Little River Fishing Map & Spots (DE)

Hatch outlook

White mayfly (Ephoron)Active window

Typical here: Jul 10 – Sep 10 · the famous late-summer smallmouth surface event — dusk to dark, ~7:30–9:30pm; starts on the lower Susquehanna below Wrightsville and spreads upriver; fish gorge so hard early that they can be stuffed before the hatch ends

dundusk — the whole life cycle plays out in one evening — females mate, fly miles upstream and fall spent within a couple of hours; when the blizzard is too thick, your fly disappears in the crowd — fish the edges of the swarm
spinnerfull dark, same night

Smallmouth set up in feeding lanes like trout and will not move far — accuracy beats distance.

The best conventional surface window of late summer on smallmouth rivers: small white or bone surface plugs and propbaits in the last hour of light, white inline spinners run upstream through the feeding lanes, or a bubble with a White Wulff.

The event happens over sand- and silt-bottom runs with moderate current, feeding lanes below riffles

PRO Stage timing, the bite read and tactics are part of Pro.

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Little River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Little River on the board.

Fishing Little River: what the data says

3 km of the Little River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 12 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.

Traced from the shoreline, Little River runs 449 acres with 5 miles of edge. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.1 mi with a 0.5-mi widest point. The nearest mapped water is Moores Lake, 6 mi to the southwest.

Rainbow Trout fishing at Little River

In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 12 ft, and they winter in 2 to 12 ft. Current seam (mile 0.1) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon
Summer	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon
Fall	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals
Winter	2 to 12 ft	dawn	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white)

Smallmouth Bass fishing at Little River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 12 ft through summer, 4 to 12 ft in winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 0.1), a current seam in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Ned rig, Tube jig
Summer	4 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig
Fall	4 to 12 ft	midday & dawn	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Jerkbait, Blade bait
Winter	4 to 12 ft	midday	Current seam (mile 0.1) (6 ft)	Blade bait, Hair jig

Channel Catfish fishing at Little River

Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 12 ft covers summer, 4 to 12 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9), a creek channel in the 4 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (4 ft)
Summer	4 to 12 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (4 ft)
Fall	4 to 12 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (4 ft)
Winter	4 to 12 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (4 ft)

Common Carp fishing at Little River

In spring, common carp run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 12 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for fall common carp. Time it for early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	open water
Summer	2 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	open water
Fall	3 to 12 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (4 ft)
Winter	4 to 12 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9) (4 ft)

Notable structure

2 pieces of structure are mapped here — Current seam (mile 0.1), around 6 ft, is the deepest of them.

Current seam (mile 0.1): current seam, around 6 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 1.9): creek channel, around 4 ft

Little River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Delaware waters are set by the Delaware DNREC — and special regulations can apply to Little River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Delaware fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Little River?

Little River is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Little River?

Anglers target rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, common carp on Little River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on Little River?

Current seam (mile 0.1) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.

When is the best time to fish Little River?

For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Little River?

Fishing on Little River is regulated by the Delaware DNREC. Check the official Delaware regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Moores Lake 6 mi · Silver Lake 6 mi · Derby Pond 9 mi · McGinnis Pond 10 mi · Andrews Lake 10 mi · Garrisons Lake 11 mi · Masseys Mill Pond 12 mi · Coursey Pond 13 mi · Lake Como 13 mi · Killens Pond 14 mi · McColley Pond 14 mi · Silver Lake (Milford) 17 mi

See how Little River stacks up: best channel catfish lakes in Delaware · best common carp lakes in Delaware

Browse all Delaware fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.