Striped bass Regulations in Delaware (2026)

Morone saxatilis

Recreational striped bass rules in Delaware saltwater, as published by the Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. Last checked November 7, 2026.

Limits differ by area — the summary below is the first published rule; see every rule underneath.

Size limit

28–31 in

Bag limit

1 per person

Can I keep it today? Check your harbor & date

Recreational Striped bass rules in Delaware

Where: All waters
Size limit: 1.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measures less than 28 inches in total length or any striped bass that measures greater than 31 inches in total length, except that a recreational hook and line fisherman may only take 1 striped bass measuring not less than 20 inches in total length and not greater than 24 inches in total length from the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, or their tributaries during the months of July and August.
Bag limit: 4.0 Unless otherwise authorized, it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession more than 1 striped bass per day (a day being 24 hours) from the tidal waters of this State. Any striped bass taken from the tidal waters of this State that is not immediately returned, without unnecessary injury, to the same waters from which it was taken, is deemed taken and reduced to possession for purposes of this subsection.
Possession: 5.0 Unless otherwise authorized, it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to have in possession more than 1 striped bass at or between the place said striped bass was taken and said fisherman's personal abode or temporary or transient place of lodging.

7.0 It is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to fish for striped bass with bait using any hook other than a non-offset circle hook. This shall not apply to any artificial lure with bait attached.
3.0 It is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take or attempt to take any striped bass from the tidal waters of this State with any fishing equipment other than a hook and line or a spear while said recreational fisherman using the spear is underwater. Recreational gill net permittees are not authorized to take and reduce to possession any striped bass in gill nets.
Spawning-season harvest closure (7 DE Admin. Code 3502): 2.0 It is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass during the striped bass spawning season from the Nanticoke River or its tributaries, the Delaware River and its tributaries to the north of a line extending due east beginning at and including the south jetty at the mouth of the C & D Canal, or the C & D Canal or its tributaries.

Official source

Where: Delaware River, Delaware Bay, or their tributaries (bays & inshore)
Size limit: 1.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measures less than 28 inches in total length or any striped bass that measures greater than 31 inches in total length, except that a recreational hook and line fisherman may only take 1 striped bass measuring not less than 20 inches in total length and not greater than 24 inches in total length from the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, or their tributaries during the months of July and August.
Bag limit: 1.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measures less than 28 inches in total length or any striped bass that measures greater than 31 inches in total length, except that a recreational hook and line fisherman may only take 1 striped bass measuring not less than 20 inches in total length and not greater than 24 inches in total length from the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, or their tributaries during the months of July and August.
Season: during the months of July and August

7.0 It is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to fish for striped bass with bait using any hook other than a non-offset circle hook. This shall not apply to any artificial lure with bait attached.
3.0 It is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take or attempt to take any striped bass from the tidal waters of this State with any fishing equipment other than a hook and line or a spear while said recreational fisherman using the spear is underwater. Recreational gill net permittees are not authorized to take and reduce to possession any striped bass in gill nets.
Summer slot season exception to the 3504 size limit.

Official source

Where: Nanticoke River and tributaries; Delaware River and tributaries north of the C & D Canal south jetty line; C & D Canal and tributaries (bays & inshore)
Bag limit: 2.0 It is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass during the striped bass spawning season from the Nanticoke River or its tributaries, the Delaware River and its tributaries to the north of a line extending due east beginning at and including the south jetty at the mouth of the C & D Canal, or the C & D Canal or its tributaries.
Season: 1.0 The spawning season for striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) in Delaware shall begin at 12:01 A.M. on April 1 and continue through midnight on May 31 of each calendar year.

No retention of striped bass in these areas during the spawning season.

Official source

Commercial rules

Show 3 commercial rules

Where: All waters
Size limit: 2.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measure less than 28 inches in total length from the tidal waters of this State except that commercial gill net fishermen may take striped bass measuring no less than 20 inches in total length from the tidal waters of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay or their tributaries during the period from February 15 through May 31 or from the tidal waters of the Nanticoke River or its tributaries during the period from February 15 through March 31. 7.0 It is unlawful for a commercial finfisherman authorized to fish during Delaware's commercial striped bass fishery to land any striped bass that measures less than 20 inches in total length.
Bag limit: 4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to land, during a striped bass fishing season, more than the total pounds assigned by the Department to said individual commercial food fisherman.
Season: may use a gill net to take and reduce to possession striped bass during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M. on February 15 and ending at 4:00 P.M. on May 31 next ensuing.

