Cape Henlopen State Park fishing Pier is on Fire!

No, not that kind of fire don’t panic.  The pier opened yesterday and immediately people started to fill the boards, and the fishing has been hot all night long.  I ran into a ranger yesterday when I dropped by as soon as the pier opened, he told me people were yanking fish over the rail one after another.  It makes sense considering no one has fished the pier hard for months.  That area has gotten a break from the usual summer crowds and the repairs have not affected the fishing at all.   Croakers, spot, weakfish, snapper bluefish, porgies or scup, pinfish, sand perch, burrfish, dogfish, flounder, and even a small cobia have come over the rail in the last few hours this morning.   Squid, fishbites, and fresh bloodworms are the choice baits on Diamond State Top and Bottom rigs.  The flounder are hitting jigs with gulp, and flounder rigs with minnows.  Crabbing is decent there as well, but the wind today is pushing a lot of grass into the flats.  Blue claw crabs and white leggers or calico crabs are abundant around the pier poles.  If you see anyone filling coolers with illegal fish please contact the rangers, 302 739 4580 or Fish and Wildlife at 1 800 523 3336.  No one likes to see people poaching fish and it happens there often.

The surf is very rough today but people are hooking up fish.  Snapper blues, pompano, short striped bass, kingfish, puppy drum, croaker, and the usual skate ray and sharks.  Sunday will still be rough but not as bad as today, it is definitely an 8 ounce day.  Suzanne Martin said she saw someone swim out their line because casting is a chore at the beach today.  The inland bays are rough and the Indian River Inlet is right snotty.  I am going to go look for less wind and calmer waters, after I get my surf rod fixed at PC Rods in Milton.  Don’t ask, serious stupid move with that rod yesterday.  Everyone have a great weekend and we will see you out there.  Look for the DSF truck and get a free sticker.

Fish On!!

Rich King