The Delaware Fishing Report offers information on when to fish, where to fish, which species are biting, and how to catch them. It is written weekly by Eric Burnley, Sr.

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Registration is now open for the 2026 Youth Fishing Tournament. The tournament is set for June 6, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at one freshwater fishing pond in each county. Registration is required by May 29.

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Current Conditions

The weatherman was the boogieman for most of the week with high winds and cold water making fishing difficult. The stretch of summer weather was followed by unsettled and windy weather that is forecast to carry into the holiday weekend.

Delaware Bay

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Patty at Captain Bones said white perch, catfish and a mix (in size) of striped bass have been caught along the shoreline from Augustine Beach down to Woodland Beach and the fishing pier there.

The white perch take grass shrimp or bloodworms, the catfish will take cut bait or special catfish baits and the stripers will take bloodworms, cut bait or Fishbites.

Leipsic

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic said black drum are being caught at the Coral Beds off Slaughter Beach on blue crab. He has also heard the same report from folks fishing off Broadkill Beach with crab and clams.

Broadkill Beach

Dan at Dan’s Tackle told us big blues to 13 pounds have been caught out of the Broadkill River as far up as Oyster Rocks Road. Cut bait such as bunker or mullet will work, but live minnows meant for flounder has surprised a few flounder fishermen, myself included.

Blues, stripers and black drum have all been caught from Broadkill Beach. The blues take cut bait, the stripers take crab, sand fleas or cut bait and the drum will take clams or blue crab.

Lewes

Lewes Harbour Marina said the Katydid fished Delaware Bay and caught seven black drum on Tuesday evening. They kept three and released four. On the same evening, private boats fished the same area and caught three to nine black drum. The bait seems to have been clams.

Breakwater Tackle on the fishing pier at Cape Henlopen State Park told us high tide and the couple of hours before and after are the prime time to fish there.

During the week several keeper flounder were caught on minnows fished close to the pilings. A few blues were also taken, but they seem to move in and out taking cut mullet or poppers when they are in range.

Indian River Inlet

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle warned that tog season is now closed until July 1st.

There are still stripers to be caught early in the morning or at night from the jetties on bucktails or plugs.

Blues pass through the Inlet on their own schedule and if you happen to be there try throwing metal lures.

Surf Fishing

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said the constant wind made surf fishing difficult. There were some big striped bass caught on cut bait, sand fleas and clams, a few black drum were also caught on clams and the first of the season kings taken on bloodworms.

Inshore Ocean

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Burt at Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em said the boats that ran to the sea bass grounds caught fish and lots of them.

Offshore Ocean

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No reports from offshore.

Freshwater

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Patty at Captain Bones said bass have been caught out of Lum’s Pond, Garrisons Lake and Masseys Mill Pond on swim, chatter and spinner baits.

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic told us crappie have been taken from Morris and Silver Lake on minnows.

Surf Fishing 101

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Surf fishing has been very good so far this spring. Big blues, striped bass and black drum have all been caught from Fenwick Island to Broadkill Beach with most of these fish taken on bait.

Unfortunately, I fear the big fish bonanza is winding down, but if you are new to surf fishing that’s OK. Now is the time to get out there and catch some kings, croaker, spot, blues and of course dog sharks and skates.

First, you will need a 10- to 12-foot rod and matching reel filled with 30- or 40-pound braid. Then a selection of 3- to 6-ounce surf sinkers and some surf rigs. I like to tie a short 40-pound leader between the braid and the rig with 40-pound Fluorocarbon leader.

Now pick up some bloodworms and sand fleas, go up on the nearest beach and have at it.

Related Topics:  delaware bay, dfw, fishing, freshwater, indian river inlet, ocean and coasts, outdoors and recreation, surf fishing, wildlife