It is unlawful to use any gill net having a stretched-mesh size greater than 4 inches to take striped bass during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M. on February 15 and ending at 4:00 PM on February 19 and beginning at 12:01 A.M. on May 2 and ending at 4:00 P.M. on May 31 unless the net is drifted.
3.0 It is unlawful for any person to fish a fixed gill net in the Nanticoke River or its tributaries or the C & D Canal or its tributaries during the striped bass spawning season.
4.0 It is unlawful for any person to fish during the striped bass spawning season in the Nanticoke River or its tributaries or the C & D Canal or its tributaries with a drift gill net of multi- or mono-filament twine larger than 0.28 millimeters in diameter (size #69) or a stretched mesh size larger than 5 1/2 inches.
5.0 It is unlawful for any person to fish any fixed gill net in the Delaware River north of a line beginning at the southern shore of Appoquinimink River at latitude 39˚26’51.00"N and longitude 75˚34’46.00"W and continuing due east to the boundary with New Jersey during January, February, March, April or May.
In order for a commercial food fisherman to be authorized by the Department to participate in a commercial gill net fishery, said commercial food fisherman shall have a valid food fishing equipment permit for a gill net and shall register in writing with the Department to participate in said fishery by February 1 for the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery and by November 1 for the December gill net fishery.
4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to land, during a striped bass fishing season, more than the total pounds assigned by the Department to said individual commercial food fisherman.
5.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to possess any landed striped bass that does not have locked into place through the mouth and gill (operculum) opening a striped bass harvest tag issued to said commercial fisherman by the Department.
10.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to sell, barter or trade any striped bass, to attempt to sell, barter or trade any striped bass or to transport, to have transported or to attempt to have transported any striped bass out of the State unless said striped bass has been weighed and tagged at an official weigh station.
12.0 Each commercial food fisherman participating in a striped bass fishery shall file a complete and accurate report with the Department on forms provided by the Department on all striped bass landed during said fishery. Each report shall be filed with the Department within 30 days after the end date of each fishery. All unused tags issued or legally transferred to a commercial food fisherman shall be returned to the Department with said report. Failure to file a complete and accurate report or failure to return all unused tags may disqualify the commercial food fishermen from future striped bass fisheries.
3.0 The striped bass gill net fishery in February - May, the striped bass gill net fishery in November - December and the striped bass hook and line fishery in April - December shall be considered separate striped bass fisheries. Each participant in a striped bass fishery shall be assigned an equal share of the total pounds of striped bass allotted by the Department to that fishery. A share shall be determined by dividing the number of pre-registered participants in that fishery into the total pounds of striped bass allotted to that fishery by the Department. The total pounds of the State’s ASMFC commercial striped bass quota will be allotted to each fishery by the Department as follows: 95% for the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery, 5% for the April - December hook and line fishery and, provided that in excess of 2% of the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery allocation was not landed, said remainder for the November - December gill net fishery. Any overage of the State's commercial quota will be subtracted from the next year's commercial quota proportionally to the appropriate fishery.
7 Del.C. §943: § 943. Tagging striped bass. The affixing of a tag on a striped bass by a commercial fisherman shall be required before landing or putting on shore.
4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial finfisherman to possess any striped bass for which the total length has been altered in any way prior to selling, trading or bartering said striped bass.
Spawning season (7 DE Admin. Code 3502): 1.0 The spawning season for striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) in Delaware shall begin at 12:01 A.M. on April 1 and continue through midnight on May 31 of each calendar year. 2.0 It is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass during the striped bass spawning season from the Nanticoke River or its tributaries, the Delaware River and its tributaries to the north of a line extending due east beginning at and including the south jetty at the mouth of the C & D Canal, or the C & D Canal or its tributaries.
Minimum size depends on water body and date during this fishery (see size_limit_text); no single minimum is recorded.

Official source

Where: All waters
Size limit: 2.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measure less than 28 inches in total length from the tidal waters of this State except that commercial gill net fishermen may take striped bass measuring no less than 20 inches in total length from the tidal waters of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay or their tributaries during the period from February 15 through May 31 or from the tidal waters of the Nanticoke River or its tributaries during the period from February 15 through March 31. 7.0 It is unlawful for a commercial finfisherman authorized to fish during Delaware's commercial striped bass fishery to land any striped bass that measures less than 20 inches in total length.
Bag limit: 4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to land, during a striped bass fishing season, more than the total pounds assigned by the Department to said individual commercial food fisherman.
Season: A commercial food fisherman may use a gill net to take and reduce to possession striped bass during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M. on November 15 and ending at 4:00 P.M. on December 31 next ensuing provided at least 2 percent of the commercial allocation of striped bass for the gill net fishery, as determined by the Department, was not landed in the February - May gill net fishery.

