The Division of Fish & Wildlife’s 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide and fishing rulers for measuring legal-sized catches have landed wherever anglers purchase a Delaware fishing license, including bait & tackle shops, and sporting goods and hardware stores. Anglers also can pick up the guide and ruler when buying their fishing license at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
Inside the full-color, magazine-sized guide, anglers will find detailed information on Delaware’s fishing license requirements and how to obtain a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (F.I.N.) number, as well as sections on tidal and freshwater sportfishing, fishing regulations and general angling information. The guide, available online at 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide, also showcases additions to the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament and Live Release program.
The new fishing ruler, colored purple for 2018, serves as a handy tool to measure your fishing and shellfish catches and provides a quick reference on minimum size, possession limits, and seasons. “We are pleased to issue the 2018 Delaware Fishing Guide and fishing rulers early in the fishing year to better serve the fishing public,” said Division of Fish & Wildlife Director David Saveikis. “We encourage anglers to use them as a source of helpful information to enjoy their fishing experiences in Delaware.”
When picking up a guide and ruler with their fishing license, anglers are also reminded that although the print version of the fishing guide and the fishing rulers both provide a summary of minimum sizes, possession limits and seasons, these regulations are subject to change after the guide has been published and the rulers produced. This year, changes are expected for black sea bass, tautog, and possibly summer flounder. The online version of the fishing guide will be updated as new regulations become effective.
This year’s guide features winning photos from the Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife’s 2017 Fishing Photo Contest. The cover features the first-place photo taken by Chad Betts of Milton. The photo shows his son, Cohen Betts, holding a fine striped bass that he caught and released while fishing on the Delaware’s Inland Bays. Second place and honorable mention photos appear inside the guide.
“The guide provides a user-friendly summary of fishing opportunities in Delaware, from freshwater ponds and rivers to the Delaware Bay and ocean,” said DNREC Fisheries Administrator John Clark. “The fishing rulers are perfect to keep in your tackle box or on your boat. Every angler should pick up a ruler and a guide when they buy their Delaware fishing license.”