Article by Larry Jock
Welcome back to another season of the Delaware Fishing Report. If you have a picture that you would like to submit for possible inclusion in the Coastal Fisherman, all you need to do is email it, at “Actual Size” (largest size possible) to [email protected]. Make sure you include the angler name, town, fish caught, length and/or weight, bait or lure and location of catch. If you have one that could possibly be the heaviest caught so far this season, make sure you get the picture and report to us right away. Reports over 48 hours old fall out of the running. It keeps everything legit.
As far as fishing is concerned, it is no secret that we are off to a slow start. The fall/winter striper run was weak once again with warm water temperatures keeping fish to our north for an extended period of time and rapidly cooling water causing the fish to blow by us 10 to 15 miles off the beach. This was the 3rd straight year of poor late year striper fishing.
The cold water temperatures have put a damper on early season fishing as well. The Indian River Inlet is seeing temps in the high 40’s during the incoming tide and low 50’s during the outgoing. This time last year we were experiencing a great run of chopper bluefish in the surf and all over the bay. We even had some makos and yellowfins hit the scale. What a difference a year makes!
At the Hook’em & Cook’em Tackle Shop in the Indian River Marina, Capt. Bert Adams reported short stripers being caught during the outgoing tide. They don’t seem to be hitting during the incoming tide and Bert feels that it has to do with the colder water temperature. Along the rocks in the Inlet, anglers are finding short stripers, shad, a few bluefish and flounder. Some keeper flounder are being caught in the VFW?Slough where Bert had reports of a couple of anglers catching their limit. Flatties are also nibbling at baits in Massey’s Ditch.
In the surf, good size black drum are being caught, along with solid numbers of kingfish, some short striped bass and bluefish.
Bert said that the headboat, “Capt. Bob II” ventured out on Saturday and had a good catch of tautog. Anglers hooked into quite a few in the 5 to 6 lb. range and the largest tipped the scale at 10.7 lbs. Fish were caught 8 to 9 miles off the beach while mainly using green crabs for bait. Good tog reports came in from Site 11 with smaller fish at Sites 9 and 10.
Sea bass season is opening on May 15th and rumors are that we may only have a 2 week closure instead of a month in the fall. My understanding is that the decision will be made on Thursday this week.
At Fenwick Tackle, Matt Shoup reported a few black drum, small sharks and short stripers being caught in the surf with the black drum coming from the beach near 3R’s Road. The Fenwick Ditch has been disappointing so far with nothing but a few short stripers being caught.
Up in Lewes, Tommy at Lewes Harbour Marina said that a couple of flounder have been caught in the Lewes Canal along with some short stripers. Bad weather has kept anglers away from the walls, typically a good spot for those looking for tog.
Stay positive! Fishing can only get better and we have some nice weather on the way.
Until next week, tight lines!
