Article by Larry Jock
At the Hook’em & Cook’em Tackle Shop in the Indian River Marina, Capt. Bert Adams reported that the flounder bite in the Indian River Inlet picked up last week, highlighted by a 10 lb. 3 oz. flattie caught on Sunday. The angler hooked the big flounder on a 6-inch pink Gulp! grub by the Coast Guard Station. Bert said that Wednesday and Thursday were the best days last week with keepers caught on cut bait and Gulp!
Also in the bay, a few short stripers and some bluefish are being caught around the Coast Guard Station. No reports of triggerfish or sheepshead this past week.
In the back bays and creeks, a few croaker have shown up around Holt’s Landing along with some small spot.
After a brief lull, there were definitely more flounder caught on ocean structure recently, especially around the Old Grounds. Bert laid a theory on me that I hadn’t heard before. An oldtimer once told him that flounder will move into the bays and inlets on the full moon and back to deeper water on ocean structure on the new moon. Bert swears that this has held true. ?On Saturday, anglers on the headboat, “Capt. Bob II” had a boat limit of 64 keeper flounder caught on various cut baits (sea robin, dolphin, bluefish).
In the surf, kingfish and short flounder are providing action during the day. Bert said that surfcasters have also spotted schools of bunker close to shore with some bluefish feeding underneath. At night, it’s the normal menu of skates and sharks, with big 8-foot sand tigers hitting baits kayaked 150 yards off the coastline.
Offshore, the tuna bite near and inside Massey’s Canyon has died off with warm water (80-degrees) and no current, creating horrible conditions. There were some bigeye tuna caught near the Bigeye Hole in the Washington Canyon along with mid-week bites in the Wilmington Canyon for anglers on overnight trips. In the Huk Big Fish Classic, Indian River boat, “Fish Whistle” captured a 190 lb. bigeye in the Washington on Sunday. Dolphin are being caught all over, from inside 20 fathoms out to the canyons. A few white marlin and blue marlin were caught and released in the Washington Canyon over the weekend.
At Lewes Harbour Marina, Bill said that there hasn’t been much change in fishing activity out of Lewes. It’s still pretty slow!
Spot and croaker have shown up in the Lewes Canal but flounder fishing has been sporadic. Those heading to ocean structure around “B” Buoy and Site 11 have seen much better flounder fishing while soaking cut bait.
Schoolie stripers have been caught by anglers jigging or drifting eels, but the best bite has been in the Roosevelt Inlet.
Sheepshead have been found around the Haystacks and the Ice Breakers.
Small to just legal size trout are being hooked around the Delaware Bay, notably the Star Site Reef.
Until next week, tight lines!
