Windy in the surf today in Delaware

Well that was a wash today, literally, with sand!  This morning the winds were twenty plus sustained with gusts that had to be close to 35 on the beach.  Iwent to Beach Plum Island for a little clean up, and when I walked out on the beach … not a good day to be in the sand.  It was crazy in the bay, and I was pelted with anything not nailed down.  I could hear the waves from the road on the way in, and when that happens on Broadkill … you know the bay is rocking.  I ate a few donuts, called people, and posted we would wait for a better day.  We will meet Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. DSF will have burgers and dogs, bring your own refreshments.  I decided tonight to wait until a lower tide, it would be easier, and more people could come out, fish and help.  The beach looked great this morning at Beach Plum Island.  The wind filled in all the ruts with sand and the water was pushed farther up the beach, smooth as a baby’s bottom.  Mother nature did her thing on Earth Day.  Not only did she fill in the ruts on every beach, and foot prints as fast as I could make them.   She carved the beaches in DSSP out a great deal.  The flat sloped beaches are gone and the waves are cutting them back in so to speak.  The new 3-4 foot tall bank, or drop off is scalloped all down the coast.  Much more prominent on the north beaches, than 3R’s.  I did not have the time to go father south to Bethany, but I am sure about the same happened.  Yesterday the beaches were much flatter, and now carved from the wind last night and today.  I couldn’t even tell the beaches had been driven, the tracks were gone.  The only tracks on Beach Plum were from the boys fishing this morning, and they were filling in fast.  Broadkill Beach had a few brave souls out there as well.  Good news!  You won’t have to try and stuff yourselves onto one beach this week …

Delaware Seashore State Park and Fenwick Island State Park blew up over the weekend.  There were many keeper striped bass pulled from the northern DSSP beaches and a few from 3R’s.  There are shorties all over the place.  Cape Henlopen saw hot action as well, again on all beaches.  The striped bass bite is on in the surf , and the best bait is bunker, or blood worms.  Clams are still producing as well, and all bait shops will be loaded by the weekend.  I am doing a little plug product testing tomorrow and Wednesday.  Looking forward to the slam in the surf on a plug or spoon.  Ben Smith our new state record holder for striped bass was hitting shorties and bluefish with his crew this weekend.  They even found a few short flounder in the surf.  A gentlemen I chatted with today was catching 40 plus inch stripers that were spitting up fresh bunker.  He used that for bait and caught more fish, how cool is that?   The water has been rather clean, almost blue.  Today in the Delaware bay it looked like chocolate milk.  The Indian River Inlet was kind of clear, with the wind to your back, you could throw a mile.  There were a few brave souls toggin’ on the southside.  The blue fish have been thick this weekend as well…

Jerry Hirst dropped by the Monday meeting this evening and said he literally was tired of catching fish at one point.  Averaging 22 inches roughly he hooked into a lot of bluefish.  Some were taken home for the smoker, and I am looking forward to that.  One of the best ways to have bluefish, smoked.  Everyone was hitting bluefish, everywhere this weekend.  The catch of the week goes to ten year old Mahlon Dyer with his first blue fish from the surf at the Cape Henlopen State Park.  We love seeing kids out there fishing, but it is even better when they are catching.  Good hit buddy, and that is a nice bluefish!  Speaking of kids, Theresa Belcher (Division of Fish and Wildlife-Aquatic Resource Education Center ) sent us a message today, DSF sent her some circle hooks she needed for the Take A Kid Fishing program by the Aquatic Resource Education Center … “Thank you!  I did get the hooks – just in time for Saturday.  They were great!  Hooked the fish right in the lip and the kids removed them very easily. ”  If you have the time check out the program, or maybe see if there is something you could donate.  Keeping kids interested in fishing is one of the best ways to preserve our knowledge, and educate them about the environment.  Not to mention fishing is a blast.  I know a lot of people had good times in the surf, and on the water this past weekend.  Remember, Wednesday we will meet at 4 p.m. to clean up Beach plum Island there is still a lot of debris on the beach, bring gloves if you are coming to help.

Fish On!!

Rich King