2020 Delaware Fishing Regulations & Creel limits
Delaware Fishing License …
If you are fishing, crabbing, or clamming in Delaware you must obtain a fishing license. Since 2008 the State of Delaware has required all people engaged in recreational fishing activities (in fresh and salt water) to purchase a Delaware fishing license. A license can be obtained from your local bait shop, most public marinas, and most major retailers that have a sporting counter. The Head boat and charter boat fishing licenses are only available through DNREC.
Click here to get a Delaware fishing license online
Click here to get your Delaware boat registration online
Click here to get your Boat fishing license online
It is illegal to fish for any species of game fish in Delaware with more than two hooks and lines, and each hook and line shall have no more than three separate lures with hooks.
Delaware fishing license costs (effective Jan. 1, 2019)
| License Type | License Fee | Agent Fee | Maximum Cost |
| Resident fishing (Age 16-64) | $8.50 | $2.50 | $11 |
| Non-resident fishing (Age 16 and over) | $20 | $2.50 | $22.50 |
| 7-Day Non-resident fishing (Age 16 and over) | $12.50 | $2.50 | $15 |
| Resident Trout Stamp (Age 16-64) | $4.20 | $1 | $5.20 |
| Non-resident Trout Stamp (Age 12 and over) | $6.20 | $1 | $7.20 |
| Young Angler Trout Stamp (Age 12-15) | $2.10 | $1 | $3.10 |
| *Resident boat fishing (20′ vessel and below) | $40 | $2.50 | $42.50 |
| *Resident boat fishing (Vessel over 20′) | $50 | $2.50 | $52.50 |
| *Resident head-boat license | $300 | ||
| *Resident charterboat license | $150 | ||
| *Non-resident boat fishing license (20′ vessel and below) | $40 | $2.50 | $42.50 |
| *Non-resident boat fishing license (Vessel over 20′) | $50 | $2.50 | $52.50 |
| *Non-resident head-boat license | $600 | ||
| *Non-resident charter boat license | $300 |
Delaware Surf Fishing Vehicle Permits
In Delaware, you may drive your 4×4 or all wheel drive vehicle onto four Delaware State Park beaches to fish. Beach Plum Island State Park, Cape Henlopen State Park, Delaware Seashore state park, and Fenwick Island State park. You must be actively engaged in fishing at all times. You have to have a surf fishing vehicle permit (beach tag)on your vehicle. The vehicle must be licensed, and registered to legally operate on the roadways and it must have at least seven inches of ground clearance. No low riding vehicles. Delaware beach sand is soft and even looser in the summer time. You also have to have certain gear with you at all times to drive onto the beach and actively fish. It does not matter which direction you park your vehicle. Many prefer the front towards the sand so they can use their fishing racks. Rangers would prefer you park front forward, so they can see your surf fishing vehicle permit.You are required to have ….
a tire gauge
a board for a jack
a shovel
a tow strap
Fishing gear and bait
sand spikes for your rods
We recommend a few other items that the parks don’t require. A fire extinguisher is a good addition to your surf vehicle. Lot of people grilling on the beach and vehicles have caught on fire before.
An old bed sheet or blanket and heavy gloves, this is good to have if you get a bird tangled up in your line.
A first aid kit is a must have addition.Surf fishing vehicle permits are available through the Delaware State Park Service offices.
