Fishing Is Picking Up Herring Are Here

Well there is snow on the ground, but I doubt that will stop any die hard trout anglers from opening day in the ponds tomorrow.  Should be a good time and crowded like crazy, I think I will wait until Monday.  People are just tired of winter and can’t wait to wet a line.  Fishing has been great in tidal creeks for yellow and white perch.  The other day Ryan Henry and some of his buddies had to stop fishing due to a massive amount of herring that showed up in Laurel at the spillway for Records pond on Broad Creek.  They didn’t want to get in trouble for catching any protected herring, they were trying to get to the perch below.  Ryan .. “I think they were bluebacks and I didn’t want a DNREC officer to get me for catching a prohibited fish so we stopped.  They were so thick you couldn’t get through them.”  Places like Phillips landing have been decent for white perch and short striped bass.  The water temperatures are warming up despite the efforts of old man winter. The inland bays have been peaking to 50 degrees on the warmer days. The Delaware Bay has been averaging 41 in the lower bay and 45 degrees in the upper bay.  As the temperatures rise the fish will become more active.  Striped bass will school up and the action will be fun and fast.  That is already happening up near the Port Penn area.  I know a few netters who are anxiously waiting to get the nets out for bunker and perch.

The other day Frank Payton Sr. put the first fish on the board for the All Species Fishing Tournament.  He landed a monster bluegill to start off his tally and he really wanted to be the first kid on his block to score a fish. Then the next day he and his grandson Robbie got into some nice bass action.  Robbie caught his first large mouth bass and Frank even landed a millroach.  “The Milton park (Broadkill River) and Wagamons pond has been some decent fishing the past couple of weeks”.   Bass, crappie, perch, bluegills and millroaches are all hitting.

Pickerel action is still hot as ever and a blast on the fly rod.  Shawn Rakes a member of the Saltwater Fly Anglers of Delaware got into some nice pickerel on the fly in the Choptank River.  Shawn said the fishing was a blast, he is a hard-core advocate of catch and release.  One thing I have always respected about fly anglers is they have a passion for fishing that many people do not understand.

With the increasing temperatures next week into the seventies I would expect some fishing to turn on more and more.   Keep in mind last year at this time we still had ice on the Delaware Bay, inland bays, and ponds.  This year was much milder so we should see fishing pick up with some early runs.  I have two reports of osprey spotted, granted that is early but with herring schooling up near spillways anything is possible.  Usually we don’t see osprey until around St. Patricks Day.  Hopefully they will get some pictures of the birds they keep spotting.  One was near Pepper Creek and another was around the upper Chesapeake bay.

Now all we need are fish in the surf and we will be complete.  That should happen soon enough and if you wanted to try for some sand perch that is possible with top and bottom rigs with squid or clam.  Fresh bloodworms will produce a short striped bass.  Check the bait shops in the business directory for fresh bait.  I am waiting for the striped bass to start schooling up in the inland bays and that should be very soon, I am hoping after next weeks warm up.  We shall have to wait and see what happens.  Soon the mummichogs, a small tidal killifish, will be all over the place.  The flounder will come in and we will be in full spring fishing swing.  You can find grass shrimp in many of the tidal creeks and bulkheads in warmer areas, use a small net and look in the grasses.  That is some great bait for all kinds of fish, because who doesn’t like shrimp.

If you want to enter the All Species Fishing Tournament you can sign up any time throughout the nine month event.   Just follow the link to enter the tournament and you can get started right away.

Fish On!!

Rich King

Indian River Inlet Tide …