CHSP launch question

[jmt1980]

I've never been to CHSP and I can't find any details on the launch there other than it's a surf launch from the fishing pier beach... What is the trail to the launch like at CHSP? Thinking about launching their Sunday morning but I've got a Titan 13.5 and my boondocks just has the standard wheels on it. How far is it from the parking lot to the surf? Is it a decent packed trail or is it deep squishy sand that's going to make my life hell?

[mike o]

So you park in the pier parking lot and you can launch to right or the left of the pier. I always launch to the left. you will see the trail. Its been about a year since I launched there but from what I remember the trail is probably a little less than a hundred yards long, kind of packed in the beginning and then squishy. You can do it without beach wheels but its hard. You can drag your kayak across the sand without a cart but beware about half way there a couple of small pieces of concrete that stick up. Also if you launch at low tide the water is really shallow until you get out a ways.

[mchottie]

Google Earth / Google Maps shows the left side 'trail' seems to be a shorter distance from the parking lot to the water. If the trail is hard packed you should be fine, but if the trail is soft sand you may want to fold up the boonedox and just pull it to the water.

I've never been to CHSP, its on my bucket list.

[jmt1980]

That parking lot doesn' tlook like thye have trailer parking... can anyone confirm/deny whether you're allowed to use a trailer?

[mchottie]

I'm not sure about trailer parking at the pier lot, but there is a free public ramp with a ton of trailer parking:

Located just east of the DNREC building, 901 Pilottown Rd Lewes DE 19958

[jmt1980]

I've launched there, but I'm not pedaling from there out to CHSP hehehe.

[Fish123]

I have fished the canal/broadkill river only and have been wanting to make a trip to the pier. I was looking on google maps could you launch from the point parking lot to hit the inner/outer walls without as much of a paddle?

[YakMan1731]

For what it's worth I just talked to a guy at DPS and he said they're catching sheepshead at the outer wall as well as blues and flounder. If you don't have sheepshead rigs I'd consider grabbing one...could be a cool catch if you've never targeted them (I haven't but want to soon). I also asked a lady at the state park and she said the fishing pier parking lot is open 24/7. I was looking to go there in the future but wasn't sure if you had to wait til the state park opens. Sounds like it's a pretty straight forward launch. Good luck out there and definitely report back!

[Fish123]

I’ll be there for 5 days 14-19 of August and would definitely be down to paddle out to the outer wall if I had someone else with me. If you have any availability those days let me know!

[YakMan1731]

I’ll be there for 5 days 14-19 of August and would definitely be down to paddle out to the outer wall if I had someone else with me. If you have any availability those days let me know!

Absolutely, I'm available every day up until August 23rd, weekdays included (teacher life), so let's make it happen. I'd love to mess around at the outer wall if the conditions looked solid. Some neat dropoffs and contours around the area make me think there would be some sizeable fish roaming.

[Fish123]

Sounds good man! Definitely seems like a weather dependent trip for sure. Will definitely have to keep an eye on the forecasts for that week.

[jmt1980]

I anyone is bored I'm headed out of the public boat ramp Sunday AM - still exploring the fishing in that area, usually I'm fishing for bass on the western shore of MD so I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm dragging my brother-in-law too so we're getting up and heading to the ramp around 0430 (from Ocean View, DE) and hoping to catch a little bit of the tide.

[DEHIC]

I’ve seen the “Ice Breakers “ mentioned for Sheepshead in the latest fishing report. Does that refer to the Inner Wall or something else?
I’ve put in on the left side of the pier and the report of squishy sand is accurate. Dragging the kayak was a bear. There was also a substantial number of beach goers when I came in.

[mike o]

I haven't been out to them yet but the ice breakers are the 4,( I think there are 4) things that look like very large rocks sticking up to the left of the outer wall as you are looking out at the wall. They are also sometimes called the haystacks.

[Fish123]

Yeah if you’re planning on launching from the pier you need to get there really early or after 5, the parking lot on the bayside near the pier is kinda small and lots of people use the pier and beach right there. After we sold the boat and before I had the yak we would go there quite a bit and parking was always tough at peak times. I’ve been seeing pictures of that part of the bay that have looked like glass the last few days. Would be perfect conditions to get out there it hasn’t been calm in the bay every time I’ve gone this year so I’ve stuck to the canal and back creeks.