T_boy
09-15-2011, 02:49 PM
OCEAN
While catch reports from the offshore fleet included plenty of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo and mahi action, anglers targeting white marlin are enjoying some of the best fishing of the season. The crew of the D.A. Seas had 10 marlin release flags flying from their outriggers when they got back to Sunset Marina after a day of trolling in the Washington Canyon. Anglers aboard Captain Jerry Blunt’s Billfisher had a good day at the Rockpile, releasing nine whites. The Rockpile also produced nine marlin for the crew of the Sea Slammer. Fishermen aboard the No Quarter had an overnighter to the Norfolk Canyon that they will never forget, with 20 white marlin release flags flying when they returned to Ocean City. A weekend trip to the Jackspot for the crew of the Grand Pez provided four nice mahi and a white marlin release. Deep droppers checking in with Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina also had good catches to report from the waters outside the 50-fathom line. Captain Chris Thurman of the Lewes charter Skipjack reported a good drift on the edge of the Baltimore that provided anglers with 20 tilefish up to 20 pounds. An offshore head boat trip aboard Captain H.D. Parsons’ Thelma Dale V also produced good numbers of golden tilefish. Boaters fishing the wrecks, Artificial Reefs and other inshore structure are scoring on a variety of species, including some real nice black sea bass. Topping the sea bass report from Lewes Harbour Marina was a 3.45-pounder caught at the Triple Wrecks by Patti Schneider aboard the Patient Lady. The shipping lanes between the DB and DA buoys also have been a good choice for flounder, ling, black sea bass and some of the biggest croaker anglers have seen all season. Fishermen aboard Captain Carey Evans’ Grizzly had a good day of hardhead fishing on a snag northwest of DB buoy, loading up on fish as large as 20 inches. The croaker are hitting on a variety of baits, including fresh surf clams, squid strips, shrimp, strip baits, bloodworms and Fishbites. Surf casters continue to report catches of small bluefish, kings, croaker, sharks, rays, skates and an occasional flounder on a mix of bloodworms, Fishbites, bluefish strips and finger mullet. Action on big flounder tends to improve in Delaware’s back bays and in the Indian River Inlet in September and October as water temperatures cool. Eddie Kim checked in at Bill’s Sport Shop with an 8.45-pound flattie caught in Indian River Inlet on a bucktail dressed with chartreuse Gulp! Mike Marsich also reported good fishing for jumbo fluke for anglers running out of the Indian River Inlet Marina. Topping the list was an 11.40-pounder caught on live spot in the inlet by John Russell. The inlet also produced for Michael Biederman and Burt Campbell who checked in at Hook’em and Cook’em with flounder weighing 9.90 pounds and 8.20 pounds, respectively. Rick Willman topped his weekly flounder report from Rick’s Bait and Tackle with a 6.20-pound flattie caught in the inlet on a squid strip by 10-year-old Josh Dabbs. Boaters and anglers fishing the inlet also are reporting rockfish, with most of the linesiders measuring a few inches short of the 28-inch minimum. One exception was the 8.40-pound striper caught by Matt Wolynetz at Bubblegum Beach on a black and purple Bomber plug. Most of the stripers have been too short to keep, but they have provided good catch-and-release action. Evans recommended bucktails during the day and dark plugs for night fishing. Most of the flounder being caught in the inlet and back bays also have been too short to keep, but there have been a few very nice fish caught. Bill Winkler was fishing the south side of the inlet with live cobb mullet when he landed a 28.5-inch, 9.90-pound flattie. Eleven-year-old Noah Tuohey was fishing Massey’s Ditch with live minnows when landed his first ever keeper flounder. Bluefish in the 20- to 22-inch range are being caught at the fishing pier at Massey’s Landing, according to Bill Baker at Bill’s Sport Shop. Anglers fishing the pier also reported a few sea bass and short flounder, and at least one 5-pound sheepshead.
DELAWARE BAY
Bottom bouncing continue to produce a mix of croaker, spot, small bluefish, kings, blowfish, flounder, porgies and sea trout, despite the dirty water conditions. Anglers fishing aboard Captain Chet Harer Lil’ Angler II reported a good day at Brown Shoal Saturday, boating a nice catch of blowfish, a pair of keeper flounder and 75 bluefish. Other locations receiving high marks for lower bay boaters included the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers off of Lewes, Broadkill Slough and Artificial Reef Sites Six, Seven and Eight. Bottom bouncers checking in at Smith’s Bait Shop in Leipsic recommended Cross Ledge and the area to the east of Miah Maull Lighthouse as good choices for upper bay action. With large schools of baitfish moving into the shallows from the bay side of Cape Henlopen to Broadkill beach, shore fishermen are reporting good fishing for snapper bluefish while fishing with fresh mullet. Reports from the Cape Henlopen fishing pier listed spot as the primary target, with bloodworms and FishBites at the top of the bait list. Flounder are providing decent fishing action at Roosevelt Inlet, according to Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina. While throwback flatties outnumbered the keepers, there have been a few fish like the 4.42-pounder caught by Angela Wallace. Reports passed along by the crew at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle from upper bay anglers included catches of striped bass, croaker and bluefish from the fishing pier at Woodland Beach. A few keeper rockfish also were reported by boaters fishing Sluice Ditch and the area off of Woodland Beach, Sluice Ditch, the jetty at the mouth of the Smyrna River and the 4L and 6L buoys.
