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

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The Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean remain closed to boats due to the constant high winds. It seems that small craft advisories have been up all week and now we have a freeze advisory to just make it even more uncomfortable to be outside.

Delaware Bay

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Patty at Captain Bones said she is hearing about striped bass in sizes from under and over the 28- to 31-inch slot, caught on fresh bunker and bloodworms from Woodland Beach. White perch are also available from the same area on bloodworms.

Leipsic

Steve at Smith Bait told us he had reports of stripers on fresh bunker and bloodworms from Collins Beach, Greens Beach and Woodland Beach.

White perch have been caught out of the tidal creeks and spillways on minnows and bloodworms.

Lewes

Lewes Harbour Marina reported that since the weather turned cold and even more windy, the few boats that are in the water remained tied to the dock.

Indian River Inlet

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said a few small stripers have been caught on bucktails and plugs at dawn and dusk. The occasional keeper tog is taken on a sand flea.

Rick’s Bait and Tackle told us they had no reports since the weather turned cold and the wind increased.

Last week, when we had that warm spell, two anglers were able to put together a limit of flounder out of the VFW Slough.

Surf Fishing

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said surf fishing has rewarded those who suffer through the cold and wind with skates and dog sharks.

Inshore Ocean

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Burt at Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em told us he has seen a few boats go out, but has yet to see a fish come in. He did tell me with diesel fuel selling for more then $5 a gallon, anglers can expect charter and head boat trips to cost a bit more this year.

Offshore Ocean

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Zero reports from offshore.

Freshwater

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Patty at Captain Bones recorded many Rainbow Trout citations since the season opened on Saturday April 4th.

The largest so far is an 8.64 pounder caught by Randy Tyndall on a Rooster Tail out of Red Clay Creek. Not only is that fish a monster, but the fact that he caught it from Red Clay Creek, which was a dead zone not too long ago, makes this catch even more outstanding.

Twelve-Year-Old Weston Miller recorded a Delaware Citation Rainbow Trout of 1.98 pounds caught on a Powerbait out of White Clay Creek.

Steve at Smith Bait had a Delaware Citation Crappie caught by James Bell, Jr. on a minnow from Derby Pond. He also reported that crappie were taken from most spillways on minnows and jigs.

Hypothermia

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You don’t have to fall overboard to experience hypothermia. You can suffer the effects by getting caught out in an open boat when the wind comes up and blows spray on you or when you get too wet when surf or jetty fishing.

The water temperature in the ocean and bay is in the upper 40s to low 50s and if you get wet on a windy day it won’t take much time before hypothermia sets in.

I know of what I speak. It has happened to me.

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