Article by Rick Willman
Hi folks!!! Flounder action continues to be fair to good with most fish short of the legal limit.
Something to think about is that if all the boats out there would take their limit of flounder every day we would have no fish before the end of one season. Just give it some serious thought and I think you will be happy to just be fishing and trying to safely release as many fish as you can.
Most of flatties being taken in the back bays seem to be feeding during the incoming tide, which is normal for this time of year. Look for deeper holes and places where there is some sort of structure and you may find some bigger fish. Trying to stay away from heavy boat traffic should increase your chances also.
Brandon Davidheiser of Douglasville, PA scored flatties of 21.5 and 19.5-inches and 2 keeper sea bass while fishing with squid and minnows at “DB” Buoy. Site # 10 and Site #11, along with areas around “DB” Buoy and “DA” Buoy have been producing various species for anglers soaking baits near the bottom. Capt. Brent Weist and Dave Walker had the Bob Marinelli party on the flounder Saturday with over 50 flatties caught and 9 keepers.
Offshore action has moved a bit closer to shore with less action in the canyons and more activity around the Hambone, Hot Dog and Massey’s Canyon areas.
Ron Airey used a live spot at Massey’s Canyon to entice a 26.5-pound cobia to come on board. Anglers have caught these fish while trolling, chunking and jigging.
Be sure to sign up for the 4th Annual Rick’s Bait and Tackle/ SeaSide Gas and Grill Offshore Tournament. The tournament runs from July 30th to August 6th. You can sign up at Rick’s Bait & Tackle or at SeaSide Gas and Grill.
Capt. Bill Baker at Bill’s Sport Shop told us that he and Bill, Jr., Kevin Baker and Sue Baker Killen went to the Baltimore Canyon on Saturday and boated dolphin and skippies. Matt and Dan Langdon on the "Ofishal", trolled ballyhoo and spreader bars in 50 to 70 fathoms at the Poor Man’s and managed 2 yellowfins, 2 bonito, some dolphins and went 0 for 4 on marlin. Jon Kitchen, Tim Mazol, Jen Raup, and Jason Raup ran to the Poorman’s on Sunday and went 2 for 2 on yellowfin and 1 for 1 on white marlin.
In the bay, Cas Hans of Lewes caught a 9 lb., 24-inch citation tautog at the Outer Wall using blue crab for bait. Capt. Bill received an email from Dave G from Silver Spring, MD. "Bill, just wanted to tell you that your advice paid off. I caught two flounder of 19 and 20 inches. Now I know who to come to next time I need gear! Again, thanks for all the help and will be by again soon. Those Spec rigs with the Gulp! and the spray worked like a champ!! Don’t give too many of your secrets away!” Chuck Nagle of Bill's Sport Shop used some fresh mullet and caught his first keeper flounder of the season at Massey's Landing. It was a 24 incher and he followed it
up with a 21 incher, plus 5 throwbacks and 4 croaker as well.
A little dirty water in the surf produced some kingfish for Joe Noel and Bill Weiss near the Life Saving Station and with the turn of the tide, croaker and small sharks were also being beached on kingfish rigs tipped with fresh mullet.
We're getting reports of black drum being caught at the Indian River Inlet weighing up to 20 lbs. Sand fleas and peelers did the trick.
Captain Aaron Hurd of "Gale Force Charters" reports that they had a charter Friday evening and caught a 39-inch and a 28-inch striper at the Indian River Inlet just before the storm hit. One was on a shiner and the other on a spot.
Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said yellowfin action moved closer to the beach, with good catches coming from twenty-fathom structure. Trollers found good numbers of tuna at the Hot Dog and Massey’s Canyon. Bluefins had been frequenting Massey’s, but water temps and an abundance of bait inshore drew yellowfins to the area as well. It’s great to hear of them nearer to shore and within the range of more boaters. Tony and Diana Vansant, Steve Millman and John Davis trolled the Hot Dog Wednesday for eight yellowfins, including Diana’s 40 pounder. The crew also had a gaffer dolphin and a white marlin. Captains Brent Wiest and Dave Walker worked the Dog aboard “Katy Did” on Wednesday, and wound up with 9 yellowfins in the bag. Keith Orendorf and his crew pulled spreader bars, black and purple Zukers, and ballyhoo at Massey’s Friday for a 45-pound bluefin, 3 keeper yellowfins and 3 gaffer mahi. They released many yellowfins just shy of the 27-inch fork length minimum. Scattered yellowfin catches were reported between the Dry Docks and the 19 Fathom Lump also.
Captain Vince on the “Miss Kirstin” towed cedar plugs near the Twelve Fathom Lump Monday for his keeper bluefin and 3 dolphin. In other inshore trolling, small bluefish were plentiful between South Shoal and Five Fathom Light. Captain Chris on the “Skipjack” kept his Saturday large charter group busy by pulling Clark spoons through the region for 96 choppers.
Bottom fishermen had flounder on the Old Grounds and at Reef Sites 9 and 10. Jeff Scurti scored a 6.5-pound fluke near “DB” Buoy on Friday aboard the “Katy Did”. Despite full moon tides, flounder fishing in the Delaware Bay was pretty decent. Barry Gerhard and his crew drifted shiners and squid at the Brown Shoal Reef on Saturday for 8 quality flatties. Among the catch were three keepers to 4.13 pounds landed by Barry’s grandson, Sam Hazlett. Captain Carey’s flukers aboard the “Grizzly” culled 14 keepers out of many they landed at the Brown Reef on Saturday. Ginger Henriksen got a 3.89 lb. flounder that moved her into second Place in the Lewes Yacht Club Tournament. Harry Laws was using a live minnow near the Beach Ball when he hooked a 4.65 pounder.
Tog and triggerfish were hanging out around the rocks of the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers. “Booker” Bookwalter boated a 7.56 citation tautog at the Wall while baiting with box crabs.
Stripers were also attracted to the Wall. John Forestieri reported catching rockfish most evenings while tossing topwater plugs along the Wall. Striped bass also hung around docks lighted at night on the Lewes Canal and the lights at the Roosevelt Inlet Coast Guard station. Fin-S-Fish and other small artificials resembling silversides cast to the dividing line between dark and lighted water resulted in fish that fell within the 20 to 26 inch slot limit.
Croakers were caught with bloodworms and clams at Roosevelt Inlet. Folks at the rails of Cape Henlopen Pier landed spot on Bloodworms and FishBites.
‘Til next week, have fun and be safe!
Rick and his wife Deb are owners of Rick’s Bait & Tackle in Long Neck, DE.
