DELAWARE- Delaware surf fishing permits and State Parks annual passes will be on sale starting at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, November 28. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has also announced that the daily advanced drive-on reservation program which was piloted in 2023 for peak days during the summer has become permanent.
DNREC says annual state parks passes and surf fishing permits can be bought at any state park and at DNREC’s Dover campus Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can also be purchased online here, with delivery at about two to three weeks.
Annual passes are an easy way to access Delaware’s state parks throughout the entire fee season from March 1 to Nov. 30. The annual pass costs $35 for Delaware residents and $70 for non-residents. Those ages 62 and older get a discounted rate of $18 for residents and $35 for non-residents. A $65 lifetime pass is available for Delawareans 65 and older, the Delaware Military Pass is available for $17.50, and an Assistance Program Pass is available for $10.
Delaware firefighters and emergency medical technicians can also get an annual pass or surf fishing permit for free. Those who qualify must first get an application from their fire company or the Delaware Volunteer Firefighters Association. The completed form must be taken to a state park office to receive the pass or permit.
DNREC says anglers using the drive-on reservation system on peak weekends and holidays from Memorial Day to Labor Day, a total of 33 days, must secure a reservation for one of the seven locations where surf fishing is permitted. Peak weekend reservations for Saturday, May 25, 2024, will go on sale May 21, 2024, in the same way reservations were offered in the 2023 season. The weekend before Memorial Day will no longer be considered a peak weekend. DNREC will continue to evaluate and make improvements to the surf fishing program as needed moving forward.
Both one- and two-year annual surf fishing permits enable year-round drive-on access to Delaware State Parks multi-use beaches, including peak weekends and holidays with a reservation. For visitors not interested in visiting during peak times, off-peak permits will be available at a lower cost.
Surf fishing permit rates remains unchanged for 2024. The surf fishing permit fee for Delaware residents is $90 and $180 for out-of-state residents. Delaware residents ages 62 and older will receive a discounted rate of $80. The off-peak permit fee for Delaware residents is $70, while the fee for out-of-state residents is $140. For off-peak permits, Delaware residents 62 and older will get a discounted rate of $60.
For more information on the surf fishing program, you can visit Delaware State Parks website.
DNREC’s annual auction of low-digit surf fishing license plates started Nov. 21 and will remain live at usgovbid.com through Thursday, Dec. 7. The online auction benefits Delaware State Parks.
Bidders will have the option to bid on 15 tags including Nos. 37, 49, 120, 244, 366, 422 and on nine “choice” categories, ranging from tags 38 to 9999. For the choice tags, the highest bidder in each range can choose an available number. The minimum bid for a low-digit surf fishing plate is $250. By state law, surf-fishing tags numbered 1 through 200 are limited to vehicles registered in Delaware.
The auction of low-numbered plates was authorized by the Delaware General Assembly in 2015 and allows the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation to auction low-digit tags to the highest bidder.
A low-digit surf fishing tag does not allow drive-on surf fishing access – a valid surf fishing permit is still required.