Delaware Fishing Report
When, Where, What and How They're Biting



By Eric Burnley Sr.*

Updated: Jan. 6, 2011

DELAWARE BAY Between the wind and the holidays it has been difficult for anglers to do much fishing in the bay. On those rare days when the weather does cooperate both rockfish and tog have been taken. The water temperature is still in the upper 40s and with more warm weather on the way it should stay in that range.

Rockfish action at the mouth of the bay has been spotty at best. I believe this has more to do with the high winds than a lack of fish. With a few good, calm weather days the action should improve.

We are still getting reports from up the bay that big rockfish have been caught from boats and from shore. With fresh bunker difficult if not impossible to find, the frozen product has been the only choice. The pier at Woodland Beach has seen a few keepers on bunker or bloodworms.

Tog fishing was good over bay reef sites and along rock jetties and walls. Crab has been the best bait with anglers having a difficult time deciding between blue, Asian, white leggers and fiddler.

INDIAN RIVER INLET We did have one report of keeper rockfish from the inlet caught on a white bucktail and white worm. Fishing pressure has been light, but if we finally get a decent number of keepers this could change. The warmer water has kept tog feeding in the rocks. Green crab is the most popular bait.

SURF FISHING I do hate to sound like a broken record, but if we get some east wind it is not impossible to see a few big rockfish from the surf. Fresh bait will be a problem and frozen bait does not stay on the hook once it thaws out. Check with local seafood stores to see if they carry butterfish or mackerel. The cost will be a bit high, but fresh bait is always better than frozen.

INSHORE OCEAN Tog were caught over inshore reef sites and wrecks on the very few days when the boats could leave the dock. This fishery should be good for the entire winter unless we get a prolonged cold spell.

Sea bass season is closed so long runs beyond the 20-Fathom Line won’t be necessary. I expect head boats out of Lewes and Indian River may run long-range trips to the deep water near the canyons for tilefish and grouper. Cod fishing should be good if you want to play catch and release with lots of sea bass.

FRESHWATER The short cold spell we had last week did not put even rim ice on Red Mill Pond. With the ponds still ice free, anglers can expect to catch bass, pickerel and crappie. Live bait will be the ticket to success.

The tidal creeks hold white perch and catfish. Bloodworms are the best bait. It is possible to catch the occasional short rockfish at these locations.

White Clay Creek is a great place to spend a winter afternoon trying your luck with trout. Any of a number of fresh baits including earthworms, grubs or mealworms will lure the trout out of their hiding place. Fly fishermen have the entire area from Thompson’s Bridge to the Pennsylvania line to practice their sport.

Spillways will hold perch and crappie and are usually located close to a parking area. These bodies of water stay open even in the coldest weather and provide year-round fishing.

STAY SAFE Winter fishing brings its own type of danger. The water and the air are very cold and it does not take long for hypothermia to set in and death will soon follow.

First and foremost do not go out in unsafe conditions. Even a short trip to a freshwater pond can be dangerous when the temperature is low and the wind is high. Seldom does Delaware produce ice that is safe to walk on so don’t try to ice fish. Hopefully, this will be mild winter and no ice will form to temp anglers to try their luck.

Don’t go out on the bay or ocean in an open boat. The cold air combined with the salt spray can bring on hypothermia even if you stay in the boat. If you want to fish, there are head and charter boats that will run all winter and both have protected areas to get out of the weather.
Put the kayak up until spring. We have lost one soul in the past year because he took his kayak out in nasty weather. That little dip you took last summer may have been a fun experience. Do that in the winter and there is a good chance it will be fatal.

Finally, dress for the cold. Wear layers with the outer one some sort of wind and waterproof garment. I wear Grunden foul weather bibs and pullover jacket along with rubber deck boots. Under this I will wear a heavy shirt, long underwear, heavy pants and a pullover sweatshirt.

Please be careful out there.

*Eric Burnley Sr. is a native Delawarean who has fished the waters of his home state for more than 60 years. He has been a full-time outdoor writer since 1978, with articles appearing in most national magazines as well as many regional publications. He has authored two books, Surf Fishing The Atlantic Coast and The Ultimate Guide To Catching Striped Bass.