Delaware Fishing Report September 26

Fishing Report for Delaware waters and area surf fishing beaches

Welcome to fall, loving those ninety degree days!  It is much cooler now, beautiful at night, and dropping water temperatures.  Anglers reminisce of days gone by of fall striped bass runs.  The back in the day stories get better every year.  Some think this will be the year … “this will be the year they come in close to the beach.”  We all hope that every year.  Depending where you are fishing you can still find a lot of fun action, in short striped bass.  It is always possible for the migratory striped bass to come in and this year looks better than the last few.  There are a lot of fish in the surf and along the coast.  One can only hope, and wait to see what happens.  Meanwhile there are plenty of summer fish to catch and eat.

Water temperatures are back in the low seventies around the inland bays and in the surf. Delaware Bay surface temps are in the low seventies. Last week some scuba diving buddies of mine twenty miles offshore in a hundred and twenty feet of water said it was fifty one degrees at the bottom of the ocean.

    Pompano action has been the best we have ever seen.  Really weird to say that this far up the east coast.  The pompano fishing in the surf is good.  Even head boats are licking them out fishing some of the Delaware bay structure.  Pompano are a very tasty fish, and easy to cook.  Many are using the salted shrimp and catching fish. Bill MeGee was out the other day and sent us a picture. First cast with the slated shrimp Ianded a pompano.

   Kingfish and spot fishing is good in the surf.  Both make for great tacos.  Fried, pan seared, whatever way you like your fish, both are good for any style dish.  Kingfish have been harder to catch seems they are outnumbered by spot and pompano catches. The spot bite at the Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier has been hot on the higher tides. Some days are better than others, because fishing. Check in with the boys at Lighthouse View Bait and Tackle for the latest info.

   Offshore anglers are doing well with mahi, and sea bass.   Yellowfin, swordfish, marlin are all being caught.  Get on a charter and hit the ocean.   

The Indian River Inlet has decent short striped bass action. The sand flea method is one of the easiest ways to catch. Not only striped bass but other fish as well. Sheepshead, and the occasional trigger have been caught. Go catch a bucket full of sand fleas they are thick in the surf wash, use a sand flea rake or a fine mesh net. Toss a handful of fleas into the water to get the fish excited, and then toss in a couple on a six aught hook. The bass will hammer those fleas and you are catching. There have been some big croakers caught around the inlet.

Bluefish are everywhere in the surf, the perfect three pound eating range.  The surf has the small cocktails to the small snappers up to eighteen inches for the bigger fish.  Mullet rigs for the win, or spoons.  They are bluefish, they will hit anything shiny.  Mullet are running the beaches, especially the flats in Cape Henlopen. You can also cast net for them at the flats bayside in Delaware Seashore State Park.

The flounder action is dicey at best offshore.  Inland bays and Delaware bay has been as well.  Lots of throwbacks to get a keeper, but you won’t catch if you don’t fish.  Get out and try you never know.   The surf is producing flounder in the cuts.  They will hit mullet rigs on the retrieve in the wash of the surf.  The mullet are running the beaches, and the flounder are feeding on them heavily.  So is everything else.  Anglers can fill a five gallon bucket with mullet after a few throws of a cast net.

  Triggers have been the catch of the day for many on the wrecks and reefs.  Big grey triggers, another great fish to eat.  cleaning them is tough.  Anglers will use a box knife to cut the skin ahead of a filet knife to keep from dulling the knife.  Just cut the skin in the line you intend to filet the fish.  They are on wrecks, reefs, the outer and inner walls and the ice breakers.  

   Now that the point is open everyone is back fishing their favorite spot.  If someone would tell the fish we’re there that would be great. Tt is either good fishing or horrible on bayside the oceanside has been better.  You are either catching all day or waiting all day for a bite.  There is a lot of bait in the water and the fish are busy feeding.  Hard to compete with that even if you match the bait.  We don’t just fish the point for the catching, the view is exceptional.  One never knows what they will see on the water.  Lot of boat traffic to entertain anyone.  The sunsets are spectacular.  Some days you don’t care you aren’t catching and that is true no matter where you fish.  Just being outside makes it all better.   

Fish On!
Rich King

Tides Indian River Inlet
2019/09/26 Thu 12:35 AM 0.28 L
2019/09/26 Thu 06:57 AM 2.85 H
2019/09/26 Thu 12:37 PM 0.01 L
2019/09/26 Thu 7:31 PM 3.46 H
2019/09/27 Fri 01:24 AM 0.05 L
2019/09/27 Fri 07:52 AM 3.07 H
2019/09/27 Fri 1:34 PM -0.18 L
2019/09/27 Fri 8:22 PM 3.49 H
2019/09/28 Sat 02:11 AM -0.14 L
2019/09/28 Sat 08:44 AM 3.27 H
2019/09/28 Sat 2:29 PM -0.29 L
2019/09/28 Sat 9:10 PM 3.44 H
2019/09/29 Sun 02:57 AM -0.26 L
2019/09/29 Sun 09:35 AM 3.42 H
2019/09/29 Sun 3:22 PM -0.30 L
2019/09/29 Sun 9:58 PM 3.33 H
2019/09/30 Mon 03:42 AM -0.29 L
2019/09/30 Mon 10:25 AM 3.50 H
2019/09/30 Mon 4:16 PM -0.22 L
2019/09/30 Mon 10:46 PM 3.17 H

Marine Forecast NOAA … 928 AM EDT Thu Sep 26 2019 .SYNOPSIS FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK NJ TO FENWICK
ISLAND DE AND FOR DELAWARE BAY…

High pressure off the Mid-Atlantic coast drifts out to sea
today. A cold front will approach this afternoon and move across
the region tonight. High pressure builds back in behind the
cold front from the west on Friday and moves out to sea on
Saturday. Another cold front crosses the region Saturday night.
High pressure builds to the north for the start of the new work
week, and then a cold should pass through late next week.

Coastal waters from Cape May NJ to Cape Henlopen DE out 20 nm-
Coastal waters from Cape Henlopen to Fenwick Island DE out 20 nm-
928 AM EDT Thu Sep 26 2019

.TODAY…SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt late this
morning and early afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Swell mainly from
the SE with a dominant period of 9 seconds.

.TONIGHT…NW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming N 10 to 15 kt with gusts
up to 20 kt after midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Swell mainly from
the SE with a dominant period of 9 seconds.

.FRI…NE winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt, becoming E
5 to 10 kt in the late morning and afternoon. Seas around 3 ft
until late afternoon, then 2 ft or less. Swell mainly from the SE
with a dominant period of 8 seconds.

.FRI NIGHT…SE winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 ft or less, then around
3 ft in the late evening and overnight. Swell mainly from the SE
with a dominant period of 8 seconds.

.SAT…S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft.
.SAT NIGHT…SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft.

.SUN…N winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming NE 10 to 15 kt with gusts up
to 20 kt in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft.
.SUN NIGHT…E winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas
3 to 5 ft.

.MON…E winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 3 to
5 ft.
.MON NIGHT…SE winds 5 to 10 kt. Gusts up to 20 kt in the
evening. Seas 3 to 5 ft.