Boy oh boy, did Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin stir up a hornets’ nest when he announced the new rules for the surf-fishing permits in 2023. I am always amazed that so many people adopt the negative outlook to anything new instead of taking a few moments to read the new rules and look for the positive side.
The biggest complaint seems to be the new reservation system. From the third weekend in May to Labor Day, you will pay a $4 reservation fee to drive on the beach Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is after you pay for your annual surf-fishing permit, and you must purchase the full permit. The restricted permit will not work with the reservation system.
Let’s say you fish every weekend all summer long. You will have to pay $8 per weekend. That’s less than the cost of a dozen bloodworms. Now consider the benefits. If you want to sleep in on Saturday, no problem. With your reservation, you are guaranteed a spot on the beach even if you arrive after the state park has reached capacity. Want to leave to pick up late-arriving guests? Once again, no problem. You can always get back on the beach with your reservation.
Reservations will be easy to make. You can use your desktop computer or mobile device, or the DNREC call center. Reservations will be available up to 4 p.m. on the day so long as space remains. Reservations will be made on the same weekday beginning with the peak surf-fishing season. DNREC will announce what day that will be at a later date. Reservations will be first-come, first-served, which may cause some problems during holiday weekends. I can see the same gold rush mentality as we saw with the surf-fishing permits last year.
This does mean I will have to change my surf-fishing schedule. I usually go up on the beach early in the morning and get off by 10 a.m. Now it looks like I will be fishing in the evening.
Those of us who have been fishing the Delaware beaches for a long time certainly have noticed the changes. There are a lot more people on the beach who don’t fish and don’t have any intention of fishing. They come to swim, sunbathe and generally enjoy the beach. Personally, I have no problem with this. Delaware State Parks uses surf-fishing permits as a means to control the people who drive onto the beaches, and I have no problem with that either.
Clark Evans, president of Delaware Mobile Surf-Fishermen, released a statement Nov. 4, where he supported the no-cap sale of surf-fishing permits, but had some problems with the reservation system. He was a member of the surf-fishing stakeholders’ meetings, and he expressed those feelings during the gatherings held throughout the summer. The same concerns were expressed by the membership at the DMS meeting I attended in October.
To comment on the new surf-fishing permits, email delawaresurfpermits@delaware.gov. To read the entire regulations on the surf-fishing permits, go to destateparks.com/surftagsales.
Cape Henlopen restaurant proposal
The only subject that has gotten more negative comment than the surf-fishing permits is the proposed new restaurant at Cape Henlopen State Park. From the letters to the editor I have read, you would think they were proposing a nuclear power station instead of a restaurant.
Come on, folks, they are not tearing down paradise to put up a parking lot. The parking lot is already there. They just want to put up a restaurant.
My understanding is the same people who operate the restaurant at Indian River Inlet will build and operate this one at Cape Henlopen. I have eaten there and fish right next to it, and I have not seen an abundance of trash or any sign that the business has degraded the area in any way.
Some letter writers would have you believe that Cape Henlopen State Park is this pristine location untouched by human intrusion. Guess they haven’t been there on a Fourth of July weekend. Cape Henlopen State Park is extremely popular, and it draws capacity crowds on most summer weekends. The addition of a restaurant is not going to be noticed in the overall scheme of things. Once the park has reached capacity, the folks who are there may enjoy the restaurant, but no new customers can enter until people begin to leave. Dinner guests may add a few more people during the evening.
I think the new restaurant will be a good addition to the amenities at Cape Henlopen State Park. The folks who plan to build and operate it have a good track record at Indian River Inlet, and they should be allowed to do the same here.
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Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age. Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He has been the regional editor for several publications and was the founding editor of the Mid-Atlantic Fisherman magazine. Eric is the author of three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing and Fishing Saltwater Baits. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.
