Article by Capt. BJ Pietryak
This week brought the summer heat. It was in the mid 90’s most of this week and everyone flocked to the water to escape it. The back bays were filled with boats and the shore with anglers and bathers. The key this week was to get out early.
Flounder, Blues & Rockfish
On the bay side we saw tougher fishing than in past weeks mainly due to the amount of boats stirring up the water. Flounder in the Rehoboth Bay however remain pretty strong. The area by Massey’s Ditch no wake zone was the hot spot this week. Many anglers reported that if you got there before the crowds you could take home some quality fish. Ryan West fished the bays this week and caught several nice flounder up to 19”. Bob Trento reported limits of flounder on 6/23 and 6/30 on the “Katydid” out of Lewes. Jay Kennedy also said he caught six with Capt. Keith last Sunday. He reported it was a little choppy but the fish were biting. They were weighed at Lewes Harbor. Fisherman’s Wharf ocean and bay fishing also reported great catches of flounder last Thursday. Paul Warner got a nice 19” flounder and Ryan West got a 4 fish limit in the Rehoboth Bay on Gulp. Cape Henlopen Pier is also producing some nice flatfish with Jordan Krawczyk pulling in an 18” fish along with a 12” bluefish. Bluefish are slowing down during the day, but night fishing is still producing a few on cut bait and bucktails. The stripers are still around in the bay with most fish coming near the inlet. Riley Kerr caught a 29” rockfish and his brother reeled in a 28 incher. The fish were caught on the “Gale Force” with Capt. Aaron Herd. On Wednesday Mary Mahoney caught a nice 28” striper on live eels at the inlet. Site 10 should be considered as well with several nice flounder coming out of this area in past years, along with several of the local tournament winners being caught here early in the morning.
Sea Bass, Croaker & Sheepshead
Sea Bass is slowing a little but Old Inlet Tackle reports that anglers at the Old Grounds coral beds are catching some nice keepers with a few flounder thrown in. Sheepshead and triggerfish are beginning to show up and should get really good within the next week. Sea bass and small croaker are still along all the drop offs on the coral. Find a nice chunk near the shipping channel and drift your baits along the bottom. Clam and squid are the baits of choice for now. Last year we saw a rather late season for sea bass and this year is showing the same. Perhaps the year of decreased crowds really gave these fish a chance to rebound back in bigger numbers. Deeper wrecks such as Site 11 are still producing the best chance at limits. The “Thelma Dale” out of Lewes reported that they had nice catches of sea bass and flounder on Wednesday with many anglers getting their limit of fish. The outer and inner wall as well as the Ice Breakers are producing some triggerfish, sheepshead, and tog. Site 10 is a good choice for a nice short ride and is targeted by many anglers this time of year. Lately our sources reported some sea bass, but most are small. It is best to fish this area early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid crowds and fishing pressure. Site 10 is also a good spot to target cobia.
The area between Site 10 and the Old Grounds is a great spot to set up and chum for sharks and cobia. Find a change in depth or one of the big rock areas and chum heavy. An outgoing tide is best as it will carry your chum further into deeper water and draw in more fish. Fenwick Shoals is also starting to produce some nice fish. It’s a great spot for sharks and cobia. In past years, several of the wrecks such as the Boiler have produced nice triggerfish. A reminder ... if you hook a triggerfish, leave it in the water and quite often the others will follow it up to the surface allowing anglers to catch a plethora of this specie. Squid and sand fleas work great for triggerfish as well as sea bass and croaker. Fenwick Shoals is a short run from Indian River as well as Ocean City. The main concern with this area is many divers frequent the area because of the shallow water, be aware of this and give the dive boats plenty of room for safety.
Surf Fishing
Surf fishing is in true summer mode. I fished Key Box Beach last Sunday and caught several northern kingfish. Next to me was Rob Farris and Gary Lord who caught multiple kings on both live and artificial bloodworms. They really had it dialed in and were releasing all their fish, but it should be stated that kingfish are great table fare. Matt from Fenwick Tackle says lots of spot are in the surf now as well as a few nice sized flounder. Crabbing and clamming remain good in the back bays, however, not as plentiful as last year. Lower oxygen levels may have something to do with this.
Till next week...
Tight lines and fins up