RIVERS
Muddy water conditions in the tidal rivers and creeks have slowed most of the action, but fishing should be getting back to normal over the next week or so. There were reports of catfish being caught in the Delaware River, the C&D Canal and the smaller tidal creeks in southern New Castle County by fishermen checking in at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle. Fishermen stopping at Smith’s Bait Shop reported catches of white perch on bloodworms in most of the Kent County tidal creeks. Smallmouth bass fishing was put on hold when torrential rains flooded the Brandywine late last week. But, with drier weather in the forecast, the action on the bronzebacks should start to improve over the next few days. RatLTraps, spinners, crankbaits, jigs and shiners should all produce on the bass when water levels get back to normal. Jerry Taylor at Taylored Tackle reported the Nanticoke River to be extremely dirty from Seaford all the way down to Roaring Point after heavy rains flooded the southwest corner of the state. While such muddy conditions don’t seem to bother the catfish, reports of largemouth action will likely be on hold until the water clears.
PONDS
The water is clearing in most of the local millponds and fishermen are reporting action on a mix of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegills and a few chain pickerel. Fishermen checking in with Patty Foley at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle had good luck on largemouth at Noxontown Pond and Garrisons Lake with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Senkos. Pond reports passed along by Brian Baker at the Williamsville Country Store listed Haven Lake, Griffith Lake and Killen’s Pond as choices for bass action on Senkos, crankbaits and Damiki blade baits. Baker also reported good bass fishing at Blairs Pond for fishermen using Scum Frogs. Becks Pond and Lums Pond were the top picks for fishermen checking in at Shooter’s Supply, with live shiners leading the list of effective baits for bass and crappie action.
While catch reports from the offshore fleet included plenty of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, wahoo and mahi action, anglers targeting white marlin are enjoying some of the best fishing of the season. The crew of the D.A. Seas had 10 marlin release flags flying from their outriggers when they got back to Sunset Marina after a day of trolling in the Washington Canyon. Anglers aboard Captain Jerry Blunt’s Billfisher had a good day at the Rockpile, releasing nine whites. The Rockpile also produced nine marlin for the crew of the Sea Slammer. Fishermen aboard the No Quarter had an overnighter to the Norfolk Canyon that they will never forget, with 20 white marlin release flags flying when they returned to Ocean City. A weekend trip to the Jackspot for the crew of the Grand Pez provided four nice mahi and a white marlin release. Deep droppers checking in with Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina also had good catches to report from the waters outside the 50-fathom line. Captain Chris Thurman of the Lewes charter Skipjack reported a good drift on the edge of the Baltimore that provided anglers with 20 tilefish up to 20 pounds. An offshore head boat trip aboard Captain H.D. Parsons’ Thelma Dale V also produced good numbers of golden tilefish. Boaters fishing the wrecks, Artificial Reefs and other inshore structure are scoring on a variety of species, including some real nice black sea bass. Topping the sea bass report from Lewes Harbour Marina was a 3.45-pounder caught at the Triple Wrecks by Patti Schneider aboard the Patient Lady. The shipping lanes between the DB and DA buoys also have been a good choice for flounder, ling, black sea bass and some of the biggest croaker anglers have seen all season. Fishermen aboard Captain Carey Evans’ Grizzly had a good day of hardhead fishing on a snag northwest of DB buoy, loading up on fish as large as 20 inches. The croaker are hitting on a variety of baits, including fresh surf clams, squid strips, shrimp, strip baits, bloodworms and Fishbites. Surf casters continue to report catches of small bluefish, kings, croaker, sharks, rays, skates and an occasional flounder on a mix of bloodworms, Fishbites, bluefish strips and finger mullet. Action on big flounder tends to improve in Delaware’s back bays and in the Indian River Inlet in September and October as water temperatures cool. Eddie Kim checked in at Bill’s Sport Shop with an 8.45-pound flattie caught in Indian River Inlet on a bucktail dressed with chartreuse Gulp! Mike Marsich also reported good fishing for jumbo fluke for anglers running out of the Indian River Inlet Marina. Topping the list was an 11.40-pounder caught on live spot in the inlet by John Russell. The inlet also produced for Michael Biederman and Burt Campbell who checked in at Hook’em and Cook’em with flounder weighing 9.90 pounds and 8.20 pounds, respectively. Rick