Massachusetts saltwater fishing rules
Recreational size, bag and season for North Shore, Cape Cod, the Islands and Buzzards Bay, from Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. Open as of Oct 13, 2026: striped bass, black sea bass, bluefish, tautog, scup, weakfish.
| Species | Size | Bag | Season | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Striped bassChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 28" to less than 31" total length (slot) | 1 fish | Year-round | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Summer flounderChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 17.5" minimum (vessel-based); 16.5" minimum (shore-based) | 5 fish | May 24 – September 23 | Closedas of Oct 13 |
| Black sea bassChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 16" minimum (not including tail filament) | 4 fish (May 16 – Aug 31); 2 fish (Sept 1 – Oct 14) | May 16 – August 31; September 1 – October 14 | Openas of Oct 13 · Open through Oct 14 |
| BluefishChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | No minimum size | 5 fish (shore and private vessel); 7 fish (for-hire vessel) | Year-round | Openas of Oct 13 |
| TautogChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 16" minimum; only 1 fish per person per day may exceed 21" | 3 fish (Apr 1 – May 31); 1 fish (Jun 1 – Jul 31); 3 fish (Aug 1 – Oct 14); 5 fish (Oct 15 – Dec 31) | April 1 – December 31 (limit varies by period) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| ScupChecked Oct 8, 2026 · STALE | 11" minimum (private and for-hire vessel); 9.5" minimum (shore) | 30 fish (private vessel and shore); for-hire: 40 fish May 1 – Jun 30, 30 fish Jul 1 – Dec 31 | May 1 – December 31 | Openas of Oct 13 |
| WeakfishChecked Oct 12, 2026 · STALE | 16" minimum | 1 fish (possession limit) | Open year-round | Openas of Oct 13 |
This table summarizes Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries pages on the dates shown, and status is derived from each row's season dates on Oct 13, 2026. Rules change in season. The agency page controls:Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries ↗
Not on this list?
We publish a row only after checking it against the agency's own page. A species missing here is one we have not verified yet. That does not mean it has no rule. Use the agency link above, and see how we source.
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