Article by Rick Willman
Hi folks. Did you ever try “kite fishing” for flounder or stripers? It may be something we want to try if these winds don’t stop. It certainly has put a damper on the fishing action.
The flounder in the back bays have started to spread out and will soon be found in the usual summertime spots. The area around Burton’s Island and the holes off Gull Point are starting to hold fish. A few bluefish are beginning to move in and stripers are also beginning to travel.
Eric at Rattle & Reel Sports Center on Long Neck Road tells us that flounder are still being caught in the VFW Slough of the Indian River and stripers have been hooked in Rehoboth Bay on fresh bunker.
At Henlopen Bait & Tackle on Savannah Road in Lewes, Denise reported a 10.20 pound tautog caught at the Wall by Debra Snedley of Milton, DE. She also reported stripers at Herring Point and a mix of blues and flounder from the pier at Cape Henlopen State Park.
From Hook’em & Cook’em Bait & Tackle in the Indian River Marina, Mrs. Bert (Deanna) reported that rockfish have still been hitting in the Indian River Inlet, but have admittedly slowed down some now that the water temperature is on the rise. You will probably see more smaller ones being brought in than larger ones now. With that said, Bill Winkler of Frankford, brought in a 42.9 pounder that he caught while fishing in the Inlet using a live hickory shad. For fishing the Inlet, Storm lures and flies are the tackle that most are choosing, but if you are able to catch bunker, herring or even a shad (and keep them alive) you can use them to land a nice keeper as well.
Rockfish are still in the surf, but word has it that the blues are starting to show up as well. Most surfcasters are still using fresh bunker. Remember, the key to using bunker is to cut the head off about a 1/2" back from the gill. Use the remainder of the fish as chunks for the bluefish. The tautog bite has slowed a bit in the Inlet. Marcus Munday of Felton, DE brought a 6.6 lb. fish in on Thursday. He beat his father fishing, but we won't rub it in.
Flounder are still being caught in the back bays. Debbie Roach of Wilmington DE brought in a 4 lb. flounder on Sunday. She was fishing with her family (the only girl and the only one to catch a fish on a pink rod) in the inlet. She was using a minnow on a bucktail. The bait and tackle of choice has now changed to minnows and squid on a variety of things from plain bottom hooks to bucktails to green machines. I guess the fish are hungry and not too picky about color.
Drum fishing is starting up in the Delaware Bay on the Coral Beds. A young man named Lucas May caught an 85 pounder. The fish looked to be as big if not bigger than the angler. Use whole surf clams for those monster black drum.
Offshore fishing has not started yet, and we can't wait to see the first yellowfin hit
the table. I have not heard of any bluefins being fished for out in the ocean. Let's hope that they will fill the void when tautog fishing closes and we wait for the sea bass season to open.
Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said wind-hampered anglers during the last few days of the spring tog season, which closed on May 12th. However, when conditions were better, boaters found blackfish cooperative along the rocks of the Inner and Outer Walls and at the Ice Breakers. The Star Site and Brown Shoal artificial reefs gave up tog also. Robert Adams got a 9.2 pounder while togging at the Outer Wall. Jo Hershey hooked her 9.19-pound citation winner at the Wall aboard the “Miss Kirstin”. Kevin Knotts captured a pair of citation tog weighing 7.7 and 7.5 pounds at the Breakers. Rick Shoemaker checked in a 7.6 pound tog, and Brian Staller stuck one 7.38 pounds. Tog season reopens on July 1st.
Striped bass made an appearance along the Outer Wall. Anglers reported success while drifting and casting artificials to the rocks during moving current. Favored hard baits included Bomber, Rapala, MirrOLure and Stretch 12+ plugs. Soft plastics such as Storm shads, Bass Assassin Sea Shads, Gulp! 6-inch grubs and jerk shads also worked well.
Black drum were caught along the edges of Broadkill Slough, in the Coral Beds and on the submerged piles off Slaughter Beach, but the big bite has yet to materialize. Drum action should pick up around the approaching new moon.
Joe mentioned that the shop will have fresh surf clams for the next few weeks, but suggests calling ahead to reserve bait for your trip.
Flounder fishing was good in the Lewes Canal. Most flatties were short of the 18½-inch minimum, but flukers culled enough keepers to make it worthwhile. Jigs tipped with minnows, shiners, smelt or bunker strips were effective. Gulp! Swimming Mullet in pearl white, chartreuse or pink were also popular offerings.
The Annual Lewes Harbour Canal Flounder Tournament will be held Friday, May 21. Fishing is to be done by boat and is confined to the Lewes Canal, Broadkill River and Roosevelt Inlet from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on that day. Entry fee is $25 per angler, $5 of which is donated to the Camp Awareness Youth Fishing Programs. Contestants must sign up and pay cash at Lewes Harbour Marina before May 21. Cash prizes will be awarded for the six heaviest flounder caught and weighed in by properly registered anglers during fishing time that day. Entry monies go into a pool, and the value of the prizes will be determined by the number of fishermen. The more anglers, the bigger the prizes! Call 302-645-6227 for further details.
As I said earlier, we hear that the flounder are starting to spread out and are being found in the usual spots. Wally Jackson fished in the Rehoboth Bay and caught a 22-inch flattie. Steve Bishop fished from the pier at Massey’s Ditch and landed a 5 lb. 14 oz. flounder. Amanda Williams of Millsboro, DE took a 23 lb. 2 oz. striper from the Indian River Inlet. Jim Musumeci took his boat, “Renegade” to Site #10 and caught an 8 lb. 15 oz tog. On the same trip, Dalice Cordy boated a 7 lb. 12 oz. tog and Richard Cordy gave them all a schooling with his 9 lb. tog.
On a final note, in an effort to raise money for the family of fellow fisherman Joel Thompson who was lost in the Indian River Inlet, local bait & tackle shops have banded together to collect funds for the family in this trying time. All contributions are greatly appreciated and you should find a container at Bill’s Sport Shop, Rick’s Bait & Tackle, Old Inlet, Henlopen Bait & Tackle, Ole Salt, Lewes Harbour Marina, Rattle & Reel and A & R Bait & Tackle.
‘Til next week, have fun and be safe!
Rick and his wife Deb are owners of Rick’s Bait & Tackle in Long Neck, DE.