2026 East Coast saltwater fishing season calendar
Opening, closing and partial-season dates from the state rules we have checked. Find the date, then read the full rule and controlling agency page before a trip.
Next change: Nov 26, 2026
1 rule change status on that date. The calendar below covers only species and states with a checked row.
Go to the next month ↓These are season status transitions, not a complete statement of what you can keep. Size, bag, area, vessel and permit conditions can differ. Bag limits can also change while a season stays open. Rules can change after our check date; the linked agency page controls. A missing species or state means we have no checked row for it.
March 2026
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division — Recreational finfish season, limits, and sizes ↗Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗
April 2026
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Delaware DNREC Fishing Guide — Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits (eRegulations, linked from dnrec.delaware.gov) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Massachusetts DMF — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries — Marine Fisheries Minimum Sizes & Possession Limits ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries — Marine Fisheries Minimum Sizes & Possession Limits ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗Open in partClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
May 2026
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Delaware DNREC Fishing Guide — Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits (eRegulations, linked from dnrec.delaware.gov) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Massachusetts DMF — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NC DMF Proclamations FF-24-2026 (north of Cape Hatteras) and FF-40-2026 (south of Cape Hatteras) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NC DEQ Division of Marine Fisheries — Proclamation FF-4-2026, Cobia – Commercial and Recreational – Coastal and Joint Fishing Waters ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries — Marine Fisheries Minimum Sizes & Possession Limits ↗Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · SCDNR official digest (eRegulations) — Finfish Size & Catch Limits ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Delaware DNREC Fishing Guide — Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits (eRegulations, linked from dnrec.delaware.gov) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Massachusetts DMF — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations ↗Open for harvestCatch and release only
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries — Marine Fisheries Minimum Sizes & Possession Limits ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Maine DMR — 2026 Maine Saltwater Recreational Fishing Regulations (Groundfish and Other Finfish, PDF) ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Massachusetts DMF — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations ↗
June 2026
Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Delaware DNREC Fishing Guide — Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits (eRegulations, linked from dnrec.delaware.gov) ↗Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries — Marine Fisheries Minimum Sizes & Possession Limits ↗Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · SCDNR official digest (eRegulations) — Finfish Size & Catch Limits ↗
Catch and release onlyOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR (official digest via eRegulations) — Atlantic Seasons, Sizes, & Limits / Chesapeake Bay Seasons, Sizes & Limits ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Virginia's Recreational Fishing Regulations For Marine Waters ↗
Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · SCDNR 2026-27 Hunting & Fishing Regulations (official digest linked from SCDNR) — Finfish Size & Catch Limits ↗Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗
July 2026
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Delaware DNREC Fishing Guide — Tidal Seasons, Size & Creel Limits (eRegulations, linked from dnrec.delaware.gov) ↗Catch and release onlyOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NC DMF Proclamation FF-31-2026, Spotted Seatrout ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗
August 2026
Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries — Marine Fisheries Minimum Sizes & Possession Limits ↗
September 2026
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NC DMF Proclamation FF-27-2026, Flounder – Recreational ↗ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NC DMF Proclamation FF-27-2026, Flounder – Recreational ↗
Open for harvestCatch and release only
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR (official digest via eRegulations) — Atlantic Seasons, Sizes, & Limits / Chesapeake Bay Seasons, Sizes & Limits ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Virginia's Recreational Fishing Regulations For Marine Waters ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Maine DMR — 2026 Maine Saltwater Recreational Fishing Regulations (Groundfish and Other Finfish, PDF) ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Massachusetts DMF — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · NJ Fish & Wildlife — 2026 New Jersey Marine Digest: State Size & Possession Limits (eRegulations-hosted official digest) ↗
October 2026
Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · SCDNR 2026-27 Hunting & Fishing Regulations (official digest linked from SCDNR) — Finfish Size & Catch Limits ↗
Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Virginia Marine Resources Commission — Recreational Fishing Regulations for Marine Waters ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗
ClosedOpen in part
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · FWC — Flounder recreational regulations ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Massachusetts DMF — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations ↗Open in partOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 2, 2026 · Maine DMR — 2026 Maine Saltwater Recreational Fishing Regulations (Groundfish and Other Finfish, PDF) ↗
November 2026
Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · FWC — Spotted Seatrout recreational regulations ↗Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division — Recreational finfish season, limits, and sizes ↗
Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 3, 2026 · CT DEEP — Saltwater Fishing Guide: Species Regulations ↗
December 2026
ClosedOpen for harvest
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · FWC — Flounder recreational regulations ↗
Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 6, 2026 · Maryland DNR Fishing Guide (eRegulations, linked from dnr.maryland.gov regulations page) ↗
Open for harvestOpen in part
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
Open for harvestClosed
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
Open in partClosed
Checked Nov 7, 2026 · NYSDEC — Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations ↗
See the state and species finder for full size, bag and season summaries. Status outside 2026 is unknown until the next year's rules are checked.