INDIAN RIVER INLET FISHING REPORT
March 18th, 2010

First tautog reported from Ocean City Inlet!! Lets get this season started.


Nothing to report from the Inlet yet. At least warm weather and no rain in the forecast. We did hear about flounder caught in Quimby, Virginia on Monday this week. It will not be long now.


Live bloodworms and minnows are available. Live green crabs are due Wednesday, March 24.


Attention fresh water anglers: Old Inlet has put in a freshwater tackle section!


New sea trout (weakfish) regulations for 2010. Minimum size is 13 inches with a ONE fish a day limit. No closed season.


New black drum regulations for 2010 - Minimum size is 16 inches with a 3 fish a day limit.


The Old Inlet Annual Spring Surf Fishing Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 8. Information is available on oldinlet.com


Delaware Summer Flounder Regulations for 2010 have been proposed.


In 2009, Delaware's landed 82K flounder, while the 2009 cap was 55,000 fish. For 2010, DE was alloted an 80,000 fish quota. DE must plan for a 2% reduction in flounder landings. The 4 options to meet this reduction are:


Option #1 - 4 fish @ 18.5" in minimum length, with a Closed Season Oct.13 - Dec.31


Option #2 - 3 fish @ 18.5" minimum length, with a Closed Season Oct.26 - Dec.31


Option #3 - 2 fish @18.5", NO Closed Season


Option #4 - 4 fish @ 19", NO Closed Season


A public heaing on these proposed regulations will be held March 23, 2010, starting at 7:00PM at DNREC Auditorium in Dover. Written comments can be directed to the Fisheries section of DNREC via email or snail mail between March 3 and March 31. Final regulations will be May 1 and become effective May 11, 2010.


Old Inlet supports Option 4 for several reasons.


First, closed seasons are the most unfair management tool. Someone is cut out of fishing time. You might not fish during the proposed closed season but we can assure you someone else does. We have many pictures of very nice flounder caught in late October/early November on our picture board in the store and on our website.


Two, closed seasons might fix a problem in one fishery but ultimately transfer that problem over to another fishery. People that would have fished for flounder are now going to target other species like striped bass and tautog during the closed flounder season. A closure in one fishery means more pressure in others. In the long run this is not good.


Finally, before the fishery managers did us a huge favor by combining 2009 and 2010 data, Delaware would have been more than 30% over the 2009 flounder quota (the minimum size in 2009 was 18.5 inches). Instead, we only have to take 2 percent reduction. Increasing the minimum size by a half inch would be a wise move in an effort to guard against going over the quota again. We may not be afforded the same break next year.

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle
Highway One, Po Box 129
Rehoboth Beach, De 19971
302-227-7974 fax 302-227-1490
http://oldinlet.com/