Fishing Report

Bluefin tuna have been hanging around the Hot Dog the past couple weeks, and trolling boats have had success with fish that range mostly from 50 to 90 pounds. Larger specimens up to 200 pounds have also been taken. The bite has been better some days than others in clean green water in the upper 70's, but crews that were on the scene at first light usually hooked up. Tuna were drawn to spreader bars pulled from the riggers, or ballyhoos skirted with Joe Shutes, Ilanders or Bluewater Jags towed way way back. It was not uncommon for charter boats to score their over and under fish at the Dog, then move offshore in search of yellowfins or bottom dwelling tilefish. Anglers were also able to jig fish that were grouped on the edge of the lump. Savvy captains that kept an eye on the sounder while trolling were able to hang a few extra tuna by dropping diamond jigs or Butterfly Jigs when marks appeared on the screen at midwater. Yellowfins mingled with bluefins and were also caught by trolling and chunking. On a recent trip to the Hot Dog, Katydid trolled up their under 47 inch bluefin, and an over 47 inch 72 pounder for Sam Hazlett. The guys released 7 other big tuna. In addition, they boated three dolphin, including a 13.7 pound mahi for Steve Gerhard. Port A Bella worked the Dog for Tim Hendrickson's 69 pound bluefin and a pair of yellowfins. Tranquila trolled the Hambone, where Frank Procipio put a 45.7 pound wahoo in the box. That group had 4 gaffer dolphin to 14.7 pounds as well. The offshore bigeye bite shifted back and forth between the 800 square of Washington Canyon and the Norfolk Canyon. Boats towing greenstick rigs did very well on yellowfins in the 50 pound class in the same areas. Congratulations to Captain Charlie Horning and his crew aboard the Fish Whistle. During a late afternoon foray to the Norfolk, they battled and successfully boated four quite impressive eyeballs weighing 178, 192, 271 and 271 pounds! The jumbo tunas fell for ballyhoos behind Joe Shutes and Hawaiian Eyes. Inshore bottom fishing produced decent flounder action on the Old Grounds between DB and DA Buoys. Katydid drifted Site 10 Sunday for 14 keepers. Fred Robinson reeled in a 6.03 pound doormat, and Captain Brent bested a 5.82 pounder. Katydid returned to the flounder grounds Monday for 19 keepers, including a 5.57 pound flattie for Richard Adams. Inshore wrecks yielded some good catches. Captain Carey's group on the Grizzly anchored over a snag Wednesday for 39 sea bass to 3.75 pounds, 45 ling and a pair of bonus dolphin. An earlier wreck trip on the Grizzly produced 21 triggerfish, 2 tog and 2 trout. Delaware Bay structure showed signs of giving up some flounder once the full moon currents subside. Joe Walker, Joe Walker, Jr and Tom Coyle took seven keepers off Reef Site 7. Bobby Bryant and his flukers captured 10 keepers when conditions got right on Site 5 Monday. Flounder were also pulled from Roosevelt Inlet. Jason Mowery and Travis Habecker used Gulp! to score 3 keepers to 20 inches. Lewes Canal held plenty of spot and croakers, and slot stripers were caught between the Drawbridge and the Train Bridge. Croakers, spot kingfish, blowfish and spike trout remain plentiful on Site 8 and The Shears. Lou Papp checked in a citation weakfish weighing 3.04 pounds. The Outer Wall and and Ice Breakers attracted tog and triggerfish that would bite sand fleas, green crabs or box crabs. A piece of pink Gulp! also proved an effective bait for triggers. William Breasure took a 3.65 pound trigger at the Wall on Katydid. Joe Schneider scored a 7.67 pound blackfish at the Wall as well. Paul Hazzard was dunking sand fleas at the Ice Breakers when he hooked an 8.36 pound sheepshead. Some black drum were caught at the Breakers too.

