(June 2019) … The wise words above spoken this weekend by Suzanne Martin. We were catching fish all day at the beach. Despite a “popular” surf angler opinion there aren’t any fish to catch during the day at the beach in the summer. Wrong. “That is because they aren’t actually fishing” … Suzanne Martin … “I catch fish all day long”
Everyone was geared up on Sunday Funday with DS Custom Tackle rigs. Mike was using a cheap AFW rig he purchased that day and not catching a thing. We gave him a DS custom Tackle top and bottom rig and he started catching fish. The rigs had similar colored floats but DS Custom Tackle uses much better hooks, owner hooks, these work great, stay sharp, and actually catch fish.
Breakfast was being cooked on the grill, sausage and eggs. It was going to be a great day. Despite the usually crowded beaches it wasn’t that bad on Sunday, the nicer day of the weekend. Even Saturday was crowded but not too bad. Lunch would be London Broil, coleslaw, and more sausages.
The fish were hammering Andrew’s rigs so we all cast in front of him at one point. Because that is how you do your friends while surf fishing. We were all catching, and some of us were tired of getting up to release yet another fish, well mostly Andrew. People near us were wondering how we were catching fish. We were actually fishing, and with the correct gear and baits.
When you have a large group the best thing to do is have everyone fish a little different to see what works and then fine tune your technique. It works for fishing close, medium and really out far from the surf. For the most part the fish are usually in the first thirty feet of water, but you never know what is lurking out there. We also leave big baits on a rod or two, just in case.
Now I get to spend the rest of the week on deserted beaches chasing fish schools. We had a lot of schools of fish swim by this weekend. Hardest part was casting a spoon straight out to try and catch a fish. If the non anglers around us didn’t have to fish then those lines wouldn’t be in the way of people actually fishing. One good reason to get rid of the actively fishing rule. These unattended lines are in surf anglers way. We all know you won’t get rid of the people, so maybe the problem instead?
For the most part everyone around us was actually fishing. Many however were not catching and wondering why we were. “because we are actually fishing!” said Suzanne Martin. One of the best female anglers of the surf in Delaware. She knows how to catch fish.
The surf has been producing kingfish, sand perch, weakfish, speckled trout, burrfish, small striped bass, small bluefish, skates, rays, sharks, and pompano for the win for tropicals. Baits have been mostly Fishbites bloodworms or sand flea formula. There are lots of small sand fleas in the surf, just dig or use a small mesh net to scoop. Cut baits are catching the larger surf critters, sharks, rays, and skates. Squid pieces are working too. Get out and fish while the temperatures are still mild. For a west wind on Sunday the flies were almost nonexistent, which is weird they should have been out of control. Later in the day when the wind laid down I hear they got really bad. Now we have the Damn Fly Meter for that.
Fish On!
Rich king