Article by Larry Jock
It’s hard to believe that we are coming up on Labor Day. It was a slow start to the summer season but the action is in full gear, particularly on ocean structure for flounder and sea bass. The offshore scene saw some improvement, especially in regard to tuna and good numbers of marlin were hooked from the Spencer down to the Washington.
At the Hook’em & Cook’em Tackle Shop in the Indian River Marina, Capt. Bert Adams reported that there are still flounder being caught in the Indian River Inlet, but the better action continues to be on ocean structure at the Old Grounds and around “A” and “B” Buoys. Bert said that the hardest part about ocean flounder fishing right now is finding a spot that hasn’t been pounded over the last month.
If you are looking for flounder in the Indian River Inlet, your best shot is on the north side during the outgoing tide. The throwback ratio is high, around 10 to 1, but you can get your keeper while fishing with minnows or Gulp! artificial baits.
Anglers in the Inlet are also finding croakers on the south side of the Inlet interested in offerings of bloodworms, squid, clams or Fishbites. Those fishing at night are seeing a few small bluefish during the incoming tide along with some shad and short striped bass. Stripers are very few and far between. One angler fished from the rocks every night and had only one 37-inch linesider that he caught on an eel.
Headboats are seeing more sea bass in the mix, primarily in 80 to 95-feet of water. Most are too small to keep, but there have been a few over 12 1/2-inches in the mix. Closer to shore, trollers are still finding good numbers of snapper bluefish at Fenwick Shoal and triggerfish, weakfish and flounder on structure only 1-mile off the beach.
In the surf, Bert hasn’t received any reports of croakers or spot, but he has heard of a decent kingfish bite in the suds off Bethany Beach. Surfcasters are also finding small sharks during the day and larger sharks, rays and skates at night.
Offshore, it was great to see the yellowfin tuna show up again in the Washington Canyon near the Bigeye Hole. Boats returned on Saturday with nice catches of fish up to 76.1 lbs. Greenstickers are really crushing the yellowfins, but trollers and chunkers are holding their own.
The marlin bite last week was mainly in the Wilmington Canyon, but the water was moving south with larger fish caught in 800 to 1,000 fathoms from the Poor Man’s down to the Norfolk Canyon.
Those looking to deep drop for tilefish ventured out successfully to the Baltimore Canyon where they found both bluelines and goldens making their trip worthwhile.
Daytime swordfishing is gaining in popularity and a group of anglers out of Lewes headed to the Washington Canyon on Saturday and returned with a 351.8 pounder that they caught while using squid for bait.
Until next week, tight lines!
