Seals at Masseys Landing and Bunker in the Ditch

I dropped by Masseys Landing too check and see if any seals were there and check out the water conditions.  The past few days there have been up to four four seals at any given time relaxing on the other side of the ditch on the mud banks.  Yesterday they were there just after the tide switched to outgoing and the banks were clear of water.  When I arrived the water is choppy and the wind is blowing a good clip, it is cold.  I saw a cormorant trying to choke down what looked like an oyster cracker, I scrambled for the camera to capture that Kodak moment.  While I was trying to take a picture of that scene, this little human like head pops up out of the water right next to me by the courtesy dock, with a monster bunker in its mouth.  I took some great photos and no sooner had I put the camera down, in swoops the giant eagle that lives on the island across the ditch and tries to steal the fish from the seal.  He missed that easy meal but managed to scoop up a bunker and headed back to the nest.  With a sea gull giving him grief trying to steal that meal.  Then bunker started breaking the surface, followed by three seal heads popping up that were chasing the fish.  This all happened in five minutes.  Nature can happen fast, you have to pay attention.  So we know there are bunker running the ditch at Masseys Landing on the top of the incoming tide.  From the jumping fish I would say a great deal of them.

Meanwhile Mike Trala and some of his boys are up north catching short striped bass up to twenty six inches on the upper Delaware Bay and Lower River area. Collins Beach to Augustine Beach has been hot the past few days.  By boat or land, we do not give exact locations for boats and only public locations by land.  Several people sent in pictures yesterday of their kids catching fish.  Spring break may not be warm the but the fishing is hot up there.  Great to see so many kids having a good time fishing, that is what it is all about.  Bunker Chunks and Bloodworms are the ticket for bait.   You can use bucktails for some decent catching as well, add a soft plastic for more action and size to the presentation.  The surf down here is still quiet but that doesn’t mean there aren’t fish out there, they have to swim past our shores to get in to the Delaware Bay, not like there is a DART bus for fish.  The Nanticoke is hot for shorts, just remember the spawning rules, and Cedar swamp saw some nice fish the other day according to James Ratcliff and his boys.

It is 1:30 pm and this all just happened on a Thursday afternoon.  Beach clean up is canceled this Sunday, sorry.  I have to go meet Corby on a beach if I can manage to walk in the sand. I was in a bad car accident yesterday and we are lucky to be alive.  Walking is a chore to say the least right now, but I’m stubborn, and I want to hit the beach.  Not sure I can walk a whole beach on Sunday to clean,  but I can definitely drive out on one to fish today, and stay near my truck.

Fish On!!

Rich King