About the pier

Address: 107 Woodland Avenue, Smyrna, DE 19977
GPS: 39.33189, -75.47244

Last visited

September 19, 2026

Woodland Beach Fishing Pier is in Smyrna, DE, on Delaware Bay.

A short walk from a paved lot brought us to a timber pier on Delaware Bay, with benches, portable toilets and people fishing along the rails.

Where to park

On our visit, the paved lot put us a very short walk from the pier. Our photos show marked accessible spaces facing the water, with portable toilets beside them. We did not measure the walking distance, slopes or clearances. No parking charge was collected and we saw no payment signs; that does not establish a permanent fee policy. DNREC confirms that this fishing pier is exempt from the Conservation Access Pass, but that exemption does not cover every parking area in the wider wildlife area.

Map pin precision: unknown. This is not a verified entrance or parking-space pin.

DNREC Delaware Tidal Fishing Access Areas · Checked October 2026
DNREC Woodland Beach overview and 2026-2027 wildlife-area rules · Checked October 2026

Access & hours

Status: Open

Access hours

People were fishing along the rails during our visit. At the entrance we photographed the rule: Area closed dusk to dawn except for fishing.

The sign at the lot also states that the area is closed sunset to sunrise except to lawfully hunt and fish. It prohibits glass containers and requires carry-in/carry-out.

The fishing exception allows night fishing; it is not permission to camp or leave a vehicle unattended indefinitely. DNREC's 2026-2027 general rules also allow entry outside daytime hours for lawful fishing, hunting or boating.

We reviewed DNREC's current general rules and access listing on October 9. They do not give a bayside-pier seasonal closure schedule. Pond, impoundment and hunting-area restrictions are separate. This is not confirmation that there are no temporary closures: for current pier status, call DNREC at 302-739-9912 and follow posted notices.

DNREC Woodland Beach overview and 2026-2027 wildlife-area rules · Checked October 2026

Costs & licenses

During our visit, we were not charged to park, walk onto the pier or fish, and we saw no signs requiring payment. These are costs observed on that visit, not a guarantee of future free access. DNREC's Conservation Access Pass page expressly exempts the Woodland Beach fishing pier; a pass may still be needed if you drive into other parts of the wildlife area. The exemption is not a fishing-license exemption.

The fee evidence is our written site-visit record, not a photograph of a permanent fee policy. Seasonal or residency-based pier charges were not established by the visit.

Fishing license

Delaware generally requires a fishing license for fishing, crabbing and clamming. Children under 16 need neither a license nor a FIN. Delaware residents 65 or older are license-exempt with proof of age and residency but need an annual FIN if fishing. Anglers 16 or older need a free annual FIN, issued automatically with an individual license; FIN is not needed if only crabbing or clamming. Other exemptions are listed on the official license page. DNREC expressly exempts the Woodland Beach fishing pier from the Conservation Access Pass. Its education map says general fishing rules apply; no separate pier permit was identified in the official pages reviewed, but a definitive pier-specific permit policy remains unconfirmed. Ask DNREC at 302-739-9918 if your planned activity needs additional authorization.

Delaware Fishing Guide – Fishing License Information (2026) · Checked October 2026
DNREC Woodland Beach education map and visitor rules · Checked October 2026
DNREC Conservation Access Pass exemptions · Checked October 2026

Fishing

From the lot, our visit took us onto a timber pier stretching into Delaware Bay. The photos show side railings and benches at the wider end, with light poles and railing-mounted cutting boards. People we spoke with reported catching crabs, an eel and catfish. We recorded their accounts in our visit notes, but did not independently identify the catches or their exact species. This is a snapshot of conversations on one day, not a claim that those catches are common or a forecast for your trip. We have not verified pier-specific peak seasons, water depth, bait or methods. Plan around the posted access rules and check the official Delaware fishing regulations for the species you intend to target.

Pier-specific species abundance, seasons, bait and methods have not yet been verified. No photo evidence identifies these reported catches. Ask DNREC's fisheries team at 302-739-9912 about current local fishing information before planning around a particular species.

Facilities

Restrooms

Our photos show portable toilets beside the lot. These record the facilities present that day, rather than a promise about year-round availability. Toilet seasonality and accessibility remain unverified; ask DNREC about facilities if your trip depends on them.

Benches & lighting

Lighting: Poles observed; operation unverified.

Benches sit at the wider end of the pier, beside visible light poles and railing-mounted cutting boards. We did not test the lights. After-dark lighting remains unverified; bring a light for night fishing.

Accessibility & families

Accessible parking & Bench seating

Reserved accessible parking spaces and bench seating are documented.

Pier surface

The photographed pier deck is timber, with a concrete entrance; the full parking-to-pier route has not been assessed.

DNREC's Woodland Beach education map describes the fishing pier as accessible. Our visit photos document reserved parking and bench seating, not measured slopes, clearances or an accessible toilet. Confirm the route and facilities with DNREC at 302-739-9912 before a visit that depends on mobility access.

The complete route, slopes, clearances, steps or ramps, accessible toilets and accessible fishing area have not been independently assessed. ADA compliance has not yet been verified. Individual features do not establish compliance. Family suitability has not been assessed.

The visit photos show railings and benches, but we did not assess railing dimensions, child safety or the complete accessible route. For families, these are planning observations rather than a suitability rating. General advice: supervise children near the water, keep hooks and lines clear of walkways and plan for toilets whose accessibility and seasonal availability remain unverified.

DNREC Woodland Beach education map and visitor rules · Checked October 2026

Rules & safety

Posted site rules

• No swimming or diving from the pier.
• Glass containers are not permitted on site.
• Carry in, carry out: trash barrels are not provided.

The photographed signs prohibit swimming and diving, ban glass and require carry-in/carry-out. Bring a bag for used line and rubbish. The wildlife-area rules effective July 2026 through June 2027 also prohibit camping and open fires, blocking roads or ramps, and leaving a vehicle unattended over 24 hours. Wildlife-area ponds, impoundments, dikes and hunting areas have separate restrictions; permission to fish this bayside pier does not grant access to those areas. General precautions, not measured site conditions: supervise children near the water and hooks, take care on wet timber, leave if storms approach and bring a light for night fishing. We noted portable toilets but did not take note of a shelter; shelter availability remains unverified.

DNREC Woodland Beach overview and 2026-2027 wildlife-area rules · Checked October 2026