It’s a fishing day

Cape Henlopen State Park fishing conditions · Delaware

Tonight 12 am to Monday 4 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 92. Water is 61°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 20 mph out of the northwest by today at 4:00 pm.

Log a trip here
Right now: 69 for striped bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 694 pm
  2. 92
  3. 92
  4. 927 pm
  5. 69
  6. 69
  7. 6910 pm
  8. 69
  9. 92Sun
  10. 921 am
  11. 92
  12. 92
  13. 924 am
  14. 92
  15. 92
  16. 927 am
  17. 92
  18. 92
  19. 9210 am
  20. 92
  21. 92
  22. 921 pm
  23. 92
  24. 92
  25. 924 pm
  26. 92
  27. 92
  28. 927 pm
  29. 92
  30. 92
  31. 9210 pm
  32. 92
  33. 92Mon
  34. 921 am
  35. 92
  36. 92
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
61°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
20 mph

From the northwest · rough for small boats

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:54 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Delaware tidal regulations for these waters.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

92GoTonight 12 am to Monday 4 am

Water

61°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

28" minimum · 31" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware ocean coast and Inland Bays: 1 fish a day, 28–31", open all year. No striped bass may be kept in federal waters more than 3 miles out.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

88GoTonight 12 am to Monday 4 am

Water

61°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside summer flounder's active range. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware tidal waters: 16" minimum Jan 1–May 31 and 17.5" Jun 1–Dec 31, 4 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Sep. More on summer flounder

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

68MarginalTonight 12 am to Monday 4 am

Water

61°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside bluefish's active range. Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware tidal waters: no size limit; 5 a day from shore or a private boat, 7 from a charter boat or headboat. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

68MarginalTonight 12 am to Monday 4 am

Water

61°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware tidal waters: 12" minimum, no daily limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on spotted seatrout

Sheepshead

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

68MarginalTonight 12 am to Monday 4 am

Water

61°
50°60–82° · ideal 72°92°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside sheepshead's active range. Sheepshead prefers slack tide. Holds 5–40 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware sets no species-specific sheepshead size or possession limit — legally harvested year-round.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on sheepshead

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

27Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

61°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below red drum's active range (65–85°F). Red drum prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 27" maximum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware tidal waters: 5 a day, only fish from 20 to 27" may be kept. Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Jun–Nov. More on red drum

The water

  • Water temperature61°F
  • Barometer29.87 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:54 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:34 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Delaware DNREC report, undated

Names striped bass, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at Delaware DNREC

Licenses and rules: DE DNREC · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

Landmark Atlantic surf and fishing pier at the mouth of Delaware Bay. A free lighted fishing pier extends into the Atlantic; surf fishing along the beach and jetty access round out the options.

Day-use fee in-season; pier is free. Strong currents at the pier tip — use heavier sinkers.

Also a beach: swim conditions and water-quality advisories on itsabeachday.com.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Lewes Canal3 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Broadkill Beach10 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Indian River Inlet11 mi · DelawareBest tomorrow 7 am to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
67Marginal
Delaware Seashore State Park12 mi · DelawareBest tomorrow 7 am to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
67Marginal
Slaughter Beach16 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Cape Henlopen State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Cape Henlopen State Park you need a Delaware recreational fishing license issued by DNREC, or — for residents 65+ — a free Delaware Fisherman Information Network (FIN) registration. See the agency's current rules: https://dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/licenses/

What fish are commonly targeted at Cape Henlopen State Park?

Cape Henlopen State Park is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Spotted Seatrout, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Cape Henlopen State Park?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Cape Henlopen State Park against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Cape Henlopen State Park have?

Cape Henlopen State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Day-use fee in-season; pier is free. Strong currents at the pier tip — use heavier sinkers.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Cape Henlopen State Park?

Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) regulations apply at Cape Henlopen State Park. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Cape Henlopen State Park tidal water?

Yes. Cape Henlopen State Park sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Cape Henlopen State Park?

Day-use fee in-season; pier is free. Strong currents at the pier tip — use heavier sinkers.