The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) reminds anglers that their freshwater trout program is a self-supporting put-and-take fishery, with rainbow, brown and/or brook trout stocked in selected streams in New Castle County and in selected ponds in Kent and Sussex counties. A license and trout stamp are required to fish for trout in Delaware (four fish per day in fly fishing streams, six trout per day in all other streams), fees from which are used to purchase trout from commercial hatcheries.
Delaware’s 2021 downstate pond trout season opened early in 2021 to minimize opening day crowds and accommodate responsible outdoor recreation during COVID-19). The 2021 freshwater trout season at Tidbury (Kent County) and Newton (Sussex County) Ponds opened as of March 6, while freshwater trout fishing in New Castle County opens at 7 a.m. on Saturday April 3, 2021.
Residents 16 years of age and older but not over 65 years old are required to have a fishing license ($8.50). Residents 12 through 15 years old, are required to have a young angler trout stamp ($2.10). Residents 16 years and older but not over 65 are required to have a trout stamp ($ 4.20) when fishing in a designated trout stream on or between the first Saturday in April and June 30 and on or between the first Saturday in October and November 30 of the same year.
Non-residents 16 years of age and older are required to have a license ($20 annually or $12.50 for seven consecutive days). Non-residents 12 years of age and older are required to have a trout stamp ($6.20) when fishing in a designated trout stream on or between the first Saturday in April and June 30 and on or between the first Saturday in October and November 30.
Delaware fishing licenses and trout stamps can be purchased online, in-person at an authorized license agent, or at the licensing desk inside DNREC’s Richardson and Robbins Building, at 89 Kings Highway, in Dover, DE. For license information online go to dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/licenses.
