Can I Keep?Delaware Saltwater Fishing Regulations (2026)
Recreational size limits, bag limits and seasons for 36 saltwater species in Delaware, from the Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. Last checked November 7, 2026. Where a species has several rules (by area or water), the table shows the first; open the species for all of them.
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Official Delaware regulations · Saltwater fishing license
Inshore
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic croaker | — | 50 per person | — |
| Black drum | 16 in minimum | 3 per person | — |
| Red drum | 20–27 in | 5 per person | — |
| Spot | — | 50 per person | — |
| Spotted seatrout | 12 in minimum | — | — |
| Striped bass (3 rules) | 28–31 in | 1 per person | — |
| Weakfish | 13 in minimum | 1 per person | — |
Reef fish
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black sea bass | 12.5 in minimum | 15 per person | 12.0 It shall be unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and… |
| Scup | 9 in minimum | 30 per person | — |
| Tautog | 16 in minimum | 4 per person | 2.1 Notwithstanding the provisions of 7 Del.C. §§938 and 939 , it is… |
Offshore & pelagic
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregated large coastal sharks | 54 in minimum | 7.1 It is unlawful for the operator of any vessel without a… | 11.0 Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks Closed Season It is unlawful to… |
| Atlantic sharpnose shark | 10.4 Smoothhound, bonnethead, Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, and… | 1 per person | — |
| Bluefish | — | 1.0 Unless otherwise authorized, it shall be unlawful for any… | — |
| Bonnethead | 10.4 Smoothhound, bonnethead, Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, and… | 1 per person | — |
| Cobia | 43 in minimum | 1 per person | — |
| Hammerhead sharks | 78 in minimum | 7.1 It is unlawful for the operator of any vessel without a… | 11.0 Aggregated Large Coastal Sharks Closed Season It is unlawful to… |
| Prohibited shark species | — | No harvest (0) | — |
| Sandbar shark | — | No harvest (0) | — |
| Sharks (non-prohibited, management unit) | 54 in minimum | 7.1 It is unlawful for the operator of any vessel without a… | — |
| Shortfin mako | — | 10.3 It is unlawful to possess any shortfin mako. | — |
| Spanish mackerel | 14 in minimum | 15 per person | — |
Groundfish & flatfish
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blueline tilefish | — | more than three blueline tilefish ( Caulolatilus microps ) if fishing… | 1.2 It shall be unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and… |
| Golden tilefish | — | 8 per person | — |
| Summer flounder (2 rules) | 16 in minimum | 4 per person | January 1 through May 31 (size-limit period) |
| Winter flounder | 12 in minimum | 2 per person | 3.0 It shall be unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and… |
Crabs, lobster & shrimp
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| American lobster | 3.375–5.25 in | Any individual diver may catch, by hand, up to 2 lobsters a day | 2.1.1 and 2.1.2, it is unlawful to set or tend lobster pots or to… |
| Blue crab | 5 in minimum | unlawful for any person to take in any 1 day more than 1 bushel of… | — |
| Jonah crab | 4.75 in minimum | 50 per person | — |
Clams, oysters & scallops
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channeled whelk (channeled conch) | 6 in minimum | — | — |
| Hard clam | 1.5 in minimum | 3.0 It shall be unlawful for any person who is a resident of this… | — |
| Knobbed whelk (knobbed conch) | 5 in minimum | — | — |
Other species
| Species | Size limit | Bag limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| American eel | 9 in minimum | — | — |
| American shad | — | 2 per person | — |
| Atlantic sturgeon | — | No harvest (0) | — |
| Hickory shad | — | 10 per person | — |
| River herring (blueback herring and alewife) | — | No harvest (0) | — |