Article by Rick Willman
Hi folks! Flounder fishing remains fair to good in the back bays, although the number of keeper-size flatties seems to be on the downslide.
Please remember to be very careful in the release of undersize fish. This will allow the species to thrive and supply us with the opportunity to enjoy the sport we all love. Keeping the fish in the water while removing the hook is a plus, and if the fish is hooked deep, just cut the line as close to the hook as possible. Many people squawk about the cost of losing a hook or rig, but when compared to not being able to fish, it makes a whole lot of sense.
We really have to use some common sense to be able to preserve our fisheries. Most of us are disgusted with the way our government regulates big businesses, jeopardizing our environment without the proper ‘safety nets’, and regulating us with what seems to be some ridiculous size and creel limits. However, as a shop owner, I hear a good number of folks coming in and mentioning the fact they just threw away “X” number of pounds of fish due to the fact it was freezer burned. Wasting fish happens year after year and it makes no sense to me. If you are not going to eat the fish in a reasonable amount of time, use care and properly release the fish to be caught another day.
Fishing should be about the sport, fun and comradery, not solely to put meat in the freezer. To fill the freezer, it is cheaper to go to the market. Give this some thought, and maybe we can ensure the fun of fishing for our kids and grandkids. Thanks for listening to my two cents worth!
Reports from the Rehoboth and Indian River Bays continue to be mostly flounder action with a few bluefish around. Blowfish have made an appearance in the Rehoboth Bay. The area just inside the Indian River Inlet has been providing some fair flounder action, as well as the Middle Ditch.
Martin Tate fished Burton’s Island to score a 9 lb. 3 oz. flattie. Harry Herr fished the Inlet to trick his 8 lb. 12 oz. flounder. Dale Toomey fished Massey’s Ditch using minnows to score five flounder measuring up to 21-inches.
Bottom fishing in the ocean continues to slowly improve. The DB Buoy to the DA Buoy and the Old Grounds is giving up a few sea bass and a few flounder. The colder water temps are keeping the lingcod there also. Site #10 is holding some tog and sea bass. Capt. Chuck Cook of “First Light Charters” took Chris and Megan Kirby bottom fishing to score 11 flounder with 3 keepers measuring up to 25-inches.
Offshore action shows bluefin tuna and dolphin at Massey’s Canyon, the Hambone, the Hotdog and the 19 Fathom Lump. A few dolphin have been trolled up just east of the Delaware Lightship. Capt. Bill Burkhardt on “Toss Em Back” Charters had 1 bluefin and 4 dolphin at the lumps along the 20 line. Raymond Shirk on the “Country Boy” took Cory Hohenadel and Jason Hess to the Hambone, where they each scored a citation dolphin. Cory had a 16 pounder and Jason took an 18 pounder.
Bill’s Sport Shop in Lewes reported that Joe Yochis of Long Neck caught a 21 1/2-inch flounder at Massey's Landing using a 7" Gulp! pumpkinseed worm. Matt Langdon trolled ballyhoo at Massey’s Canyon and boated an 18 lb. dolphin. Jeff Windsor, Jeff Windsor Sr. and Alex Windsor fished the Old Grounds using bucktails and Gulp! and caught keeper sea bass, 2 keeper flounder up to 22-inches and some bluefish. Kerry Lodish, Eric McGallagher and David Hench chunked butterfish at Massey’s Canyon to land a 70 lb. bluefin and 2 dolphin. Bill Baker Jr., Mikey and Nicky fished the Indian River Inlet with a new bait called Excite, and managed three throwback flounder and one keeper at 19 1/2-inches. Brooks Zarchin, age 7, hit the beach with his dad Mike for a day of sharking, and was rewarded by bringing in his first shark. He landed 6-foot and 3-foot sand tigers, which dad quickly released to fight another day.
Capt. Ben aboard the "Wreck Stalker" called and said the bite was very light, but he did manage to get some sea bass and ling at the Old Grounds and Site 11. Lisa DiVicenzino, Brad Pecararo and Tom Kempler went to the Star Site and caught 2 keeper flounder. Tom's was 19-inches and Lisa was high hook with a 26-inch, 5.65 pounder using smelt. Vince Youndt of Stevens, PA used sand fleas to pull a 7.40 lb., 22-inch citation tautog from the rocks while fishing at the Outer Wall.
While fishing aboard the "Finology", Carol Kitchen of Lewes, DE caught and released her first white marlin on Saturday at the Spencer Canyon. Her brother-in-law, Rick Krum of Catawissa, PA, nailed an 18.1 lb. citation mahi.
Eric at Rattle & Reel Sporting Center on Long Neck Rd. said there are tog and triggerfish on the outer wall in Lewes. Small tog are being caught at Massey’s Ditch with an occasional keeper. Flounder fishing is still good in the back bays. Eric also mentioned that sea bass can be found at the DB Buoy.
