State by State Recreational Striped Bass Regulations

In recent years, recreational striped bass regulations have grown more complex to protect the species from overfishing following years of poor recruitment in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware and Hudson rivers. While there is a coast-wide slot limit—issued by the ASMFC—that requires any retained striped bass to measure between 28 and 31 inches in Atlantic marine waters, state fisheries agencies are in charge of setting their own regulations in select bays and tidal rivers. To make this information more digestible to recreational striper anglers, we compiled the seasons, bag limits, slot sizes, and special regulations for striped bass in 2025 from Maryland to Maine.

Keep in mind that these regulations are subject to change. Always double-check with your state’s regulatory agency.

Maryland

Chesapeake Bay & Tidal Tributaries

January 1 – February 28: All Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters and the Potomac River are open to catch and release fishing only.

• No harvest; catch and release only.
• Directed catch and release of striped bass in the Potomac requires barbless hooks.
• Eels may not be used as bait.

March 1 – March 31: Chesapeake Bay downstream from a line between Abbey Point and Worton Point to the Virginia line including Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds.

• No harvest; catch and release only.
• Stinger (trailing) hooks prohibited.
• Barbless hooks required when trolling.
• Non-offset circle hooks or J hooks with a gap of less than ½ inch required for natural baits.
• No more than 6 lines allowed while trolling, regardless of the number of anglers on board.
• Spawning rivers and the Upper Bay spawning area are off limits until June 1 to striped bass fishing.
• Eels may not be used as bait.
• See Striped Bass Regulations Maps

April 1 – May 15: All areas closed to striped bass fishing.

• No catch and release fishing. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.

May 16 – May 31: Chesapeake Bay downstream from a line drawn from the south corner of Hart-Miller Island Dike to the end of MD Route 21 at Tolchester and south to the MD/VA line, excluding all bays, sounds, tributaries, creeks and rivers. EXCEPT: Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound; Chester River and its tributaries downstream of a line drawn from Hail Point to Long Point to Ferry Point; Patuxent River and its tributaries downstream of a line drawn from Point Patience to the west point of land at the entrance of Little Kingston Creek; and Choptank River and its tributaries downstream of a line drawn from Holland Point to a point of land at the west entrance of Chapel Creek are open.

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 19 inches–less than 24 inches.
• Eels may not be used as bait.
• Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
• See Striped Bass Regulations Maps

June 1 – July 15: All areas open.

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 19 inches–less than 24 inches.
• Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
• See Striped Bass Regulations Maps

July 16 – July 31: All areas closed to striped bass fishing.

• No possession allowed.
• No catch and release fishing for striped bass allowed. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.

August 1 – December 10: All areas open.

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 19 inches–less than 24 inches.
• Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
• See Striped Bass Regulations Maps

December 11 – December 31: All areas are open to catch and release fishing only.

• No harvest; catch and release only.
• Eels may not be used as bait.

Atlantic Ocean, Coastal Bays and Tributaries

January 1 – December 31: No area restrictions in state waters.

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.
• Striped bass may not be caught, harassed or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone, which stretches from 3–200 miles off the coast.
• Must always use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait or processed baits (treble hooks are prohibited) when targeting striped bass.

» View regulations for Susquehanna Flats, Lower Susquehanna River and Northeast River

» Explore Maryland DNR Chesapeake Bay Fishing Regulations

» Explore Maryland DNR Atlantic Fishing Regulations

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Delaware

January 1 – March 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

April 1 – May 31: Catch and release only on spawning grounds.

June 1 – June 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

July 1 – August 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 20–24 inches only in the Delaware Bay, Delaware River and their tributaries.
• Atlantic regulations continue at 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

September 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

» Explore Delaware DFW Saltwater/Tidal Fishing Regulations

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Pennsylvania

NOTE: When fishing with bait for any species of fish in the tidal Delaware Estuary, the use of a non-offset (inline) circle hook is required. A non-offset (inline) circle hook is considered a fishing device with no more than one point or barb.

» Explore PA Fish & Boat Commission Regulations for Delaware River and Estuary

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New Jersey

Regulations apply to Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass.

Atlantic Ocean, 0-3 Nautical Miles from Shore

January 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

All Other Marine Waters

January 1 – February 28: Closed

• No person may take, attempt to take, or have in possession any striped bass from closed waters.

March 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

Delaware River & tributaries (Calhoun St. Bridge to Salem River & tributaries)

March 1 – March 31 AND June 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

Delaware River & tributaries (upstream of Calhoun St. Bridge)

March 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

NOTE: No person may take, attempt to take, or have in possession any striped bass from closed waters.

