Hickory Shad regulations in New York

· Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Hickory Shad has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 5.

Hickory Shad size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
NY Marine & Coastal District	Open year-round	No size limit	5 per person per day

Exact NYSDEC wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: 5
statewide — as printed: “Hickory Shad No size limit 5 All year”

Source: NYSDEC, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).

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About the hickory shad

Species of fish

The hickory shad, fall herring, mattowacca, freshwater taylor or bonejack is a member of the family Alosidae, ranging along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to the Gulf of Maine. It is an anadromous fish species, meaning that it spawns in freshwater portions of rivers, but spends most of its life at sea. It is subject to fishing, both historic and current, but it is often confused with or simply grouped together with American shad in catch statistics.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from NYSDEC, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Hickory Shad in New York?

No size limit in New York state waters.

How many Hickory Shad can you keep per day in New York?

5 per person per day.

When is Hickory Shad season in New York?

Open year-round.

Is my Hickory Shad a keeper today?

Hickory Shad has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 5.