Bowers Beach

Bowers Beach Jetty, murderkill river, Murderkill River North Jetty Rehabilitation Project, delaware, kent county, jetty fishing in Delaware
Bowers Beach Jetty in 2013 at low tide in the summer. You can see how it was sinking at the end as it tapers into the water.

Located on the Delaware Bay between the St Jones river and Murderkill River,  Bowers beach was a very large fishing community back in the day.  Bowers Beach was incorporated on March 9, 1907, and then reincorporated as the Town of Bowers in 1962.  It was one of the earliest settlements along the Delaware Bay, originally named Whitwell’s Delight in the 1600’s.  Bowers Beach is still a great community on the Delaware Bay.  Back in the day it was a favorite place for watermen and tourists to mix it up in the local watering holes.  Today the town is not as busy as it was, but there is still plenty to do there.   The Bowers Beach Maritime museum, an old house filled with all kinds of relics from the town’s past, is open usually on weekends during the summer season.  Fishing is still part of a way of life for the few watermen that still operate out of Bowers Beach and there is still one head boat there.  Fishing along the shore line from the old and new jetty is the most popular place to fish.

 

 

Bowers Beach boat ramp, delaware bay, sussex county, kent county, murderkill river, state boat ramp, kayak, SUP, stand up paddle board, tidal river, lurefest,
Bowers Beach boat ramp

Situated along the Murderkill river the fishing is decent from the river banks, jetty, and surf.  You can catch a variety of fish just like any Delaware Bay beach.  Being surrounded by the outlets of two rivers helps that diversity.     Lot of dogfish and skate action. Channel catfish are readily caught in the Murderkill along the jetty.  The beach itself is decent for surf fishing especially on the South Bowers side.  Croaker, trout or weakfish, speckled trout, flounder, spot, striped bass, sharks, bluefish, puppy drum and even the large black drum can be caught from the surf or the jetty.  Top and bottom rigs are your best bet with squid, clam, or cut baits. Bloodworms are a favorite of schooling striped bass.. The artificial baits work well too, Fishbites formula, bloodworms, being the most popular. Gulp works well for flounder on flounder rigs or jigged on bucktails.  Minnows are a great bait in this area for flounder and can be caught in the two rivers and along the surf line.

Bowers beach, jetty project, murderkill river, delaware, kent county
Side view of the Jetty as it gets the finishing touches.

The state maintained boat ramp is a great way to access the Delaware Bay.  The parking lot is huge and can accommodate not only a lot of boat trailers, but beach visitors as well.  The current in the Murderkill river runs very fast, especially during the tides.  If you are launching a kayak or SUP during an incoming tide you may want to launch from the beach, it is very difficult to fight the incoming currents.   Unless you plan on going up the river, there is some good fishing in the structures along the banks.  The new jetty built recently is helping keep the channel clear of silt and sand, but it can get rather skinny at low tide.

The Maggie S. Myers, an 1893 oyster schooner, still operates out of Bowers Beach and can be seen often returning to port.  Bowers is a very photogenic place and has become very popular with photographers.  The sunrises in particular are a favorite.

If you haven’t visited Bowers Beach, it is  a gem along the Delaware Bay coastline.  It is what I always imagined a small fishing town to look like.  It certainly has character, and the residents are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.   There is a restaurant on the Murderkill river and a small tavern across the street.  Bowers hosts a number of events each year, that go way back to the days of old.   Big Thursday on Sunday being one of the most popular and in recent years their Buccaneer Bash.

 

 

 

 

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