Willman topped his weekly flounder report from Rick’s Bait and Tackle with a 6.20-pound flattie caught in the inlet on a squid strip by 10-year-old Josh Dabbs. Boaters and anglers fishing the inlet also are reporting rockfish, with most of the linesiders measuring a few inches short of the 28-inch minimum. One exception was the 8.40-pound striper caught by Matt Wolynetz at Bubblegum Beach on a black and purple Bomber plug. Most of the stripers have been too short to keep, but they have provided good catch-and-release action. Evans recommended bucktails during the day and dark plugs for night fishing. Most of the flounder being caught in the inlet and back bays also have been too short to keep, but there have been a few very nice fish caught. Bill Winkler was fishing the south side of the inlet with live cobb mullet when he landed a 28.5-inch, 9.90-pound flattie. Eleven-year-old Noah Tuohey was fishing Massey’s Ditch with live minnows when landed his first ever keeper flounder. Bluefish in the 20- to 22-inch range are being caught at the fishing pier at Massey’s Landing, according to Bill Baker at Bill’s Sport Shop. Anglers fishing the pier also reported a few sea bass and short flounder, and at least one 5-pound sheepshead.
DELAWARE BAY
Bottom bouncing continue to produce a mix of croaker, spot, small bluefish, kings, blowfish, flounder, porgies and sea trout, despite the dirty water conditions. Anglers fishing aboard Captain Chet Harer Lil’ Angler II reported a good day at Brown Shoal Saturday, boating a nice catch of blowfish, a pair of keeper flounder and 75 bluefish. Other locations receiving high marks for lower bay boaters included the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers off of Lewes, Broadkill Slough and Artificial Reef Sites Six, Seven and Eight. Bottom bouncers checking in at Smith’s Bait Shop in Leipsic recommended Cross Ledge and the area to the east of Miah Maull Lighthouse as good choices for upper bay action. With large schools of baitfish moving into the shallows from the bay side of Cape Henlopen to Broadkill beach, shore fishermen are reporting good fishing for snapper bluefish while fishing with fresh mullet. Reports from the Cape Henlopen fishing pier listed spot as the primary target, with bloodworms and FishBites at the top of the bait list. Flounder are providing decent fishing action at Roosevelt Inlet, according to Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina. While throwback flatties outnumbered the keepers, there have been a few fish like the 4.42-pounder caught by Angela Wallace. Reports passed along by the crew at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle from upper bay anglers included catches of striped bass, croaker and bluefish from the fishing pier at Woodland Beach. A few keeper rockfish also were reported by boaters fishing Sluice Ditch and the area off of Woodland Beach, Sluice Ditch, the jetty at the mouth of the Smyrna River and the 4L and 6L buoys.
RIVERS
Muddy water conditions in the tidal rivers and creeks have slowed most of the action, but fishing should be getting back to normal over the next week or so. There were reports of catfish being caught in the Delaware River, the C&D Canal and the smaller tidal creeks in southern New Castle County by fishermen checking in at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle. Fishermen stopping at Smith’s Bait Shop reported catches of white perch on bloodworms in most of the Kent County tidal creeks. Smallmouth bass fishing was put on hold when torrential rains flooded the Brandywine late last week. But, with drier weather in the forecast, the action on the bronzebacks should start to improve over the next few days. RatLTraps, spinners, crankbaits, jigs and shiners should all produce on the bass when water levels get back to normal. Jerry Taylor at Taylored Tackle reported the Nanticoke River to be extremely dirty from Seaford all the way down to Roaring Point after heavy rains flooded the southwest corner of the state. While such muddy conditions don’t seem to bother the catfish, reports of largemouth action will likely be on hold until the water clears.
PONDS
The water is clearing in most of the local millponds and fishermen are reporting action on a mix of largemouth bass, crappie, bluegills and a few chain pickerel. Fishermen checking in with Patty Foley at Captain Bones Bait and Tackle had good luck on largemouth at Noxontown Pond and Garrisons Lake with crankbaits, spinnerbaits and Senkos. Pond reports passed along by Brian Baker at the Williamsville Country Store listed Haven Lake, Griffith Lake and Killen’s Pond as choices for bass action on Senkos, crankbaits and Damiki blade baits. Baker also reported good bass fishing at Blairs Pond for fishermen using Scum Frogs. Becks Pond and Lums Pond were the top picks for fishermen checking in at Shooter’s Supply, with live shiners leading the list of effective baits for bass and crappie action.