Source: DNREC
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) officials have announced the agency is eliminating the need for reservations to fish at several drive-on, multi-use beaches on weekends and holidays.
Beginning this Saturday, July 12, drive-on surf fishing beach reservations will no longer be required for:
• Key Box, Conquest, and Faithful Steward beaches at Delaware Seashore State Park
• York, Middle, and South beaches at Fenwick Island State Park
• Beach Plum Island north of Lewes
The removal of these locations from the reservation system was done because these areas have generally not exceeded their capacity on summer weekends. These beaches comprise nearly 64% of the state’s surf fishing availability.
For the remainder of the summer, DNREC will assess the impacts on the beaches while monitoring occupancy levels and addressing any queuing or crowding issues.
Daily reservations will continue to be required for Gordons Pond, Herring Point, Navy Crossing, and Point Crossing in Cape Henlopen State Park, as well as 3 R’s at Delaware Seashore State Park, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and holidays from now until Labor Day.
Anglers with a reservation for a weekend or holiday can still access those drive-on surf fishing locations even when the park’s day use parking capacity has been reached, especially at Cape Henlopen, where this is a frequent occurrence.
On the remaining beaches where reservations are still required on summer weekends and holidays, state park staff will monitor surf and weather conditions and adjust the number of reservations available as the weekend approaches if it appears significant numbers of reserved spots may go unused.
For more information about surf fishing Delaware’s drive-on beaches, visit www.destateparks.com/surf-fishing/
