When stripers are around Lewes
Striped bass fishing out of Lewes has two windows. MandaLu runs stripers April and May, then October through December. Local anglers call the fish rockfish, and that is the name on charter boards and at the tackle shop.
This page covers the grounds, the methods, and the charters that fish them. For migration and general behavior, read our striped bass guide. For the coastwide view, see the Atlantic and Northeast picture (see also the wider Atlantic Northeast guide).
Where boats run and the grounds that hold fish
Boats leaving Roosevelt Inlet tend to fish in the order the water lays out: the rock walls and the mouth of the bay first, then the inshore wreck, then the outer wrecks and shoals. The table lists the named marks near Lewes.
| Name | Type | Size | Depth | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outer Wall (Delaware Breakwater / Harbor of Refuge) | rock wall | rock jetty outside Roosevelt Inlet | ||
| Inner Wall | rock wall | |||
| Ice Breakers (the Haystacks) | ||||
| Gypsum Prince | steel barge wreck, sunk 1942 | 357 ft | 48 ft | inshore of Cape Henlopen |
| Star Dust | fishing vessel wreck | 90 ft | 104 ft (least depth) | northeast of the breakwaters |
| Mars-54 | crane barge wreck, sank 1979 | 79 ft | east-northeast of Cape Henlopen | |
| Old Grounds | ||||
| Fenwick Shoal | shoal |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Outer Wall (Delaware Breakwater)
The Outer Wall, also called the Delaware Breakwater or Harbor of Refuge, is the rock jetty outside Roosevelt Inlet. Anglers casting Rebel WindCheaters along the rocks of the Outer and Inner Walls have taken rockfish.
Inner Wall
The Inner Wall fishes the same way as the Outer Wall. Rebel WindCheaters have taken rockfish along its rocks too.
Ice Breakers (the Haystacks)
The Ice Breakers, known as the Haystacks, are a named structure ground near Lewes.
The bay mouth and the Cape Henlopen surf
The mouth of Delaware Bay has produced stripers on trolled Stretch 25s and 30s and on drifted live eels. The Cape Henlopen surf is the shore option, fished with sand fleas.
Wrecks and shoals offshore of the walls
- Gypsum Prince: a 357-ft steel barge sunk in 1942, in 48 ft of water inshore of Cape Henlopen. It is the inshore wreck of the group.
- Star Dust: a 90-ft fishing vessel northeast of the breakwaters. The 104 ft figure is the least depth, so expect deeper water around the wreck.
- Mars-54: a 79-ft crane barge that sank in 1979, east-northeast of Cape Henlopen.
- Old Grounds: a named ground near Lewes.
- Fenwick Shoal: also holds blues, Spanish mackerel, and triggerfish. For those species, see our coastal and offshore gamefish guides.
Chart layers are not for navigation.
How stripers are fished here
Four methods cover the local fishing. Two work the bay mouth, one works the walls, and one works the beach.
Trolling Stretch 25s and 30s
Trolled Stretch 25s and 30s have produced stripers at the mouth of the bay.
Drifting live eels
Live eels drifted through the same bay-mouth water have produced stripers.
Rebel WindCheaters on the walls
Cast Rebel WindCheaters along the rocks of the Outer and Inner Walls.
Sand fleas from the surf
Sand fleas are the bait for stripers from the Cape Henlopen surf.
Who fishes them out of Lewes
These local charters list striped bass:
- MandaLu Enterprises: MandaLu, formerly Savannah Lynn, is a 36-ft Stapelton that carries 16 passengers and docks at Lewes Harbour Marina.
- Shooter Dog Charters: Book by texting Chris.
FAQ about striped bass fishing out of Lewes
When do stripers show up at Lewes?
MandaLu runs stripers April and May, then October through December.
What lures work on the walls?
Rebel WindCheaters have taken rockfish along the rocks of the Outer and Inner Walls. The bay mouth has produced fish on trolled Stretch 25s and 30s and drifted live eels.
How deep is the Gypsum Prince?
48 ft. It is a 357-ft steel barge sunk in 1942, inshore of Cape Henlopen.
Who runs striper charters out of Lewes?
MandaLu, a 36-ft Stapelton for 16 passengers at Lewes Harbour Marina, and Shooter Dog Charters, booked by texting Chris. Both list striped bass for anglers who want a charter instead of running their own boat.
Where are the striped bass rules for Lewes?
On the Delaware regulations page linked above. Check the rules for bay or ocean water before you fish.
