Beach Clean Up And Fishing Report

Saturday we had twenty five people come out for the first of many DSF beach cleanups for this year.  I want to thank everyone who showed, you all did a great job, and I am proud of you!!  We cleared over five hundred pounds of trash from the point beach in Cape Henlopen state park.  We cleaned the point first and then moved south towards the naval jetty.  The group picked up trash as far south as the bath house and walk on access.  Some of the kids saw a seal at the bayside of the point and that was a first for them.  Everyone logged volunteer hours for the parks, and the kids were also credited hours to add to their school and or merit badge requirements.  There is also a program the parks have that give kids a college credit for volunteering.  I will have that information for the next clean up.  Thanks again to everyone who came out and I hope to see more of you on March 8th when we clean Fenwick Island State park.  We cleaned the point this weekend since it will close on March first for the season.  Yeah I know … I hate that it does too, but the birds need space to nest.

A friend of mine dropped by the beach that afternoon, and when he went back to his truck there were two dog waste bags on his surf fishing rack.  They were not there before, were obviously placed there, and he said the path from the parking lot had at least eight bags just thrown near the fence.  People can be real pigs, and it is sad they can bring their pets, but not clean up after them properly.  I have alerted the parks of this issue, but I doubt there is much that can be done.  This is one reason I hate plastic bags, you can’t recycle a plastic bag full of pet waste and apparently people won’t take it with them.  I would guess some of these bags came from the people we saw with dogs while we were cleaning the beach.  If you ever see anyone littering with their pet waste or any trash please say something to them or call the park ranger.  Littering is illegal and in this case rather gross.  Sorry for the rant, but people trashing our parks like this really bothers me, and every time it comes up, there never seems to be a solution to end the problem.  We have to rely on people to clean up after themselves.  Makes you wonder if they are this disrespectful in their own backyard.  The parks will not put out trash cans it costs too much for them to remove trash, and if you have ever seen what a trash can looks like at a crowded beach on a weekend, you would understand why.  Carry in and carry out, if you see someone trash the park, give a shout!

After cleaning the beach we went back to the bayside of the point to set up and surf fish.  We saw what looked like fish breaking the surface not far from shore, but we couldn’t hook up any of them.  It was a beautiful day with light winds on the bayside and fifty five degree temperatures.  Spring in February, what a teaser.  Still a good day on the beach hanging with friends and having a few laughs.  We fished for couple of hours and then called it a day, between the windburn and sunburn I was ready to head home.  You would be surprised how fast you can get a burn on a nice winter spring day at the beach.  A few folks have been hitting some of our ponds and doing decent with bass and crappie.  Nick Chieffo was fishing the C&D canal this weekend and caught a few white perch.  A few guys have been doing well for perch from the tributaries of the Broadkill River and in some of the back area mosquito ditches.  The park in Milton is always a good place to try as well.  Fishing will pick up as soon as the temperatures climb.  We are all waiting anxiously and winter feels like it is taking forever this year.  We are all tired of snow, but the fact we have been spoiled with mild winters over the past several years has not helped.  Time to tune up the gear, restring the reels, and get ready … because before we know it spring will be here, then eventually summer, and we can start complaining about the heat again.

Fish On!!

Rich King