Delaware Fish Facts for The Recreational Angler

Tautog have stout, rounded bodies that vary in color from brown to grayish or black with irregular bars or blotches on the sides

They have a blunt head, thick lips, and strong teeth.

Illustration by Duane Raver, Jr.

Season	January 1 to May 15 July 1 to December 31
Size Limit	16 inch minimum (total length)
Daily Limit / Person	4
Delaware Range	Atlantic Ocean
Abundance in Delaware Waters	Common
General Habitat and Food Preferences	Tautog prefer nearshore coastal waters, near artificial reefs, wrecks, jetties, piers, and bridge pilings. They feed on mussels, clams, crabs, amphipods (small shrimp-like creatures), shrimps, small lobsters, and barnacles.
Did You Know?	Tautog have a blunt nose and thick rubbery lips. With their powerful jaws and incisor-like front teeth, Tautog can scrape mussels and barnacles from rocks. They also have molar-like teeth at the back of their mouth to easily crush the shells of mussels, which is their prime-choice of prey.
Common Lures and Baits	Tautog do not take to artificial lures well. Green crabs, and pieces of peeler crabs are often used on bottom rigs.
Typical Sizes Caught	Tautog are commonly caught in the range of 13 to 20 inches (2 to 6 pounds) by Delaware anglers.
Citation Minimum Length and Weight	Live Release Award Adult: 25 inches minimum Youth (age 15 and under): 20 inches minimum Sport Fishing Tournament Award Adult: 7 pounds minimum Youth (age 15 and under): 5.5 pounds minimum
Delaware State Record	21 pounds 5 ounces Brent Wiest 2022

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