Hi Folks,

The recent storms passing through have kept the Back Bay waters kind of dirty and in turn have slowed the fishing action. Some flounder are still being taken in areas that are not quite as cloudy and it seems the outgoing tide is still producing the most fish. Bluefish and stripers are still providing action in the backwaters as well as in the River Inlet. Incoming tides are bringing schools of shad that provide some real hot action. Tina Marechek of Annapolis, Md. fished Rehoboth Bay using a squid and shiner sandwich to fool her 21-½ inch flattie. Scott Saleff of Millsboro took a 20-½ flounder from Massey’s Ditch using pink GULP! Ocean fishing continues to be slow but I’m sure that will improve as temps rise.

It has been tough on most days to find any amount of keeper size sea bass. Flounder numbers seem off but it seems most of the flatties that are caught are of the keeper size. Brian Harner on “Fender Bender” took Rob Moore to the Hambone to toll up a 38-pound bluefin tuna. They also found themselves just covered-up with blues. Jay Tucci took his boat “RailRoader” to the Fingers for a small mako. Be sure to get in on the action by taking part in the 2^nd Annual Rick’s Bait and Tackle / SeaSide gas and Grill Fishing Tournament. The entrance fee is $25.00 and includes a T-Shirt. Contest is July 2^nd, 3rd,and 4^th.Deadline is 7:00 AM on July 2^nd.Cash prizes paid for heaviest flounder, sea bass, bluefish, and tog. Don’t miss out on all the fun.

While talking to Ron at Rattle and Reel Sports Center on Long Neck Road he reported plenty of flounder in Rehoboth Bay and Indian River along with pretty good action on the blues. Stripers are being taken in the Indian River Inlet in the mornings on live spot. Mike Britton weighed in a 5.8-pound flattie he took from Rehoboth Bay using pink GULP! and a minnow.

At Henelopen Bait and Tackle on Savannah Road in Lewes, Dan tells us the flounder fishing in Delaware Bay has been real good when it is good and really slow, when it is slow. The Anchorage has been the “Hot Spot” when fishing is good. Broadkill River is giving just a few trout at night, but has been very spotty at best. A few kingfish have shown up on the beaches. Sharks and skates are still plentiful and providing most of the action along with an occasional striper.

Burt at Hookem’ and Cookem’ Bait and Tackle at North Shore Marina in Delaware State Park, reports flounder blues and stripers in the Indian river Inlet. The flounder are being taken on live spot, shiners, or pink GULP!. Striper action is fair but most are short. On the surf the action consists of sharks and skates along with some blues to 18 inches. A few kingfish have also been showing up. The ocean is proving lots and lots of sea bass but Burt says that only about 5% are of keeper size. Thresher sharks can be found anywhere the sea bass are and they also are in abundance. Jay Cranston of Media, Pa took a 143-pound thresher while fishing aboard “FreeSpool” with Capt. Bob Ficotoro. Mario Penst of Mardela Springs, Md. took a 146-pound thresher aboard “Thinking Big”. Massey’s Canyon and the Hambone are holding loads of bluefish along with some bluefin tuna. Guys fishing for bluefish are finding themselves hooking into some bluefin tuna. Matthew McMenamin on “Boy’s Toy” headed south to troll up a 38-pound yellowfin.

