Blackbird Creek Fishing Guides
A quiet tidal creek in southern New Castle County, paddled and fished for largemouth bass and white perch through one of Delaware's least developed marsh corridors.
Guides on the Blackbird Creek
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About the Blackbird Creek
Blackbird Creek runs east from the farmland of southern New Castle County, through a belt of hardwood swamp, and out into the broad tidal marsh that fringes the Delaware Bay near Taylors Bridge. Much of its lower length sits inside the Blackbird Creek Reserve, part of the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, which means a working marsh corridor has been kept largely intact within an hour of Wilmington and Dover both. It is not a big water and it is not a famous one, but it is exactly the kind of creek that rewards a kayak, a tide table and a morning with nothing scheduled.
The fishing changes character with the salt. In the upper, fresher reaches it is a largemouth bass and panfish creek, with fish holding against fallen timber, undercut banks and the mouths of field ditches. Downstream, as the water turns brackish and the banks give way to spartina, white perch become the mainstay and are present in real numbers, with striped bass moving in on the bigger tides and through the spring run. Channel catfish work the deeper bends year round, chain pickerel hold in the weedy upper flats, and American eel are everywhere. Most fishing is done from kayaks and small boats, because bank access is limited by marsh.
The gauge at Blackbird reports discharge, stage and turbidity rather than temperature or salinity, and on a creek like this one the stage trace is the number that governs the day. Tide dominates the lower creek and runoff dominates the upper creek, and the two combine: a hard rain over the farmland pushes the turbidity up and the fish off for a day or two, while a settled week leaves the water clear and the upper reaches very fishable. Plan the trip around a falling tide in the marsh and a rising one if you want to get far upstream, and check the stage before committing to a long paddle.
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Access
Taylors Bridge - the hamlet near the mouth, with the closest launch to the marsh and the bay.
Blackbird - the gauge crossing and the access point on the middle creek.
Blackbird Creek Reserve - the estuarine reserve covering the lower corridor, with trails and paddle access.
Smyrna - the nearest town south, with services, tackle and lodging.
Odessa - the historic town north of the creek, and the nearest services on that side.
Augustine Beach - the Delaware River shoreline access north of the creek mouth.
Woodland Beach - the bay-front wildlife area south of the creek, with a ramp onto open water.
Seasons
Spring: the best of the year, with striped bass and white perch running the creek and largemouth moving shallow in the upper reaches.
Summer: white perch and catfish carry the fishing, worked early and late while the middle of the day goes slack and buggy.
Fall: cooling water concentrates perch and bass, the marsh turns and the paddling is at its most pleasant.
Winter: slow and cold, with fish holding in the deepest bends and only mild, calm days worth the trip.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Blackbird Creek?
As of Nov 2, 6:15 am, the USGS gauge BLACKBIRD CREEK AT BLACKBIRD, DE reads 1 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Blackbird Creek?
Anglers target American Eel, Bluegill, Carp, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, White Perch on the Blackbird Creek in Delaware.
Where can you access the Blackbird Creek?
Taylors Bridge - the hamlet near the mouth, with the closest launch to the marsh and the bay. Blackbird - the gauge crossing and the access point on the middle creek. Blackbird Creek Reserve - the estuarine reserve covering the lower corridor, with trails and paddle access. Smyrna - the nearest town south, with services, tackle and lodging. Odessa - the historic town north of the creek, and the nearest services on that side. Augustine Beach - the Delaware River shoreline access north of the creek mouth. Woodland Beach - the bay-front wildlife area south of the creek, with a ramp onto open wate...
When is the best time to fish the Blackbird Creek?
Spring: the best of the year, with striped bass and white perch running the creek and largemouth moving shallow in the upper reaches. Summer: white perch and catfish carry the fishing, worked early and late while the middle of the day goes slack and buggy. Fall: cooling water concentrates perch and bass, the marsh turns and the paddling is at its most pleasant. Winter: slow and cold, with fish holding in the deepest bends and only mild, calm days worth the trip.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Blackbird Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Delaware agency site: https://dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/fishing/