Slot limit
Also called protected slot, harvest slot
What is a slot limit in fishing?
A size rule that lets you keep fish only inside, or only outside, a set length range. Fish on the wrong side of the slot go back in the water.
Slot limit at a glance
- Harvest slot
- Keep only fish inside the range
- Protected slot
- Release every fish inside the range
- Set by
- State fish and wildlife agencies
- Usually applies to
- Specific waters, not a whole state
How does a slot limit work?
There are two kinds. A harvest slot lets you keep fish only between two lengths, say 12 and 16 inches, and everything shorter or longer goes back. A protected slot is the reverse: fish inside the range must be released, and fish below or above it may be kept.
Why do agencies use slot limits?
A slot protects one part of a population. Sparing mid-sized fish lets more of them grow into big ones, while letting anglers keep small fish thins out a lake that has too many. Biologists set the range for a particular water, which is why the same species can carry a slot on one lake and a plain minimum size on the next.
How do you measure a fish for a slot limit?
Most states use total length, from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail, but the definition is in each state's regulations and it is worth reading. Measure on a flat rule with the fish's mouth closed, and release it quickly if it is anywhere near the line.
Carry a tape or put a ruler sticker on the cooler lid, and look up the rules for the exact lake or river you are fishing. Slot limits are set water by water.
Common questions
What does a protected slot mean?
Fish whose length falls inside the stated range cannot be kept, even if you are under your daily limit. Fish shorter or longer than the range can be, subject to the other rules.
Do slot limits apply everywhere in a state?
Usually not. Most slots are special regulations for particular waters, layered on top of the statewide size and creel limits, so the rules for the specific water are the ones that count.
Where this is defined
- New Jersey Freshwater Fishing Size, Season & Creel Limits, New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife (eRegulations)
Where this comes up
The guides that use slot limit and show it on real gear.
Last reviewed . Slot limit is one of 222 terms in the fishing glossary.