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Three-decade-old state bluefish record falls

November 21, 2015

On Nov. 16, a 35-year-old Delaware state fishing record fell when Dr. Luis Mispireta of Stevensville, Md., caught a 24.8-pound bluefish. The previous record was set in 1980, when Bill Thoroughgood caught a 21.9-pound blue.

Mispireta was fishing for sea bass along with the usual Monday group on the Katydid with Capt. Brent Wiest and mate Chris Vann. They were on the Del-Jersey-Land Reef when the record blue inhaled a sea bass and became hooked. Sea bass rigs are not made to withstand the sharp teeth and strong fight of a big blue, but fortunately, everything held together and the rest, as they say, is history.

Deer season

From the photos I have seen on Facebook, some very impressive deer have been taken so far. With the good weather for most of the season, I expect we will have a new record or near-record deer harvest this year. I hope to have the numbers in next week’s column.

Fishing report

As is normal for this time of year, the weather is winning out on more days than the fishermen. When the wind doesn’t blow and the boats can sail, fish have been caught.

Tog fishing improved over bay and ocean reef sites, and I expect further improvement as the weather turns decidedly colder next week. The Outer Wall remains a good tog location, although the size of the fish is getting smaller.

Sea bass action is very good over structure beyond the 20-Fathom Line. The Del-Jersey-Land Reef is a popular location where a quick limit of sea bass is the norm.

Small tog and rockfish have been caught out of Indian River Inlet, with a few keepers mixed in the catch. Green crabs for the tog with sand fleas or live eels for the rockfish.

A very few keeper rockfish have been pulled from the surf. These were in the 30-inch range and not the ocean run fish we hope to see. Those fish are still off New Jersey, but could arrive here on the tail of the next cold front.

DNREC enforcement officers

This is the time of year when our DNREC enforcement officers really put themselves in harm’s way. With hunting seasons in full swing, pretty much every person they stop is armed, and while most are law-abiding citizens, some are not.

Every week, I receive the DNREC enforcement blotter, and the types of offenses range from fishing without a license to dealing narcotics. Quite a few of those arrested are taken in because they are prohibited from having a firearm. The type of person who is prohibited from having a firearm is usually a convicted felon.

I am sure some people think the life of a game warden is one of riding around in boats, watching pretty girls and harassing fishermen. While I am sure the single ladies and gentlemen may at times catch a quick glance at an attractive male or female, keeping the public safe and protecting our wildlife takes up most of their time.

When it comes to violations, operating a boat while impaired by alcohol or drugs is very common, as is not having enough PFDs on board. Lack of other safety equipment is another common offense. This type of violation is more likely during hunting season as those old duck boats are pulled out of storage. Various types of critters love to nest in boat wiring and PFDs, so it is a good idea to check all the safety equipment before putting the boat in the water.

One that is sure to get you a Darwin Award is not wearing blaze orange while hunting deer or upland game. I recall finding a trespasser on our leased deer-hunting property who was so well camouflaged that we almost walked right past him on the way to our stands. Had a deer run between us and the trespasser, I am pretty sure he would have been shot.

I have noticed over the years that when a group of poachers are caught, that is not their only unlawful acts. Many times they are also into drugs, and poaching is just one of the crimes they commit to fund their habit. These are not good old boys who took a chance and killed game out of season or way over their limit. The people who operate a major poaching operation are hardened criminals who would not hesitate to kill an enforcement officer if they thought they could get away.

So the next time you have to stop fishing or hunting so an enforcement officer can check your license, gun, safety equipment and catch or kill, don’t get mad. These guys and girls are only doing their job, and in the process protecting all of us and the sport we love.


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. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.