N.J. Admin. Code § 7:25-6.13

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 7:25-6.13 - Warmwater fish

(a) (Reserved)

(b) (Reserved)

(c) (Reserved)

(d) During the period of April 15 through June 15, the possession of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass is prohibited and all bass caught shall be immediately returned to the water unharmed.

(e) The minimum length for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass shall be 12 inches with a daily creel and possession limit of five in total, except for Alloway Lake (Salem County), Assunpink Lake (Monmouth County), Boonton Reservoir (Morris County), Delaware Lake (Warren County), Parvin Lake (Salem County), and Splitrock Reservoir (Morris County) where the minimum length for Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass shall be 15 inches with a daily creel and possession limit of three in total and Ryker Lake where the minimum length shall be 15 inches with a daily creel and possession limit of two in total.

(f) There is no closed season for Northern Pike, Muskellunge, and Tiger Muskie except, during the period of March 20 through May 20, the possession of Muskellunge and Tiger Muskie taken from Echo Lake Reservoir (Passaic County), Mercer Lake (Mercer County), Mountain Lake (Warren County), and Monksville Reservoir (Passaic County) is prohibited and all Muskellunge and Tiger Muskie caught from these waters shall be immediately returned to the water unharmed.

(g) The minimum length for Northern Pike shall be 24 inches, with a daily creel and possession limit of two. The minimum length for Muskellunge and Tiger Muskie shall be 40 inches, except for Echo Lake Reservoir (Passaic County), Lake Hopatcong (Morris), and Monksville Reservoir (Passaic) where the minimum length shall be 44 inches. The daily creel and possession limit for Muskellunge and Tiger Muskie shall be one in total.

(h) During the period of March 1 through April 30, the possession of Walleye is prohibited and all Walleye caught shall be immediately returned to the water unharmed.

(i) The minimum length for Walleye shall be 18 inches with a daily creel and possession limit of three.

(j) Except as provided in 7:25-6.19 and 6.20, the minimum length for Chain Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel shall be 15 inches.

(k) The daily creel and possession limit for Chain Pickerel and Redfin Pickerel shall be five in total. There is no closed season.

(l) The minimum length for Channel Catfish shall be 12 inches with a daily creel and possession limit of five. There is no closed season.

(m) The minimum length for Black Crappie and White Crappie shall be eight inches. The daily creel and possession limit for these species shall be 10 in aggregate. There is no closed season.

(n) For Ryker Lake, the daily creel and possession limit for sunfish and for Yellow Perch shall be 10 and the minimum size for sunfish shall be seven inches. For Rainbow Lake, the daily creel limit for sunfish shall be 10 and the minimum size shall be seven inches.

(o) Except as provided for the Delaware River in 7:25-6.20, American Shad may not be taken or possessed at any time.

(p) Striped Bass may be taken or possessed during the period of March 1 to December 31.

(q) The daily creel and possession limit for Striped Bass is one fish a minimum of 28 inches and a maximum of 31 inches in length.

(r) Hybrid Striped Bass (Striped Bass x White Bass) may be taken in the Raritan River downstream of the Duke Island Park dam during the period of March 1 to December 31.

(s) The minimum length for Hybrid Striped Bass (Striped Bass x White Bass) shall be 16 inches and the daily creel and possession limit shall be two, except for the Raritan River downstream of the Duke Island Park dam where the daily creel and possession limit shall be one fish a minimum of 28 inches and a maximum of 31 inches in length.

(t) Eels may not be taken from non-tidal waters of this State by use of eel baskets, fykes, or traps of any kind, except that eel weirs may be operated under permit of the Division, for purposes of sale, in accordance with 23:3-55. The minimum length for American Eel shall be nine-inches with a daily creel and possession limit of 25.

(u) Mud Sunfish, Blackbanded Sunfish, Bluespotted Sunfish, and Banded Sunfish may not be taken or possessed at any time.

(v) Except for Greenwood Lake and the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, for which limits are specified in 7:25-6.19 and 6.20, respectively, the daily creel and possession limit for Brown Bullhead, Pumpkinseed, Redbreast Sunfish, Yellow Bullhead, Yellow Perch, White Catfish, White Perch, and White Sucker shall be 25 in total.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:25-6.13

Amended by 48 N.J.R. 1290(a), effective 6/20/2016

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 801(b), effective 2/5/2018

Administrative Change, 52 N.J.R. 1018(a).

Administrative Change, 55 N.J.R. 1826(a), effective 7/25/2023