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 is slowly beginning to start up in the bay. The key word here is slowly. A few black drum have been caught and a few flounder have also been taken. We had one day of summer before going back to cold spring weather.

Patty at Captain Bones in Odessa reported large striped bass have been caught and released on cut bunker and bloodworms from Augustine, Green’s and Woodland beaches.

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic told us large stripers have been caught from the Delaware River as far up as the Power Plant on cut bunker. Collins Beach and Port Penn have also seen these big fish.

Dan at Dan’s Tackle in Milton said several black drum to 44 pounds have been caught on clams at Broadkill Beach. Incoming tide is the most productive tide to fish.

At Lewes Harbour Marina they saw three flounder come out of the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal.

Kurt Reuter caught two on two different days while fishing with a swimshad for striped bass. The first was 17 inches and the second was 18.5 inches.

Craig Blocker from Laurel, Delaware caught a 4.46-pound flounder on a strip of squid.

Indian River Inlet

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said a few tog and rockfish have been caught at the Inlet.

I drove down to the Inlet on Wednesday and found the area where I like to fish was completely fenced off. The 12-foot chain-linked fence starts about 75 yards west of the inlet bridge and runs about 50 yards east of the same structure. The northside parking lot was still open, but it will soon close.

Surf Fishing

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We finally have our first confirmed report from the beach. Spencer Unger caught and released a large striped bass from Bethany Beach last Sunday.

Back Bays

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No report.

Inshore Ocean

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Lewes Harbour Marina said the Katydid made a couple of trips to the inshore tog grounds early in the week and brought in a fair number of the target species.

Offshore Ocean

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No report.

Freshwater

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Patty at Captain Bones in Odessa said trout citations are still coming into her shop. Rick Fairweather caught a 2.10 rainbow trout out of White Clay Creek on a fly. Stephen Miller had a Delaware Citation snakehead weighing 8.12 pounds out of Nonsuch Creek on a frog Chatterbait.

White perch are in the tidal creeks and rivers on bloodworms and catfish are in the same waters on cut bunker. Steve at Smith Bait told us the tidal creeks and rivers hold white perch and catfish. Try minnows for the perch if you can’t find bloodworms. Cut bait is best for the catfish.

Taylored Tackle in Seaford said the best white perch action has moved down the Nanticoke River to Sharptown, Maryland. Blue catfish are now active in the river and like chunks of cut bunker or any fresh fish. Bluegills and crappie are also available and will take small minnows, flies, jigs and earthworms.

Dan at Dan’s Tackle in Milton said look for some largemouth bass activity in the upper Broadkill River as the water warms. I noticed more vegetation in the river last week and working around that could also produce snakeheads or pike.

Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)

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I receive the Coast Guard press releases and last week I saw a very disturbing one.

A gentleman left port out of North Carolina alone on his 34-foot center console. When he failed to return on time his family notified the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard commenced a wide search aided by several other parties and after three days the search was ended.

A few days later his boat was found 80 miles east of the coast with the outriggers down and all the rods with the lines out.

Another search was started, but he was never found.

We will never know what happened to this fisherman. Had he worn his PFD there is a much better chance he might have been found. It might not have saved his life if he had a medical situation, but at least his family would have closure.

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