While the official calendar still shows spring, the summer season officially reopens on May 2 with the return of New Jersey’s fluke season on May 2.
Once again in ’23 as it was in ’22, New Jersey will boast a two-fish slot from May 2 through September 27; the total bag limit is three fluke per person is most waters, two fish from 17 to 17.99 inches and/or one at 18 inches. To keep in close proximity to Delaware’s 16-inch minimum size and four fish bag limit (no closed season) on summer flounder, New Jersey anglers fishing west of the COLREGS on Delaware Bay will have a 17-inch size limit and three fish bag limit, while surfcasters at Island Beach State Park may keep two 16-inch fluke.
To meet federal reduction mandates for the 2023 season, New Jersey has officially updated the regulations on black sea bass, with an open season from May 17 to June 19 (10 fish bag limit), July 1 to August 31 (one fish bag), October 1-31 (10 fish bag), and from November 1 to December 31 (15 fish bag). The seasonal size limit for NJ sea bass is 12-1/2 inches.
As a reminder, porgy fishing is closed in New Jersey until August 1, when the season will reopen through December 31 with a 10-inch minimum size and 30 fish bag limit.
While changes to black sea bass and scup in Delaware and Maryland will also be changing for 2023, there was no official word on the new regulations at The Fisherman print date for May’s edition. However, according to field editor Eric Burnley, Delaware’s black sea bass season is expected to open two days earlier this season. “While the I’s need dotting and the T’s need crossing, I am 99.9% sure of this – Delaware will have a black sea bass season that will open May 15 and continue until October 1, then reopen October 9 and continue until December 31,” Burnley said, adding “The size limit will remain at 13 inches and the bag limit will stay at 15 fish per day. Maryland will have the same season, size and bag limits.”
