Quiet ponds. Rippling creeks. Expansive marshes. Sandy shores. When it comes to Delaware fishing, you’ve got an endless amount of options, both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Go by boat, drive onto the beach with a surf fishing tag, or pull up a lawn chair to a bank. Here are some places to spend a day on the water with your rod and reel. Who knows, you might just find your new favorite honey hole or reel in your biggest catch ever!

1. Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes
Lee Cannon / Flickr
Cape Henlopen State Park Public Beach, 15009 Cape Henlopen Dr, Lewes, DE 19958, USA
zizzybaloobah / Flickr
What we like best about Cape Henlopen is all of the ways you can drop a hook in the water and do a little fishing in Delaware. The pier is a popular option, but for a more thrilling experience, if you have a surf fishing tag, you can drive on the beach to try to catch dinner.
2. Brandywine Creek, Wilmington
TC Davis / Flickr
Brandywine Creek, Wilmington, DE 19801, USA
TCDavis / Flickr
Brandywine Creek is one of our favorites for fishing in Delaware. Whether you prefer your standard rod and reel or you'd rather try fly fishing, you've got plenty of options.
3. Delaware Seashore State Park, Indian River Inlet
Robert Pos / Flickr
Delaware Seashore State Park, 25039 Coastal Hwy, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971, USA
Delaware Seashore State Park / Facebook
Del Seashore or the Inlet, as the locals call it, has some of the best salt water fishing in Delaware. Like Cape Henlopen, it offers fishing from the banks, beaches, by boat (there's a marina and ramp), or by driving on at certain places for surf fishing.
4. Beck's Pond, Bear
Becks Pond, Delaware 19702, USA
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary / EcoDelaware
Becks Pond Park / Facebook
Becks Pond is a favorite among fishing spots in New Castle County. At less than 25 acres, it's actually one of the most heavily fished ponds in the state.
5. Woodland Beach, Smyrna
Woodland Beach, DE 19977, USA
LisaP43
Woodland Beach, DE 19977, USA
Matthew Surles / Flickr
The pier at Woodland Beach stretches out into the Delaware Bay and is a great place to go fishing in Delaware if you also want amazing views of wildlife while you wait for a bite on the line. There are also two boat ramps, one right into the bay and another into the marsh, if you want to motor to a good spot.
6. Moore's Lake, Dover
Mike Mahaffie / Flickr
Moores Lake, Delaware 19901, USA
Mike Mahaffie / Flickr
Moore's Lake is a popular fishing spot for residents of the state capital. Its 27 acres of fresh water is home to largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and crappie.

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7. Charters out of Lewes
Peter Miller / Flickr
Lewes, DE 19958, USA
sailn1 / Flickr
For some of the best fishing in Delaware, you've got to head out to deeper waters. Several charter boats operate out of the beaches area, from Lewes down to Fenwick Island. What we love about Lewes is that it's at the mouth of the Delaware Bay and charters either run north up further into the bay or out into the Atlantic.
8. Lums Pond State Park, Bear
Lums Pond State Park / Facebook
Lums Pond, Delaware 19701, USA
Lums Pond State Park / Facebook
As the largest pond in the state at nearly 190 acres, Lums Pond sees its fare share of fishermen (and women). It's a great upstate option if you want to bring the whole family to fish and then have a picnic lunch and hike around the seven-mile pond loop.
9. Bowers Beach
Bowers, DE, USA
Mike Mahaffie / Flickr
Mike Mahaffie / Flickr
Bowers is one of our favorite, more traditional working waterfront communities that's one of the best places to fish in Delaware. Here you can see families who still make most of their income off the water. Snag a spot on a charter or fish from the banks of either the Murderkill or St. Jones River which both empty into the bay at Bowers.
10. Ingram Pond, Millsboro
Ingram Pond, Delaware 19966, USA
Ingram Pond / Facebook
Ingram Pond / Facebook
Ingrams Pond is another one of Delaware's small, popular fishing ponds. At just under 25 acres, it's a popular host for the annual Youth Fishing Tournament each year.
11. Derby Pond, Woodside
Derby Pond, Delaware 19904, USA
Derby Pond / Facebook
Derby Pond / Facebook
Just north of little Woodside is even smaller Derby Pond. The shallow waters are great for catching sunnies.
12. Silver Lake, Dover
Patrick Nouhailler / Flickr
Silver Lake, Dover, DE, USA
Mike Mahaffie / Flickr
On the northern edge of the state capital is the 182 acre Silver Lake Park. The largest part of the park is indeed Silver Lake itself, popular with anglers who fish from their small boats. On the downstream side of a spillway; bank fishing is popular.

What are you waiting for? Grab a fishing pole, some bait and your fishing license, and get out there! Check out the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife’s website for more information and helpful tips.

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Delaware fishing

Jackie Ann | June 12, 2022

What are the best outdoor adventures in Delaware?

Delaware is full of incredible outdoor adventures just waiting for you. History lovers will enjoy a visit to Fort DuPont in Delaware City. The area was used as a military base from the Civil War all the way through to World War II. Today, it’s a state park that blends the natural beauty of the area with the history of the site, and you might even learn about the paranormal side of the city. As you explore the park, you’ll see several historic structures peppered around, including an abandoned gun battery. For endless waterfront views, visit Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes where you can learn more about the history of The First State and our coastal ecosystem. Of course, you’ll want to carve out some time to sink your toes in the sand and play in the Atlantic Ocean.

Are there any good swimming holes in Delaware?

One of the most incredible swimming holes in Delaware is Silver Lake. Located in Dover, the 167-acre lake is a great place to swim, and it's one of the few lakes in Delaware where you can water ski. It’s also known for some of the best fishing in Delaware, so you can bet you’ll never get bored at this beloved major lake in Delaware.

What are the most picturesque hiking trails in Delaware?

One of the best parts about hiking in Delaware is that due to the relatively flat land, most of the trails are kid-friendly, so you can bring the whole family out for an adventure. The Thompson Island Trail in Delaware Seashore State Park is a great trail to begin your hike through Delaware. It’s less than a mile long and will take you through the marsh, ending in an incredible panoramic view of Thompson Island, the Rehoboth Bay, and the skyline of Dewey Beach. Not bad for .7 miles!

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