Fishing Report, Peanut Bunker are here!

First things first, the Delmarva Angler is back and we have new equipment.  We had a serious malfunction over a week ago and we had to get that fixed.  Learning curve and now that won’t happen again, however we do need some faster computers so we will be working on that soon.  We will be back to the Tuesday night 7 to 9 PM schedule starting tonight the 30th of June, and weekend broadcasts at events and tournaments.  You can check the Delmarva Angler page for the schedule.

Sharks, sharks, sharks, that is all we are hearing about right now.  I saw a picture someone posted on Facebook that  is freaking people out.  The caption says it is from the bay behind Assateague Island, that is not true.  The picture is from Florida waters at least two years ago.  Just a heads up but when you see a post like that use the Google.  You would be surprised how many people try to use old pictures to create sensational posts for attention.  Speaking of sharks.  We caught several sand bar and sand tigers the other day when I was fishing with Chris Ranney.  He was visiting his family in Milford and I gave him a tour of the area and showed him some cool fishing spots.  We met up the next day to do some surf fishing but all we were hitting were sharks.  If you use cut bait you are going to catch a shark right now.  I know a few people who have been shark fishing the past couple of nights doing well with sand tigers.  Even Dewey Beach was hot for them last night.  Sharks live in the ocean gang, that is a fact.  If anyone is planning on playing in the water of the inland bays this weekend, keep that in mind. Sharks are being spotted in the back bays near places people like to hang out in the water.  Here is one story from last night of a sighting from Tom Deptula, chef at Victoria’s in the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel,  ” So, I was crabbing the grass beds from my kayak near Thompsons Island last night around 9 or so, when I heard a big splash behind me. I thought it was a rockfish, but when I looked I saw a big gnarly tail slashing around in the water. SHARK.  It turned around and there were two dorsal fins coming right at me, about 8 feet away. Couldn’t tell what kind, it was fairly brownish. I’m pretty sure it was a mother with her pup, probably about  six feet  They hung out for a bit, they pinned me against the grass it was insane. Definitely needed a diaper change after that one!   Right across from the Rudder”!  Don’t everyone freak out, just be wary they are out there, and you are in their territory not the other way around.

 

Fishing has been getting hotter and hotter for flounder in all the usual places.  Nuclear chicken gulp has been the hot ticket this  year so far and they have a new brand out that is a split tail version.  We used it the other night on the Lewes Canal and Suzanne Martin managed a nice keeper.  Big thanks to Denise at Henlopen Bait and Tackle for the hook up on the gulp.  It was one of those trips where Jeff and I drifted from the Lewes Boat ramp to Irish Eyes in time for happy hour and then everyone who met us there jumped on the boat and we continued to fish by drifting back to the boat ramp via the outgoing tide. We spent slack tide eating at IE because that is how we roll.  The croaker action around us was crazy at the town docks (lewes) but we were drifting for flounder.  We saw the Katydid come back to dock and the folks on there did well on flounder.  Yesterday Katydid went for sea bass and managed a nice haul of 68 bass 26 hake 2 cod and 1 flounder.  Everyone has been so hot to catch flounder they forget other fish are still out there to catch.   The season for Black Sea Bass is May 15 – Sep. 18 , 12.5 inches (excluding caudal filament) and 15 per day per angler.   Flounder are hot out front in the Delaware Bay, Lewes Canal, and the Inland Bays.  Too bad the Henlopen pier is not open but the flats there, pier poles and old pier area have been hot.    Expect the flounder fishing to just get better. My buddy Tom Wise says that the reason people have a hard time catching flounder drifting is they are going too fast.  Keep that in mind when you are out there especially with minnows.  Kingfish have been hot in the surf in the early early morning and late late evening.  Afternoon fishing has been slow, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, after all it is fishing.  Don’t forget to check our Charter section in the Business Directory and the Bait shop section.  There are other businesses listed as well, and we ask that you support those that support DSF.

 

I helped move horseshoe crabs last night at Broadkill Beach with the folks from MERR and other volunteers.  We only collected a few but expect to see more the next couple of days due to the full moon, and high tide spawning times.  The males were tagged before we released them south of the replenishment project.  I have to say the beach there is really nice.  It slopes out very smooth into the water with very little to no drop off and the edge of the surf is even scalloped with small cuts.  We will see how that holds up against future storms, but for now it is a very nice looking beach.  I know people have been catching a lot of dogfish up there and some croaker.  Not as much as they usually do but as the project moves farther north maybe the fishing will pick up.  Beach Plum Island has been about the same.  We have pictures of the Broadkill Beach replenishment project on a recent article if you would like to see those.   The croaker fishing has been hot as far up as Augustine beach and will continue to get better.  Small weakfish are in the mix.  I am looking for anyone who has caught some larger weakfish.  There is a study about to happen with a tagging program and they will be looking for anglers to help with that, please send an email to admin@delaware-surf-fishing.com if you have caught any larger than spike sized trout. It would be greatly appreciated by the research people and I will forward your info confidentially to them.

 

Where is spot?  I have yet to see any but have heard some minnow sized ones are showing up in the inland bays.  I do know they are catching them near southern Virginia, so eventually they will be here.  I keep saying that hopefully they will show up soon enough.  Peanut bunker are in the back bays, great bait but only take what you need we need them to grow into big bunker.   The offshore action is still hot for tuna, mahi and tilefish.  The water is warming up out there and the surrounding bay waters as well.  We had a bit of a cool off a few days ago from the storms and that is helping keep the temperatures out of the bathtub range.  Crabbing has been getting better, you just have to find them (anyone tired of me saying that?)   Clamming is the same in the inland bays.    It is summer fishing gang it changes but stays the same.  Tides will be outgoing all week into the weekend for the early to late morning.  The incoming tides have been seeing short striped bass and snapper bluefish at the Indian River Inlet.  Night fishing has been good for short striped bass at the inlet, seeding with sandfleas. Hope everyone has great fourth of July weekend.  Be safe and smart.  Travel carefully the beach isn’t going anywhere.  Rip currents are becoming an issue so be careful swimming and make sure you fish them.  Great place to find fish, not so much for swimming.  On the incoming tide fish above the rip current and below on the outgoing tide.  I like to surround one with lines to see where the fish are feeding.   Fireworks are on the 5th this year in Rehoboth, and Dewey beach has their own display again on the 4th by the Highway one group.  Be safe if going out to view them in a boat.  Ask me that story sometime, that was a loooong night in the marsh many moons ago.  Speaking of that, it is a full moon this weekend and Venus and Jupiter are the two planets (stars)  you are seeing in the sky next to each other and are getting closer together.  This is known as the “Star of Bethlehem” and  No they aren’t going to hit each other.  Have a great weekend!

Fish On!!

Rich King

 

Some more pictures sent in this week and some I took …