Capt. Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said tuna fishing has been pretty good. Bluefins remained relatively close inshore, but the bulk of yellowfins were located quite a ride away, from the Wilmington to Lindenkohl Canyons. Bluefin action was spread out from the Twin Wrecks to the Hambone, with reports of bites at the Chicken Bone and in Massey’s Canyon as well. Crews trolling structure changes early and late in the day found tuna in both the 27- to 47- and 47- to 59-inch size classes. Squid spreader bars, Green Machines, cedar plugs and skirted ballyhoos were the preferred offerings. Many of the larger tuna fell for ballyhoo and Ilanders or heavy Jag Lure combos pulled way, way back behind the boat. A Drone spoon towed following a planer or Z-Wing got results when tuna were deep. Tuna that were spread throughout the water column responded to Butterfly Jigs as well.
Bill Wiest checked in a 44-pound bluefin from a morning of trolling in twenty fathoms. Jonathan Clarkson came all the way from Utah to join Bill on that trip, and he landed a 16.3 lb. king mackerel at the Hambone. The king grabbed a ballyhoo Ilander combo. Chris Martorana was fishing with Bill Swords on “Swords Fish” when he landed a 55.3 lb. bluefin and an 18 lb. dolphin. Eleven-year-old Saige Marie Cook boated her first dolphin and tuna, a 25 lb. bluefin at Massey’s Canyon, aboard the “Spoiled III” with Anna and Angleo Delapo. Captain Bob Wilson on the “A.J.” was surprised when his crew trolled up a 34 lb. yellowfin at the Chicken Bone on a Green Machine. The guys also had 3 nice mahi, including a 16 pounder for John Brandt. The boys on the “Reel Naughty” made the long run to the Spencer Canyon, and were rewarded with 9 nice yellowfins ranging from 40 to 50 lbs. Captain Dave Walker said catching was best early and late in the day, from 450 to 480 feet of water. They got piled on a few times with multiple bites when tuna grabbed spreader bars, ballyhoo and anything else behind the boat. Water temperature was at 75 degrees. Dave also said a couple of boats overnighted in the area and had success chunking the yellowfins after dark. White marlin were also reported in the same area.
Back inshore, boats trolling the Five Fathom Bank area found loads of snapper bluefish, along with bullet mackerel and some peanut dolphin. The gang on the “Skipjack” scored 60 bluefish on Saturday while pulling small spoons at the Cod Lump, the 4FB and the South Shoal.
Flounder fishing has been on and off in the ocean. Structure edges on the Old Grounds have yielded decent flatties on days with good drift conditions. Spro bucktail jigs with teasers were effective rigs. Tony Vansant, Tucker Chance and Fred Wright worked over the flounder at Reef Site 10 on Wednesday. They nailed 8 quality keepers, including Tony’s 6.93 pounder.
Kevin Matthews weighed a 6.06 lb. flounder that he caught on an ocean wreck.
The bay flounder bite was better this week. Fluke were found on reef sites 6, 7 and 8, but also on open bottom between 9 and 10 Buoys, and near G Buoy. Leon and Riley Zimmerman and Bob Clouser had an unusual encounter with a big hammerhead while drifting for flatties at the G Buoy on Saturday. They spotted the big shark and pitched it a live spot, which was eaten immediately. After a fun battle and some pictures, the 6+ foot shark was released.
Donnie Weitzel and Michelle Arnold were fishing at the Brown Shoal, when Michelle landed a flounder double header. One of the flatties weighed 3.25 lbs. On Monday, Joe Walker and Joe Walker, Jr. limited out on the Brown Shoal reefs while drifting squid strips on spinner hooks. The two heaviest fluke tipped the scales to 5.84 and 6.43 lbs. Sharon Beck boated a 7.24 lb. citation flounder at the Brown Shoal. Young Riley Taylor took a 4.03 lb. flattie on the “Pirate King II” with Captain Ted Moulinier. Mike Rebholtz and friends fished with Captain Pete on the “Top Fin” for 8 keepers on Thursday. The “Lil’ Angler II” returned from a half day trip at the Brown Shoal on Thursday with 6 keeper flounder. The anglers on the “Miss Kirstin” captured 6 keepers on Saturday. Boaters toggled in to the rocks of the Outer Wall and the Ice Breakers encountered tautog and triggerfish while baiting with green crabs, box crabs and sand fleas.
Mike Vespa and Mike Vespa, Jr. teamed up for a pair of chunky sheepshead weighing 6 lbs. 10 oz. and 6 lbs. 13 oz. at the Haystacks Saturday. Mike, Sr. also scored a 7.5 lb. citation tog at the stacks. Flounder continued to come from the Lewes Canal, although the keeper ratio remained low. Slot-sized stripers were also taken from the Canal by anglers bottom fishing with clams near the drawbridge. Small croakers, spot, kingfish and blowfish bit on bloodworms and FishBites from the Cape Henlopen and Cape Shores piers.
Until next week, have fun and be safe!
Rick and his wife Deb are owners of Rick’s Bait & Tackle in Long Neck, DE.