Delaware state waters, out to 3 miles
Only fish 20-27 in may be retained.
DE DNREC 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule
Harvest of red drum is prohibited in Atlantic federal waters (EEZ); state waters rules govern inshore.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
Black drumHas chin barbels, no tail spot. Tell them apartKeep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
Delaware state record
DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23
How to tell it
Black spot (sometimes several) at the tail base, coppery-bronze back, no chin barbels. More on the red drum page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for red drum in Delaware?
20-27 in slot. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many red drum can you keep in Delaware?
5 per day.
When is red drum season in Delaware?
Open year-round.
What is the Delaware record red drum?
75 lb (1976).
How current is this Delaware red drum rule?
Source: DE DNREC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
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