To promote conservation ethics among Delaware anglers, the Division of Fish & Wildlife offers recognition patches to anglers who catch and release live eligible species that exceed minimum lengths specified below.
To qualify, an angler must make the catch in Delaware waters or off the state's Atlantic coastline. The eligible species must be measured from the tip of the jaw to the tip of the tail (straight line measurement with mouth closed) and this measurement must be verified by a witness who signs the Live Release Award entry form. Fish so measured must be released immediately. (Fish kept either dead or alive and brought to a certified weigh station will be weighed for entry in the Delaware Sport Fishing Tournament using certified scales and are not eligible for a Live Release Award.) Billfish released alive are eligible for either the Live Release Award or the Sport Fishing Tournament, which ever the angler making the catch chooses.
No angler will be issued more than one live release freshwater award and one live release saltwater award per year, although he or she may apply for and receive one of the live release citations for each eligible species.
Applications for Live Release Awards are available online or may be picked up at any Sport Fishing Tournament Weigh Station, and must be mailed to the Division of Fish & Wildlife within 30 days after the catch. The entry form for live releases must include both the angler's signature and that of a witness attesting to the actual measurement and live release of the fish. No fish entered for the Live Release Award will be eligible for consideration as a state record fish – any potential state-record fish must be weighed at a certified weigh station.
MINIMUM QUALIFYING LENGTH FOR LIVE RELEASE AWARDS
FRESHWATER
Yellow perch
Species Length (inches)
Largemouth bass 20
Smallmouth bass 17
Striped bass 37
Striped bass hybrid 22
Bluegill 10
Carp 29
Crappie 12
Tiger muskie 30
White perch 12
Yellow perch 12
Pickerel 24
American shad 23
Trout 16
Walleye 22
Redear sunfish 10
SALTWATER
Tautog
Species Length (inches)
False albacore 26
True albacore 32
Black sea bass 17
Striped bass 37
Bluefish 33
Cod 36
Atlantic croaker 19
Dolphinfish 41
Black drum 45
Red drum 45
Flounder 25
Kingfish 13
Atlantic mackerel 17
King mackerel 36
Spanish mackerel 22
Blue marlin Any
White marlin Any
Scup (porgy) 14
Shark (excl. mako) 66
Mako shark 66
Sheepshead 22
Swordfish Any
Tautog 25
Gray triggerfish 20
Tuna 52
Wahoo 50
Weakfish (sea trout) 31
