T_boy
02-10-2011, 02:02 PM
OCEAN
Surface sea temperatures are finally starting to increase in the waters off Delaware and Maryland, with readings above the 40-degree mark recorded at the Delaware Lightship. But, while surface readings are on the rise, colder water temperatures at the bottom seem to be having a negative effect on the tog bite. A recent trip for anglers fishing with Captain Monty Hawkins on the Ocean City charter, Morning Star was limited to just a few spiny dogfish. Warmer temperatures further south have produced better catches of blackfish, according to Extreme Fishing's Julie Ball.
The Triangle Wrecks off Virginia Beach have been especially productive with tautog up to 10 pounds being caught on a mix of blue crabs, clams, green crabs, frozen shrimp and mussels. Reports from the winter head boats running out of New Jersey's coastal ports listed cod and pollock as the primary targets on the offshore wrecks. Captain Howard Bogan said most recent cod trip aboard the 125-foot Jamaica produced fish ranging up to about 15 pounds.
Cold water along the local beaches continued to limit the action for surf and jetty fishermen. Catch reports from anglers fishing the surf with cut bait indicated extremely slow fishing, with just a few spiny dogs being caught by those lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. A few jetty fishermen have been trying for the small rockfish that winter over in the Indian River and Ocean City Inlets. But, the fish don't seem to be interested in the bucktails, weighted flies and plastic shad bodies fishermen are using.
Anglers fishing just off the beaches of the Outer Banks continued to score on citation stripers, according to reports from the Virginia Beach Fishing Center. The charter boat Gannet had a good week, producing a 41-pounder for Harry Kirchner and one weighing 40 pounds for Dan Milligan. Anglers running out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center also had a good week on the linesiders, with a 46-pound fish caught just outside the inlet by Paul Collins at the top of the citation report. Trolling continues to be the most productive tactic, with a mix of lures, including topwater and shallow running swimming plugs, parachutes and umbrellas rigged with soft shad bodies all working.
While boaters continue to score on trophy rockfish within a couple miles of shore between Virginia Beach and Oregon Inlet, it won't be long before the fish move out to deeper water and begin their annual migration back to major spawning areas including the Chesapeake and Delaware estuaries. Anticipating the departure of the rockfish, many of the Outer Banks charter captains are changing their focus to tuna and other offshore big game species. Bluefin tuna topped the list, with many of the offshore boats returning with their one-fish limit on ice and five or six release flags flying from the outriggers.
A private boat out of Hatteras Harbor Marina had nine releases and pulled the hook on another six bluefins. Paul Collins topped the blue water report from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, landing a mako and a 203-pound bluefin.
DELAWARE BAY
Bay waters are still too cold for action on anything other than spiny dogfish, but conditions are slowly improving. The most recent data from the NOAA monitoring buoys at Ship John Shoal and Brandywine Shoal showed a slight improvement in water temperatures, with increases of two degrees recorded at both stations since the beginning of the month. Anglers fishing the bay's tributary rivers are still reporting a mix of yellow perch, crappie and white perch. Look for the bigger white perch to make their way into the rivers over the next few weeks as temperatures rise.
RIVERS
Catch reports passed along by Shooter's Supply from anglers fishing the lower Susquehanna indicated continued action on big yellow perch in the stretch of the river around Port Deposit. Most of the fish are being caught on jigs tipped with live minnows or 1 1/2- to 2-inch plastic trailers. Patty Foley reported some action on catfish in the Delaware River at Augustine Beach and the tidal creeks below the canal for fishermen stopping at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle. Most of the catfish have been caught on night crawlers or chunks of frozen bunker. With the ice breaking up on the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek, Sussex County fishermen are reporting a big improvement in crappie action.
Crappie reports passed along by Jerry Taylor at Taylored Tackle listed the Bethel Hole and the area around the hospital in Seaford as the hot locations for crappie, with the biggest fish coming out of Bethel Hole. The bridge at the hospital also is a good choice for fishermen targeting yellow perch. Live minnows and shiners are the top choices for most of the panfish anglers fishing the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek. Milder weather last weekend helped trout fishermen score on some real nice steelhead and brown trout in the Salmon River, according to the weekly report from Whitaker's Sport Store in Pulaski.
The hot spots for fishermen checking in at the shop included Altmar, Sportsman, Papermill and the DSR. With the ice on the local streams melting, trout fishermen should be able to find a few fish in the deeper holes of White Clay Creek. Fish the deeper holes with natural baits, including red wigglers, waxies, meal worms or salmon eggs. Rig up with a plain, size 10 or 12 hook tied directly to the end of the line, with a split shot that's just heavy enough to allow the bait to drift slowly along the bottom positioned a couple feet above the hook.
PONDS
Pond action is heating up in most of the state's millponds as ice melts and anglers gain more access to open water. Michael McCrae topped the pond reports from Taylored Tackle with a 5.50-pound, citation largemouth from Records Pond. Shop owner Jerry Taylor said the trophy bass was caught on a Yozuri crankbait. Anglers stopping at Shooter's Supply also reported action on bass while fishing live shiners at Lums Pond. The state's public millponds also provided good crappie fishing during the past week, according to reports passed along by the crew at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle, with some of the best fishing coming from Garrisons Lake.
