Largest Long Fin True Albacore Caught in Delaware This Year

The winds have calmed down and it has been beautiful on the beach yesterday and today. We should have decent weather during this Indian summer. The other night I was fishing with Boots and he hit a small pompano. We still have the warm water fish in our waters. Bluefish are still small and ranging in sizes from six inches to fourteen. Mullet has been the best bait for blues and redfish. Most of the redfish are full of sandfleas and a really nice sized red was caught by the outer wall the other day while some boys were tautog fishing. The tog have been in decent sizes at all the usual spots, even Massey’s landing is seeing smaller keepers. Mullet are out there, but many have had a hard time catching them, and others are filling up buckets with no problem. Being there when they are near the shore has been the issue. Cape Henlopen, a usual hot spot, has been fair for netting. The low tides in the evening have made it difficult for folks to catch them. Wading out into the deeper water at low tides usually will increase your chances. They have been thick in the surf at most of the beaches. Many larger ones are showing up in the little creeks and sloughs. Broadkill River has been thick with them. I know people who have been filling their freezer and others that can barely fill a bucket. Fishing for bait is just like fishing, you just never know when and where you will get into them.

Kingfish and croaker are still abundant in the surf, but there again, you have to be in the right place, and at the right time. Something I can not predict for you, just get out there and see what happens is your best bet. The incoming tide seems to be the best time and the outgoing at the beginning for the first hour. Early morning is always good for catching, when nature starts to stir the fish start to feed, as is early evening until sundown. Fishbites, blood worms and small sandfleas have been the best baits. Flounder are still out there and a few keepers have been caught in the back bays. Striped bass mostly shorties are all over the place, and getting more active. A nice keeper was caught near Smyrna the other day on bloodworms, while these boys were fishing for perch and shorty stripers. They were surprised to catch a nice sized keeper. Sea bass are still abundant, and triggers. A few nice sheepshead have been caught while people are fishing for tautog near the outer and inner walls. The weather calming down will allow more people to get out there and fish. No one likes to challenge rough seas in a boat, and the rough surf can be a task. You can expect the weekend winds to pick up a bit as this hurricane moves inland that is about to hit Florida. There is also a very large blizzard in the midwest. I doubt we will see any snow, so no worries there. However we will see stronger winds and rain by Monday into Tuesday.

Captain Brian Wazalevek and mate John Masten took a group out on the Lil’ Angler II and came back to port this evening. They had a long trip, but the catch was well worth the time. A decent sized Mako shark, a nice sized Mahi Mahi, and three long fin true alabacore. The mahi qualified for a citation at twenty two plus pounds. The big news is one of the long fin true albacore was a citation at thirty six pounds, and the largest caught in Delaware this year. Congratulations to the boys on the boat … Seth Hastings, Jeff Pinero, Stan Twardus, Jerry Schmidt, Mike Santos, and Brian Kucharski … way to go gentlemen! They caught the mako late last night, hit the albies on the troll this morning, and picked up the mahi on the troll on the way back in from the Wilmington canyon. I spoke with Captain Brian this evening and he wants to put some trips together this fall for striped bass. His first trip will be on October eighteenth, and he is looking for seven people to fill the charter. This will be a ten hour trip and cost $140 per person, he plans on being back that evening for the weigh in and dinner at Irish Eyes for the Striped bass tournament by Bill’s Sport Shop. Captain Brian will have more details on his Delaware Family Fishing Facebook page or you can contact him … (302) 430-3414. Book your trip soon for the fall run, and the Captain will get you out into the fish.

I spoke with Doug Long of Delaware Seashore State Park today and the north jetty of the Indian River inlet will close for repair by the army corp of engineers. It was supposed to close October second, but possibly due to the government shutdown will be delayed on the start, no one there (army corps) is answering the phone. There were people fishing the jetty today. The project is scheduled to last ninety days. As soon as there are more details we will let you know a better time frame. The beach area on the north side will remain open during the repairs, but the jetty will be closed to public access, when the project starts. When the south side camping area closes, I believe the parking area will still be accessible to anglers at the rail, and I am working on a confirmation of that. The park’s folks have been busy with a lot of meetings with all the work going on with the inlet area and beach replenishment. I will have more solid information for everyone by tomorrow. Good luck to all the surf anglers fishing the tournament this weekend. You should have decent weather, but it may be a little windy. Striped bass are on the move in Connecticut and Rhode Island. the boys up north are also hammering large bluefish blitzing the beaches. It won’t be long now, and we don’t call it Roctober for nothing.

Fish On!!
Rich King

I will have a tent set up this Saturday at Adkins Produce in Long Neck Delaware 32008 Long Neck rd., Millsboro, Delaware 19966