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Rules · Tautog · blackfish / togs

Tautog size and bag limits by state

The East Coast tautog rulebook, north to south. Managed under the ASMFC interstate plan. Core fishery: Massachusetts to Virginia. Rules on file here for 9 states, Maine to Virginia.

  1. MEMaine
    Size
    No minimum size
    Bag
    No bag limit
    Season
    No season restriction listed
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 8, 2026Agency page ↗
  2. MAMassachusetts
    Size
    16" minimum; only 1 fish per person per day may exceed 21"
    Bag
    3 fish (Apr 1 – May 31); 1 fish (Jun 1 – Jul 31); 3 fish (Aug 1 – Oct 14); 5 fish (Oct 15 – Dec 31)
    Season
    April 1 – December 31 (limit varies by period)
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 8, 2026Agency page ↗
  3. RIRhode Island
    Size
    16" minimum; only one fish may be greater than 21"
    Bag
    3 fish per person per day (Apr 1 – May 31 and Aug 1 – Oct 14); 5 fish per person per day (Oct 15 – Dec 31)
    Season
    April 1 – May 31; August 1 – December 31 (closed January 1 – March 31 and June 1 – July 31)
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 8, 2026Agency page ↗
  4. CTConnecticut
    Size
    16" minimum
    Bag
    2 fish (Apr 1–30); 2 fish (Jul 1–Aug 31); 3 fish (Oct 10–Nov 28) per angler
    Season
    April 1–April 30; July 1–August 31; October 10–November 28
    Openas of Oct 13 · Open through Nov 28Checked Oct 9, 2026Agency page ↗
  5. NYNew York
    Size
    16" minimum
    Bag
    Long Island Sound: 2 (Apr 1–30), 3 (Oct 11–Dec 9); NY Bight: 2 (Apr 1–30), 4 (Oct 15–Dec 22)
    Season
    Long Island Sound: April 1–30 and October 11–December 9; NY Bight: April 1–30 and October 15–December 22
    Open in partas of Oct 13 · Opens Oct 15Checked Oct 9, 2026Agency page ↗
  6. NJNew Jersey
    Size
    15" minimum
    Bag
    4 (Jan 1–Feb 28); 4 (Apr 1–30); 1 (Aug 1–Nov 15); 5 (Nov 16–Dec 31)
    Season
    January 1–February 28; April 1–30; August 1–November 15; November 16–December 31
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 10, 2026Agency page ↗
  7. DEDelaware
    Size
    16" minimum
    Bag
    4
    Season
    Jan 1 – May 15 and Jul 1 – Dec 31
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 10, 2026Agency page ↗
  8. MDMaryland
    Size
    16" minimum
    Bag
    4/day Jan 1–May 15; 2/day Jul 1–Oct 31; 4/day Nov 1–Dec 31
    Season
    Jul 1 – May 15 (catch-and-release only May 16 – Jun 30)
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 10, 2026Agency page ↗
  9. VAVirginia
    Size
    16" minimum
    Bag
    4 per person
    Season
    Jan 1 – May 15 and Jul 1 – Dec 31 (closed May 16 – Jun 30)
    Openas of Oct 13Checked Oct 10, 2026Agency page ↗

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

Tautog seasons are commonly split into windows around the spring spawn, and the bag limit can change from one window to the next. Check the window that covers your trip date.

Federal waters

Tautog are managed by the states through ASMFC. Most of the fishery takes place on structure inside state waters. ASMFC · tautog ↗

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