Fishing in Delaware public spots, conditions & reports
14 of 15worth the trip today
Mostly striped bass today. Each spot is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
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Every Delaware spot
15 public spots, best first. Each is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
The state report
The current report names largemouth bass, red drum, sheepshead, striped bass, white perch and yellow perch.
Licenses and rules
Rules for what people fish for here
- Striped bass28" minimum · 31" maximum · 1 a day (Jan 1–Jun 30, Sep 1–Dec 31); 20" minimum · 24" maximum · 1 a day (Jul 1–Aug 31)Delaware Bay, Delaware River and their tributaries: 1 fish a day, 28–31", except 20–24" from Jul 1 to Aug 31. Catch and release only Apr 1–May 31 on the spawning grounds: the Nanticoke, the Delaware River north of the C&D Canal's south jetty, and the canal itself.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Summer flounder16" minimum · 4 a dayDelaware tidal waters: 16" minimum Jan 1–May 31 and 17.5" Jun 1–Dec 31, 4 a day, open all year.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Bluefish5 a dayDelaware tidal waters: no size limit; 5 a day from shore or a private boat, 7 from a charter boat or headboat. Open all year.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Spotted seatrout12" minimum · no daily limitDelaware tidal waters: 12" minimum, no daily limit, open all year.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- White perch8" minimum · no daily limitDelaware tidal waters: 8" minimum, no daily limit, open all year.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Red drum20" minimum · 27" maximum · 5 a dayDelaware tidal waters: 5 a day, only fish from 20 to 27" may be kept. Open all year.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Channel catfishno daily limitDelaware tidal waters: catfish of any species have no size limit and no daily limit.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Sheepsheadno daily limitDelaware sets no species-specific sheepshead size or possession limit — legally harvested year-round.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Black drum16" minimum · 3 a dayDelaware tidal waters: 16" minimum, 3 a day, open all year.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Yellow perch25 a dayDelaware non-tidal waters: yellow perch count as panfish with white perch, crappie, bluegill and pumpkinseed: 50 a day combined, no more than 25 of one species. No size limit.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Blue catfishno daily limitDelaware tidal catfish (any species, includes invasive blue catfish): no size limit, no daily limit, open year-round.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Largemouth bass12" minimum · 6 a dayDelaware non-tidal waters: 12" minimum, 6 a day, open all year. Becks Pond: 15" minimum, 2 a day.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Crappie25 a dayDelaware non-tidal waters: crappie count as panfish with white perch, yellow perch, bluegill and pumpkinseed: 50 a day combined, no more than 25 of one species. No size limit.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Chain pickerelno daily limitDelaware gamefish with no assigned size or creel limit; default rule applies — no closed season, no size limit, no possession limit.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Common carpno daily limitDelaware: common carp have no size limit and no daily limit, and the season is open year-round.Open · Delaware tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
Limits differ by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water.
What’s biting in Delaware
Species people fish for at Delaware spots, and how many of those spots are worth the trip for them today.
Striped bassMorone saxatilis14 of 14 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Cape Henlopen, DE100
Bites in 50–72° water
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix7 of 10 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Cape Henlopen, DE94
Bites in 60–80° water
Summer flounderParalichthys dentatus6 of 11 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Cape Henlopen, DE78
Bites in 58–75° water
Spotted seatroutCynoscion nebulosus5 of 6 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Cape Henlopen, DE94
Bites in 60–85° water
White perchMorone americana2 of 6 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Lewes Canal, DE90
Bites in 50–78° water
SheepsheadArchosargus probatocephalus2 of 2 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Cape Henlopen, DE90
Bites in 60–82° water
Black drumPogonias cromis1 of 2 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Fenwick Island, DE94
Bites in 55–85° water
Red drumSciaenops ocellatus0 of 6 spots worth the trip in Delaware
Best now at Cape Henlopen, DE65
Bites in 65–85° water
About fishing in Delaware
Delaware's coastline gives anglers two distinct fisheries: the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern coast (Fenwick Island, Indian River Inlet, Cape Henlopen) and Delaware Bay on the western shore (Slaughter Beach, Lewes). Cape Henlopen State Park has a 24-hour fishing pier that holds a year-round striper following; the Delaware state-park entrance fee applies March 1 – November 30. Inland Delaware is small but does include public freshwater access at sites like Lums Pond.
15 public access points across 1 water body. Data from NOAA, NWS, DE DNREC.
Water bodies
- Delaware BayLewes to Slaughter Beach.