Delaware's Tautog season reopened July 17th, and anglers found blackfish willing to bite along the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers. It was a good opening day for David Ruta, David Ruta, Jr and Mike Ruta. They returned from the Haystacks with their limit of tog to 7 pounds, plus some nice triggerfish. Dave Ruta, Jr decked a 7.02 pound citation earner. Shane Roth checked in a 5 pound blackfish he got at the Wall Wednesday, and a 5.92 pounder Thursday. Spadefish were also at the Wall with tog and triggers. Todd Manning hooked a 4.77 pound spade at the Inner Wall. Bottom bouncers in the Bay continued to do well with kingfish, croakers, spot, blowfish, and spike trout around reef sites 5 and 8. The Angler Headboat had some great days on kings recently. Flounder action in the Bay was so so. Bites usually occurred only during the last couple hours of flood tide, and first of the ebb. There have been a few decent catches. Last Friday, flukers on the Katydid captured 20 keepers on a Bay reef. Charlie Zukowski had the heaviest, a flattie weighing 6.3 pounds. On Saturday, the crew aboard Katydid kept 16 flounder. Joe Walker pulled a 6.2 pound flatfish from Bay structure Sunday. Charles Small, Jr scored a 4.96 pounder on the Martha Marie. On Monday, the guys aboard Katydid put 13 keeper fluke in the box. Ocean flounder pounders found some cooperative flatties on rough bottom between DB and DA Buoys. Scott Ayars had his limit there yesterday while drifting aboard the Thelma Dale IV with Captain Ricky. Kevin Maskell muscled in a pair of flounder weighing 4.9 and 3.4 near DB. Captain Pete's gang on Top Fin took home 9 keepers from Site 10 Saturday. Peter Geng got a 5.31 pounder and Kyle Peterson put a 7.35 pound citation fluke in the box. Matt Baker used a live spot at Site 9 to tempt the largest flounder brought to the dock this summer. Matt's doormat tipped the scales to 8.75 pounds. Buckwheat and Bob Bryant and Joe Walker worked Site 10 Tuesday for 9 keepers to 23 inches. Offshore tuna fishermen have had some good trips. Last Saturday, Bill Swords, Jon Bixler and friends trolled a 50 inch bluefin and a pair of gaffer dolphin at Massey's Canyon. They then moved off to the Baltimore where they dropped for 8 golden tiles, and bailed 15 more mahi. On Sunday, Jason Burris and his buddies trolled an 85.2 pound bluefin at Massey's and finished their day dropping for golden tile in the Baltimore. Mike and Mason Newsham, Geoff Klopp and Coy Johnston had a 60.5 pound bluefin trolling in Masseys, and tilefish to 31.4 pounds in the Baltimore. The Katydid trolled the Dog early Sunday for a 72 pound bluefin. The guys spent the rest of their day dropping in the Baltimore for a big load of gray tiles to 17 pounds, plus several goldens to 21 pounds. On Tuesday, patrons on Katydid trolled 2 yellowfins and George Durant decked a 77.4 pound bluefin. Later in the day, the guys dropped for 39 tilefish. Tom Smiga and friends had 3 yellowfins and a mahi during a recent trolling trip to the Hot Dog aboard the Grizzly. Wesley Davis landed a 13.2 pound cobia that grabbed a trolled Black Bart lure at the Dog aboard Swords Fish. Yesterday, Mike and Mason Newsham, Richard Bloom and Chris Irelan put an 80.1 pound bluefin aboard Local Girl while trolling the Hot Dog. Ron and Danny Baker, Sam Connors and Rob Coulbore were trolling the Hambone when they connected with a 64.9 pound whopper wahoo. They also boated a 68.4 pound bluefin and a some mahi to 16 pounds. There has been quite a bigeye bite in the 800 square of Washington Canyon. Best of it is at first light or just before dark. Last Friday, it was dark and rainy offshore and the eyeballs bit all day. Twenty nine bigeyes were weighed in during the first day of the Ocean City Tuna Tournament. The crew of No Quarter captured three of the oversized tuna weighing a total of 644 pounds. The heaviest was a 253 pounder reeled in by Bill Schatzman, which ended up taking First Place in the Tournament.

Good sized bluefins have come from traditional tuna structure such as Massey's Canyon, the Chicken Bone, Hambone, Nineteen Fathom Lump and Hot Dog. Most boats have been trolling spreader bars and skirted ballyhoos, but chunkers have started to take some fish as well. Last Thursday morning, Bill Swords and his buddies aboard Swords Fish ran to the northeast corner of the Dog, and before the third trolling line was in the water, they were hooked up. The tuna nailed a pink and white Joe Shute Lantern and ballyhoo combo, and after a lengthy battle, the 135 pounder was brought aboard. The boys were back at the Dog the next day for a repeat performance. As they were letting lines out, three tuna crashed the spread, and one came tight, again on the pink and white. Andrew Earle kept the pressure on for over four hours before the 72 1/2 incher was put in the boat. Back at Lewes Harbour the brute weighed 200.1 pounds. Bobby Bryant and his buddies trolled the Hot Dog Sunday aboard Katydid. John Schnaitman wrestled with a 75.2 pound bluefin, and the guys released two other 50 plus inch tuna. Tom Richardson reeled in an 11.8 pound dolphin. Canyon trollers encountered a good number of bigeyes in 75 degree water at the 800 Square of the Washington. The crew of Moore Bills landed a 247 pounder there Sunday. The area also held yellowfins and dolphin. Deepwater bottom bouncers had catches of Blueline and Golden Tilefish. Brandon Brown battled a 37.3 pound Golden from the