Article by Capt. BJ Pietryak
Despite the challenging weather in Delaware last week, marked by thunderstorms and intense heat, the fishing scene remained undeterred and lively! Flounder, in particular, have been abundant, and anglers have been treated to some other remarkable catches as well.
Nearshore Structure & Reefs
Jeff McCoy, hailing from Birdsboro, PA had a memorable experience at the Fenwick Shoals. He was anchored and originally targeting sharks with a mackerel filet, when he unexpectedly hooked and brought aboard a massive king mackerel. This magnificent fish measured an impressive 56 inches in length with a girth of 24 inches, weighing in at 52.7 pounds. Incredibly, this catch is now pending as a new state record beating the last one of 48 lbs. 9 ozs. set in 1992!
Capt. Richard Harpel, aboard the "Flip N Fins," had a successful outing at the Fenwick Shoals as well, catching several spadefish and sea bass. Employing free-lined clams with a 15-foot, 12lb leader and a red 1/0 hook while anchored over a wreck, the team managed to make some exceptional catches. Additionally, Eric and his crew had a fruitful day, live lining stripers at the mouth of the Delaware Bay.
Capt. Keith Beebe of "Surface Tension" reported exceptional flounder fishing, boasting a five-man limit on one outing and a four-man limit on another, with Gigi Law and her crew capturing the boat's first citation of the year with a 7.76 lb. flattie. All the flounder were expertly caught over ocean structures using Gulp bait, and their catches were weighed at Lewes Harbour Marina.
Lewes Harbour Marina also celebrated successful fishing trips for various groups, including Bob Wham, David Wham, Bob Wooster, Pat D’Amico, and Kevin Burns on the "Chasin Tail" with Capt. Mike Faust, who returned with a mix of sea bass and flounder. Additionally, Gerry Meklaus, accompanied by his son and grandkids, enjoyed a half-day trip with a plethora of hook-ups, resulting in the capture of five sea bass and three flounder.
Capt. Chris Adams of the "Judy V" reported excellent flounder and sea bass fishing throughout the week. Both the "Judy V" and "Capt. Bob II" encountered less-than-optimal drift conditions at times but still managed to haul in quality fish in significant numbers. The boats proudly displayed several large flatties and sizable sea bass, providing anglers with a delightful bonus.
Rich Morgan embarked on a successful expedition to the DE/NJ Reef from Indian River, returning with limits of flounder and numerous nice sea bass.
On the "Katydid," Ernie Stone was fortunate to reel in a 7 pound flounder, which was duly weighed in at Lewes Harbour Marina.
Jim Hammell had an exceptional day offshore from Indian River Marina, bringing back a limit of flatfish, many of which exceeded 20 inches.
Fishing on the "Inconclusive," David Price, Chris Beard, and Anita Becklin-Tyndall had a remarkable day nearshore, returning with a variety of dinner fare, a testament to their angling expertise.
Back Bay & Inlet
The 6th Annual Paradise Bay Flounder Tournament took place last weekend, with the first day graced by beautiful weather, attracting a multitude of anglers competing for the best positions in Indian River Bay. The second day, however, brought storms and strong winds, prompting many anglers to remain at the docks for safety. Despite the challenging conditions, the final results unveiled Luke Horney as the champion, with a massive bay flounder measuring 24 1/8” and weighing 5.9 pounds. John Coffiey was a close contender with a 23 7/8 inch, 5.9-pound fish, and both anglers were part of the "Yahoos Fishing" team. Matthew Schuler secured third place with a 24.5-inch, 5.7-pound flounder, while Steven Matarese Jr. captured fourth place with a 24-inch, 5.5-pound flounder. Paul Caras clinched fifth place with a flounder measuring 23 1/4” and weighing 5.5 pounds. Daryl Merg took sixth place, and Robert Carpovich, the first out-of-state angler, secured seventh place. Remarkably, local Delaware anglers dominated the top six spots, underscoring their fishing prowess. Congratulations to all participants and winners for contributing to yet another fantastic tournament.
As a reminder, the upcoming Flounder Pounder Open is scheduled for August 16-20, with registration opening on July 31st. It is the world’s richest flounder tournament with a $100,000 prize for 1st Place.
The "Capt.'s Lady" enjoyed a fruitful week of charters, managing to secure croakers, kingfish and flounder. Ron Vanaman achieved an impressive feat, catching two nice flounders weighing in at 4 lb., 2 oz., and 4 lb., 11 oz. Consequently, Ron triumphed in the flounder derby taking both first and second place. The crew also added a 3 lb., 11 oz. flounder to their impressive haul.
Zack Hildreth had an eventful day on the Delaware Bay with his first two drops resulting in two 7.5 pound fish. However, Bruce Hildreth surpassed everyone by landing a magnificent 10.5 pound sheepshead, and the crew caught several other nice flounders over 18 inches—a truly exceptional day in the bay!
Joy Mango, celebrating daughter Brie Custis's birthday, had a delightful time on the bay, capturing some truly nice flatfish for a celebratory birthday dinner.
Kayaking in the Lewes Canal, Tracy Roles successfully reeled in a remarkable 22.5 inch flounder weighing over 3 pounds.
Surf Fishing
Lowell Salzman, Jr., accompanied by Kellie Morris, had an enjoyable time reeling in a ton of spot, snappers, and a few flounder from the northside surf. The fish fell for mullet rigs, adding to their memorable fishing experience.
Tom Scibek skillfully utilized floating jig heads in sizes 3/0 and 4/0, leading to successful outings every day. The floating jig heads proved effective in keeping the bait within the strike zone, resulting in some nice fluke catches.
In a thrilling occurrence, David Moore encountered a redfish blitz for two consecutive nights, successfully capturing four trophies. Although some fish managed to escape the hook, the abundance and size of the redfish population in local waters have been a delightful surprise this year.
Until next week…
Tight Lines and Fins Up!
