The Delaware Fishing Report offers information on when to fish, where to fish, which species are biting, and how to catch them. It is written weekly by veteran Delaware angler Eric Burnley, Sr.

Delaware Bay

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Fishing was red hot at the fishing pier on Cape Henlopen State Park on Tuesday when big blues invaded the area. They were caught from the pier and from the shoreline alongside the pier. According to first-hand reports the big blues hit just about anything you put in the water. That included cut bunker, metal lures, surface and swimming plugs.

Patty at Captain Bones in Odessa told us large striped bass are still available for catch and release at Collins, Augustine and Woodland beaches. Cut bunker remains the best bait for these big fish. Don’t forget to use a non-offset circle hook and release the fish in the water.

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic said stripers over the 28 to 31-inch slot have been caught at Collins Beach on cut bunker.

Dan at Dan’s Tackle in Milton reported black drum and big bluefish have been caught at Broadkill Beach during incoming tide. That is except on Tuesday afternoon when I was there. All I caught were loads of that brown hairy seaweed. Meanwhile, all of my friends were at the fishing pier on Cape Henlopen State Park hammering big blues. End of sniveling and whining.

At Lewes Harbour Marina they cleaned many big bluefish that were caught from or close to the fishing pier on Cape Henlopen State Park.

Indian River Inlet

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said the Inlet exploded with big blues with metal lures and SP Minnows in bone doing most of the damage. Incoming water was usually the best time to fish, but on Tuesday the blues were active on the outgoing. You just have to be there when the fish decide to feed.

Surf Fishing

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Surf fishing came alive last week. We had reports of big bluefish at 3Rs Road on cut bunker and metal lures from Old Inlet.

Back Bays

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No report.

Inshore Ocean

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From the reports I received from Lewes Harbour Marina and Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em I would describe the tog action as a slow pick.

Offshore Ocean

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No report.

Freshwater

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Patty at Captain Bones in Odessa told us bass action has been good at Garrison Lake and Noxontown Pond.

Steve at Smith Bait said there are white perch and crappie in the local spillways that will gobble up a minnow on a jig below a bobber.

Taylored Tackle in Seaford told us the windy weather has hurt fishing, but a few folks are still catching blue and channel catfish from the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek on cut bunker, bluegills or cut white perch.

Ed O’Donnell fished the fly-fishing only section of White Clay Creek on Tuesday and hooked four and brought two brown trout to the net. One large rainbow sent Ed’s fly flying back to him.

Successful flies were the green weenie and the little black leech.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), Take 2

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Once again, I have received a Coast Guard report of a missing fisherman, but this one was much closer to home.

A 27-year-old Wilmington, Delaware man went fishing in his center console boat in the Elk River near the mouth of Elk Creek. His boat was found with no one aboard.

A search was launched, and a dive team recovered his body.

We may never know how he ended up in the water. We do know he was not wearing a PFD.

At 27 years old, I was not wearing a PFD either. I should have been, but at 27 I was indestructible.

Related Topics:  delaware bay, dfw, fishing, freshwater, indian river inlet, ocean and coasts, outdoors and recreation, surf fishing, wildlife