Fishing Report

Croakers have been plentiful on Delaware reef sites in recent days. Most of the hardheads are in the 9 to 11 inch range, but larger specimens were taken by boats that anchored right on reef rubble piles early and late in the day. Clams, bloodworms and Fishbites were best baits. Kingfish, puffers, spot and spike trout hung out in the same spots as croakers. Some of the biggest croakers and spot seen this week came from Lewes Canal. Hardheads to 13 inches and spot to nearly a foot long were pulled from the Canal and Broadkill River as far up as Oyster Rocks Road. Slot striper action was also good on the Canal. Boaters drifting pencil eels around the drawbridge during the last of incoming tide caught bass within the 20 to 26 inch limit, and also released larger fish. Casting artificials along the marsh banks and around bulkheads and docks also produced rock. Gulp! Swimming Mullets, Storm Shads, Bass Assassins, RatLTraps, Zara Spooks and Chug Bugs all got bit. An occasional decent sized weakfish and even a few speckled trout were hooked by casters working the same assortment of lures along the Roosevelt Jetty. Even though water temps have risen, some flounder still were found in the Canal and other shallow areas. Dan Bramble bested a 5.55 pound flounder from the Canal. Richard Roberts reeled in a 5.26 pound fluke while fishing with Gulp! from the Port Lewes Pier. Flounder were caught around Delaware Bay artificial reefs during the week, but Ocean fluking seemed more reliable. Mike and Drew Ambler checked in with their limit from the Old Grounds Tuesday. "Flip" Flipping fished the Old Grounds for his limit of flounder up to 4.32 pounds. Larry and Joe Coyle and Dillon Holdren had a limit of flatties on Site 10 Tuesday. Andrea Monetti managed a 5 pound fluke on her trip to the Old Grounds. Lou Pennella put a 6.3 pound flatfish in the box as part of a 20 keeper catch from Site 10 aboard katydid on Wednesday. Joe Walker, Tony and Diana Vansant, Barry Gerhard and Pete Riberio rounded up a limit of fine flatties Wednesday at Site 10. Shane Townsend and his buddies drifted the Old Grounds Friday on Katydid to take home 19 flounder and 5 triggerfish. Nate Townsend had big fish honors with his 5.46 pounder. Offshore tuna catches were spotty. Bluefins were located at Massey's Canyon, and trollers there early and late in the day found mostly under 47 inch fish by pulling spreader bars, Green Machines and cedar plugs.

Tog season opened back up July 17th, and several toggers took off for the Outer Wall on Thursday. The bite was fair, but there were some decent catches. Rob, Tom and Shane Roth, Dan Fisher and Paul Grimsey ended up with their 25 fish limit, including Shane's 6.05 pounder. Triggerfish were also taken along the wall by toggers using sand fleas or green crabs. The first sheepshead of the season also showed up. Cyndi Jannuzzio tempted a 4.75 pound sheepshead from the Ice Breakers with a sand flea. Greg Biener was diving along the Outer Wall when he encountered and speared a 12 pound sheepshead. Fred Quashne hooked a pair of sheepshead at the Wall, the largest weighing 10.75 pounds. Drew Biener was surprised when something big inhaled a sand flea he was using for bait at the Outer Wall. Drew battled what turned out to be a 44.3 pound black drum for almost 2 hours before putting it in the boat. In other bottom fishing action, nice sized croakers and big spot have been plentiful in Lewes Canal. Bloodworms and Fishbites were favored by both. Slot stripers also cooperated for boaters drifting eels or tossing plugs around the drawbridge. Last of incoming tide was best, especially early and late in the day. Artificial reefs in Delaware Bay attracted good numbers of croakers, spot, kingfish, puffers, spike trout, triggerfish and snapper blues. Reefs 5 and 8 were good places to try. Fish could be caught by drifting, but it seemed the largest ones hung tight to structure, and anchoring on the rubble was the better choice for success. Clams, bloodworms, squid and Fishbites all got bit