Boating and Fishing Access Locations

Fishing access locations in the State of Delaware include locations on the Atlantic Ocean, the Delaware Estuary, and several rivers and ponds.   The access areas shown on the map on this page include both state-owned and municipal-owned areas. Please be aware of any boat ramp fees or permits that

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DNREC Photo Contest

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is looking for striking photographic images taken throughout the state of Delaware. Photographs should highlight Delaware’s natural beauty and focus on subject matter such as waterways, landscapes, native plants, wildlife and aquatic life, and people enjoying nature, hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. All entries

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DNREC Calendar: Outdoor Recreation

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) offers outdoor recreation classes and opportunities for children and adventurous adults at its several nature centers, outdoor education centers, the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve and via several educational programs. This calendar is presented as a list of upcoming events (below) and as

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Fly Fishing Lessons

Anglers aged 16 and older can learn about, and gain skills in, the increasingly popular sport of fly-fishing by attending free fly-fishing lessons for adults at the DNREC Aquatic Resources Education Center in Smyrna. Taylor Border Aquatic Education Programs Manager 2520 Lighthouse Road

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Artificial Reef Guide Requests

DNREC publishes the Delaware Reef Guide to provide information about the state’s artificial reef sites. The Guide is available for download in PDF format. A limited number of printed copies are available as well. Use the request form below to request a copy by mail. Please include your

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Wildlife Area Maps and Regulations

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife manages approximately 68,000 acres of Delaware land at 19 public wildlife areas that provide hunting opportunities as well as habitat for a variety of species. Digital Wildlife Area Maps 

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Freshwater Trout Fishing

DNREC’s freshwater trout program is a self-supporting put-and-take fishery. Rainbow, brown and/or brook trout are stocked in selected streams in New Castle County and in selected ponds in Kent and Sussex counties. Basic Requirements No minimum size. Four fish per day in fly-fishing

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Angler Alert: Snakeheads

The Northern Snakehead (Channa argus), a fish native to China and Russia, has become a problem invasive species in several states, including Delaware. Anyone who catches a snakehead in Delaware is encouraged to kill it and notify the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Snakehead(Image by Susan Trammel-USGS) Snakeheads were

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Artificial Reef Program

Delaware has 14 permitted artificial reef sites in Delaware Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. Cleaned and stable construction materials, boats, and subway cars create new habitat. They support expanded recreational fishing and diving. Development

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Invasive Aquatic Species

Delaware, along with other states in the Mid-Atlantic Region, has been invaded by non-native aquatic species that pose a threat to native species, to ecological processes, and to the economy. An invasive species is a non-native species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental

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Research and Monitoring

Biologists from the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife keep track of the state’s fish populations. They work on Delaware’s rivers, ponds, estuaries, the Delaware Bay and in coastal waters and study how different species are faring. What Fisheries Biologists Do Fisheries Biologist John Clark tagged this 54.8-pound striper

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Resources for Delaware Pond Owners

Many small “farm” ponds in Delaware provide important recreational opportunities. Children may catch their first bluegill from such a pond. Ponds provide aesthetic beauty, irrigation, fire safety in rural areas, and wildlife habitat.

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Gamefish and Freshwater Fishing Restrictions

Gamefish are found in either tidal or non-tidal freshwater in Delaware. Gamefish taken from Delaware waters cannot legally be sold, traded or bartered unless authorized by permit. Black Crappie Gamefish Species Include: Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Black Crappie White Crappie Rock Bass White Bass Walleye

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Largemouth Bass Tournaments

Largemouth Bass fishing tournaments are popular in Delaware’s public ponds and tidal rivers. Most events are held between April and November. Data collected during the tournaments is useful to biologists that manage bass populations. Get a Tournament Permit Bass Tournament Reporting

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Aquatic Plants and Herbicides

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife gets many questions about aquatic plant problems in small ponds. White-waterlily (Nymphaea odorata) Aquatic plants provide habitat for fish and small pond creatures. According to biologists, plant cover between 20 and 40 percent is ideal for warmwater gamefish such as largemouth bass,

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Becoming an Outdoors-Woman

DNREC’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) is an educational program offering hands-on workshops to encourage and enhance participation in outdoor activities like hunting and shooting sports, fishing and boating, and non-harvest activities. The 2024 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program 2024 Delaware Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program at Killens Pond State Park (Delaware

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The Fisheries Section

The DNREC Fisheries Section works to enhance and protect Delaware’s fish and aquatic resources in support of recreational and commercial fishing. It provides first-class fishing and boating access to Delaware’s many waterways. And it conducts fisheries research, resource monitoring, and collection of biological information on marine fisheries. University of Delaware researchers

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Topic: Wildlife and Fish

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife manages nearly 50,000 acres of land that provides habitat for a multitude of wild plants, animals, fish, insects and rare species of all kinds. And it spearheads several important wildlife and habitat conservation and education initiatives, including the Wildlife Species Conservation and Research Program and the Delaware Shorebird Project.

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