Article by Rick Willman
Hi folks. Fishing in the back bays remains fair to good, but finding fish large enough to keep is a problem. There seems to be plenty of fish, but fish coming up a half-inch short continues to be what most anglers are finding.
Most of the keeper flounder are being found in deeper water and striking during the incoming tide. Areas with some structure, such as the rocks along the south side of the Indian River Inlet, are also holding bigger fish. Use larger baits and keep them bouncing off the bottom to give you the best chance at a nice size flattie, such as the 7 lb. 12 oz. flounder caught by Dave Wise on the “Kathy Ann”.
Croaker reports have been mixed. Some folks reported loads of croakers and others said they can’t find them. When fishing for croakers use either live bloodworms or FishBites artificial bloodworms to fool these scrappy critters. Both of these baits are also the ticket to catch spot. When fishing for spot be sure to use at least a #8 or #10 hook.
Bluefish can still be landed in the Indian River Inlet on the incoming tide.
Stripers are also being caught at the end of the
night time or early morning incoming tide.
Inshore action has also been tough when it comes to finding keeper size flatties. Capt. Chuck Cook of “First Light Charters” has been putting his parties on some keepers at Site #10. A few fish have also been taken around “DB” Buoy and the Old Grounds.
Offshore, the bite has cooled a bit but some tuna and dolphin are still at the Hot Dog and Hambone areas.
In the Rick’s Bait & Tackle / Sea Side Gas & Grill Offshore Tournament, the “Sharon Lee” is at the top in the Tuna Division with a 23.4 pounder. The “Stacy” is in second and third place in the tuna category, with fish weighing 15 lbs. and 16.2 lbs. The “Jasper” is close behind with a 14 pounder. They also recorded a white marlin release. The Dolphin Division is being lead by the “Moondog” with a 17.8 lb. mahi. They are also on the books with 2 white marlin releases, as does the “Joken”. The contest runs thru Saturday, so check next week’s issue for final results.
Pat from Rattle & Reel Sports Center reported a 22-inch; 3.82-pound flattie for Tim Painter of Rockville, MD while fishing outside Ginny Creek.
Capt Bill Baker at Bill’s Sport Shop reported a good croaker bite at Massey’s Ditch by anglers fishing with clams. Bill Baker Jr., went to Massey’s Ditch in the afternoon and used chartreuse Gulp! artificial baits on a speck rig to catch some croaker and a fat 23 1/2" flounder. Fishing at Indian River Inlet at night has been very productive. Nice keeper stripers are being caught on live eels. One angler took a young gentleman with him and they caught so many stripers that the young gent had to beg off. His arms were too tired and that is all his father heard about for the next few days. Paul Powalski of Bill's Sport Shop took his two nephews, Collin and Brenden, to the Indian River Inlet where the youngsters caught 15 flounder. Although most were throwbacks, Collin caught his largest ever at 18 inches. They were using tube squid. Rich Moerman Jr, was fishing at Herring Point and had several nice blues, about 14 inches, caught on mullet and freshly caught spot.
Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said the dock was buzzing over a big flounder that was brought in. Captain Vince “Killer” Keagy of the Miss Kirstin has been fishing Delaware Bay for 35 years, but said the fish he caught Saturday was his biggest yet. The 31 inch long, 11.72 pound doormat grabbed a shad dart tipped with squid at Reef Site 7, and was brought to the boat on 12 pound test line. Congratulations to Vince on his impressive catch. Other Bay anglers also had success with flatties. Joe Walker, Tom Coyle, Bobby Bryant and Veryl Burns had their limit of 16 fluke to 5 pounds, with good drift conditions on the Brown Shoal reefs Thursday. Jack Henriksen, Ricky Mills and John “Dynamo” Deiner drifted the Brown Reefs on Friday for 8 nice keepers, including Jack’s 5.21 pounder.
Bottom bouncers in the Bay also found spot, kingfish, blowfish, snapper blues, small trout and a few croakers. Anglers have been anxious for the arrival of large schools of croakers, but the hardheads have yet to show in any numbers.
Spot have been plentiful around the Cape Henlopen pier, the inner and outer walls, in Roosevelt Inlet and on the Star and Broadkill Reef Sites.
Slot size stripers were taken in the Lewes Canal with eels and clams.
Flounder action was good in the ocean on days with favorable conditions. On Thursday, flukers aboard “Katy Did” captured 11 quality keepers at Site 10, with most fish over 3 pounds. Michael Walker bucktailed a 5.8 pounder and Jerry Cuff caught a 6-pound flatfish on that trip. Captain Carey’s Saturday group on the “Grizzly” put 11 keeper flounder in the box at Site 10. Jonathan Thompson took the largest, a 6.5-pound beauty. In addition to Site 10, flatties were also found on rough bottom between “DB” and “DA” Buoys. Many ling were mixed in.
The yellowfin chunk bite at the Hot Dog was good until mid-week, but tuna were uncooperative after that. Jason and Howard Burris, Mario and Matt Disabatino and Jason Hanny, set up at the Hot Dog last Sunday for some fun with the yellowfins. They chunked tuna to the boat with butterfish, then got the fish really fired up by tossing in handfuls of live minnows. They put 9 yellowfins aboard, but the highlight happened when Matt cast a fly on his 14-weight outfit to the frenzied tuna, and after a wild battle, boated a 32.5 pounder. On Monday, Wes Major, Jim Curry, Dave Carlin, Thomas Borrell, Jim Mays, Jim Martelli and Erminio Savelloni travelled to the Dog aboard “Katy Did”, where they proceeded to chunk up 13 yellowfins and 2 dolphin. On Friday, Captain Mike Connolly on the ”Sea Note” located tuna in Massey’s Canyon, and kept 5 of 9 yellowfins caught on trolled ballyhoo. The fish weighed up to 45 pounds.
Offshore bottom fishing was good. Captain Pete Floyd and the guys on “Candy’s Choice” dropped deep in the Baltimore Canyon for 30 tilefish. The largest was a 36.3 pound golden tile landed by Pete’s grandson, Scott Davis. Billfish activity was good in the Baltimore Canyon on Saturday, with a fair number of white marlin releases. Trollers encountered decent sized yellowfins there as well. Captain Jeff Hoepfl on the “Joint Venture” overnighted in the Baltimore on Saturday for a pair of yellowfins and a swordfish.
‘Til next week, have fun and be safe!
Rick and his wife Deb are owners of Rick’s Bait & Tackle in Long Neck, DE.
