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



By Eric Burnley Sr.*

Updated: Aug. 5, 2011

NEW! DNREC opens safer channel for boating traffic in the bays

DELAWARE BAY Keeper flounder are holding on top of all sorts of structure from Reef Site 4 to the Outer Wall. The reef sites on Brown Shoal, 6 and 7, have produced limit catches of flounder on good days and very little when conditions are not optimum. For success on the hard structure the wind and current must be moderate in order to have productive drifts.

Keep in mind the fish are on top of the rubble, not close, but on top, so when you drift off you must go back and cover the area again. This is called short drifting and requires a lot of work from the captain who will not get in much fishing. For the most part, blind drifting over open bottom is not going to produce quality fish.

Bucktails with a strip of squid, fish or a Gulp! jerk shad have been used with good success. A more conventional rig incorporating a single circle hook baited with squid and minnow or fish strips on a two-foot leader is also effective. Whatever rig you choose expect to leave several on the bottom.

The one location where flounder have been caught over open bottom is east of Ship John Light. Shorts are more common than keepers, but the action has been steady.

Croaker have been caught from the upper bay to the Inner Wall. Unfortunately, they are somewhat scattered around with no solid concentrations in any one spot.

Speaking of spot, they are being caught on bloodworms from the Cape Henlopen Pier, Roosevelt Inlet, the Broadkill River, Broadkill Beach and the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal. My reports indicate good number of medium-size fish so it is worth having a go if you like a spot fueled fish fry.

Slot-size rockfish are available from Augustine Beach to Port Mahon with peeler crab the prime bait. Boaters have had success fishing the mouths of tidal creeks and rivers and the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal from Roosevelt Inlet to the Freeman Bridge. Clams and eels fished by the Savannah Road Bridge in Lewes have accounted for limits of rockfish.

The Outer Wall has seen a decrease in the number of tog and an increase in triggerfish and sheepshead catches. Small bits of crab on small hooks are the ticket for both species. Slot rock have been caught on surface lures during evening tides along the wall.

INDIAN RIVER INLET Incoming current in the morning made for good fishing conditions this week. Flounder fishermen had success drifting along the southside from the old campgrounds to the entrance to Southshore Marina. Minnows and squid was the most popular bait, but live spot accounted for many more keepers. The ratio of shorts to keepers is about 12 to 1 on conventional baits, but far better with live spot.

The back bays also gave up keeper flounder. Massey’s Ditch and Rehoboth Bay both saw some decent fish last week. Croaker and spot are available in this same area. Savvy anglers are going out early and catching spot then using them as bait for flounder.

Blues were pretty much a no show even with the incoming water in the morning and evening.

Rockfish continue to be taken on live spot drifted from boats during the incoming water. Night time finds jetty jockeys catching rock on flies behind sinkers, bucktails and plugs. This can be a lot of fun for those still nimble enough to navigate the slippery rocks.

SURF FISHING Fishing from the beach is a good way to cool off on a hot afternoon, but not very productive for anyone counting on their catch for dinner. The assortment being caught includes small blues, spot, croaker, kings, dog sharks and skates. The actual number of fish caught with the exception of skates and dogs is very low.

The practice of catching big sharks at night from the beach got a bit expensive for at least one angler. Most of these sharks are listed as threatened and new regulations prohibit removing them from the water after they've been caught. This gentleman had his photo taken with a sand tiger shark he caught, posted it online and also drew the attention of enforcement officers. He paid the fine and learned a lesson.

I would never recommend going in the surf to unhook a big tiger shark at night, but I suspect that is exactly what a few bold anglers will do. When I was in the Navy and stationed on an aircraft carrier the flyboys would say,” There are bold pilots and old pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.”

INSHORE OCEAN Reef Site 10 continues to give up keeper flounder to anglers who keep their baits on top of the hard structure. If you fish the open bottom you can connect with ling and bluefish.

