Cobia in the surf, summer fishing abides

Well it has been an interesting week to say the least.  Seems shark week came early to Delaware this year.  I have heard some crazy rumors about the shark “incident”, one being that some people in Pennsylvania heard it was faked, I can’t imagine why.  The other is that there is a bounty on the shark involved, I’m sure we don’t need a Quint, Hooper, and chief Brody reunion in Delaware.  I have seen pictures of dogfish on a few media sites being called sand sharks and sand tigers, that is hilarious.  Anyway, despite all the excitement, fishing has been decent this week.  The surf has been the best in the early mornings for bluefish on cut mullet and mullet rigs.  Kingfish are hitting bloodworms and fishbites on top and bottom rigs.  Colors don’t seem to matter for the floats.  My floatless rigs do just fine.   Croaker are all over the place, the surf, Delaware Bay, Inland Bays, Broadkill River and Henlopen Pier.   Fishbites, squid and bloodworms have been good croaker bait, clam pieces also work.  Just like any fishing trip you have to be at the right place at the right time.  Fish are not just jumping in the boat or swimming ashore.  You have to put in the time and do some fishing for them.  Don’t worry there are always dogfish, skate and rays in the surf for a good tug on a line.  I have a few friends that love to catch these critters and as nuts as that sounds, they have a blast.

Flounder are heavy all over Delaware in numbers and size.  The surf has seen them on sand fleas or cut bait chunks.  The Delaware Bay sites, old grounds, and out as far as B buoy.  Masseys Landing has produced a few nice flatties.  The Indian River Inlet and Roosevelt Inlets have produced their fair share as well.  Chartreuse gulp or minnows have been the best baits.  Henlopen pier is still decent for flounder but the fish have definitely spread out to the normal areas.  Spot are all over the place, catching little ones makes for some great flounder bait.  A few keeper striped bass have been caught in the surf on bunker chunks and north in the Delaware river and bay.  Lots of catfish are up there, and in our back water tidal creeks and rivers.  Short striped bass are still around as resident fish.  Shad are still showing up in the Indian River Inlet as well as bluefish and short striped bass.  Crabbing is picking up nicely, Rob Schumacher keeps catching flounder in his crab pots, we are hoping for a keeper any day now.  Prestuffed flounder sounds really good.  Trout or weakfish action is still good and averaging five pounds.  If we want to see more of these year after year it would help if people would release the large ones they are catching.  I know one guy that caught one a week ago, he took a picture and released it.  When I asked him why the release, he said he hadn’t caught one of these in over 15 years, and he didn’t have the heart to keep it, a good example of responsible fishing.

Drum are still being banged up in the Delaware Bay and smaller ones from the surf.  A few are starting to show up in the inland bays.  Hoping to see some redfish soon in numbers like we saw last year.  Every year their numbers were increasing.  Coolest catch from the surf this week was a cobia at Herring Point Beach in Cape Henlopen State Park by Dave Furio.  He landed the fish on a chunk of bunker.  Those fish are awesome to catch in the surf they really pull on a line.

The off shore action has been great with yellowfin, bluefin, and big eye tuna. Mahi mahi, Tilefish and seabass action has been hot for some of the charters.  The first Delaware White Marlin was released by the “Prime Hook” the other day.  Off shore action is heating up for the summer season.  The shark action is heating up out there as well.  There have been some big makos caught, threshers, and near shore a lot of large sand tiger sharks.  Should be a nice weekend once this weather passes, and next week we are looking at very warm temperatures.  Soon we will be in the heat of the summer.

Fish On!!

Rich King