Article by Capt. BJ Pietryak
It was a week of adventure in Delaware and a haven for anglers despite the scorching heat and some powerful storms. The ocean was hot too with water temperatures hovering around 75 degrees which may be contributing to its very green color. However, these conditions didn't deter anglers from experiencing some of the best flounder fishing they've seen in years. Anglers also had to compete for their catches as cutlass fish (ribbon fish) were particularly abundant, lurking in most fishing spots, eagerly striking at baited hooks meant for other fare.
Nearshore Reefs & Coral Life
The nearshore reefs and wrecks were teeming with life, providing bountiful opportunities for anglers to reach their flounder limits with ease. While a few sea bass remain in the area, the warm water drives them to seek cooler water. Depths of 100 feet or more were required to find keepers. Jack Ditmars out of the Indian River fished the deeper waters and returned with a gratifying catch of keeper sea bass.
Jesse Buhler took to fishing off his new jet ski for the first time and found a nice haul of smaller fluke about 4 miles out. But what really stole the show was the colossal 24-inch "doormat" flounder he managed to reel in. Venturing out on a half-day trip with the charter "Chasin Tail," Gerry Meklaus and his crew set their sights on ocean structures known to Captain Mike. Their efforts yielded a successful haul of impressive flounder, and a few keeper sea bass mixed in with many shorts. Thomas Cline showcased a remarkable achievement, checking in at Hook 'Em and Cook 'Em tackle with a four-man limit of 16 flounder, the heaviest weighing an impressive 5 pounds. Cline and his buddies, Ben Besosa and Chadwick Spence, found the bounty at the Old Grounds, returning with their four-man limit before lunchtime.
Ray Maxwell showed us how you do the Lewes Harbour Stretch when shared a trophy sized 7.63 pound flounder he caught while fishing on the “Katydid”. Great job Ray! Nick Schuler from York, PA, was out at the Old Grounds on the “Sidewinder IV” jigging a homemade spro/glass and minnow bucktail and caught a truly humongous fluke measuring 23 inches. Bentley Heckrote from Sinking Spring, PA caught two big flounder, a 21.5 inch & 3.6 pounder and a 23 inch & 4.8 pounder while fishing at the Old Grounds on his dads boat the “Sea Child'. The fish were caught on Aqua-Clear rigs and Gulp from Rick's Bait and Tackle. Joell Dougherty of Ocean View, DE, shared a memorable fishing expedition to the Old Grounds, catching two almost identical fish while on Tom Swann's boat "The Right Time". The first weighing 5.8 pounds and the second tipping the scale at 6 pounds. Catching one six-pound flounder is a feat in itself, but landing two on the same trip made this outing truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Meanwhile, Michael had a productive time at the Fenwick Shoals, using small spoons to reel in around 20 spanish mackerel, with about a dozen qualifying as good-sized keepers. Eddie Hearn from Millsboro, DE, fishing with "Bad Wind Charters," had his personal best flounder catch, a 26.5-inch & 7.5-pound fattie, taken with a Bad Wind Klacker and strip bait. The charter also reported a few other limit trips with fish up to 5 pounds. Chris Smith ventured out to Site 10 and Site 11 and found plenty of small sea bass, and amidst them, a few keeper flounder. He humorously noted that the "tax man" was present, with a shark measuring around 6 or 7 feet. The keeper flounder were predominantly caught at Site 11. The "Capt Ike 2" decided to take a break from offshore fishing and secured a limit of sea bass, a handful of flounder, and even pulled in a few ling and a mahi, finishing their day's work by 11 am. Getting quick limits seems to be the norm for this year. Fred Robinson and Joseph Nicholas, along with Daryl Mergenthaler caught a quick 3 man limit of flounder and a couple sea bass at an ocean structure. They too had to deal with sharks snatching their catch. They also hooked a monster from the deep which almost spooled his spinning rod. The big fish won that battle as well as the lure.
Back Bays & Inlet Adventures
Old Inlet Tackle shared promising reports of flounder in the bay, with some weighing over five pounds. Additionally, sand fleas drifting at night along the Inlet rocks were producing small undersized rockfish. Despite the heat, many anglers found delight in catching multiple rockfish at night, even if they didn't all meet the size requirements. The Inlet flounder population seemed to cling close to the rocks. The Bay also offered juvenile spanish macks and bluefish sightings during the day. One angler, Lorrie Shumake, had a memorable day on the Bay catching flounder limits. This year, keeper fluke were more abundant and in better numbers compared to previous years. Tom Passwater had a productive solo fishing session in the Lewes Canal, landing three nice keeper fluke. Similarly, Taylor Parisi also worked the Bay and got his limit of flounder, including some impressive specimens weighing over 4 pounds. Meanwhile, Billy and Jules Mister managed to limit out on fluke, in addition to catching 15 sea bass while fishing in the Delaware Bay.
Surf Fishing, Clams & Crabs
Surf fishing enthusiasts found success with pompano rigs, reeling in nice kingfish, as well as encountering several sharks and skates. Bob Morris's recent venture just north of Tower Shores proved fruitful when he used bunker chunks to hook a large ray. Wayne Edward Dean's time in the surf led him to a pod of small bluefish, though he kindly returned them to the ocean to be caught another day. Crabbing remained robust, but anglers adopted a two-day rotation to avoid leaving crabs in the shallow water, where the excessive heat was harmful for extended periods. Clamming remained a rewarding endeavor, though the popular clam grounds had been under considerable angler pressure, leading to a scarcity of smaller clams.
As the week drew to a close, the fishing community in Delaware continued to bask in the joy of their successful angling exploits. The waters remained inviting, promising new adventures and bigger catches in the days to come. Until next week, tight lines and fins up, as the excitement of fishing in Delaware shows no sign of waning. §
