Spotted seatrout size and bag limits by state
The East Coast spotted seatrout rulebook, north to south. Managed under the ASMFC interstate plan, state-run. Core fishery: Chesapeake Bay to Florida. Rules on file here for 7 states, Delaware to Florida.
- DEDelaware
- Size
- 12" minimum
- Bag
- No daily limit
- Season
- All year
- MDMaryland
- Size
- 14" minimum
- Bag
- 4 per day
- Season
- Open year-round
- VAVirginia
- Size
- 14" minimum
- Bag
- 5 per person, only 1 may exceed 24"
- Season
- Open except closed Apr 1 – Jun 30, 2026
- NCNorth Carolina
- Size
- 14"–20" total length slot; may keep one fish over 26"
- Bag
- 3 per person per day
- Season
- Open since July 1, 2026 (FF-31-2026)
- SCSouth Carolina
- Size
- 14" total length minimum
- Bag
- 10 per person per day
- Season
- Open year-round (no gig harvest Dec 1–Feb 28)
- GAGeorgia
- Size
- 14" total length minimum
- Bag
- 15 per person per day
- Season
- Open all year
- FLFlorida (Atlantic)
- Size
- 15"–19" total length (slot)
- Bag
- Northeast Region: 3 per person per day; no fish over 19"
- Season
- Northeast Region: open year-round
Status is derived from each row's season dates on Oct 13, 2026. Rules change in season, and the agency page controls. A state missing from this list is one we have not verified yet. It may still have a rule.
The trap on this fish
Seatrout rules often combine a slot or minimum with a one-fish allowance over a set length. A hard winter cold snap can bring an emergency closure with little notice.
Federal waters
Spotted seatrout are managed by the states through ASMFC. The fishery is almost entirely in estuaries and nearshore state waters. ASMFC · spotted seatrout ↗
From the news desk
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