June 2020 Is The New July
(June 4, 2020) … Well summer showed up real quick this week. Not just the amount of people that came down here in droves, but the weather. It is ninety degrees, humid, and pop up thunder storms, but the summer “fishies” are in strong. This past Wednesday was like a Saturday. Summer, the full blown crowded summer is here a little early.
There is a nice mix of fish to catch. The flies are out of control on the west winds. You can use the Damn Fly Meter to get a rough idea how bad the flies are in real time. Because hot and humid brings in more flies. https://www.delaware-surf-fishing.com/damnflymeter/ is the Damn Fly Meter address, it works coast wide (5 States). Just select the state and beach area.
Big news is charters and head boats may now operate under restricted guidelines for a time being. Check with your preferred caption for availability and prices. The offshore fishing is pretty good for sea bass. Boats are now going deeper to the canyons for yellow fin tuna.
Sharks are showing up in the surf and offshore. Know the rules for shark fishing in Delaware. There are a few prohibited species and they are to be released in the water, and not to be removed from the water. That can get tricky in some situations. The rules are interpreted as the safest method of release for the angler. That usually means just cut the line. I interviewed DNREC a few years ago and had some of the rules clarified, these still stand today … https://www.delaware-surf-fishing.com/shark-fishing-delaware-rules-clarified/
The fishing has really kicked up since the waters got a little warmer. The bluefish are still here in random catch numbers. The average size has been two to six pounds. The big gators have been very random catches. South of us in Virginia and lower anglers are still catching gators in the surf. North of us as far as New York there are gators close to shore. Now that the summer fish are here in droves it shows we are going to see less gators. Unless a large amount come north and push off the summer fish.
Spot, weakies, kingfish, croaker, northern puffers, sand perch, spotted hake, flounder, bluefish and striped bass are all being caught at the Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier. The best baits are anything and everything; clam, squid, fishbites, bloodworms, and cut bait. Bloodworms are in short supply. “The companies that dig for bloodworms have been concentrating on clams for drum anglers. So that has created a shortage of bloodworms” .. Matt Shoup, Fenwick Bait and Tackle.
The Lewes Canal flounder bite has been hot to not. This weekend is the Lewes Canal Flounder tournament, that will reduce the canal’s flounder numbers. Should be a fun tournament for all, good luck to all the anglers. Lot of small weakfish in the canal being caught by flounder anglers. Would love to see some beast tide runners come back, maybe one day. Gulp white or chartreuse and minnows have been the best flounder baits drifting or jigging the canal. Flounder are also being caught in the surf, mostly jigging cuts or fly fishing. They have been known to hit mullet rigs when the rig is being reeled back in to the beach Most of your flounder in the surf a very close to shore ambushing bait fish and crabs.
The surf has been producing a lot of the summer usual suspects. Some days are better than others. The key is to fish the tides and moving water. The problem is to figure out which moving water the fish prefer. It is not always what the angler prefers. The large black drum have been hitting better on the outgoing tide, and then that changes. The trials and tribulations of surf fishing. Cow nose rays are being caught more readily. We are in that point of the year where spring and some summer fish are in the same area.
What we are all wondering is when do the pompano show up. Last year it was mid June, they are already being caught in the surf in the Outer Banks. A great bait for pompano is shrimp, brined . We have the process to make that bait … https://www.delaware-surf-fishing.com/the-secret-bait-for-catching-pompano-in-delaware/
Assateaugue Island National Seashore is now open for drive on surf fishing. The fishing there is picking up for summer fish, but there are still some migratory bass being caught from the beach on bunker chunks. Bull red drum are still being caught on occasion as well as black drum. The beach is closed at marker 21 I believe for piping plovers. The beach was full fast last weekend when everything opened back up, expect that trend to continue.
The Inland Bay water temperatures are bouncing between 62 to 69 degrees. The higher temperatures are during low tide. The temperature will increase over the next few days with this warm up. I’m not mentioning heat wave until August. The beaches and Delaware bay are in the mid sixties. Those are surface temperatures, water is colder below unless we get an upwelling. A good buoy to check for Lewes water temperatures is near the Lewes Cape May Ferry terminal.
Clamming has been excellent around the inland bays. Been seeing a lot of different recipes for clams casino. Crabbing is really good. There aren’t as many pots around the bays this year. Not everyone has gotten down here and opened up their houses etc. That is coming in a massive wave. Trot lines and hand lining is producing well. There are several places to crab from land. Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier, Lewes canal park old docks, masseys landing at the flats, Holts landing fishing pier, Rosedale Beach boat ramp crabbing pier. To name a few.
Another easy way to catch crabs.
Wade for them in the flats in Delaware Seashore State Park. The water is still clear. You can walk the flats and just scoop up crabs into a floating basket. Wear shoes the inland bay bottom n the flats has some glass that can make for a bad day. Polarized sunglasses make it easy to see the crabs. A fish carcass stuck to the bottom with a stake will attract a few crabs.
Migratory striped bass are still being caught in the Delaware Bay and River. Mostly the boats are seeing the best action. Using bunker chunks for bait has been the best action. Lot of short bass in the surf and the area water ways. The occasional keeper is picked up in the surf or the Indian River Inlet
Freshwater fishing has been great for bass. Catfish are hitting hard. Fishbites has new catfish bait we are trying out, interested to see how it works. They also have a chum puck for boat anglers. Nothing like late evening pond hopping, or stream walking. Ticks are bad already, waiting for the chiggers to start up then I have to set my woods on fire.
Stay safe everyone. Please practice social fishstancing. If you are not from the same household posing for fishing pictures, put those masks on if you can’t be six feet apart.