3.0 It is unlawful for any person to fish a fixed gill net in the Nanticoke River or its tributaries or the C & D Canal or its tributaries during the striped bass spawning season.
4.0 It is unlawful for any person to fish during the striped bass spawning season in the Nanticoke River or its tributaries or the C & D Canal or its tributaries with a drift gill net of multi- or mono-filament twine larger than 0.28 millimeters in diameter (size #69) or a stretched mesh size larger than 5 1/2 inches.
5.0 It is unlawful for any person to fish any fixed gill net in the Delaware River north of a line beginning at the southern shore of Appoquinimink River at latitude 39˚26’51.00"N and longitude 75˚34’46.00"W and continuing due east to the boundary with New Jersey during January, February, March, April or May.
In order for a commercial food fisherman to be authorized by the Department to participate in a commercial gill net fishery, said commercial food fisherman shall have a valid food fishing equipment permit for a gill net and shall register in writing with the Department to participate in said fishery by February 1 for the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery and by November 1 for the December gill net fishery.
4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to land, during a striped bass fishing season, more than the total pounds assigned by the Department to said individual commercial food fisherman.
5.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to possess any landed striped bass that does not have locked into place through the mouth and gill (operculum) opening a striped bass harvest tag issued to said commercial fisherman by the Department.
10.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to sell, barter or trade any striped bass, to attempt to sell, barter or trade any striped bass or to transport, to have transported or to attempt to have transported any striped bass out of the State unless said striped bass has been weighed and tagged at an official weigh station.
12.0 Each commercial food fisherman participating in a striped bass fishery shall file a complete and accurate report with the Department on forms provided by the Department on all striped bass landed during said fishery. Each report shall be filed with the Department within 30 days after the end date of each fishery. All unused tags issued or legally transferred to a commercial food fisherman shall be returned to the Department with said report. Failure to file a complete and accurate report or failure to return all unused tags may disqualify the commercial food fishermen from future striped bass fisheries.
3.0 The striped bass gill net fishery in February - May, the striped bass gill net fishery in November - December and the striped bass hook and line fishery in April - December shall be considered separate striped bass fisheries. Each participant in a striped bass fishery shall be assigned an equal share of the total pounds of striped bass allotted by the Department to that fishery. A share shall be determined by dividing the number of pre-registered participants in that fishery into the total pounds of striped bass allotted to that fishery by the Department. The total pounds of the State’s ASMFC commercial striped bass quota will be allotted to each fishery by the Department as follows: 95% for the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery, 5% for the April - December hook and line fishery and, provided that in excess of 2% of the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery allocation was not landed, said remainder for the November - December gill net fishery. Any overage of the State's commercial quota will be subtracted from the next year's commercial quota proportionally to the appropriate fishery.
7 Del.C. §943: § 943. Tagging striped bass. The affixing of a tag on a striped bass by a commercial fisherman shall be required before landing or putting on shore.
4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial finfisherman to possess any striped bass for which the total length has been altered in any way prior to selling, trading or bartering said striped bass.
Spawning season (7 DE Admin. Code 3502): 1.0 The spawning season for striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) in Delaware shall begin at 12:01 A.M. on April 1 and continue through midnight on May 31 of each calendar year. 2.0 It is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass during the striped bass spawning season from the Nanticoke River or its tributaries, the Delaware River and its tributaries to the north of a line extending due east beginning at and including the south jetty at the mouth of the C & D Canal, or the C & D Canal or its tributaries.

