Keep On Keepin' On!!!!!!
Sunday, 11 July 2010 10:51
Keep on fishin'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi folks,

Flounder fishing remains fair to good in the backbays although

the number of keeper size flatties is on the downslide. Please remember

to be very carefull in the release of undersize fish. This will allow the specie

to thrive and supply us with the opportunity to enjoy the sport we all love. Keeping the fish in the water while removing the hook is a plus and if the

fish is hooked deep just cut the line as close to the hook as possible. Many

people squawk about the cost of losing a hook or rig but when compared to

not being able to fish it makes a whole lot of sense. We really have to use some

common sense to be able to save our fisheries. Most of us are disgusted with

the way our government regulates big business, jeopardizing our environment

without the proper safety nets, and regulating us with what seems to be some

ridiculous size and creel limits. As a shop owner I hear a good number of folks

coming in and mentioning the fact they just threw away “X” number of packs of

fish due to the fact it was freezer burned. This happens year after year and makes no sense to me. If you are not going to eat the fish in a reasonable

amount of time, use care and properly release the fish to be caught another

day. Fishing should be about the sport, fun, and commradery, not solely to put

meat in the freezer. To fill the freezer it is cheaper to go to the market. Give this

some thought and maybe we can insure the fun of fishing for our kids and grandkids. Thanks for listening to my two cents worth!

Reports from the Rehoboth and Indian River Bays continues to be

mostly flounder action with a few bluefish around. Blowfish have made an appearance in Rehoboth Bay. Just inside the Indian River Inlet has been providing some fair flounder action as well as the Middle Ditch. Martin Tate fished

Burton’s Island to score a 9-pound 3oz flattie. Harry Herr fished the Inlet to trick

his 8Lb 12oz flounder. Dale Toomey fished Massey’s Ditch using minnows to score five flounder to 21 inches.

Bottom fishing the ocean continues to slowly improve. DB Buoy to DA Buoy and the Old Grounds in giving up a few sea bass and a few flounder. The

colder water temps are keeping the lingcod there also. Site #10 is holding some tog and sea bass. Dan Kelly took a 5Lb 10oz flounder while fishing between A & B. Capt. Chuck Cook of “First Light Charters” had Chris and Megan Kirby bottom

fishing to score 11 flounder with 3 keepers to 25 inches.

Offshore action has bluefin tuna and dolphin at Massey’s Canyon, the Hambone, Hotdog, and 19 Fathom Lump. A few dolphin have been trolled up just east of the Delaware Lightship. Capt. Bill Burkhardt on “Toss Em Back” Charters

had 1 bluefin and 4 dolphin at the lumps along the 20 line. Raymond Shirk, on “Country Boy” had Cory Hohenadel and Jason Hess to the Hambone where they

each scored a citation dolphin. Cory had a 16 pounder and Jason took an 18 pounder

From Bill’s Sport Shop on Rt #1 in Lewes we hear Joe Yochis of Long Neck and Bill's Sport Shop caught a 21 1/2" flounder at Massey's Landing using 7" Gulp pumpkinseed worm. Matt Langdon trolled ballyhoo at Massey’s Canyon, boated an 18 lb dolphin, and lost a nice bluefin tuna on the way back. Jeff Windsor, Jeff Windsor Sr., and Alex Windsor fished the Old Grounds using bucktails and Gulp and caught keeper sea bass, 2 keeper flounder to 22" and some blues. Kerry Lodish, Eric McGallagher and David Hench chunked butterfish at Massey’s Canyon boating a 70 lb bluefin and 2 dolphin. Bill Baker Jr., Mikey and Nicky fished the IRI with the new bait, Excite, and managed three throwback flounder and one keeper at 19 1/2". Brooks Zarchin, age 7, hit the beach with his Dad, Mike, for a day of sharking and was rewarded by bringing in his first shark. He landed a 6' and 3' sand tiger, which dad quickly released to fight another day.
Capt. Ben aboard the "Wreck Stalker" called and said the bite was very light but did manage to get some sea bass and ling at the Old Grounds and Site 11. Lisa DiVicenzino, Brad Pecararo and Tom Kempler went to the Star Site and caught 2 keeper flounder. Tom's was 19" and Lisa was high hook with a 26", 5.65 pounder using smelt. Vince Youndt, Stevens, Pa, used sand fleas to pull a 7.40 lb., 22" citation tautog from the rocks while fishing at the Outer Wall. While fishing aboard the "Finology", Carol Kitchen, of Lewes, DE, caught and released her first white marlin on Saturday at the Spencer Canyon. Her brother-in-law, Rick Krum, of Catawissa, PA, nailed an 18.1 lb citation mahi. On the same trip, Austin Kitchen, of Lewes, DE, caught a smaller mahi.

Eric at Rattle & Reel Sports Center on Long Neck Rd. tells us there

are tog and triggerfish on the outer wall at Lewes. Small tog are being taken at

Massey’s Ditch with an occasional keeper. Flounder are also being taken at

Massey’s. Flounder fishing is still good in the back bays. Eric also told us sea bass are at DB Buoy.

