I have been fishing Indian River Inlet for a very long time, but fishing it in 2024 will be completely different from any other year. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded contracts to repair the jetties on the north and south sides of the inlet, restricting the areas where we can fish.
The biggest blow will be on the northside where the large parking area west of the inlet bridge, including the restrooms, will be closed. This will not only impact us fishermen, but also the large number of surfers who use this area to access the beach north of the inlet. Of course, this is my favorite fishing location and has been for many years. I look forward to the early shad run there every spring, and I like to fish for blues and stripers at that location as well.
So, it looks like I will have to move, but where? The Army Corps has contracts to work on the jetties on the southside as well. My hope is they will not take up all of the parking lot there, and if I arrive early, I can find a spot for my truck.
Back in the late 1960s when we camped in a tent on the southside, I fished several spots there and had reasonable luck. It all depends on where the contractors will be working and what areas will be open.
If I read the news release correctly, the work being done under these contracts does not include the big washout on the northside just west of the bridge, where the fence has been up for years in a vain attempt to keep fishermen out of danger. That $43 million job remains to be awarded. I do understand three borings will take place to determine just how bad the situation is before the engineering plans can be developed. A couple more big nor’easters or one big hurricane, and the engineering work will be done by Mother Nature.
If fishing the inlet from shore becomes too difficult, I do have a 16-foot tin boat that is no stranger to that area. When the shad show up, I can chase them by drifting the inlet and casting small spoons and shad darts, just as I would do from shore. Back when we had striped bass, I caught my share casting white bucktails while drifting the inlet, and I don’t see any difference when targeting shad.
Quite a few anglers, myself included, fish from the inlet with bait. Once again, parking will be a problem. But once you can find a legal location for your car or truck, pretty much any spot along the inlet can be fished with a reasonable expectation of success. Last year, there were quite a few sheepshead caught on sand fleas or green crabs, and I expect them to return this year. The ever-present tog will steal baits until you get the technique down of setting the hook just before they bite.
The northside will be tough because of the lack of parking, while the southside should have more open spaces. I have had good luck from the sidewalk directly under the bridge down to the jetty, but some of that area will be closed due to repair work. The sidewalk from the bridge all the way around to the end of the rocks can be productive, especially the corner at the end of the campground. I have caught blues, striped bass, shad and even a few trout there over the years. You need a hard-running current, with the incoming better than the outgoing.
The water that runs along the road from the campground back to the private housing development sees quite a bit of attention. You can park there and fish, and while I have tried this area several times, the next fish I catch there will be my first. I expect the folks who fish there on a regular basis have it figured out. I just have not put in the time to do the same.
The nighttime jetty crowd, of which I am no longer a member, is really at a disadvantage. The closest parking will be up by the bridge on the southside, and with all the construction material lying around in the dark, just getting to the jetty will be an adventure. At this point, I have no idea where you would park if you wanted to fish the north jetty.
Finally, there is Bubblegum Beach. You should be able to park back by the marina and fish that area with ease. There are flounder, blues and perhaps a trout or two that pass by there during the season. It is comfortable fishing, as you can sit in a beach chair and take it easy while waiting for a bite.
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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.