The open bottom at B Buoy, A Buoy and the Old Grounds holds flounder and ling in reasonable numbers. This is deep water and when the wind and current are strong or opposed the fishing can be difficult. Calm days like we had last week made for productive fishing here.

Try bucktails or single hook flounder rigs baited with strips of squid or fish. I recommend braided line because it has less water resistance than mono. It can take as much as 8 ounces of lead to find and hold bottom, but if your bait is not in the strike zone your time is wasted.

Trollers continue to find bluefish, bonito and false albacore along the Buoy Line. If you are trolling and encounter a concentration of either species break out the casting gear and toss bucktails or metal lures for some light tackle action.

The tuna bite has switched to the chunk on the inshore lumps. Warmer surface water temperatures have sent the fish deep and chunking is the best way to reach them.

OFFSHORE OCEAN It will interesting to see how the passage of the tropical storm will effect marlin fishing. As a general rule, a storm will heat up the billfish bite for those who can make the run in less than ideal conditions. The opening day of the White Marlin Open is Monday and I expect the larger boats will have a distinct advantage as the storm is predicted to be directly off out coast on that day.

Last week the canyons saw good billfish action along with some dolphin and wahoo. The bite was in the Baltimore and the Poorman’s.

FRESHWATER Fishing for white perch in the tidal creeks is probably the best option for freshwater anglers. Peeler crab has become the favored bait and from my reports the perch are good sized. It is also possible to catch a slot rockfish in the same water on the same bait.

Bass fishermen are finding action during low light periods while working top water lures in the mill ponds. The window is small, before the sun is up and just after it sets.

The Nanticoke River is seeing better bass action with Senkos working around structure during falling tides. Perch and sunfish are available here as well.

Catfish and perch have been caught in the lower Delaware River and the C&D Canal. Peeler crab will work for both species.

EMERGENCY KIT Coast Guard regulations require a first aid kit on your boat, but I have found it a good idea to carry a first aid kit for your engine as well. Having a contract with a towing service is great, but avoiding the long tow back home is even better.

The motor on your boat can have problems without notice and it pays to keep a few spare parts and tools onboard to fix what you can. Inboards and I/Os are famous for throwing fan belts. With a spare belt you should be able to repair the problem and get back home in a reasonable amount of time.

My Volvo I/O kept using up water pumps. I became very adapt at replacing the pump at sea. A friend had a two-cycle outboard motor that would foul sparkplugs on a regular basis. We could switch out all six in a short time.

Since space on a boat is limited you cannot carry spare parts for every possible emergency. Spark plugs and fan belts don’t take up much room, while water pumps can be bulky. Of course, it only takes one time coming home at idle speed to keep the engine from overheating to convince you to find the space for that spare pump.

Sections of water hose that will fit your motor can save the day. Be sure to have a supply of the proper size clamps to fit the hoses. There is a product that can be used to repair a water hose temporality. It is a roll of tape that will stretch over a hole in the hose and seal it up.

Fuses, electrical tape, connectors, crimping pliers and a few sizes of wire can keep you going when electrical problems occur. These products don’t take up much space and can be stored in plastic tackle boxes.

Outboards and I/Os have a bad habit of spinning the prop. Carry a spare prop and all the hardware needed to replace the old one. Hanging over the transom and trying to remove and replace the prop can result in important parts falling overboard.

Safety is always the first concern. Don’t try anything foolish. If the seas are too rough for a safe repair call the towing service.

Tools can take up a lot of space, but I have a small kit from Craftsman that is in a plastic case and contains several wrenches, including open end, box end and socket, a screwdriver with many types of heads, a sparkplug socket and a compartment in the top for odd items like pipe tape, pliers and wire cutters. I keep it will oiled with WD-40 so the constant exposure to salt air does not render the tools useless when I need them.

Every boat owner must select the spare parts and tools he needs to fix his particular boat and motor. If you have not done this already now would be a good time to get it done.

*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.