Capt Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said tuna fishing was pretty good. Bluefins remained relatively close inshore, but the bulk of yellowfins were located quite a ride away, from the Wilmington to Lindenkohl Canyons. Bluefin action was spread out from the Twin Wrecks to the Hambone, with reports of bites at the Chicken Bone and in Massey’s Canyon as well. Crews trolling structure changes early and late in the day found tuna in both the 27 to 47 and 47 to 59 inch size classes. Squid spreader bars, Green Machines, cedar plugs and skirted ballyhoos were the preferred offerings. Many of the larger tuna fell for ballyhoo and Ilander or heavy Jag Lure combos pulled way back behind the boat. A Drone spoon towed following a planer or Z-Wing got results when tuna were deep. Tuna spread throughout the water column respond to Butterfly Jigs as well. Bill Wiest checked in a 44-pound bluefin from a morning of trolling in twenty fathoms. Jonathan Clarkson came all the way from Utah to join Bill on that trip, and he landed a 16.3-pound king mackerel at the Hambone. The king grabbed a ballyhoo Ilander combo. Chris Martorana was fishing with Bill Swords on Swords Fish when he landed a 55.3-pound bluefin and an 18-pound dolphin. Eleven-year-old Saige Marie Cook boated her first dolphin and tuna, a 25 pound bluefin, at Massey’s Canyon, aboard the Spoiled III with Anna and Angleo Delapo. Captain Bob Wilson on the A.J. was surprised when his crew trolled up a 34-pound yellowfin at the Chicken Bone on a Green Machine. The guys also had 3 nice Mahi, including a 16 pounder for John Brandt. The boys on Reel Naughty made the long run to the Spencer Canyon, and were rewarded with 9 nice yellowfins from 40 to 50 pounds. Captain Dave Walker said catching was best early and late in the day, from 450 to 480 feet of water. They got piled on a few times with multiple bites, when tuna grabbed spreader bars, ballyhoo and anything else behind the boat. Water temperature was 75 degrees. Dave said a couple boats overnighted in the area and had success chunking the yellowfins after dark. White marlin were also reported in the same area. Back inshore, boats trolling the Five Fathom Bank area found loads of snapper bluefish, along with bullet mackerel and some peanut dolphin. The gang on Skipjack scored 60 blues Saturday while pulling small spoons at the Cod Lump, 4FB and South Shoal. Flounder fishing has been on and off in the Ocean. Structure edges on the Old Grounds have yielded decent flatties on days with good drift conditions. Spro bucktail jigs with teasers were effective rigs. Tony Vansant, Tucker Chance and Fred Wright worked over the flounder at Reef Site 10 on Wednesday. They nailed 8 quality keepers, including Tony’s 6.93 pounder. Kevin Matthews weighed a 6.06 pounder he caught on an Ocean wreck. The Bay flounder bite was better this week. Fluke were found on reef sites 6,7 and 8, but also on open bottom between 9 and 10 Buoys, and near G Buoy. Leon and Riley Zimmerman and Bob Clouser had an unusual encounter with a big hammerhead while drifting for flatties at G Buoy Saturday. They spotted the big shark and pitched it a live spot, which was eaten immediately. After a fun battle and some pictures, the six plus foot shark was released. Donnie Weitzel and Michelle Arnold were fishing at Brown Shoal when Michelle landed a flounder double header. One of the flatties weighed 3.25 pounds. Lisa Divincenzo drifted a smelt at the Star Site to deck a 5.67-pound flatfish. On Monday, Joe Walker and Joe Walker, Jr. limited out on the Brown Shoal reefs while drifting squid strips on spinner hooks. The two heaviest fluke tipped the scales to 5.84 and 6.43 pounds. Sharon Beck boated a 7.24-pound citation flounder at Brown Shoal. Young Riley Taylor took a 4.03-pound flattie on the Pirate King II, with Captain Ted Moulinier. Mike Rebholtz and friends fished with Captain Pete on Top Fin for 8 keepers Thursday. The Lil’ Angler II returned from a half day trip at Brown Shoal Thursday with 6 keeper flounder. Miss Kirstin’s anglers captured 6 keepers on Saturday. Boaters toggled in to the rocks of the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers encountered tautog and triggerfish while baiting with green crabs, box crabs and sand fleas. Mike Vespa and Mike Vespa, Jr. teamed up for a pair of chunky sheepshead weighing 6.6 and 6.8 pounds at the Haystacks Saturday. Mike, Sr. also scored a 7.5-pound citation tog at the stacks. Flounder continued to come from the Lewes Canal, although the keeper ratio remained low. Slot sized stripers were also taken from the Canal by anglers bottom fishing with clams near the drawbridge. Small croakers, spot, kingfish and blowfish bit on bloodworms and FishBites from the Cape Henlopen and Cape Shores piers.

Until next week, have fun and be safe!


Ricks Bait and Tackle
26019 Julia's Lane
Millsboro
DE 19966
info@ricksbaitandtackle.com
Telephone: 866-766-3792
Fax: 302-945-2193
http://www.ricksbaitandtackle.com