At Bill’s Sport Shop on Rt #1 in Lewes, we get reports that George Walton from Havertown, Pa caught a 38", 19.4 oz. striper at IRI on Storm Lure. Bill Jr., drifting in his boat Pockets, caught a 19.5" flounder in the IRI using smelt for bait. Captain Bill Baker hosted family members: Sue and Roy Killen, Joey Neely and Bill Baker Jr on the Slicker Three. The Baker Clan fished the Tea Cup where six blue sharks and one mako were hooked and released. Jim Kenworthy from York, PA. caught three stripers at the CHSP pier. Two fish measured 25" and the one keeper was 12.14lbs and 32". All fish bit on a squid heads. Bob Thompson, Chris Perrin and Barbara May each caught 19" flounder around 2.5lbs at the pier. Angelina Biferni landed a nice 18 3/4" flattie fishing the boards at the pier. The spot have begun to show at the pier eating bloodworms. Al Boyd of Lancaster, Pa, caught a 21.74 lb., 40" striper at IRI on a rigged eel. Tyler Nicole Larimer, from Newtown Square, PA. , caught a perch from Mallard Lakes on her new pink fishing rod. Captain Carrie Evans of the Grizzly Sport Fishing Charters has continued drum fishing and has boated fish to 81.8lbs.  Carrie has had good results with early flounder fishing in the De. Bay and has heard rumors of the first croaker in our area.
Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said sharks and tuna were the topic this week. The crew of Price Lindsay, Jim Azato, “Boot” DeHoys, Jason Lesniczak and Tom Wilkie teamed up for a 180 pound thresher while sharking at Delaware Light. A few days later, Price headed to DA Buoy with Bucky Lindsay and David Anderson and captured a 143-pound thresher. Jonathan “Bubba” Hastings was drifting Reef Site #11 with John Hazzard and Kevin Beam when he hooked a 163-pound longtail. Captain Brent Wiest was aboard the Lil’ Angler with Captain Chet Harer, and Captains Dave Walker and Tony VanSant when he wound in a 140 pound thresher near DA Buoy. Cory Walker and Charlie Boyles drifted The Fingers for an 87-pound mako. Other reports of blackeyes came from the Hambone and Sausages. Blue sharks have been numerous on structure between twenty and thirty fathoms too. Perhaps this is a good sign, since there haven’t been many blue whalers inshore the past several seasons. Bluefish have been plentiful across The Fingers, in Massey’s Canyon, on the Chicken Bone and Hambone, so there seems to be good forage for the sharks. Bluefin tuna have shown up on the inshore grounds as well. Boats trolling ballyhoo at the Hambone connected with tuna in both the 27 to 47 inch and 47 to 73 inch classes. Brian Prout brought in a 45-pound bluefin he caught at the Hambone on the Skipjack. Randy Doyle got a 10-pound bluefish on the same trip. When tuna are marked at mid water or close to the bottom on the inshore lumps, the situation offers a great opportunity to jig the fish. Shimano Butterfly Jigs and the new Jerk That Jig lures have proven highly effective on tuna, and the jigging technique often produces reactive strikes, even when fish won’t rise to trolled lures. Also, casting out a jig when a tuna bites on the troll might result in an additional hookup. Yellowfin tuna, and blue and white marlin were reported from a large warm eddy offshore of Poor Man’s Canyon. The billfish were in warm water, and tuna hung out on the cool side of the break. Closer to the beach, flounder action remained good. Flatties continued to come from the Lewes Canal, Broadkill River and Roosevelt Inlet. The Cape Henlopen, Cape Shores and Port Lewes piers yielded fish too, as did shallow water along Broadkill Beach. Paul Caras Sr. and Paul Caras Jr. scored 5 quality keepers to 5.74 pounds while casting Gulp! grubs in skinny water. Paul Jr also nailed a 3.71-pound trout. Jesse Baird brought in a 4.58-pound flatfish from the Canal. Cameron Ballard bested a 4.07 pounder while drifting a shiner in the Canal. John Weber got a 4.95-pound flatfish with a minnow, also from the Canal. Michael Lindale used a jig tipped with squid to tempt a 4.83 flounder from the Broadkill River. The Bay bite in the Anchorage cooled off somewhat, but fluke were found at other locations. Walt Wilson and Wes Grove had seven good keepers at Brown Shoal Saturday. The bottom at #10 Buoy also produced some flatties. The artificial structures of Reefs #5, 6, 7 and 8 held flounder as well. Al Grenfell checked in a 6.66-pound doormat he caught aboard the Pirate King on Bay structure Saturday. Minnows, shiners, smelt, squid, shark strips and Gulp! were effective offerings for Bay fluke. Flatfish were also reported from the Old Grounds surrounding DB Buoy in the ocean. Spro Jigs tipped with strips of bluefish, shark, squid or Gulp! worked well. Joe said if readers want to check out pictures of recent catches, they’re posted in the photo gallery section of the store’s website at www.lewesharbourmarina.com .

‘Til next week, Have Fun and Be Safe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!