If the weather reports are correct, and that’s a big if, this weekend will be the first in more than a month that will be dry, calm and warm. Now, the only question is what to fish for and where to find them.
If you have the equipment and the ability to get offshore, there should be some tuna out there with your name on them. The best of the action has been along the canyon walls on out to the 500-Fathom drop. It is possible, after all the northeast wind we have had, that some warm water has moved in closer to shore, and we may see some bluefins and yellowfins on the Hot Dog and at Massey’s Canyon. Your best bet is to check the water temperature information from a subscription service or website.
Not many of us can make the run offshore, and we need to find something closer to the beach. I wish I could tell you the usual locations for sea bass and flounder, sites 10 and 11 or the Old Grounds, were loaded with fish, but unless we have a major change, such is not the case. I have been fishing the Old Grounds since the days of wooden boats and Capt. Frank Bader, and this is the worst year I can remember. I have reports of boats fishing there all day for one or two fish.
There are sea bass at the Del-Jersey-Land Reef, but even here, limits are rare. A few charter boats have been catching both sea bass and flounder from the ocean, but those captains have secret locations that they are able to mine for their charters.
As of last week, the most consistent producer of flounder was the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Fish to 5 pounds have been caught, but limits are rare. The outgoing water has been the best time to fish with live minnows and squid or a jighead decorated with bright-colored Gulp! It may be a bit crowded on the weekend, and with high tide around noon, you don’t have to be on the water until 11 a.m. By then, all those who fished the incoming will have given up and gone home.
Flounder and spot have been caught from the fishing pier in Cape Henlopen State Park. Here the best action will be on high tide. Jigging with a bucktail and Gulp! has been the best attractor for flounder, with minnows and squid holding down second place. Bloodworms or FishBites bloodworm have worked on the spot. I would carry a heavier outfit and a fish-finder rig just in case you catch a spot that is suitable for live bait. Put that spot on the fish-finder rig and soak it a bit farther out from the pier. Maybe it catches a big flounder or maybe it doesn’t, but it sure couldn’t hurt.
There have been some kings in the surf along with a few bluefish. Kings like bloodworms and the blues go for bunker. Both are likely to be in close.
If you want to surf fish, I suggest being on the beach at or before first light. Fish until 10 a.m., unless they start playing the cornhole game or rap music right next to you before then. The beach is also fishable after 5 p.m., when all the partygoers are back home nursing sunburns and headaches.
Delaware Bay was showing some signs of life before the latest storm. Kings were taken from the area around Reef Site 6 and the Broadkill Slough. Blowfish were caught along with the kings. Bloodworms worked for kings and blowfish. Flounder had been caught at the Crossover Buoy with a few picked up in the Broadkill Slough. Broadkill Beach saw some blues and small black drum, but it seems the run of big drum is over for this year. On rare occasions, keeper trout have been caught.
Indian River Bay gave up its first four-fish limit of flounder last week. One limit came from the VFW Slough and another from Massey’s Ditch. I suspect both were caught on live minnows. Weekends are pretty crowded here, but an early start can get you out and back before the worst of the crowds. Then again, high tide will be early so you can work both current directions and still be back for lunch.
The most productive time to fish Indian River Inlet has been from dusk till dawn. Working black or purple plugs such as the Bomber or SP Minnow seems to be very popular, but I suspect a live eel would find a welcoming reception from the local rockfish. Hickory shad have been caught on incoming water on darts and small spoons. The rare flounder is caught from the rocks on a white bucktail with a white worm.
Good luck!
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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.
