February Spring Days

Once in a while we get a mini teaser of spring days to come, as short lived as they are it is a welcomed reprieve
from a cold winter’s day.  This weekend was no exception.  Saturday a bunch of us met on the beach at the point.  The sand was frozen solid to the dune line.  It was like driving on concrete, and probably would have been a smoother ride had I not aired down.  I did manage to make it most of the way out when I realized I was in two wheel drive.  That is how I knew the sand was frozen and the fact the ground was very bumpy.  I met Alex Tkachuk, Jim King, Bud King, Corby Fulton, and Dave Okonewski … just below the point.  The boys had bunker chunks at the ready and we reeled in a lot of that brown hair, which looks like a miniature version of cousin it, hanging on the rigs.  In the afternoon the wind picked up and the sun was not out as much as we had hoped, but it was still nice to spend a day on the beach.  The only thing biting was the wind, we would have been happy for a Jersey flounder (skate).  A little after lunch two A-10 Warthogs flew over head and we packed it in and called it a day.  When you have a nice day in the winter you go to the beach.  It was fun to see the boys and wet a line.

Sunday it was even nicer out, almost sixty degrees inland and fifty on the beaches.  People were all over the place beach combing, walking, and some were fishing.  Kevin and Amy Baldwin took the kids (Emma and Mason) to the beach for a little surf fishing.  Amy won the Fish & Wildlife photo contest and her picture featuring Kevin and the kids surf fishing is now the cover for this years fishing guide.  Congratulations!  They were on the bay side of the point and a curious harbor seal kept popping up in the surf and eventually came up on the beach.  The Baldwins would move and the seal would follow them down the beach, while they were fishing.  Amy took some great photographs which are in the gallery below.  They kept a safe distance and the seal was just fine so there was no reason to alert anyone, most likely it came ashore to get some rest and warm up in the sun.  From the pictures and video we have you can tell this seal is not camera shy.  The kids named it Blob The Seal, because that is what you do when a sea puppy comes ashore.  Kevin said no matter where they went on the beach the seal seemed to follow them up and down the beach.  Some friends asked me on Friday where can we see a seal.  They are always on the outer and inner walls, the haystacks, in the surf, Indian River Inlet and usually there are a couple that hang out near Masseys Landing during the winter to the early spring.  Being around when they are basking is like fishing, you have to be in the right place at the right time.  Yesterday that place that was the point at Cape Henlopen in the late afternoon.   No images found.

It was a beach combers delight this weekend, warm enough to endure a long walk on the beach without bone chilling air penetrating many layers of clothing.  unfortunately that (the cold) will be back on Thursday and we will see temperatures as low as fourteen degrees.  These winter-spring days are always nice teasers of days to come.  We all know summer will be here soon, but patience tends to wear thin during the winter months, people get bored cooped up in their houses all day.  I have rearranged my gear a half dozen times, greased the reels, still need to fix two of my rods, and am just chomping at the bit to do some fishing on a warm spring day.  We can fish for perch and crappie, but it is not the same as a warm  lazy day by the water, but still a tug on the line.  We did do a bunch of filming yesterday for the next show, and fixed up the DE Nest, The Osprey Project for the spring.  When those birds show up, usually around St. Patrick’s day, then it is game on with fish soon following.  We hope everyone is enjoying the show, Delaware Surf Fishing Outdoors and More, we have a lot planned to show you about Delaware.

Fish On!!

Rich King