Last Saturday Delaware’s 2010 trout season got off to a great start. We went to Newton Pond between Ellendale and Greenwood where the state stocked 500 trout. The water was at least 12 inches above the level of last year and there were over 120 hopeful anglers spread around the edge of the pond.
At exactly 7 a.m. all those folks cast a hopeful line into the water, but very few were rewarded with a fish. I was fishing along the east bank and one fellow close to me did catch one trout about 30 minuets into the season and I saw three or four more caught before we left. The general opinion was due to the high water the trout had spread out all over the pond and were not concentrated in the deep end as they were last year.
In spite of the lack of action, it was good to be outside fishing with so many other anglers. The number of kids along the bank was impressive, and there were plenty of moms along with dads in attendance.
Reports from Tidbury Pond in Kent County were much better than what we experienced at Newton Pond. I have never been there, but I understand it is much smaller than Newton so the fish cannot spread out as much.
As far as local saltwater fishing goes, the only positive report we had over the weekend was from Capt. John Nedelka on the Karen Sue out of Indian River. He fished on Sunday catching five tog per person and six cod total. Capt. John told me he stopped at two wrecks inshore where the party failed to have a bite before heading offshore where they found the fish.
A friend of mine in Virginia Beach ran to the Norfolk Canyon on Monday where he caught dog sharks and big black sea bass, but no tilefish or grouper. Another friend fished on a head boat out of north Jersey on Sunday. He said the whole boat produced six ling (red hake) and three keeper cod during a 12-hour trip. Two weeks ago the same boat had an excellent catch of ling including a potential world record along with a good number of keeper cod. And so it goes. We did hear of some crappie and perch caught from local spillways, but in passing by the spillway in Milton I have yet to see anyone fishing.
INTERESTING REPORT - A few weeks ago I received a report from a firm named Responsive Management, which had done extensive work in Delaware interviewing people from across the state along with Fish and Wildlife Division employees on their ideas of how fish and wildlife are being managed in the state and how the job could be improved. The entire report is six pages of very small print and while I can’t put it all in this column, I can give you what I consider some of the highlights.
The one statement that really got my attention was 83 percent of the general public agrees that fishing and hunting are part of the scientific management of fish and wildlife. When you consider that fishermen and hunters comprise about 10 percent of the general population, I consider the fact that 73 percent of the rest of the population supports what we do a very good sign.
Another positive indicator was 90 percent of division employees believe fishing and hunting are part of scientific management of fish and wildlife. One of my great fears has been as we lose the current crop of division employees they will be replaced with people who do not participate in and may not support hunting and fishing. Apparently, to date, that has not occurred.
One other interesting result was the support within the general public for a $10 fee to use state wildlife areas. When we discussed the new fishing and hunting license increases that resulted in the general fishing license, the idea of a user fee for wildlife areas was discussed. At that time we feared the general public would not support the idea, but according to this report, 67 percent do and only 27 percent do not. I certainly hope the division takes this into consideration next year and takes steps to have the idea become law.
LAUREL FLEA MARKET – Tomorrow, Saturday, March 13, a fishing flea market will be held at the Laurel Fire Hall. There will be lots of fishing tackle and boating equipment for sale at very low prices. The market opens at 8 a.m. and will be over by 2 p.m. Admission is only $3 and I expect there will be plenty of good food. See you there.
DEER MANAGEMENT HEARING - In an effort to encourage additional public feedback on its new Delaware Deer Management Plan and to provide a review of input to date, the Division of Fish and Wildlife will hold a fourth and final open workshop at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 16, in the auditorium of the Richardson and Robbins Building at 89 Kings Highway in Dover.
This plan, which will guide the division’s management of white-tailed deer in Delaware for the next 10 years, was drafted based on input from a stakeholder committee, hunters, non-hunters and the division’s biological staff. The additional workshop was added to summarize the recent workshops held in each county and to allow a final opportunity for public comment on the plan.
“We are hoping to obtain as much public feedback on this plan as possible before we finalize it. The future of deer management within our state is now, so whether you’re a hunter, farmer, outdoor recreationalist or just like to know deer are healthy and abundant in Delaware, we think it’s important to have your concerns and suggestions included in this plan,” said Game Species Program Manager Rob Hossler.
In addition to this last public workshop, written comments and suggestions will also be accepted by mail or email until Thursday, April 1. Comments can be submitted by emailing Joseph.Rogerson@state.de.us, or by mailing them to Deer Management Plan Comments, Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife, 6180 Hay Point Landing Road, Smyrna, DE 19977.
For more information on the plan, call the Wildlife Section at 302-735-3600. The finalized Delaware Deer Management Plan is expected to be completed and available in May or June.
