It’s a fishing day

Slaughter Beach fishing conditions · Delaware

Now until Monday 4 amWhite perch

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 61°, inside their 50–78° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 100 for white perch, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

White perch, 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. 1004 pm
  2. 96
  3. 96
  4. 967 pm
  5. 96
  6. 96
  7. 10010 pm
  8. 100
  9. 96Sun
  10. 961 am
  11. 96
  12. 96
  13. 964 am
  14. 96
  15. 100
  16. 967 am
  17. 96
  18. 96
  19. 9610 am
  20. 100
  21. 100
  22. 961 pm
  23. 96
  24. 96
  25. 1004 pm
  26. 96
  27. 96
  28. 967 pm
  29. 96
  30. 96
  31. 9610 pm
  32. 100
  33. 100Mon
  34. 961 am
  35. 96
  36. 96
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
61°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
15 mph

From the northwest

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.

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

100GoNow until Monday 4 am

Water

61°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

White perch is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. White perch prefers outgoing tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Delaware tidal waters: 8" minimum, no daily limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Delaware tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on white perch

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

92GoNow until 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 (Jan 1–Jun 30, Sep 1–Dec 31); 20" minimum · 24" maximum · 1 a day (Jul 1–Aug 31)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 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.

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

88GoNow until 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

68MarginalNow until 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

68MarginalNow until 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

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 tomorrow6:36 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, white perch, 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

Delaware Bay shoreline with strong spring striper and bluefish runs; famous as a horseshoe crab spawning beach. Bank fishing along the beach road with good access for wade fishing in calm conditions.

Respect horseshoe crab spawning season (May–June) — DE DNREC may restrict certain beach access during peak spawn. Free public beach.

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.

Broadkill Beach5 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
South Bowers Beach10 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Bowers Beach10 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Lewes Canal13 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Kitts Hummock Beach13 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Cape Henlopen State Park16 mi · DelawareBest tonight 12 am to Monday 4 am
92Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Slaughter Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Slaughter Beach 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 Slaughter Beach?

Slaughter Beach is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Bluefish, Striped Bass, White Perch, 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 Slaughter Beach?

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 Slaughter Beach 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 Slaughter Beach have?

Slaughter Beach has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Respect horseshoe crab spawning season (May–June) — DE DNREC may restrict certain beach access during peak spawn. Free public beach.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Slaughter Beach?

Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) regulations apply at Slaughter Beach. 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 Slaughter Beach tidal water?

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