Striped Bass Spawning Season Regulations for Delaware

There have been a lot of quality bass caught up the Delaware Bay and River. Make sure you know where you can and can not fish and what gear to use so you are in compliance with the spawning season regulations.

Per DNREC regulations …. The spawning season for striped bass in Delaware is considered to begin at 12:01 a.m. on April 1 and continue through midnight on May 31 of each calendar year. It is unlawful for any person to take and retain any striped bass during the 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. 

 Catch and release only during this season; no harvest is allowed.  It is unlawful for any person to fish during the striped bass spawning season on any striped bass spawning ground with natural bait using any hook other than a non-offset circle hook when the gap (the opening between the point to the shank) of said hook is greater than 3/8 inches.  

The Division recommends that circle-hooks always be used when fishing natural baits because of their proven ability to reduce hook and release mortality for striped bass and other fish species. The circle-hook’s design usually results in fish being hooked in the mouth, simplifying hook removal and reducing injury to the released fish.