Red Drum Fishing in Delaware

Red drum are a surf fish in Delaware, and the rule keeps only a middle slot. This is a short guide to the Delaware rule and where anglers find them. For how to catch them, see the red drum how-to guide.

The rule

The rules snapshot above shows the rule with the date we checked it. In tidal water only red drum 20 to 27 inches may be kept, and the daily limit is 5. Fish above or below the slot must be released. Check the Delaware Fishing Guide before you keep one, since our notes say Maryland alignment was pending.

Where to fish in Delaware

The Atlantic surf is the water in our research. See the surf fishing guide. In October 2026, anglers reported releasing fish up to 45 inches at Fenwick Island and fish of 24 to 26 inches at 3Rs Road. Cut spot chunks fished from the surf are the bait in those reports. We found only one water for red drum in our research, so we are not describing other spots.

Seasons and timing

Large bulls arrive in spring and fish are mostly released when they are over the slot. Summer brings slot fish in the bays, inlets and the early and late surf. In fall there is a strong bite for both slot and over-slot fish in the surf. In winter the fish leave the northern part of their range.

Rods and tackle

A 10 to 12 foot surf rod rated for 15 to 30 pound line and 2 to 4 ounces or more is typical, with a 5000 to 8000 size reel with a big drag and 20 to 50 pound braid with a 30 pound or heavier fluorocarbon shock leader. Cut spot, mullet, bunker and crab are the usual baits, and incoming to high tide is the best time. These are typical choices, not requirements.

Safety and handling

Big red drum are strong, so keep the drag set properly and do not wade into rough surf without a plan. Because most large fish are released, handle them quickly and keep them wet.

How the fishery is managed

ASMFC lists the northern red drum stock, from New Jersey through North Carolina, as not overfished and not experiencing overfishing, based on a 2024 benchmark assessment. The commission’s Addendum II, approved in October 2025, aligns red drum recreational regulations in Virginia, Maryland and the Potomac River Fisheries Commission because those states share water bodies. It does not name Delaware, and we did not find a Delaware change tied to it. Delaware’s own rule is the 20 to 27 inch slot with 5 a day in the tidal table, which was last updated on September 23, 2026 when we read it. Because the keeper range is a slot, fish above 27 inches must be released, and many of the big fish in the surf are bulls that are released.

State record

DNREC’s records page lists a red drum of 75 pounds caught by James Vandetti in 1976. The page gives no length, location or method. Records are for the largest fish caught by rod and reel, and a record claim needs approval by Division staff and a scale that is certified each year. A new fish must weigh at least 2 ounces more than a record under 25 pounds, or at least one-half of one percent more than a record of 25 pounds or more, which for a 75 pound fish is about 6 ounces. Live release awards are a separate program, and a fish entered for one is not eligible as a state record.

Surf access and permits

Delaware’s red drum fishing is in the Atlantic surf. To drive on a designated Delaware State Park beach you need a surf fishing vehicle permit, which is available only to four-wheel drive vehicles with at least 7 inches of ground clearance that are licensed for public roads. Permit holders must be actively surf fishing while on the beach. A permit holder is exempt from the fishing license while the vehicle is on a designated State Park surf area. Anglers on foot still need a license and, if 16 or older, the free FIN number. See our surf fishing guide for the beaches.

Reading a fall report

Our research notes recorded October 2026 reports of fish up to 45 inches being released at Fenwick Island and fish of 24 to 26 inches at 3Rs Road. Those fish show the range in the surf: slot fish that can be kept and large fish that must go back. Carry a measuring board or a marked rod, since the 27 inch limit decides which fish you keep.