by panfish. Bay reefs also held flounder. Sites 5, 6, 7 and 8 all produced flounder, but the bite usually occurred at the very end or beginning of the tide. Joe and Dave Walker, Robert Karpovich and Bill Yeager ran up the Bay to Sites 3 and 4 Sunday, and returned with 11 nice keepers. Katydid continued a catching spree. Captain Brent's Sunday group kept 30 from Sites 3 and 4. Monday's patrons had another 30. Bob Bryant and his gang joined Brent Tuesday for 18 flatties. Flukers on Katydid Tuesday captured 22, including a 6.92 pounder for Bob Murphy, and Dan McGeady's 7.24 pound doormat. Friday's fishermen on Katydid took home 20 keepers. Ocean bottom bouncers found flatties on the Old Grounds. The Angler had a great trip last Saturday, boxing 21 keepers. Tom Horner had a 7.18 pound citation earner. Tony and Diana Vansant, Robert Karpovich and Joe and Michael Walker had a limit of 20 from Ocean structure Sunday. Diana outdid the boys with her 6.1 pounder. A recent trip to the flounder grounds aboard Grizzly yielded 24 keepers to 6.75 pounds for Captain Carey's anglers. Wayne DeMarco, Joe and Mike Pergeorelis limited out on Old Grounds structure Friday. Boats running offshore in searech of tunas found a mix of Bluefins and Yellowfins by trolling ballyhoo and spreader bars between the Hambone and Hot Dog. Yellowfins and dolphin roamed the West Wall of Baltimore Canyon. Mike and Mason Newsham, Geoff Klopp, Jim Baker and Jordan Giuttari trolled white spreader bars at the Hambone and in the Baltimore for their over and under bluefins to 92 pounds, plus yellowfins of 48 and 57 pounds. The Candy's Choice crew released a white and a blue marlin in the Baltimore Canyon, and put 2 chunky yellowfins in the box. They bailed 22 dolphin and bottom dropped for 20 tilefish to round out the trip. Captain Ed and the guys on Snow Goose trolled a pair of bluefins at the Dog, then overnighted there to release 2 makos and a 200 pound dusky. Ed subdued a 20.5 pound dolphin that ate a shark bait during the darkness. Trolling the Baltimore produced a 59 pound yellowfin. Jimmy Yingling chunked a 57 pound bluefin at night on the Hambone aboard Joint Venture. Brian Ludwig and Jeff Snyder pulled ballyhoo and Ilanders at the Hambone for their 70 pound bluefin. Captain Brent ran Katydid to the Hot Dog Thursday and returned with yellowfins weighing 48 and 58 pounds and a 20 pound dolphin. Connor McMahon caught a 24.4 pound bluefin while trolling aboard his Uncle Bill's boat at the Hambone. Wayne Meyer, Joshua Meyer, Mitchell Deniswicz and Dillon Goguin traveled from Wisconsin for some Delaware offshore action, and tangled with yellowfin tuna weighing 44, 48 and 56 pounds at the Hot Dog and in the Baltimore aboard the Reel Tease.

With Summer in full swing, flounder fishing continues to be hot. Ocean fluking on the Old Grounds has been very good, and Delaware Bay Reefsites gave up plenty of fish during the week. However, strong running currents around the full moon made for difficult drifting in the Bay at week's end, so many flukers opted for the Ocean approach, where tidal effects were less severe. Once the moon wanes, Bay reefs should light up again. The 16 inch minimum has made it easier to get keepers, but sizeable specimens have ended up in coolers as well. Captain Brent on Katydid has been dialed in on flatfish action, and recorded several limit catches recently. Last Sunday's group brought back 28, including a 6.18 pound mat for the Big Man, "Chewy". Monday's trip produced 28 keepers. Blake Reed reeled in a 5.67 pounder, and Jeff Trench took a 5 pound flounder. On Tuesday, Joe McNeal got a 5.78 pounder as part of a 22 fish catch aboard Katydid. Wednesday's group had 36 quality faltties, and was back at the dock by lunch time. Captain Brent and Tony Gargurevich boated twin fluke that weighed exactly 6.21 pounds each. Matt Shoup was top dog on Thursday, with fish weighing 4.79 and 5.05 pounds, among the catch of 23. On Friday, Brent fished the Ocean because of hard running Bay tides, and it was a good move. Anglers