New Jersey’s recreational fluke season will run from May 4 through September 25 with a three fish bag and 18-inch minimum size limit. The state sill once again have separate summer flounder regulations in two special management zones, one being a 17-inch minimum and three fish bag west of COLREGS on Delaware Bay, as well as a 16-inch minimum size and two per angler limit at Island Beach State Park for surfcasters.
This season’s black sea bass regulations in New Jersey are the same as last year, with a spring opening of May 17 with 10 fish bag limit through June 19 on a 12-1/2-inch minimum size. The same size limit will be in place with a one fish bag limit from July 1 through August 31, followed by a 10-fish bag limit during the month of October and a 15-fish bag limit starting November 1 and running through December 31. Spring tautog however in New Jersey will be closed as of May 1, reopening again on August 1 with a one-fish bag and 15-inch minimum size.
Delaware’s four fish bag limit on tautog and 16-inch minimum will continue through May 15, closing for a month and half before reopening again for the full season on July 1. As a reminder, summer flounder is open year-round in Delaware, however, there’s a new “split season” of sorts, with a four fish bag limit and 16-inch size limit through May 31, and then changing to a four-fish bag at 17-1/2-inch size limit starting on June 1.
Delaware’s black sea bass regulations for ’25 also remain the same as in ’24, with a 13-inch minimum size and 15 fish bag from May 15 through September 30, and from October 10 through December 31.
When fishing in New York marine waters, keep in mind that the minimum size for black sea bass is 16-1/2 inches, with a three fish bag from June 23 until August 31, and a six fish bag limit starting September 1 and running through December 31.
The state of New York has a three fish bag limit and 19-inch minimum size for fluke from May 4 through August 1, at which point the size limit increases to 19-1/2 inches as of August 2 and running until October 15 (same three fish bag limit).
To see regulations from Maine to Maryland find us online at www.thefisherman.com/marine-regulations.
