New Jersey black sea bass bag jumps from 1 to 10 on Sept. 23

New Jersey’s 2026 recreational black sea bass table has a hard date this month. From June 22 through Sept. 22 the bag is one fish at 12.5 inches. On Sept. 23 it opens to 10 fish at the same size through Oct. 31, then 15 fish Nov. 1–Dec. 31.

That one-to-ten jump is the 2026 in-season change printed in the Marine Digest — not a rumor. Fluke (summer flounder) is a separate clock: three fish at 18 inches in most marine waters through Sept. 25 (17 inches in Delaware Bay; Island Beach State Park shore rules differ). Bluefish stay five per person, seven on party/charter.

Register with NJ’s Saltwater Recreational Registry before you fish, and confirm federal black sea bass rules if you leave state waters. The digest says regulations remain in effect until changed.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife — 2026 Marine Digest (black sea bass possession periods). Also: Marine seasons and regulations.