on board limited out with 32 beauties. The weight of just the five heaviest flounder totaled nearly 35 pounds! Cecelia Spinelli scored an 8.1 pounder, Brian LeClair landed a 7.51, and Captain Brent put a 7.41 in the box. Captain Carey on Grizzly drifted the Old Grounds Thursday for a boat limit of flatties up to 6.25 pounds. Dave and Joe Walker and Robert Karpovich started of their season of Bay flounder fishing off right Sunday with their dozen fish limit from Reef structure. The largest was Dave's 7.26 pound citation earner. Dave and Joe Walker, Bob Karpovich and Tom Coyle worked reef structure Wednesday for their limit of 16 fluke, including Dave's 6.5 pounder. Buckwheat and Bobby Bryant, John Schnaitman and Al Rebierio drifted upper Bay sites 3 and 4 to bring back 16 flounder limits Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. George Finn caught only one flounder at Site 8 Sunday, but it was a good one, tipping the scales to 7.5 pounds. J-Rod Johnson put a 5.07 pounder aboard the Indian Sunday. Lily Baker used a custom Mason's Mauler bucktail at Site 5 for her 3.71 pound flounder. Wayne DeMarco and his crew had a nice catch Friday. Daryl Mergenthaler had the heaviest with his 8.15 pound doormat. Gary, Curt and Steve on the Sea Devil had 5 nice keepers and several shorts at Site 10 Friday. Decent fish were still coming from Lewes Canal. Fred "Beaver" Ruff landed a 5.31 pounder from the dock right in front of Lewes Harbour Marina. Bill Regnault had a 4 pound fluke in the Canal. Pat McQuate was casting from Canary Creek bridge when she connected with a 5.34 pounder. Croakers have been plentiful in Broadkill River, all the way up to Oyster Rocks Road, and could be caught with bloodworms, clams or Fishbites. Hardheads were also found around the Bay Reef Sites. Matt Baker said they were really thick on Site 5 Friday evening, but he only kept bout a dozen and a half for some croaker tacos. Triggerfish have started to show around the reefs and the Outer Wall too. Tautog season reopens July 17th, and anglers targeting tog along the Wall will probably encounter triggers. Slot Stripers hung out around the Canal Drawbridge, and were hooked early and late in the day using pencil eels. Offshore boaters found both tuna between the Hot Dog and Hambone Thursday and Friday. Trolling ballyhoo, Green Machines and spreader bars attracted both yellowfins and bluefins.

Flounder have been the main game recently, and catches have been quite good. With favorable conditions, crews working Ocean structure on Site 11 and the Old Grounds did well. Shallow water flukers continued to pick away at flatties in Lewes Canal, Broadkill River, Roosevelt Inlet, near the Ferry jetty and Inner Wall, and around the burned out section of Cape Henlopen Pier. The best news is that Delaware Bay Reef Sites have turned on, allowing for shorter boat rides to productive grounds. Some respectable specimens have come from both deep water and near shore areas Gary Ebling was drifting a white Gulp! and minnow combo near DB Buoy when he had a distictive bite from a flounder that didn't commit He dropped back, and some seconds later, the fish couldn't resist returning for another bite of the tasty offering. That's when Gary drove the hook home, and fought the big fluke to his boat. Gary was fishing by himself, and said the one handed net job was a little scary, but all ended well. The 8.47 pound trophy joined three other keepers in the box, and Gary headed back to Lewes Harbour Marina sporting a big smile. Pat McGovern also had a good fish story. Pat had spent all day in search of flounder to no avail, so he wrapped it up and ran back to his slip on Lewes Canal. After tying the boat up at the dock, he decided to make one last cast with a white Gulp! Swimming Mullet, and BAM!, it got grabbed by a 7.2 pound doormat. Pat might not even untie the mooring lines next time he decides to go flounder fishing. Mala Teeter made her first trip of the season on Lewes Canal with husband Chris, and as lady luck(or skill) would have it, she