By Eric Burnley Sr.*

Updated: September 3, 2010

ADVISORY: All surf fishing crossings on Delaware State Parks will be closed to vehicles starting 12 a.m. Friday until Hurricane Earl passes and tide levels subside.

DELAWARE BAY Another strange week of fishing in the bay. Over the weekend flounder were caught in good numbers primarily at the reef sites, but also over open bottom at G and A buoys along the edge of the Anchorage. On Monday the fishing fell way off and by 6 p.m. Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina had not seen a single fish of any kind cross his cleaning table.

My fishing buddy Mile Pizzolato and I went out of Cedar Creek on Tuesday. Our first stop was G Buoy where we planned to fish the slack low water. The SONAR showed nothing on the bottom in 60 feet so we moved to the edge of the shoal and drifted from 20 down to 40 feet.

Between 30 and 40 feet the screen came alive with marks, but our baits were ignored. Repeated drifts over this area produced the same result so we moved to Site 6.

Once again we had good marks on the SONAR and once again we caught nothing. We would occasionally have a bluefish bite off our squid strips and I had a minnow molested by what I believe was a flounder, but overall the fishing was bad. While I am sure other anglers did better than us, I never saw a net in the air at any location where we fished.

On Wednesday fishing improved and some flounder were caught at Site 8, but overall the bay is just not as good as it should be.

We continue to have reports of croaker and spot at the Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier with spot also caught out of the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal. The Outer and Inner walls as well as the Ferry Jetty held some croaker and flounder.

Up the bay the white perch fishing has been very good in the tidal creeks. This has been an excellent year for perch not only in number but also in size. Bloodworms and grass shrimp continue to account for most of the fish.

We had reports of croaker and small blues from the Woodland Beach Pier and from the shore at Augustine Beach. White perch and catfish are found in the C&D Canal.

INSHORE OCEAN Fishing out here improved as the bay fishing declined. Site 10 held good numbers of keeper flounder while Site 11 had flounder and sea bass. With a little luck it is possible to put a decent catch of flounder and sea bass together by fishing these sites and the open bottom around B Buoy and the Old Grounds. In addition, there have been a few big croaker caught in the same areas. It seems a little early for the croaker to be this far out in the ocean, but they are here.

I am hearing that a heavy bucktail tipped with squid or cut bait has been the hot setup for both flounder and sea bass. The weight of the lure depends on the strength of the current.

Trolling with spoons, plugs and feathers along the Buoy Line and as far out as the inshore lumps is producing bluefish, false albacore, Spanish mackerel and bonito. This can be a lot of fun, especially if you find the albacore and bonito. A few dolphin have been caught in this area as well.

OFFSHORE OCEAN It is possible that at some point in the distant past there were more marlin in the canyons than there are right now, but if so, no one had a boat capable of running that far to catch them. The Billfisher out of Ocean City Maryland released 57 whites last week setting a new one-day record for boats from that port. Reports of marlin balling bait, free jumping and chasing bait across the surface come from as far south as the Norfolk Canyon all the way north to the Baltimore. I would have to say right now we have world-class marlin fishing.
As this is written, Hurricane Earl is making his way up the coast and the good news is this could actually improve the marlin action. I have no idea why, but a big storm will put the marlin in a feeding mood and once it is past the bite can be outstanding.

Tuna have been caught along with increasing numbers of wahoo. Dolphin are everywhere under anything that floats.

INDIAN RIVER INLET Croaker and spot remain the best bet for putting some fish in the cooler. They have been in good supply around Marker 20 in Indian River Bay and in Massey’s Ditch. Bloodworms and FishBites have been the top baits.

Live spot have been the most productive bait for flounder and rockfish. Most of the rock are small, but a few of the flounder have topped the 7-pound citation size. Nighttime jetty jockeys have been catching rockfish on black Bombers and Purple Demon MirrOLures. The majority of these fish are under the 28-inch minimum size.

With tog season closed, bait fishermen working from the rocks will target sheepshead. Drifting sand fleas will become a more productive method for catching rock as the fall progresses.

Blues continue to come through the inlet on incoming water. The bluefish bite is best at dawn and dusk.

FRESHWATER A little rain and cooler weather certainly won’t hurt the pond fishing. There is a lot of green stuff on all the ponds I see downstate and this should begin to diminish as the temperatures cool. Bass are still being caught in the morning and evening on Scum Frogs and other top-water lures. Working a Senko low and slow has also been an effective technique.

The tidal rivers and creeks give up bass on falling water. They also hold excellent numbers of white perch.

DRIFTING SAND FLEAS This is one technique that has stood the test of time. I first drifted sand fleas for rockfish in the 1960s and as my ability to walk out on the jetty has departed as old age arrived, I find this to be an easy and relaxing way to fish the rocks at Indian River Inlet.

Sand fleas can be procured either by catching them in the surf or buying them from a tackle shop.

When my boys were young they delighted in catching fleas while we were at the beach. As they grew older interest in this sport faded and I had to catch my own bait. I do have a sand flea rake purchased in North Carolina and this makes catching them a whole lot easier. I suspect some local tackle shops can sell you a similar model.

Once you have a supply of fleas in hand, the next step is to select a comfortable rock along either side of the inlet and settle in. Unlike some anglers who fish these rocks I cannot squat down for hours at a time. I need a reasonably flat rock upon which I can sit while drifting my fleas.

The tackle cannot be more basic. A 7-foot spinning rod with matching reel filled with 20-pound mono or 30-pound braid. When using braid I add 6 to 8 feet of mono leader to absorb the abuse from the rocks. The leader is also better for landing short rockfish as it is easier to hold than braid. I use 30- or 40-pound Hi-Seas or Ande mono for the leader.

To the end of the leader I secure a circle hook using an improved clinch knot. If I need extra weight I add a few split shot along the leader. That’s it.

I always use two sand fleas on the hook. I run the barb up from the underside of the flea and out the back. Soft shell or egg-carrying fleas do seem to attract more interest from the fish.

A simple flip cast up current is all you need. The fish will be right in the rocks, not in the middle of the inlet. The lack of a sinker will reduce the number of times the rig snags the bottom, but do expect to sacrifice a few hooks in the process.

I have found drifting sand fleas works both day and night on incoming or outgoing water. I have moved from one rock to another, but now I just pick one out and stay there. I believe the fish are moving along looking in the rocks for food and sooner or later one will pass my way.

*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.


http://www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries...ingReport.aspx