Fish are measured from tip of snout to tip of tail (except black sea bass). Cleaning or filleting of fish with a minimum size limit while at sea is prohibited.

Freshwater Regulations
	SEASON	LOCATION	MINIMUM SIZE	DAILY LIMIT
Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass
Largemouth Bass	Jan. 1– April 14 April 15–June 15 Catch & Release only (all waters) June 16–Dec. 31	Statewide (exceptions below)	12 inches	5 combined
		Lunker Bass Lakes: Alloway, Assunpink, Parvin, Delaware lakes, Splitrock Reservoir	15 inches	3 combined
		Conservation Regulations: Ryker Lake	15 inches	2 combined
Smallmouth Bass	Year-Round	Lake Audrey	Catch & Release only	0
Northern Pike, Tiger Musky, Muskellunge
Northern Pike	Open year round March 20–May 20 are Catch & Release only for Echo Lake Reservoir, Mercer Lake, Mountain Lake, Monksville Reservoir	Statewide	Northern Pike: 24 inches	2
		Statewide (exceptions below)	Tiger Musky & Muskellunge: 36 inches	1 combined
Muskellunge		Trophy Musky Waters: Mountain & Echo Lake reservoirs	Tiger Musky & Muskellunge: 40 inches
Chain Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel
Chain Pickerel	Open year round	Statewide	15 inches	5 combined
Walleye
Walleye	Jan. 1–Feb. 28 March 1-April 30 Catch & Release only May 1–Dec. 31	Statewide	18 inches	3
Striped Bass (freshwater only) Striped bass regulations are subject to change. Consult NJFishandWildlife.com and the news media for updates.
Striped Bass	March 1–Dec. 31	Statewide	28 inches	2
Hybrid Striped Bass (freshwater only) Striped bass regulations are subject to change. Consult NJFishandWildlife.com and the news media for updates.
Hybrid Striped Bass	Open year round	Statewide (exceptions below)	16 inches	2
	March 1–Dec. 31	Raritan River (downstream of Duke Island Park dam)	28 inches	2
American Shad
American Shad	Open year round	Statewide	No minimum size	3
Channel Catfish
Channel Catfish	Open year round	Statewide	12 inches	5
Crappie (Black and White)
Crappie	Open year round	Statewide	8 inches	10 combined
Banded, Blackbanded, Bluespotted and Mud Sunfish
Banded Sunfish* Blackbanded Sunfish* Bluespotted Sunfish* Mud Sunfish	Closed	Statewide	Protected	0
Sunfish and All Other Species With No Specified Creel Limits
Rock Bass White Perch Yellow Perch Sunfish (see above for sunfish exceptions) Bullheads White Catfish Suckers Carp Bowfin Pumpkinseed	Open year round	Statewide (exceptions below)	No minimum size	25 combined
		Conservation Regulation Ryker Lake	Sunfish: 7 inches	10 combined
			Yellow Perch: No minimum size	10
		Conservation Regulation Rainbow Lake (Salem Co.)	Sunfish: 7 inches	10 combined
Freshwater Baitfish
Alewife** (anadromous and land-locked forms) Blueback Herring Golden Shiner Banded Killifish Mummichog Spotfin Killifish Rainwater Killifish American Brook Lamprey Fathead Minnow Bluntnose Minnow Tadpole Madtom Margined Madtom All Shiners Daces Minnows Gizzard Shad American Eel	Open year round Exceptions Baitfish may not be taken in trout stocked waters from March 21 to June 15	Statewide	No minimum Exception American Eel: 6 inches	35 combined, of which no more than ten may be alewife or blue-back herring

** DUE TO SERIOUS DECLINES IN RIVER HERRING NUMBERS, THE TAKING OF ALEWIFE AND BLUEBACK HERRING IS ANTICIPATED TO BE PROHIBITED BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2012. BE SURE TO CHECK FISH AND WILDLIFE’S WEB SITE, NJFishandWildlife.com, FOR UPDATES.

Saltwater Regulations
	SEASON	LOCATION	MINIMUM LENGTH	HARVEST & POSSESSION LIMIT (per person unless noted)
American Eel
American Eel	No Closed Season		6"	50
Black Drum
Black Drum	No Closed Season		16"	3
Black Sea Bass
Black Sea Bass	May 19 - Sept.3 Sept.23 - Oct.14 Nov.1 - Dec.31		12.5"	25
Bluefish
Bluefish	No Closed Season		None	15
Cobia
Cobia	No Closed Season		37"	2
Cod
Cod	No Closed Season		21"	No Limit
Haddock
Haddock	No Closed Season		21"	No Limit
King Mackerel
King Mackerel	No Closed Season		23"	3
Pollock
Pollock	No Closed Season		19"	No Limit
Red Drum
Red Drum	No Closed Season		18" - 27"	1
River Herring
River Herring	No Closed Season		0	N/A
Scup (Porgy)
Scup (Porgy)	Jan. 1–Feb. 28 July 1–Dec. 31		9"	50
Shad
Shad	No Closed Season		None	6
Shark (except prohibited species)
Shark			54"	1 per vessel
Smooth Dogfish
Smooth Dogfish	No Closed Season		None	No Limit
Spanish Mackerel
Spanish Mackerel	No Closed Season		14"	10
Striped Bass or Hybrid Striped Bass
Striped Bass or Hybrid Striped Bass	March 1–March 31 and June 1–Dec. 31	Delaware River & tributaries (Calhoun St. bridge to Salem River & tributaries)	28"	2
	No Closed Season	Atlantic Ocean (0–3 miles from shore )
	March 1–Dec. 31	All other marine waters
	Prohibited	3–200 miles (federal waters)	-	0
Summer Flounder (Fluke)
Summer Flounder	May 5 - Sept. 28		17.5"	5
Tautog
Tautog	Jan. 1–Feb. 28		15"	4
	Apr. 1–Apr. 30		15"	4
	July 17–Nov. 15		15"	1
	Nov. 16–Dec. 31		15"	6
Weakfish
Weakfish	No Closed Season		13"	1
Winter Flounder
Winter Flounder	March 23–May 21		12"	2
Blue Crab
Blue Crab Peeler or Shedder Soft Hard	Crab pot/Trot line Seasons: Delaware Bay & tributaries April 6 - Dec. 4 All other waters March 15 - Nov. 30		3" 3½" 4½"	1 bushel
Lobster (carapace length)
Lobster	No Closed Season		3-3/8" - 5-1/4"	6
Hard Clam (license required)
Hard Clam	No Closed Season No harvest on Sunday Shellfish license required		1½"	150 clams

Prohibited Species

It is illegal to take, possess or land any of the following species:

Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark

Shortnose Sturgeon

Atlantic Sturgeon

Sand Tiger Shark

Basking Shark

Whale Shark

White Shark