At least 20 inches...

 

 

How unsafe is it? 

 

New here. Thank you for your responses.

your brave for touching it.

 

I wouldn't eat anything from that river, ever

I live in Philly and I wouldn't eat any fish that I catch from the creeks and rivers in the immediate 5 county area.  Even some of the lakes would be suspect.  PA has in its regulations  advisories about each species of fish in different areas of the state.  Are they edible, if so how much and how often you can eat them.  Maryland might have a similar chart.

It's a striper.  They migrate in from salt water.  How long has it been in fresh water, might be a question you can ask yourself.  If the fish has been in fresh water for awhile, it may not taste as good as if you caught it in salt water. If you're hungry or enjoy eating stripers you could probably eat that one.  I wouldn't make a habit of it, until you check to see if there are any advisories about eating them from the river.  One most likely won't get you sick or kill you.

That river used to be the sewer for DC. I'm surprised fish can live in it now. But that info is from the late 70's. You can try and contact the MD DNR, sometimes they answer emails.