Article by Larry Jock
In a spring filled with nasty weather, we managed to pull off a few days last week where the sun poked through and the ocean waters were calm enough to break the inlets.
The bright spot was the offshore tuna bite. We finally saw boats returning with catches of bluefins and yellowfins. Most of the action took place in 300 to 500 fathoms outside the Baltimore and Poor Man’s?Canyons. As always, the majority of bites came on trolled ballyhoo, both naked and skirted, but we also saw some on spreader bars. It does seem like every year we see the popularity of Joe Shute lures increase and some of the tuna were hooked on those lures last week.
Matt Shoup at Fenwick Tackle reported that over the last several weeks, surfcasters have been catching schoolie stripers with only an occasional keeper. Last week, Matt’s customers saw an increase in the number of larger striped bass interested in their offerings of fresh bunker in the suds up and down the beach. Matt said that there were “tons” of schoolies, but larger fish were found up and down the beach.
Surfcasters still found a few black drum and bluefish looking for crabs, sand fleas and bunker.
Unfortunately, Matt said that the Ditch still isn’t seeing much action, except for a few small striped bass.
At Lewes Harbour Marina, Tommy reported that anglers fishing in the Lewes Canal are still catching flounder, but he also heard of some weakfish and small stripers being hooked near the Coast Guard Station. Although the flounder bite in the Canal hasn’t been on fire, Tommy did feel that it is much better than what we saw last year. He said that Capt. Joe Morris, who we all loved, used to say, “If we have a cold winter, the flounder will be snapping in the canal. If the winter was warm, the flounder bite won’t be as good.” Luckily, we had a cold winter, so hopefully Capt. Joe’s theory will hold true.
The black drum bite continued at the Coral Beds, but those on the Jersey side seemed to do much better towards Brandywine Lighthouse. Boomers were also hooked in the suds off Broadkill Beach.
Around the Cape Henlopen Pier, the bluefish bite was sporadic. Anglers found them for a short time during the afternoon and early morning hours, but not much in between. A few flounder were caught off the Pier but those fishing in kayaks seemed to do better on flatties and stripers.
Those leaving out of Lewes looking for sea bass on ocean structure struggled. Tommy said that the abnormally cold water is keeping knotheads further offshore than typically seen at this time of the season.
Capt. Bert Adams at Hook’em & Cook’em in the Indian River Marina and Hook’em & Cook’em Outfitters in Bethany Beach reported that anglers fishing at the end of the Indian River Jetty saw an increase in keeper size striped bass and plenty of shad last week. The stripers seemed to switch from going after Daiwa SP Minnows to soft plastic and the action was dependant on the tide. During the incoming tide, further west in the Inlet produced the most action but at the end of the incoming, those fishing at the east end of the jetty saw the best action. The largest striper was a 31 lb. 10 oz. linesider caught on a Tsunami swim shad by Susan Krepshaw on the south side of the Inlet.
Unfortunately, Bert said that they still aren’t seeing much of a flounder bite in the Inlet and nothing came into the shop from anglers fishing in the back bays.
Those fishing the surf around Indian River had chopper bluefish at the top of the tide along with puffers and kingfish snapping on bloodworms.
The sea bass bite at the DelJerseyLand reef cooled down last week for Bert’s customers starting on Thursday and Saturday’s action was dead everywhere. Most of the anglers who traveled the 23 miles to the DelJerseyLand reef only came back with a few sea bass. Some tried Fenwick Shoal with no luck and others hit their normal spots around the Old Grounds, but to no avail. Capt. Chris Adams on the “Capt. Bob II” remarked how cold the water temperature was on the bottom.
Offshore anglers out of Indian River found bluefins in 300 to 600 fathoms from the Poor Man’s Canyon to north of the Baltimore. Yellowfins were found in deeper water. They also saw a couple of mahi hit the table at the fish cleaning station.
Until next week, have fun and tight lines!
