Delaware Bay Shore: Woodland Beach to Broadkill Beach

Delaware Bay’s western shore is a string of small public access points, tidal creeks and fishing piers, and for many anglers it is a practical way to fish salt water without a boat. This guide covers the public access areas listed in the Delaware Fishing Guide, the rules that matter on the bay, what DNREC’s recent reports say is biting and how to set up for pier and shore fishing.

Access points on the bay shore

The summary above lists each area with its facilities, as printed in the Delaware Fishing Guide.

• Woodland Beach, bayside has a fishing pier and no boat ramp. The creekside access, on Duck Creek, has a two-lane boat ramp and no pier.
• Port Mahon has a fishing pier located before the boat ramp, and a two-lane boat ramp.
• Bowers Beach has a four-lane boat ramp and no pier.
• Cedar Creek has an eight-lane boat ramp and no pier.
• Collins Beach has a three-lane boat ramp and a fishing pier.
• Lewes has a six-lane boat ramp and no pier.

Fishing from the floating courtesy docks at these ramps is not allowed unless posted otherwise. Motorboats launched from tidal access areas run by the Division of Fish and Wildlife must be registered in Delaware or have a Tidal Access Boat Ramp Certificate. The guide notes that shoreline access depends on your own mobility and recommends visiting a site first. We are not listing access points that the guide does not list, such as small beach accesses, because we could not confirm their facilities.

What is biting

DNREC publishes a weekly fishing report, and it is the best way to find out what is happening now. We use it only for context. In the October 29, 2026 report, a tackle shop in Leipsic said striped bass in the 24 to 27 inch range, with a few reaching the 28 to 31 inch slot, were being caught from tidal creeks and rivers on bloodworms and shrimp. White perch were in the same places on the same baits. Another shop said white perch and catfish were available along the shoreline from Augustine Beach to Woodland Beach, with bloodworms for perch and cut bait for catfish. The same report noted rough seas on the bay because of a northeast wind.

Reports like these change from week to week. Use them to choose a bait and a stretch of shore, and then adjust to what you see.

Rules to know

The summary above shows the limits and rules we confirmed. The ones that matter most for a day on the bay shore:

• Striped bass. The tidal slot is 28 to 31 inches with a limit of one a day, except that from July 1 through August 31 the slot in Delaware Bay, the Delaware River and their tributaries is 20 to 24 inches. The catch and release only spawning season, April 1 through May 31, applies to the Nanticoke, the Delaware River above the C&D Canal south jetty line and the C&D Canal, so check the summary to see where you are fishing. When fishing for striped bass with cut or whole natural bait, including sea worms such as bloodworms, you must use a non-offset circle hook.
• Summer flounder. The minimum size is 16 inches through May 31 and 17.5 inches from June 1, with a limit of four a day.
• White perch. Eight inches or longer, with no daily limit.
• Atlantic croaker. Eight inches or longer, with a limit of 50.
• Catfish. No size or daily limit in tidal water. Blue and flathead catfish are invasive and must not be returned to the water.

The guide says changes to tidal species rules are expected, so always check the current version. A Delaware license is required at 16, and there is no reciprocity with other states. If you fish New Jersey waters of Delaware Bay, you also need a New Jersey FIN number. The rules and license guide has the details.

Fishing from a pier or the shore

A medium to medium-heavy spinning rod around 7 to 9 feet is a good all-round choice for the bay shore. It casts a bottom rig well clear of pier pilings and handles the size of fish you are likely to meet, from perch to a keeper-size striped bass. Light line suits perch, and 15 to 20 pound line is common for stripers and catfish. These are typical setups, not requirements.

A simple bottom rig does most of the work: a fish-finder or sliding sinker rig, a leader of 18 to 24 inches and a hook sized to the bait. Bloodworms, peeler crab, shrimp and cut bait are all used on the bay. Tide matters because current moves bait and fish, so check the tide table and try to fish around a change in the tide. Piers can be crowded and rough in wind, so bring rod holders, extra weights and a net.

A custom rod built for pier work can improve the day, particularly one with the length to cast over the rail and the sensitivity to feel a perch bite on a long line. If you tell us where you fish and what you target, we can build the rod around it.

Boat anglers

The ramps on the bay shore give small boats a way onto the water, but Delaware Bay is large and exposed. Wind, tide and shoaling can change quickly. Check the marine forecast for the bay, keep a life jacket on and avoid launching when a strong northeast wind is blowing. Our bay boat fishing guide covers open-water fishing in more detail.

Safety

Piers can be slippery and crowded. Watch your footing and your hooks, and keep children close. Wind and cold can combine with spray to lower body temperature quickly in fall and spring. Dress in layers and stay dry.

Eating the fish

DNREC’s advisories for the lower Delaware River and Delaware Bay list striped bass, channel and white catfish and American eel at 3 meals a year, white perch at 6, and bluefish at 12 meals if 20 inches or less and 3 if longer. A star means that women who are or may become pregnant or breastfeeding and children should not eat those fish. The rules summary has the full wording and the date we checked it.

For the northern shore, see the Delaware River and C&D Canal guide, and for piers elsewhere in Delaware, the fishing piers guide.