Surface sea temperatures are finally starting to increase in the waters off Delaware and Maryland, with readings above the 40-degree mark recorded at the Delaware Lightship. But, while surface readings are on the rise, colder water temperatures at the bottom seem to be having a negative effect on the tog bite. A recent trip for anglers fishing with Captain Monty Hawkins on the Ocean City charter, Morning Star was limited to just a few spiny dogfish. Warmer temperatures further south have produced better catches of blackfish, according to Extreme Fishing's Julie Ball.
The Triangle Wrecks off Virginia Beach have been especially productive with tautog up to 10 pounds being caught on a mix of blue crabs, clams, green crabs, frozen shrimp and mussels. Reports from the winter head boats running out of New Jersey's coastal ports listed cod and pollock as the primary targets on the offshore wrecks. Captain Howard Bogan said most recent cod trip aboard the 125-foot Jamaica produced fish ranging up to about 15 pounds.
Cold water along the local beaches continued to limit the action for surf and jetty fishermen. Catch reports from anglers fishing the surf with cut bait indicated extremely slow fishing, with just a few spiny dogs being caught by those lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. A few jetty fishermen have been trying for the small rockfish that winter over in the Indian River and Ocean City Inlets. But, the fish don't seem to be interested in the bucktails, weighted flies and plastic shad bodies fishermen are using.
Anglers fishing just off the beaches of the Outer Banks continued to score on citation stripers, according to reports from the Virginia Beach Fishing Center. The charter boat Gannet had a good week, producing a 41-pounder for Harry Kirchner and one weighing 40 pounds for Dan Milligan. Anglers running out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center also had a good week on the linesiders, with a 46-pound fish caught just outside the inlet by Paul Collins at the top of the citation report. Trolling continues to be the most productive tactic, with a mix of lures, including topwater and shallow running swimming plugs, parachutes and umbrellas rigged with soft shad bodies all working.
While boaters continue to score on trophy rockfish within a couple miles of shore between Virginia Beach and Oregon Inlet, it won't be long before the fish move out to deeper water and begin their annual migration back to major spawning areas including the Chesapeake and Delaware estuaries. Anticipating the departure of the rockfish, many of the Outer Banks charter captains are changing their focus to tuna and other offshore big game species. Bluefin tuna topped the list, with many of the offshore boats returning with their one-fish limit on ice and five or six release flags flying from the outriggers.
A private boat out of Hatteras Harbor Marina had nine releases and pulled the hook on another six bluefins. Paul Collins topped the blue water report from Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, landing a mako and a 203-pound bluefin.
DELAWARE BAY
Bay waters are still too cold for action on anything other than spiny dogfish, but conditions are slowly improving. The most recent data from the NOAA monitoring buoys at Ship John Shoal and Brandywine Shoal showed a slight improvement in water temperatures, with increases of two degrees recorded at both stations since the beginning of the month. Anglers fishing the bay's tributary rivers are still reporting a mix of yellow perch, crappie and white perch. Look for the bigger white perch to make their way into the rivers over the next few weeks as temperatures rise.
RIVERS
Catch reports passed along by Shooter's Supply from anglers fishing the lower Susquehanna indicated continued action on big yellow perch in the stretch of the river around Port Deposit. Most of the fish are being caught on jigs tipped with live minnows or 1 1/2- to 2-inch plastic trailers. Patty Foley reported some action on catfish in the Delaware River at Augustine Beach and the tidal creeks below the canal for fishermen stopping at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle. Most of the catfish have been caught on night crawlers or chunks of frozen bunker. With the ice breaking up on the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek, Sussex County fishermen are reporting a big improvement in crappie action.
Crappie reports passed along by Jerry Taylor at Taylored Tackle listed the Bethel Hole and the area around the hospital in Seaford as the hot locations for crappie, with the biggest fish coming out of Bethel Hole. The bridge at the hospital also is a good choice for fishermen targeting yellow perch. Live minnows and shiners are the top choices for most of the panfish anglers fishing the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek. Milder weather last weekend helped trout fishermen score on some real nice steelhead and brown trout in the Salmon River, according to the weekly report from Whitaker's Sport Store in Pulaski.
The hot spots for fishermen checking in at the shop included Altmar, Sportsman, Papermill and the DSR. With the ice on the local streams melting, trout fishermen should be able to find a few fish in the deeper holes of White Clay Creek. Fish the deeper holes with natural baits, including red wigglers, waxies, meal worms or salmon eggs. Rig up with a plain, size 10 or 12 hook tied directly to the end of the line, with a split shot that's just heavy enough to allow the bait to drift slowly along the bottom positioned a couple feet above the hook.
PONDS
Pond action is heating up in most of the state's millponds as ice melts and anglers gain more access to open water. Michael McCrae topped the pond reports from Taylored Tackle with a 5.50-pound, citation largemouth from Records Pond. Shop owner Jerry Taylor said the trophy bass was caught on a Yozuri crankbait. Anglers stopping at Shooter's Supply also reported action on bass while fishing live shiners at Lums Pond. The state's public millponds also provided good crappie fishing during the past week, according to reports passed along by the crew at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle, with some of the best fishing coming from Garrisons Lake.