depths of Poor Man's Canyon on Swords Fish. Inshore bottom action was decent too. Continuous southwest winds mad for challenging conditions some days, but the Old Grounds between DB and DA Buoys yielded a fair number of flounder. John Yoder was fishing there with Captain Ricky on the Thelma Dale IV and returned with his limit, including flatfish of 5.17 and 5.5 pounds. A ball jig with 6 inch Gulp! was John's ticket to success. Steve Kiibler kept a 6.04 pound fluke from the Grounds on Lil' Angler II. Mike Octavio got a 5.03 pounder on Martha Marie. Reef Sites 9 and 10 also produced flounder. Last Friday, flukers on Katydid captured 32 keepers up to 6.76 pounds. Katydid went back to the rubble Saturday and came in with a limit of 28 flatfish, including a 6.1 pounder that captain Brent put in the box himself. On Monday, anglers aboard Katydid had 22 keeper fluke while drifting structure. Ricky Mills managed a 4.93 pound flattie from Site 9. Tony Vansant took a 6.15 pound doormat off Site 10. The inshore wrecks harbored a variety of summertime species. The gang on Katydid worked some inshore snags Tuesday for 37 triggerfish, 3 spadefish and 80 kingfish. With hot weather, triggerfish have shown up around the Outer Wall. Andrea Monetti and Mike Surowiec anchored near the lighthouse Tuesday for a great catch of 31 triggers to nearly 3 pounds. Sandfleas were the bait of choice. Aaron Brommer hooked a 2.96 pound trigger at the Ice Breakers on Martha Marie. Tim O'Connell was casting a pink bucktail with light spinning gear along the Outer Wall for trout he felt a heavy hit. Three hours later, he boated a 65.6 pound black drum. Warm weather has attracted other exotics to the Bay. Bud Posey had the uncommon catch of a 7.61 pound cobia aboard the Pirate King II. Bay boaters contiuned to enjoy good catching with croakers, spot, kingfish, blowfish and trout. Reefs 5 and 8 and The Shears held plenty of the scrappy panfish. The hardheads have been small for the most part, but some 12 plus inchers are mixed in. Bloodworms, Fishbites and clams as baits ensured lots of bites. Flounder catches have been improving on Bay reefs. Captain Carey reported 11 keeper fluke, 4 legal trout and all the croakers you wanted during a Bay trip Tuesday. He said they released many good sized brown sharks too. Captain Brent's group on Katydid kept 14 nice flounder in the Bay today. Flounder are still coming from Lewes Canal. Fred Robinson tempted a 4.3 pounder and 2 other keepers from the Canal with pink Gulp! Kenny Dear captured a 24 inch 5.48 pound flatfish in the Canal using minnows. Stripers are active in the Canal too. Slot size fish were concentrated between the drawbridge and train bridge and could be caught with pencil eels, clams, Rat-L-Traps, soft plastics and swimming plugs. Working poppers along the marsh banks also resulted in bites from rockfish. Tautog season reopens July 17, and we'll have green crabs and sand fleas on hand for baits.

The slot size striper season kicked in July 1st, and until August 31st striped bass between 20 and 26 inches may be kept from Delaware Bay and it's tributaries. Anglers are allowed to retain 2 per person per day. The minimum size along the Ocean coast and in Indian River remains at 28 inches. Lewes Canal is home to numerous summertime stripers, and many fall within the slot size. Most of the waterway is sheltered and can be fished even in windy weather, so it's a good plan B if you can't get out on the Bay due to strong breezes. Boaters drifting pencil eels around the drawbridge and train bridge did well with rockfish. Rock were also caught on clams, RatLTraps and Storm Shads. Bass were active at daybreak and could be tempted with topwater poppers. Last of incoming tide and first of outgoing were usually best times to try. The Canal continued to produce flounder. William Rybinski reeled in a 2.83 pound flattie he hooked from the Town Dock on a chunk of soft crab. Other fluke were caught by guys using Gulp! and minnows at Roosevelt Inlet. John Giblin was casting a white Gulp at Roosevelt when he connected with a 3.67 pound weakfish. Spot and croakers were plentiful in the Canal and also along Lewes and Broadkill Beaches. Bloodworms and Fishbites were most effective. Spot and hardheads were found out in the Bay on structure as well. Reef Site 8 and live bottom on The Shears held them, along with kingfish, blowfish and spike trout. Collin Delauten checked in a 1.2 pound citation kingfish he decked on the Indian. Samuel Key kept a 1.02 pound citation king on the Fish Hawk. Grant Bobbit was surprised when he landed an 18 pound black drum while fishing for croakers at Site 8 aboard the Grizzly. George hanstein had a 5.75 pound flounder on the Grizzly. Ocean bottom fishing was pretty good. The inshore wrecks yielded a good mix. On Monday, Captain Brent's group on Katydid worked some snags close to the beach for a boxful of triggerfish, spadefish and kingfish, plus a 4.86 pound lunker sea bass landed by Mike Surowiec. Captain Brent's Saturday group of flukers aboard Katydid captured 7 keeper flatties from the Old Grounds. John Yoder used a Tsunami Ball Jig tipped with a 6 inch Gulp for his limit of fluke while fishing the Old Grounds on Thelma Dale IV Saturday. His two heaviest weighed 5.17 and 5.5 pounds. Ernie Stone also limited out with nice flounder Saturday on the TDIV. Tuna trollers took some big bluefins while pulling skirted ballyhoos way back at the Hot Dog and Hambone.