The recent close call by the hurricane has proven once again the value of our lifeguards and the Coast Guard. Even though the beaches were closed to swimming, there will always be a couple of knuckleheads who will jump in the surf and get swept out to sea by the rip currents. Not only do they put their own life in danger, but also the lives of the lifeguards who now have to save their stupid butts.
As for the Coast Guard, this is the time when they usually find themselves out in gigantic seas saving folks from boats that have developed serious problems and are in danger of sinking. They remove the endangered sailors by helicopter or they may have to send a swimmer to the stricken boat and bring the crew back one by one.
Several years ago, I was on a charter out of Wachapreague, Va., when the boat engine began to overheat. For reasons known only to the captain, he tried to remove the radiator cap and, in the process, suffered serious burns to his face and arms.
At this point, the mate called the Coast Guard, and since we were not to far from the Inlet, they showed up rather quickly.
We assumed the Coast Guard would transport the captain back to shore and send a tow out for us. Fortunately, one of the Coasties was a mechanic, and since there was a spare water pump on board, he set to work replacing the faulty one. A couple of the charter pitched in to help, and before you knew it, the boat was running.
I don’t recall that we caught anything noteworthy, but at least the Coast Guard saved the day for us.
The state parks enforcement officers and Delaware game wardens also deserve a word of thanks. They are the ones who enforce the game and fish regulations, as well as the rules that govern the state parks.
These are also the guys and girls who form the search-and-rescue or search-and-recovery parties when someone goes missing in the water. When it becomes a search-and-recovery, not only is it a sad mission, but also finding a person who has been in the water for three days or more is not something one soon forgets, but that is still part of the job.
I have a very good friend who retired as a Maryland game warden. He told me he rather enjoyed catching the folks who thought the game laws applied to everyone else but them. However, finding some poor soul that had been in the water for a few days was not only sad, but also extremely unpleasant.
Weekend outlook
The weather looks good for the weekend with light winds and 2- to 3-foot seas on the ocean and even smaller seas on the bays. With any luck, the water should be clear by then and the bottom should have settled down as well.
The only big question is, will the beach be repaired enough for drive-on vehicles? This is the Labor Day weekend, so reservations will be required on the beaches so designated, while the newly opened beaches will no longer require a reservation. I expect most of the beach to be as smooth as a spanked baby’s behind until time allows the waves to build up some structure. Surf-fishing has been just a bit more interesting since global warming added pompano to the menu.
Indian River Inlet is another location that should be back to whatever is normal. Here too global warming has added pompano and sheepshead to the list of available species. Both will gobble up sand fleas, either the real thing or imitations by Fishbites.
Before the storm, there were blues to 25 inches caught from the end of the jetties during incoming water on metal lures such as a Hopkins.
Many years ago, Bruce Robers and I were catching blues from the end of south jetty and lost track of the incoming tide. By the time we came to our senses, it was too late to walk back in so we jumped into the ocean and swam back to the beach. We did get some strange looks from the beachgoers as we emerged from the surf with jetty shoes hanging round our necks and carrying rods, reels and stringers of bluefish. We just walked right on by them like this was the most natural thing in the world.
The back bays will be a total zoo. This is a holiday weekend and every boat that has an owner will be out and running around. Many of them will end up on the sand bars where they will party like it is the last weekend of summer.
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Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age. Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He has been the regional editor for several publications and was the founding editor of the Mid-Atlantic Fisherman magazine. Eric is the author of three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing and Fishing Saltwater Baits. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.