Anglers participating in the Striped Bass Bonus Program may harvest one striped bass per permit at 24″ to less than 28″ in length from May 15 to December 31. It is illegal to take, attempt to take, catch or kill any striped bass from or in any marine waters of this state, by means of a net of any description, or by any methods other than angling with a hook and line or by spear fishing. Sale of striped bass in New Jersey is prohibited.

It is illegal to gaff or attempt to gaff, any striped bass at any time. Non-offset circle hooks are required when fishing with bait. See Striped Bass Bonus Program for more information.

» Explore NJ Fish & Wildlife Saltwater Fishing Regulations

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New York

Hudson River (north of George Washington Bridge)

April 1 – Nov 30: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 23–less than 28 inches.

December 1 – March 31: Closed

• Fishing for striped bass (including catch and release) is prohibited from December 1 through March 31 in the Hudson River above the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

Non-offset (inline) circle hooks must be used when recreationally fishing for striped bass using natural bait. Exemption: Circle hooks are not required when fishing with an artificial lure, whether or not they are tipped with bait. (i.e. tube and worm rig)

Marine Waters (beginning at the Hudson River south of George Washington Bridge) & Delaware River

April 15 – December 15: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

December 16 – April 14: Closed

• Catch and release only. No person may take, attempt to take, or have in possession any striped bass from closed waters.

Non-offset (inline) circle hooks must be used when recreationally fishing for striped bass using bait defined as any live or dead, whole or part of a marine or aquatic organism or terrestrial invertebrate. Exemption: Circle hooks are not required when fishing with an artificial lure, whether or not they are tipped with bait. (i.e. tube and worm rig)

NOTE: NYSDEC prohibits the use or attempted use of gaffs when recreationally fishing for Atlantic striped bass in all state waters. A “gaff” means any implement or device used, after a fish has been caught by other means, to puncture, hook, or penetrate the fish during the landing, retrieval or release of the fish. “Gaff” also means the act of using a gaff.

» Explore NYSDEC Saltwater Fishing Regulations

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Connecticut

January 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

NOTE: An inline circle hook is required when fishing with natural bait (does not apply to artificial lures).

» Explore CT DEEP Saltwater Fishing Regulations

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Rhode Island

January 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

NOTE: An inline circle hook is required when fishing with natural bait (does not apply to artificial lures).

» Explore Rhode Island DEM Marine Fisheries Regulations

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Massachusetts

January 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

NOTE: Striped bass are measured from the tip of the snout or jaw (mouth closed) to the farthest extremity of the tail. The discard of dead legal sized striped bass is unlawful.

The practice of high-grading, whereby legal sized striped bass are released in favor of larger fish caught subsequently is unlawful. Accordingly, it is also unlawful to keep a striped bass alive in water by attaching a line or chain to the fish (stringer), or placing it in a live well or holding car.

Striped bass retained by recreational shore or private vessel anglers are to be kept whole—except for evisceration, bleeding, or descaling—while on the waters of this state or any adjacent parcel of land, structure, portion of roadway, or parking lot. An exception is granted for striped bass being prepared for immediate consumption, such as on the private vessel or at the shore-side campground from which a fish was caught.

For-hire operators or crew may fillet striped bass for their patrons at any time during the for-hire trip prior to the patrons departing the vessel, provided: (1) the racks are retained in a manner that does not interfere with species identification or total length measurement until such time as the vessel has docked and all customers from that trip have departed the vessel and the racks may subsequently be disposed of in any legal manner; (2) at least two square inches of skin is left intact and no more than two fillets, representing the equivalent of one fish, may be possessed by each customer.

All recreational anglers are required to use inline circle hooks when fishing for striped bass with whole or cut natural baits, except when fishing with a natural bait attached to an artificial lure (e.g., tube and worm). The use non-lethal devices to remove striped bass from the water is required; gaffing striped bass is prohibited.

» Explore Massachusetts DMF Saltwater Fishing Regulations

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New Hampshire

January 1 – December 31: Open Season

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–less than 31 inches.

NOTE: Gaffing and culling are prohibited; No sale allowed, regardless of origin.

Non-offset, corrodible circle hooks required if angling with bait.

Head and tail must be intact while on or leaving the waters or shores of the state except may possess up to 2 fillets with skin intact if also possess fish rack ≥ 28″ and less than 31″ total length with head/tail intact that fillets came from.

» Explore NH Fish & Game Saltwater Fishing Regulations

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Maine

January 1 – December 31: Open Season (except the Kennebec watershed)

• 1 fish per person per day. Slot size is 28–31 inches.

NOTE: Hook and line only, no gaffing of striped bass.

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Source: https://onthewater.com/state-by-state-recreational-striped-bass-regulations

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