It’s a fishing day

Delaware Seashore State Park fishing conditions · Delaware

Tomorrow 7 am to Monday 4 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 67. 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 west by today at 4:00 pm.

Small Craft Advisory until Sunday 9 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 44 for striped bass, sit it outTap 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. 444 pm
  2. 44
  3. 44
  4. 447 pm
  5. 44
  6. 44
  7. 4410 pm
  8. 44
  9. 44Sun
  10. 441 am
  11. 44
  12. 44
  13. 444 am
  14. 44
  15. 44
  16. 677 am
  17. 67
  18. 67
  19. 6710 am
  20. 67
  21. 67
  22. 671 pm
  23. 67
  24. 67
  25. 674 pm
  26. 67
  27. 67
  28. 677 pm
  29. 67
  30. 67
  31. 6710 pm
  32. 67
  33. 67Mon
  34. 671 am
  35. 67
  36. 67
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 west · rough for small boats

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:54 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
57°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

67MarginalTomorrow 7 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

63MarginalTomorrow 7 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

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

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

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

2Sit 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

Seven miles of Atlantic surf plus access to Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay on the back side. The park spans the barrier island south of Dewey Beach to Indian River Inlet — enormous variety of surf, bay, and inlet fishing.

State park entry fee. Multiple access points along Route 1. Bay-side fishing is calmer and better for flounder and seatrout in summer.

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.

Indian River Inlet1 mi · DelawareBest tomorrow 7 am to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
67Marginal
Fenwick Island State Park9 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Fenwick Island — Surf Fishing10 mi · DelawareBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Cape Henlopen State Park12 mi · DelawareBest tonight 12 am to Monday 4 am
92Go
Lewes Canal13 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Assawoman State Wildlife Area15 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
85Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Delaware Seashore State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Delaware Seashore 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 Delaware Seashore State Park?

Delaware Seashore State Park is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Bluefish, Summer Flounder, Striped Bass, Red Drum, and 1 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 Delaware Seashore 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 Delaware Seashore 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 Delaware Seashore State Park have?

Delaware Seashore State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. State park entry fee. Multiple access points along Route 1. Bay-side fishing is calmer and better for flounder and seatrout in summer.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Delaware Seashore State Park?

Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) regulations apply at Delaware Seashore 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 Delaware Seashore State Park tidal water?

Yes. Delaware Seashore 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 Delaware Seashore State Park?

State park entry fee. Multiple access points along Route 1. Bay-side fishing is calmer and better for flounder and seatrout in summer.