Fishing license money goes toward worthy projects

I attended the Council on Recreational Fishing Funding in Dover Nov. 13. I have been a member of the council since it was created as part of the bill that started the general fishing license.

For those unaware, the money collected from the general fishing license is matched 3-to-1 by the federal money collected from the excise tax on fishing tackle and a tiny tax on fuel. In other words, for every dollar of fishing license money we spend on an approved project such as a boat ramp, the feds put up three. That’s a pretty sweet deal.

Of course, we have to behave. We can’t spend any license money on an unapproved project.

For example, the chair of the Fish and Wildlife Committee in another state decided to use fishing license money to redecorate his office. The feds said that was a no-no and cut off federal funds until he repaid the money back into the license fund.

One of the ongoing projects right now is the Dobbinsville Fishing Pier. The design has been approved for bidding. Permits have been submitted to various agencies including the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands section, Coastal Zone Management and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an individual permit. Construction is scheduled for 2026 with a cost of $2.2 million.

The Igrams Pond boat ramp and parking lot have been completed and look great. There is a floating dock for ease of entry to your boat, and plenty of parking for tow vehicles and boats. Other projects in the works are a fishing pier at Becks Pond, the reconstruction of the boat ramp at Port Mahon and the same for the boat ramp at Coursey Pond. 

Also, during the meeting, we had a presentation about the shad hatchery on the Brandywine River in Wilmington. They hope to raise at least 500,000 fry each year once they get the hatchery up and running. Right now, everything is still in the planning stage, but they certainly have a good number of sponsors with plenty of funds, so it sounds like it is only a matter of time before more American shad are swimming in the Brandywine River. 

There was also a discussion about changing the style of the freshwater and saltwater license plates. It seems that when a six-digit license number is used, it covers up the artwork on the current plates. Several examples from other states were shown, but no final decision was made.

Fishing report

Wind! OK, so we have the report for most days last week (Nov. 10-18); however, there were a few days with less than gale-force winds and a few fish were caught.

The charter boat Jay Sea II has moved from Lewes to the Indian River Marina, where it had its first trip from there Saturday. A boat limit of tog was caught. The pool winner was a 13.8-pound tog that was released.

Steve Kuhlman fished out of Lewes Saturday and headed to Site 11. As he passed the Outer Wall, he saw the large number of boats fishing there. He almost changed his mind and made it a tog trip, but he continued on to his original destination and arrived at Site 11 along with about another 20 boats. 

He began catching small 10- to 12-inch sea bass for one keeper. Much to his surprise, he also caught four keeper flounder from 18 to 21 inches. He, as well as I, thought flounder would have been much farther offshore by this time of year.

Brian Kelly was one of the anglers fishing the Outer Wall. He caught an 8.07-pound tog from his boat Way of Life and checked it in at Lewes Harbour Marina for a Delaware citation.

Not sure where the Katydid fished Saturday, but according to Lewes Harbour Marina, it also had a catch of tog.

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle only had one fish to report on, and that was the ever-popular tog. They said except when the winds reached gale force and made fishing all but impossible, anglers worked the rocks along Indian River Inlet with sand fleas and green crab. They caught tog. About one in 10 of those tog were keepers.

Surf fishermen, do not despair, big blues and stripers are on their way. I hope.