Fishing Piers in Delaware

A fishing pier is the simplest way to reach salt water in Delaware: no boat, no vehicle permit and no wading. The 2026 Delaware Fishing Guide lists public fishing piers on the bay, the Inland Bays, the Nanticoke River and several tidal creeks, and a few ponds have piers too. This guide compares them, explains the rules that apply to every pier and says what to bring. We list only what the guide confirms, so hours, fees and pier lengths are not included.

Piers at a glance

Water	Pier	Boat ramp	Guide
Delaware Bay	Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier	No	Cape Henlopen
Delaware Bay	Woodland Beach (bayside)	No	Delaware Bay shore
Delaware Bay	Port Mahon, before the boat ramp	Yes, 2 lanes	Delaware Bay shore
Delaware Bay	Collins Beach	Yes, 3 lanes	Delaware Bay shore
Indian River and Rehoboth Bay	Masseys Landing	Yes, 4 lanes	Inland Bays
Indian River	Rosedale Beach	Yes, 1 lane	Inland Bays
Indian River Bay	Holts Landing	Yes, 1 lane	Inland Bays
Nanticoke River	Seaford	Yes, 4 lanes	Nanticoke River
Lums Pond	Fishing pier	Yes	Lums Pond
Newton Pond	Fishing pier	Car-top launch only	Tidbury and Newton ponds

Courtesy docks at ramps are for launching and not for fishing. The guide also notes that shoreline and pier access depends on your own mobility, and it recommends visiting a site first.

Other tidal piers in the guide

The guide lists fishing piers at several more tidal access areas that we do not cover in a separate guide: 7th Street in Wilmington (Babiarz Park), the Canal Wildlife Area on the C&D Canal, Lebanon Landing and Scotton Landing on the St. Jones River, Front Street in Milford on the Mispillion River, Laurel (Records Pond, tidal) on Broad Creek, Little Creek on the Little River and Piney Point, which is walk-in access. We have not confirmed what bites at these piers, so check the weekly DNREC fishing report and local tackle shops.

Which pier for which fish

Delaware Bay piers. These suit anglers after striped bass, summer flounder, croaker and white perch, and the shore-fishing basics in our Delaware Bay shore guide apply. Cape Henlopen sits at the mouth of the bay near the ocean beaches.

Inland Bays piers. The bays behind the ocean are sheltered. In DNREC’s October 29, 2026 report, a tackle shop said anglers fishing from the pier at Masseys Landing with sand fleas were catching tautog. That same week, rough seas on the ocean and the bay pushed most of the fishing into sheltered water.

Nanticoke River. The pier at Seaford is the one to know on the river. Catfish are the usual target there, and our Nanticoke River guide has the rules for striped bass, shad and blue catfish.

Pond piers. Lums Pond and Newton Pond have fishing piers, and the others in our pond guides have ramps and shoreline access only. Freshwater piers suit panfish and bass, and Newton Pond is a trout water. See the ponds and lakes guide.

Rules that apply

The summary above lists the access areas and limits we confirmed. A few points hold on almost every pier:

• A Delaware fishing license is required at 16 unless you are exempt, and that includes tidal piers.
• 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.
• Striped bass. One a day, 28 to 31 inches, with catch and release only on the spawning grounds from April 1 through May 31. When fishing with cut or whole natural bait, you must use a non-offset circle hook.
• Atlantic croaker and spot. Croaker must be eight inches or longer, with a limit of 50. Spot have no size limit and a limit of 50.
• White perch. Eight inches or longer, with no daily limit.

The guide says new regulations will likely be needed for several tidal species in 2026. Check the current version before you keep fish, and see the rules and license guide. Access areas run by the Division of Parks and Recreation may charge a seasonal or daily fee.

What to bring

A medium spinning rod around 7 to 9 feet is the standard pier outfit. It lifts a rig over the rail and casts clear of the pilings. A bottom rig with a sinker heavy enough to hold in the current, bloodworms or cut bait, a drop net or pier net and a bucket will cover most days. Bring a way to carry everything in one trip, because piers can be a long walk from the car. These are typical setups, not requirements.

A rod built for pier work can make a long day easier. If you tell us which pier you fish and what you target, we can build the rod around it.

Safety and etiquette

Piers get crowded and slippery. Watch your footing and your back-cast, keep hooks and weights away from other anglers and keep children close. Wind and spray cool you quickly in spring and fall, so dress in layers. Pick up your line and trash.

Eating the fish

DNREC’s advisories differ by water. For the lower Delaware River and Delaware Bay, striped bass, channel and white catfish and American eel are at 3 meals a year, white perch at 6, and bluefish at 12 meals if 20 inches or less and 3 if longer. For Atlantic coastal waters and the Inland Bays, striped bass are at 3 and bluefish the same as above. A star means women who are or may become pregnant or breastfeeding and children should not eat those fish. Each guide has the full wording and the date we checked it.

Related guides

Families will find more in the kid-friendly fishing guide, and anglers staying near the coast can use the area guide for Lewes, Rehoboth and Millsboro.