Indian River Inlet
Delaware's top jetty and inlet fishery, famous for striped bass in the current rips.
Depth & Structure
Rock-jettied tidal inlet connecting the Atlantic to Indian River and Rehoboth bays, with strong tidal currents funneling bait through a tight channel; fishing water is the inlet mouth and jetties, bridge pilings and rock walls, the Coast Guard station wall and the north rockpile, plus back-bay channels.
Best Lures
Bucktail jigs fished near rocks and bridge pilings, small bucktails and surface plugs on the incoming daytime tide, topwater plugs at dawn or after dark, and swim shads / bucktails along grass banks on the outgoing tide in the inland bays.
Best Baits
Live bait drifted through the inlet rips is the documented striper method; live minnows are the top bait in adjacent Indian River Bay, and cut mullet / bunker are reported for back-bay flounder — inlet-specific cut-bait striper sourcing is…
Gear to Bring
Medium-heavy spinning tackle, 4000-6000 reels, 20-30 lb braid class, with bucktails heavy enough to hold near bottom in strong inlet current; sturdy footwear for jetty rock work.
Local Tips
['Timing the tides is critical — moving water triggers feeding, and the outgoing tide is reported better at the inlet for striped bass, with larger bass at night.', 'Tautog are targeted around the inlet rocks and bridge structure, mostly short fish inside…
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Related Water
Fish photos: striped bass — Wikimedia Commons · tautog — Wikimedia Commons · bluefish — Wikimedia Commons
Fishing regulations, seasons and limits change — always check the current rules for this water before you fish. Spot pins are approximate area markers, not launch or access coordinates.