Delaware Fishing Report

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.

Find information on fishing in Delaware on the new Recreational Fishing page and the updated DNREC Fisheries Section page and in the Delaware Fishing Guide. Don’t forget that you will need a Delaware fishing license.

Find information on the tides in Delaware tidal waters from NOAA and about Delaware’s freshwater fishing ponds.

Aug. 20, 2026

Current Conditions

Fishing remains good with pretty much the same fish being caught from the freshwater ponds out to the canyons. It has become difficult to put together a catch of 9-inch croakers, as most of these fish measure well below the legal limit.

Delaware Bay

Patty at Captain Bones had nothing new to report.

White perch are still being caught from the tidal creeks and rivers on bloodworms and grass shrimp. Catfish remain the prime target of those who fish from shore at Augustine Beach and Dobbinsville as well as the C&D Canal.

Cut bait remains the top attractor.

Leipsic

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic told us boats sailing from Port Mahon and fishing the reef sites close by caught flounder and trout on peeler crab, minnows, squid and shrimp.

Fishing the jetty at Bowers Beach has produced flounder, croaker and spot.

A silvery fish with somewhat golden sides and belly and dusky stripes on its upper side.

Broadkill Beach

Bill Weiss at Dan’s Tackle said fishing remain steady at Broadkill Beach with spot and croaker caught on lug worms or Fishbites.

The Broadkill River holds a larger class of croaker and the occasional keeper flounder. The flounder are taken on live minnows or on a bucktail with a Gulp! crawfish.

Lewes

Lewes Harbour Marina celebrated the Katydid’s Fifth Place win in the Paradise Grill Flounder Pounder Tournament.

Captain Brent did not retire with his substantial winnings and was right back out catching flounder and sea bass over ocean structure along with several other charter and private boats.

a pan-shapped fish with vertical dark bars (stripes) on its side.

Those boats that fished the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers with sand fleas and green crabs caught sheepshead and triggerfish.

Breakwater Tackle on the fishing pier at Cape Henlopen State Park told us spot and croaker were the mainstay of the daily fishing from the pier. The rare keeper flounder was caught on a live minnow worked on the down-current side of the pilings.

Indian River Inlet

A gray-colored fish with faint broad dark blotches on its upper body.

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle reported that daytime fishing is still decent for triggerfish, sheepshead and small tog.

Flounder are being caught behind structure and blues are available early in the morning around the bridge. Live eels are the ticket for larger striped bass at night in a catch and release fishery.

Rick’s Bait and Tackle had an unusual report. Rob Reinart checked in a 35.2-pound Cabera snapper that he caught on an inshore wreck. They also saw triggerfish and flounder from the inshore structure.

A cobia was caught on an eel at the Old Grounds.

Surf Fishing

A yellow fish with slight almost vertical stripes.

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said jellyfish have been a problem in the surf. If you can cast without getting in the water, you should be all right.

Spot, croaker and kings are waiting for your bloodworms or Fishbites.

Ocean

An oval, flat fish with dark spots on a greenish skin.

Burt at Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em told us the Old Grounds and reef sites 10 and 11 saw some activity with spot, croaker and flounder. A few keeper flounder were also taken in the same area.

Dolphin were taken from floating buoys or over structure such as found at the Del-Jersey Land Reef.

Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em reported the very few boats that made the long run to the deep did catch tuna and tilefish.

Freshwater

An olive green fish, marked by a series of dark, sometimes black, blotches forming a jagged dark stripe along each side.

Patty at Captain Bones said Lum’s Pond and Garrisons Lake had bass on minnows and soft plastics.

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic told us snakeheads have been caught out of Garrisons Lake on surface frogs.

New Artificial Reef

The Calcasieu Pass, a 180-foot menhaden boat, has been sunk at the Del-Jersey-Land Reef Site.

The boat began life as a service boat out of New Orleans, then ran for 30 years as a menhaden catch boat from Reedville, Virginia.

It was prepared for sinking by Coleen Marine in Norfolk, Virginia. Once approved by the U.S. Coast Guard and the EPA, Coleen Marine had it towed to its place of eternal rest at the Del-Jersey-Land Reef.

The total cost was $285,000 and was covered by the Federal Sportfish Restoration Fund and Delaware’s general fishing license. The ratio was 75% federal, 25% state money.

Eric Burnley, Sr. is a native Delawarean who has fished local waters for more than 60 years. Eric Burnley has been a full-time outdoor writer since 1978, with articles appearing in most national magazines and many regional publications. He has written three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Catching Striped Bass and Fishing Saltwater Baits.