Trout season in Kent and Sussex counties begins in 15 days with a youth-only day March 1. (Photo by ANDY_BOWLIN/iStock Getty Images)
Delaware’s youngest fisherman have just a couple weeks left until trout season kicks off.
The season will officially open for youth anglers under the age of 16 at 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 1, and will be followed by the regular trout season for all anglers starting a half-hour before sunrise on Sunday, March 2.
On youth opening day, fishing will be allowed from 7 a.m. to half an hour after sunset, while on subsequent days, fishing will be permitted from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset, unless otherwise restricted.
“The DNREC Fisheries Section saw a big increase in family fishing during the pandemic – kids who had never fished before found out they loved becoming an angler,” said John Clark, DNREC Fisheries Section administrator in the Division of Fish and Wildlife. “This year marks the third trout season youth day on ponds and streams since the state’s fishing regulations were changed – the first two youth days in 2021 and 2022 were covered under the Governor’s Emergency Declaration.
Both Tidbury and Newton Ponds will be stocked with more than 300 pounds of 12- to 13-inch rainbow trout, with a second stocking planned for mid-March.
Trophy-sized fish weighing two pounds or more will be included in the stocking, adding an exciting attraction for anglers.
Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced that Tidbury Pond near Dover and Newton Pond near Greenwood will be closed to all fishing from Saturday, Feb. 15, through Friday, Feb. 28.
Closures for trout stocking
This temporary closure will allow for stocking of the fish, prevent the accidental hooking of stocked fish, and provide time for them to adjust to their new environment ahead of the upcoming 2025 downstate trout season.
Fishermen planning to fish at either pond are reminded to comply with state regulations.
A Delaware fishing license and trout stamp are required for anglers over the age of 16, and the daily possession limit for the fish is six.
Proceeds from the sale of stamps are used to fund future stocking efforts, with additional support from the federal Sport Fish Restoration program, which is funded by anglers purchasing fishing equipment.
For more information, including how to purchase licenses and trout stamps online, click here.
The 2025 Delaware Fishing Guide, which includes detailed regulations and requirements, is available both online and in printed form through license agents across the state.
Delaware’s upstate streams will open for trout fishing on Saturday, April 5, with a youth-only day, followed by the regular season for all anglers on Sunday, April 6.
“Kids and parents really enjoy DNREC’s youth days and we’ve had great participation from the start,” Clark said. “Our goal is to create lifelong anglers from the youth of today. That’s important because fish and wildlife conservation in America relies on anglers and hunters buying licenses and equipment, as the federal excise taxes on the fishing tackle and hunting gear funds the acquisition, development and maintenance of our public fishing and hunting areas – and also pays for the trout we stock in Delaware’s ponds and streams.”
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
