Updated Striped Bass Regulations - Circle Hooks not mandatory until 2021.

Response to COVID-19: Recreate Local, Recreate Safely
New York State is open for fishing and DEC encourages anglers to recreate locally at a nearby waterbody. New York's Atlantic coast and estuaries offer great opportunities for fishing in a wide array of settings across the state's Marine & Coastal District. Even during the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors and connecting with nature while angling in New York's waters is a great way to help maintain mental and physical health.

Please continue to follow the CDC/New York State Department of Health guidelines for preventing the spread of colds, flu, and COVID-19:

• Try to keep at least six feet of distance between you and others.
• Avoid close contact, such as shaking hands.
• Wash hands often or use a hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• Avoid surfaces that are touched often, such as doorknobs, handrails, and playground equipment.

When fishing, DEC recommends avoiding busy waters and following the guidelines on DEC's website about fishing responsibly in New York State. If an angler arrives at a parking lot and there are several cars, they should consider going to another site or consider fishing another day. Do not share a car with people not in your household while traveling to fishing or boating sites. Anglers fishing from boats should always be able to maintain at least six feet of distance between one another.

For more information about the benefits of being outdoors safely and responsibly, go to DEC's website.

Changes to Striped Bass Fishing Regulations
DEC has adopted new regulations for recreational and commercial fishing for Atlantic striped bass. These regulations are to reduce state commercial and recreational harvests by 18 percent as required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Addendum VI to Amendment 6 (PDF) of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP).

New York State 2

In marine waters (south of George Washington Bridge):

• Slot size limit: 28” - 35” total length
  No fish smaller than 28” or greater than 35” may be kept
• Season date: April 15 – December 15

In the Hudson River and its tributaries (north of George Washington Bridge):

• Slot size limit: 18”- 28” total length
  (No fish smaller than 18” or greater than 28” may be kept)
• Season date: April 1 – November 30

In the Delaware River and its West Branch bordering Pennsylvania:

• Slot size limit: 28” - 35” total length
  (No fish smaller than 28” or greater than 35” may be kept)
• Season date: All year

States are strongly recommending the use of non-offset circle hooks for 2020. These hooks will become mandatory for the 2021 striped bass fishing season. Catch and release practices contribute significantly to overall fishing mortality and circle hooks work effectively to reduce release mortality in the recreational striped bass fisheries. (Image provided by Maryland DNR)

Visit Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations for a complete list of recreational limits.

Make sure to enroll in the annual no-fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry before going fishing in the marine and coastal district waters or when fishing in the Hudson River and its tributaries for "migratory fish of the sea" (e.g. striped bass).

Report Your Recreational Striped Bass Fishing
Help collect valuable fishing data on stripers in New York by participating in the Striped Bass Cooperative Angler (SBCA) Program. Anglers can submit catch data and scale samples that will be analyzed by NYSDEC staff to determine the age of the striped bass you caught. This information is reported back to our participants and is also shared in an annual newsletter at the end of each season.

For more details or to participate in the SBCA program, contact us at the information below.

New York’s marine waters (south of the George Washington Bridge):
sbcaprogram@dec.ny.gov or call (631) 380-3314

Hudson River region (north of the George Washington Bridge):
Jessica.best@dec.ny.gov or call (845) 256-3009.