landed a whopping 7.93 pound lunker flatfish. Other quality fish were checked in as well. Dion Bryan boated a 6.75 pound fluke, and Todd Sizemore took a 5.9 pounder while drifting the Old Grounds aboard Martha Marie. Captain Brent Wiest wound in a 5.15 pounder, and Mike Crouse captured a 4.65 pound flattie as part of a catch of 11 keeper flounder, 11 triggerfish, 5 spadefish and 25 kingfish from an Ocean wreck aboard Katydid. Dave Furio usually fishes the surf, but proved he could catch from a boat too, with fluke of 5.3 and 5.5 pounds from the Old Grounds. Steven Miller managed a 5.8 pound fluke by deploying a 6 inch chartreuse Gulp! Grub and minnow sandwich over Old Grounds bottom on the Adventurer II. Ron Mistretta took home a 5.08 pounder as part of his limit aboard the Adventurer II. John Yoder Limited out with flat ones to 4.5 pounds on the first drift across the Old Grounds with Captain Ricky Yakimowicz. Mike Davis decked a 4.78 pound flattie while drifting a 6 inch Gulp! near DB Buoy. Pink Gulp! was the downfall of a 4.75 pounder Ryan Womax reeled on in the vicinity of DB. Captain Carey on the Grizzly reported fine fishing on the Old Grounds A recent trip yielded 17 keepers, four of which were over 5 pounds. On another day, the Guys from Lighthouse View Bait & Tackle took home 15 flounder to 5.5 pounds. Captain Chuck Cook of First Light Charters hosted Ralph and Deborah Mast and Philip Glendenning for some fluking on the Old Grounds. That group returned with a limit of 12 chunky flatties to 45 pounds. Daryl Mergenthaler, Steve Kiibler, Wayne Demarco, Joe and Paul Pergeorelis and Doug Mickowski worked Ocean structure for 16 keeper fluke. There were also some decent flounder catches in Indian River. A Gulp! grub and jighead, sweetened with a strip of cut croaker was popular and effective for inlet flatfish. Andy Nowakowski nailed a pair of fluke weighing 4.91 and 2.61 pounds with that bait. Flounder still hung out in Lewes Canal. James Dent drifted a minnow in the Canal for his 581 pounder Chris Teeter took a 4.44 pound specimen using chartreuse Gulp! Matt Morse tossed an artificial Zoom Fluke at Roosevelt Inlet to catch a real 4 pound fluke. Jacob Webb fooled a 4.4 pounder into eating a Gulp! at the Ferry Wall. Delaware Bay Reefs really came to life this week. Sites 5, 6, 7 and 8 all produced. Jack Henriksen and Ricky Mills pulled 5 keepers of the Star Site during a quick trip Monday. Captain Brent's fluke fanatics aboard Katydid had a fantastic morning Wednesday. The entire group limited out with 36 quality fish, and was back at the dock before 11:30 am. Bob "Smelts" Murphy had the pool winning near citation 6.92 pounder. Young Alex Daskalakis was top hook on Top Fin Thursday morning, with a pair of flatties to 4.4 pounds. Croakers, kingfish, spot, puffers, spike trout and small blues also came from Bay Reefs. Guys working early morning tide changes at Roosevelt Inlet hooked a few good weakfish. Adam May connected with a 29 inch, 6.06 pound tiderunner while tossing a white Gulp! Swimming Mullet from the jetty rocks. Stripers were plentiful in Lewes Canal. Slot season is open now, and anglers may keep 2 striped bass between 20 and 26 inches from Delaware Bay and it's tributaries per day. Floating eels around the Savannah Road drawbridge, bottom fishing with clams, or casting plugs, jigs and soft plastics along the docks and marsh banks is the way to get a couple rockfish for dinner. Marty Riley was casting a Storm Shad in the Canal, and connected with a 25 inch red drum. Offshore action has been spotty, but scattered catches of tuna, dolphin and billfish came from the Baltimore and Poor Man's. Jon Bixler and his crew captured 26 mahi to 16.6 pounds in the Baltimore. Charlie Horning and his buddies trolled Washington Canyon Monday evening for bigeyes weighing 182, 201 and 253 pounds. The eyeballs ate ballyhoos skirted with Joe Shute Lures. Captain Brent's fishermen aboard Katydid bounced bottom in the Baltimore for a big pile of gray tile, and several good goldens to 25 pounds.