	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Rock Bass	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Shortnose Sturgeon	Closed	—	—
Smallmouth Bass	Open year-round	under 12 inches; 17 inch minimum	No more than 1 over 17 inches
Striped Bass	Open year-round	28–31 inch slot	1 per person per day
Striped Bass Hybrid	Open year-round	15 inch minimum	2 per person per day
Tiger Muskellunge	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Tiger Trout	first Saturday in April – December 31	No size limit	6 trout, all species combined
Walleye	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Warmouth Sunfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
White Catfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
White Crappie	Open year-round	No size limit	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.
White Perch	Open year-round	8 inch minimum	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.
White sucker	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Yellow Bullhead	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Yellow Perch	Open year-round	No size limit	50 panfish total per day (all panfish species combined), no more than 25 of this species.