Hi Folks,

Did you ever try “kite fishing” for flounder or stripers? It may be something we want to try if these winds don’t stop. It certainly has

put a damper on the fishing action. The flounder in the back bays

have started to spread out and will start to be found in the usual

summertime spots. The area around Burton’s Island and the holes

off Gull Point are starting to hold fish. A few blues are beginning to

move in and stripers are also beginning to travel. In an effort to raise

money for the family of fellow fisherman Joel Thompson who was lost

in Indian River Inlet, local bait & tackle shops have banded together to

collect funds for the family in this trying time. All contributions are greatly

appreciated and you should find a jar, bucket, etc. can be found at Bill’s

Sport Shop, Rick’s Bait & Tackle, Old Inlet, Henlopen Bait & Tackle, Ole

Salt, Lewes Harbour Marina, Rattle & Reel, or A & R Bait & Tackle. On

with some reports.

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

flounder are still being taken in the VFW Slough of Indian River. Stripers

have been taken in Rehoboth Bay on fresh bunker.

At Henlopen Bait & Tackle on Savannah Rd in Lewes, Denise

reported a 10.20 pound taken at the Wall by Debra Snedley of Milton.

She also reported stripers at Herring Point and a mix of blues and flounder

from the pier at Cape Henlopen State Park. Perch are at the spillway in

Milton and also in Petersfield Ditch.

From Hook’em & Cook’em Bait & Tackle in the Indian River Marina, Mrs. Bert (Deanna) tells us the following fishing news.

Rockfish have still been hitting in the Indian River Inlet, but have admittedly it has slowed down some now that the water temperature is on the rise. You will probably see smaller ones being brought in than the larger ones now. But with that said, Bill Winkler, of Frankford, brought in a 42.9lber that he caught while in the Inlet and using a live hickory shad. (Picture in gallery) For fishing the Inlet, Storm Lures and flies are the tackle that most are choosing, but if you are able to catch bunker, herring or even a shad (and keep them alive) you can use them to land a nice keeper as well. Rockfish are still in the surf, but word has it that the blues are starting to make it in to the shore too. Most are still using fresh bunker. Remember, the key to using bunker is to cut the head off about a 1/2" back from the gill and use that part. Use the remainder as chunks for the blue fish. Tautog have slowed a bit in the Inlet. Most are reporting that they are catching much smaller ones now. Marcus Munday of Felton, De brought a 6.6lber in Thursday. He beat his father fishing, but we won't rub it in. (Picture in gallery)
REMEMBER: THE LAST DAY OF TOG FISHING IS MAY 11TH. SO GET THIS LAST WEEK-END IN! Flounder are still being caught in the back bays, Debbie Roach, of Wilm. DE brought in a 4lb flounder on Sunday. She was fishing with her family (the only girl and the only one to catch a fish and on a pink rod) in the inlet. She was using a minnow on a bucktail. The bait of choice has now changed to minnows and squid. The tackle has been a variety of things...from plain bottom hooks to bucktails to green machines. I guess the fish are hungry and not too picky about color. I checked on www.saltfish.net and found out that the drum fishing is starting up in the Delaware Bay on the Coral Beds. A young man named Lucas caught an 85lber. The fish looked to be as big if not bigger than him. Luck he didn't get pulled over! Use whole surf clams for those monsters. Offshore fishing has not started yet, but we can't wait to see the first yellow fin to hit the table. I have not heard of any blues being fished for out in the ocean...let's hope that they will fill the void when tog closes and while we wait for sea bass to open. Let's all pray to the fishing gods to make something happen!! ;)

Joe Morris at Lewes Harbour Marina said wind-hampered anglers during the last few days of spring tog season, which closed May 12. However, when conditions were ok, boaters found blackfish cooperative along the rocks of the Inner and Outer Walls and Ice Breakers. The Star Site and Brown Shoal artificial reefs gave up tog too. Robert Adams got a 9.2 pounder while togging the Outer Wall. Jo Hershey hooked her 9.19-pound citation winner at the Wall aboard Miss Kirstin. Bill Wiest wound in a 7.91 pounder on the Lil’ Angler II. Kevin Knotts captured a pair of citation tog going 7.7 and 7.5 pounds at the Breakers. Edwin Maxwell caught his 7.61-pound tautog over a Bay reef on aboard Thelma Dale IV. Rick Shoemaker checked in a 7.6 pound tog, and Brian Staller stuck one 7.38 pounds. Tog season reopens July 1. Striped bass made an appearance along the Outer Wall. Anglers reported success while drifting and casting artificials to the rocks during moving current. Favored hard baits included Bomber, Rapala, MirrOLure and Stretch 12+ plugs. Soft plastics such as Storm shads, Bass Assassin Sea Shads and Gulp! 6 inch Grubs and Jerk Shads also worked well. Todd Manning released some nice fish along the rocks during the week, including a brace of bass going 36 and 38 inches. Black drum were caught along the edges of Broadkill Slough, in the Coral Beds and on the submerged piles off Slaughter Beach, but the big bite has yet to materialize. Drum action should pick up around the approaching new moon. Joe mentioned that the shop will have fresh surf clams for the next few weeks, but suggests calling ahead to reserve bait for your trip. Flounder fishing was good in Lewes Canal. Most flatties were short of the 18-½ inch minimum, but flukers culled enough keepers to make it worthwhile. Jigs tipped with minnows, shiners, smelt or bunker strips were effective. Gulp! Swimming Mullet in pearl white, chartreuse or pink were also popular offerings. The Annual Lewes Harbour Canal Flounder Tournament will be held Friday, May 21. Fishing is to be done by boat and is confined to the Lewes Canal, Broadkill River and Roosevelt Inlet from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on that day. Entry fee is $25 per angler, $5 of which is donated to the Camp Awareness Youth Fishing Programs. Contestants must sign up and pay cash at Lewes Harbour Marina before May 21. Cash Prizes will be awarded for the six heaviest flounder caught and weighed in by properly registered anglers during fishing time that day. Entry monies go into a pool, and the value of the prizes will be determined by the number of fishermen. The more anglers, the bigger the prizes! Call 302-645-6227 for further details.

As I said earlier, we hear that the flounder are starting to spread

out and are being found in the usual spots. Wally Jackson fished Rehoboth Bay to bag a 22-inch flattie. Steve Bishop fished from the

pier at Massey’s Ditch to bag a 5 pound 14 oz flounder. Amanda Williams

of Millsboro took a 23 pound 2 oz striper from the Indian River Inlet. Jim

Musumeci took his boat “Renegade” to Site #10 to bag an 8-pound 15oz

Tog. On that trip, Dalice Cordy boated a 7-pound 12oz tog and Richard

Cordy gave them all a schooling with his 9-pound tog.

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