Article by Rick Willman
Hi folks. Fishing continued to be fairly steady with back bay catches of flounder and bluefish. The flatties are moving around and taking a variety of baits, but more catches are being reported on squid and minnows.
Bluefish are falling for just about any cut bait or any small lure you might toss out there.
Massey’s Ditch has been holding flounder, stripers and bluefish.
In the ocean, sea bass action has been fair to good. Capt. Brent Wiest on “Five 4 Fighting” scored a 4 lb. 8 oz. sea bass while fishing near “B” Buoy. Reef Site #11 has also been holding some good numbers of sea bass. Squid, minnows, clams or sand fleas are a great way to trick these tasty critters.
A few flatties have also been found in the mix. Flounder action should pick up in the ocean as water temperatures rise. Action in the Indian River and Rehoboth Bays was consistent, and Tom Wise took the opportunity to fool a 7 lb. flattie that earned him a state citation.
Stay tuned for information on the upcoming tournament we will be holding in conjunction with Sea Side Gas & Grill. The “Inshore Tournament” will be held July 17th to July 24th. At the awards presentation we will be having the “Pork Roll Project” performing. This a great blues band that will also be playing at the Pavilion on the Boardwalk in Rehoboth.
From Bill’s Sport Shop on RT# 1 in Lewes we received the current standings in their flounder tournament.
1st Place - William Rawlings - 9.45 lbs.
2nd Place - Don Ruth - 9.12 lbs.
3rd Place - John Goethe - 8.05 lbs.
4th Place - Don Ruth - 6.66 lbs.
Bill’s also reported linesiders in the Indian River Inlet, non-stop sea bass action on ocean wrecks, and drum and flounder fishing in the Delaware Bay. In the Indian River Inlet, Shawn Carpenter nailed a 17 lb., 39-inch striper on a rubber fish, Drew Martin hoisted a 19.6 lb., 39" striper over the rocks, and Kerry Lodish caught a 26.5 lb., 42" striper in addition to a 32.85 lb., 47-incher.
Shawn Baynard caught seabass weighing up to 5 lbs. with Capt. Ben on the "Wreck Stalker" and a 3 lb. lingcod using clams on a wreck south of the Indian River Inlet.
David Markey of Lewes, DE reported catching 16 seabass weighing up to 3 lbs, and a 21.5" flounder at Reef Site #11 on minnows aboard the "Reel Addiction".
Anglers on the “Skipjack” caught 300 sea bass with 130 keepers using clams and squid. Capt. Chris said this was the best bass trip in three years.
Captain Chris on the “Jam Man”, reported that they went 8 for 8 on black drum, scoring an 84.6 pounder using surf clams for bait at the Coral Beds.
At Henlopen Bait & Tackle on Savannah Road in Lewes, Denise reports stripers being taken at Herring Point on fresh bunker.
From Rattle & Reel Sports Center on Long Neck Road, Ron said that the Indian River Inlet is holding bluefish and shad. The VFW Slough is still producing flounder for anglers using squid and GULP!.
Bert at Hook’em & Cook’em Bait & Tackle reports that the Indian River Inlet has produced stripers measuring up to 40 inches and bluefish in the 2-4 lb. range. Flounder in the inlet and back bays are being tricked by anglers soaking minnows and GULP!. Sea bass fishing has been good but not great. Site #11 and the “DB” Buoy areas have been producing some fish.
Between the Lightship and the Fingers, some big blues have been taken by anglers targeting sharks. Stripers, blues and skates are tugging the lines of guys fishing from the surf.
Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said drum fishing was good in the Delaware Bay, but the bite was better in the evening and nighttime hours during the period around the full moon. Catching had been consistent on the Coral Beds off Fowler Beach; however, drummers found good numbers of fish after midweek at the Pin Top, and in Tussey’s Slough, east of Brandywine.
Thursday evening, Captain Carey on the “Grizzly” hosted Jim Weidman for a one-man drum party at Tussey’s. Jim was pretty tired out after winding in 12 big boomers by himself. A limit of 60 pounders was harvested, and the rest were released unharmed. Carey suggested handling fish that are to be returned to the water by using a gaff in the upper lip. The fish can be held boat side in the current until revived, then set free with minimal damage. The group aboard Grizzly had 10 drum during another good bite at Tussey’s on Saturday night.
Several nice drum were checked in over the weekend. A couple of the larger fish included a 76.3 pounder landed by Phil Spare aboard the “Joint Venture”, and a 65.5 pounder for Richard Frederick.
Joe reminded those interested in surf clams to reserve bait early in the week, because they go fast.
Sea bass were active at Reef Site #11 and on the Old Grounds. Bass were taken by both anchored and drifting boats, with anglers using clams and squid for bait.
Plenty of flounder continued to come from the Lewes Canal, although the keeper ratio remained low. Minnows, shiners and Gulp! were popular offerings. An occasional doormat did show among small flatties, like the 6.18 pounder Jeff Timmons took from Roosevelt Inlet.
Flounder also came from shallow water surrounding the fishing pier inside Cape Henlopen. Some of the Bay’s artificial reefs began to yield fluke as well. The crew aboard the “Lil’ Angler II” had four keepers Saturday while working Reefs #6 and #7, and several throwbacks that were just shy of legal size. Stripers roamed the rocks of the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers.
Boaters casting Bomber, Stretch 12 and Bunka Boy plugs at sunset got into some nice linesiders. Storm Shads, bucktails and Gulp! Jerk Shads were also effective. Striped bass were still available from the surf too. Judah Lynam checked in a 20-pound class bass, taken near the Herring Point jetties with bunker.
Until next week, have fun and be safe!!!!!
Rick and his wife, Deb are owners of Rick’s Bait & Tackle in Long Neck, DE.