Visit our Popular Fishing locations page
| Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit Rates | |
|---|---|
| Resident Annual Permit | $90 |
| Resident Two-Year Permit | $180 |
| Sr Resident Annual Permit | $80 |
| Sr Resident Two-Year Permit | $160 |
| Non-Resident Annual Permit | $180 |
| Non-Resident Two-Year Permit | $360 |
| Sr Non-Resident Annual Permit | $160 |
| Sr Non-Resident Two-Year Permit | $320 |
| Delaware Firefighter/EMT — Contact the president of your fire company or the Delaware Volunteer Firefighters Association for information and an application form. | $0 |
| Replacement Permit (restrictions apply) | $10 |
| Tidal Waters | ||||
| Species | Open Season | Minimum Size | Daily Limit | |
| American eel | All year | 9 inches | 25 | |
| American & hickory shad | Closed Nanticoke R. & its tribs.; Open all year elsewhere | None | 10 in any combination | |
| Atlantic croaker | All year | 8 inches | None | |
| Atlantic sturgeon | Endangered – no harvest permitted (see also Sport fishing Tournament) | |||
| Black drum | All year | 16 inches | 3 | |
| Black sea bass | May 15 – Dec. 31 | 12.5 inches (excluding caudal filament) | 15 | |
| Bluefish | All year | None | 3 … per person for land and private boat anglers 5 … for for hire boats per person | |
| Catfish | All year | None | None | |
| Cobia | TBD | |||
| Red drum | All year | 20 – 27 inches may be retained | 5 | |
| River herring (alewife & blueback) | Closed – no harvest permitted | |||
| Scup | All year | 8 inches | 50 | |
| Spanish mackerel | All year | 14 inches | 15 | |
| Spotted seatrout (speckled) | All year | 12 inches | None | |
| Striped bass | All year, except catch & release only on spawning grounds Apr 1 – May 31 | 28 – 37 inches or 44 inches or greater; except, 20 – 25 inches only – Jul 1 – Aug 31 in DE Bay, River and their tributaries | 2, except catch & release only on spawning grounds April 1 – May 31 | |
| Summer flounder | All year | 16.5 inches | 4 | |
| Tautog | Jan. 1 – May 15 | 16 inches | 4 | |
| July 1 – Dec. 31 | 4 | |||
| Tilefish (Blueline & Golden) | All year | None | 7 in any combination | |
| Weakfish | All year | 13 inches | 1 | |
| White perch | All year | 8 inches | None | |
| Winter flounder | Feb. 11 – Apr. 10 | 12 inches | 2 | |
| Species | Open Season | Minimum Size | Daily Limit | |
| Blue crab See Blue Crabs for more details | Pots: Mar. 1 – Nov. 30; other gears year around | Peeler – 3 inches | 1 bushel | |
| Soft-shell – 3.5 inches | ||||
| Hard-shell – 5 inches | ||||
| Hard clams | All year | 1.5 inches | 100/resident | |
| 50/non-resident | ||||
| Lobster | All year | 3 3/8 – 5 1/4 inches (slot) | 2; V-notched prohibited | |
| Conch See Conchs for details | Knobbed whelk | All year | 5 inches / 3 inch whorl | 5 bushels |
| Channeled whelk | All year | 6 inches / 3.125 inch whorl | 5 bushels | |
| Sharks, TILEFISH and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) – Special permit required for federal waters | ||||
| Species | Open Season | Minimum Size | Daily Limit | |
| Smoothhound and spiny dogfish | All year | None | None | |
| Blacktip shark, bull shark, lemon shark, nurse shark, silky shark, spinner shark, tiger shark | Jan. 1 -May 14July 16 – Dec. 31 | 54 inches FORK LENGTH | Boat anglers- only 1 shark of any species per vessel, except 1 additional bonnethead and 1 additional Atlantic sharpnose per angler onboard vessel. Shore anglers – only 1 shark of any species per angler, except 1 additional bonnethead and one additional Atlantic sharpnose per shore angler. | |
| Great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead | Jan. 1 -May 14 July 16 – Dec. 31 | 78 inches FORK LENGTH | ||
| Blue shark, oceanic white-tip shark, porbeagle, shortfin mako, thresher shark | All year | 54 inches FORK LENGTH, except shortfin makois 83 inches – female / 71 inches – male (FORK LENGTH) | ||
| Atlantic sharpnose shark, blacknose shark, bonnethead, finetooth shark | All year | None | ||
| Prohibited Species | ||||
| Sandbar shark, sand tiger, Atlantic angel shark, basking shark, bigeye sand tiger, bigeye sixgill shark, bigeye thresher, bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, Caribbean sharpnose shark, dusky shark, Galapagos shark, longfin mako, narrowtooth shark, night shark, sevengill shark, sixgill shark, smalltail shark, whale shark, white shark | The sandbar & sand tiger are toothed sharks commonly taken in the nearshore waters of the state and are prohibited species. Like all prohibited species, they must be immediately released to ensure the maximum probability of survival. | |||
| Special Restrictions for Shark | ||||
| It is unlawful to fillet a shark prior to landing. A shark may be eviscerated prior to landing, but head, tail and fins must remain attached to the carcass. | ||||
| It is unlawful to release a shark in a manner that will not ensure the sharks maximum probability of survival (i.e. no gaffs, no clubbing, careful hook removal, etc.). | ||||
| It is unlawful to possess the fins from any shark prior to landing unless they are naturally attached to the body of the shark. | ||||
| Tunas and HMS – Special permit required | ||||
| Atlantic tunas, swordfish and billfish | *Special permit required – All private vessel owners/operators recreationally fishing for and/or retaining regulated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (Atlantic tunas, sharks, swordfish and billfish) for personal use in the Atlantic Ocean must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit. Further limits and restrictions apply. Consult hmspermits.noaa.gov or call toll free (888) 872-8862 for specific information and permits. |