Massachusetts state waters, out to 3 miles
SizeNo size limit
BagNo bag limit
SeasonOpen year-roundOpen today
MA DMF 2026 · checked · likely · the official rulebook is the final word
Often mistaken for
TautogBlunter, chunkier, slate-gray. Tell them apartSize16" min; only one fish over 21"
Bag3 (Apr 1-May 31), 1 (Jun 1-Jul 31), 3 (Aug 1-Oct 14), 5 (Oct 15-Dec 31)
SeasonApr 1 - Dec 31, seasonal bag changes
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
How to tell it
Small rubber-lipped wrasse of docks and rocks — mottled red-brown to bluish, with buck teeth. More on the cunner page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Cunner in other states2 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask4
What is the size limit for cunner in Massachusetts?
No size limit.
How many cunner can you keep in Massachusetts?
No bag limit.
When is cunner season in Massachusetts?
Open year-round.
How current is this Massachusetts cunner rule?
Source: MA DMF 2026, last checked Sep 7, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.
In the appPoint the camera at a cunner in Massachusetts and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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