New Delaware Surf Fishing Restrictions Create Vehicle Limits

Written April 2020, but some of this still stands except the 60 feet was changed to 20 for some reason we never could figure out.

(April 2020) … The new Delaware surf fishing restrictions in place are to protect the public, the rangers, and allow everyone to surf fish. However if these new restrictions are broken too much, the parks will have no choice but to shut it all down. I know this for a fact, because I asked. The people walking on and fishing the beach at the Indian River inlet are already creating an issue.
I can not stress enough how breaking these rules in place can cause everyone to suffer by closing this all down. For all my out of state friends I am sorry you all can’t come down here at the moment but that will change. I am grateful, the locals can use the drive on beaches in our backyard so to speak, even if restricted.
For those that don’t understand why the drive on beaches are open. This time of year it is not like the summer mayhem you see. There is hardly anyone out there right now. I saw two people yesterday on three miles of beach. The fish swimming by are big enough for the dinner plate, some of us want fish for food. Surf fishing is the ultimate social distancing.

Due to these new surf fishing vehicle restrictions, it got me to thinking. Exactly how many vehicles can you put on a single beach with the twenty yard (60 feet) restriction between vehicles? WHich is now 20 feet for 2021.
So I did the math.

Today is not the best weather for the average angler, I went out because we call this striped bass weather. The surf is wide and the current is fast. Holding with ten ounces was a chore.
There was hardly anyone out there, and it has been this way all week. However eventually the weather is going to be beautiful and it will encourage more of the fair weather anglers to surf fish. Nothing wrong with that, but how much room is out there now with these new surf fishing restrictions?

I started with Beach Plum Island State Park as an example since it is one of the shortest drive on beaches, but not the shortest this time of year.
Beach Plum Island State park’s drive on section is 968 meters to be exact (roughly) using Google Earth mapping tools.
Converted to feet that is 3,077 feet, and every vehicle has to be distanced at 60 feet (20 yards). That leaves room for roughly 51 vehicles. The only reason this could become an issue is if (when) the drum start running the bay beaches.
If it gets real nice and you want to fish the shorter beaches, might want to keep in mind you need to check the beach as you pull on for the amount of vehicles. Cape Henlopen has two of the shortest beaches this time of year. It is not okay to “squeeze” in between people properly spaced.

Below I did a rough estimate of all of the Delaware State Park drive on beaches.
Rough length of beach in feet, divided by 60 feet per vehicle, equals number of vehicles allowed on that stretch of beach. This is not official from the State of Delaware. I did my own figuring and math. Distances are rough due to trying to find boundaries from Google Earth. It is hard to see the boundary signs, so I guessed in a few cases.

Beach Plum Island State Park … 51 vehicles in 3,077 feet

Cape Henlopen State Park
Point Comfort Station crossing … 38 vehicles in roughly 2,257 feet
Naval Crossing … 87 vehicles in 5,249 feet*
Herring Point to Gordons Pond … 136 vehicles in 8152 feet*

Delaware Seashore State Park …
Key Box to Faithful Steward … 275 vehicles in 16,512 feet*
3R’s … 82 vehicles in 4,921 feet*

Fenwick Island State Park
York to south crossing … 207 vehicles in 12,467 feet*

* taking into account the areas off limits to vehicles, roughly
Delaware Surf Fishing facts for the new restrictions

Everyone have a great time surf fishing, get some air we all need it, practice social distancing. Follow the new restrictions to the letter or we could lose this access. Also on a side note, it would be nice to see this year round, just saying. Also we will keep doing fishing reports, but beach locations will be vague to nonexistent, due to space restrictions. Those drum etc have to get form point A to point B, you can catch them in between. The real issue is going to be where to get fresh surf clams for bait.

Fish On!
Rich King