Official source

Where: All waters
Size limit: 2.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measure less than 28 inches in total length from the tidal waters of this State except that commercial gill net fishermen may take striped bass measuring no less than 20 inches in total length from the tidal waters of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay or their tributaries during the period from February 15 through May 31 or from the tidal waters of the Nanticoke River or its tributaries during the period from February 15 through March 31. 7.0 It is unlawful for a commercial finfisherman authorized to fish during Delaware's commercial striped bass fishery to land any striped bass that measures less than 20 inches in total length.
Bag limit: 4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to land, during a striped bass fishing season, more than the total pounds assigned by the Department to said individual commercial food fisherman.
Season: may use a hook and line to take and reduce to possession striped bass during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M. on April 1 and ending at 4:00 P.M. on December 31 next ensuing

2.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman using a hook and line to take and reduce to possession any striped bass at any time except when said commercial food fisherman is authorized by the Department to participate in a commercial hook and line fishery for striped bass established herein. Except as otherwise provided, a commercial food fisherman may use a hook and line to take and reduce to possession striped bass during the period beginning at 12:01 A.M. on April 1 and ending at 4:00 P.M. on December 31 next ensuing. In order for a commercial food fisherman to be authorized to participate in the commercial hook and line fishery, said commercial food fisherman shall register in writing with the Department to participate in said fishery by February 1.
4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to land, during a striped bass fishing season, more than the total pounds assigned by the Department to said individual commercial food fisherman.
5.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to possess any landed striped bass that does not have locked into place through the mouth and gill (operculum) opening a striped bass harvest tag issued to said commercial fisherman by the Department.
10.0 It is unlawful for any commercial food fisherman to sell, barter or trade any striped bass, to attempt to sell, barter or trade any striped bass or to transport, to have transported or to attempt to have transported any striped bass out of the State unless said striped bass has been weighed and tagged at an official weigh station.
12.0 Each commercial food fisherman participating in a striped bass fishery shall file a complete and accurate report with the Department on forms provided by the Department on all striped bass landed during said fishery. Each report shall be filed with the Department within 30 days after the end date of each fishery. All unused tags issued or legally transferred to a commercial food fisherman shall be returned to the Department with said report. Failure to file a complete and accurate report or failure to return all unused tags may disqualify the commercial food fishermen from future striped bass fisheries.
3.0 The striped bass gill net fishery in February - May, the striped bass gill net fishery in November - December and the striped bass hook and line fishery in April - December shall be considered separate striped bass fisheries. Each participant in a striped bass fishery shall be assigned an equal share of the total pounds of striped bass allotted by the Department to that fishery. A share shall be determined by dividing the number of pre-registered participants in that fishery into the total pounds of striped bass allotted to that fishery by the Department. The total pounds of the State’s ASMFC commercial striped bass quota will be allotted to each fishery by the Department as follows: 95% for the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery, 5% for the April - December hook and line fishery and, provided that in excess of 2% of the February 15 - May 31 gill net fishery allocation was not landed, said remainder for the November - December gill net fishery. Any overage of the State's commercial quota will be subtracted from the next year's commercial quota proportionally to the appropriate fishery.
7 Del.C. §943: § 943. Tagging striped bass. The affixing of a tag on a striped bass by a commercial fisherman shall be required before landing or putting on shore.
4.0 It is unlawful for any commercial finfisherman to possess any striped bass for which the total length has been altered in any way prior to selling, trading or bartering said striped bass.
Spawning season (7 DE Admin. Code 3502): 1.0 The spawning season for striped bass ( Morone saxatilis ) in Delaware shall begin at 12:01 A.M. on April 1 and continue through midnight on May 31 of each calendar year. 2.0 It is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass during the striped bass spawning season from the Nanticoke River or its tributaries, the Delaware River and its tributaries to the north of a line extending due east beginning at and including the south jetty at the mouth of the C & D Canal, or the C & D Canal or its tributaries.

Official source

Quick answers

What is the striped bass size limit in Delaware?

1.0 Notwithstanding, the provisions of 7 Del.C. §929(b)(1) , it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession any striped bass that measures less than 28 inches in total length or any striped bass that measures greater than 31 inches in total length, except that a recreational hook and line fisherman may only take 1 striped bass measuring not less than 20 inches in total length and not greater than 24 inches in total length from the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, or their tributaries during the months of July and August. (for the first listed area; other areas may differ — see above).

How many striped bass can I keep in Delaware?

4.0 Unless otherwise authorized, it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession more than 1 striped bass per day (a day being 24 hours) from the tidal waters of this State. Any striped bass taken from the tidal waters of this State that is not immediately returned, without unnecessary injury, to the same waters from which it was taken, is deemed taken and reduced to possession for purposes of this subsection. (for the first listed area; other areas may differ — see above).

Compare Striped bass limits in other states →

More inshore in Delaware

All Delaware saltwater fishing regulations →

Source: Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife. Most anglers need a Delaware saltwater license or registry: get one here.