New Jersey state waters, out to 3 miles
Delaware Bay & tribs 3 fish at 17 in; Island Beach State Park shore anglers 2 fish at 16 in.
NJ DEP 2026 · checked · the official rulebook is the final word
Past 3 miles: federal waters Different rule
Federal measures are waived — anglers in Mid-Atlantic federal waters follow the rules of the state where they land. Check your state's entry.
NOAA GARFO / MAFMC 2026 · checked 2026-09-20
Often mistaken for
Southern flounderNo eye-like spots, plain mottle. Tell them apartNot listed by New Jersey: the default applies (No size limit, no bag limit).
Keep the wrong fish and its rule applies.
New Jersey state record
NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04
How to tell it
Left-facing flatfish with 5 or more dark eye-like spots, several near the tail. More on the summer flounder page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Summer flounder in other states16 rulebooks
Questions anglers ask5
What is the size limit for summer flounder in New Jersey?
18 in min. Measured as total length: snout to the tip of the tail, tail lobes squeezed together.
How many summer flounder can you keep in New Jersey?
3.
When is summer flounder season in New Jersey?
May 4 - Sep 25. As of Sep 21, 2026 it is open.
What is the New Jersey record summer flounder?
19 lb 12 oz, Off Cape May (1953).
How current is this New Jersey summer flounder rule?
Source: NJ DEP 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 summer flounder in New Jersey and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
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