7 Del. Admin. Code § 3501-3503

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 7, January 1, 2025

Section 3501-3503 - Striped Bass Recreational Fishing Seasons; Methods of Take; Creel Limit; Possession Limit

(Penalty Section 7 Del.C. § 936(b)(2))

1.0 Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this regulation, have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Bait" means any marine or aquatic organism live or dead, whole or parts thereof.

"Circle hook" means a hook where the point is pointed perpendicularly back towards the shank.

"Gaff" means a hook, with or without a handle, used for holding or lifting fish.

"Non-offset" means the hook point and barb being in the same plane as the hook shank.

2.0 It is lawful for any person to take and reduce to possession striped bass from the tidal waters of this State at any time except as otherwise set forth in this regulation or in Tidal Finfish Regulations 3502 and 3504.

3.0 It is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take or attempt to take any striped bass from the tidal waters of this State with any fishing equipment other than a hook and line or a spear while said recreational fisherman using the spear is underwater. Recreational gill net permittees are not authorized to take and reduce to possession any striped bass in gill nets.

4.0 Unless otherwise authorized, it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to take and reduce to possession more than one striped bass per day (a day being 24 hours) from the tidal waters of this State. Any striped bass taken from the tidal waters of this State that is not immediately returned, without unnecessary injury, to the same waters from which it was taken, is deemed taken and reduced to possession for purposes of this subsection.

5.0 Unless otherwise authorized, it is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to have in possession more than one striped bass at or between the place said striped bass was taken and said fisherman's personal abode or temporary or transient place of lodging.

6.0 Notwithstanding 7 Del.C. § 943, which only relates to commercial fishermen, it is lawful for a recreational fisherman to possess striped bass that have not been tagged, unless otherwise prohibited.

7.0 It is unlawful for any recreational fisherman to fish for striped bass with bait using any hook other than a non-offset circle hook. This shall not apply to any artificial lure with bait attached.

8.0 It is unlawful for a recreational fisherman to use a gaff on a striped bass.

7 Del. Admin. Code § 3501-3503

7 DE Reg. 1205 (03/01/04)
18 DE Reg. 889 (5/1/2015)
20 DE Reg. 467 (12/1/2016)
24 DE Reg. 175 (8/1/2020)
24 DE Reg. 803 (2/1/2021)
25 DE Reg. 103 (7/1/2021)
27 DE Reg. 115 (8/1/2023) (Final)