Fishing from the Point: Summer fishing stays steady, White Marlin Open brings action

The searing heat wave has died down for the time being, and as we get further into August, the flounder bite has appeared to pick up. Anglers can look forward to this improving even more in weeks to come.

Coastal Point • Submitted
An 86.5-pound white marlin caught by Brian Kline on the Tighten Up during the White Marlin Open.

The Indian River Inlet is still seeing its share of catches, particularly with the incoming tide. The summer sun is warming the surface, but the floor around the south side of the inlet still seems to be working for most. Anita Chandler recently pulled in a couple of keeper flatties, measuring more than 21 inches, off the Fenwick surf.

Blues and tog are still moving through during the day, and stripers can be found in the cooler, nighttime hours. Black and purple plugs are reportedly doing the trick in the evenings, but with fall quickly approaching, the daytime might yield some keeper rockfish, as well. Action has picked up around the north rockpile at the inlet in the morning hours, with croaker likely being the target.

Farther north, reports note that ling cod and spot are hanging around the Rehoboth surf, while croaker and keeper flounder are being reeled in on the Broadkill River and around Site 10. Sea bass have been landing around B Buoy, and the Delaware Bay is turning up with a mix of croaker, flounder and sea bass.

The flounder in Ocean City, Md., still seem to be meager, with plenty of throwbacks, and the croaker fishing is hit-or-miss, as well. Blues are still hanging around the Ocean City Inlet area and the Route 50 Bridge. The stripers can be found there, as well as along the South Jetty, too.

Reports have mentioned spot in the bay, but nothing too small. Finger mullet and some small bunker can be scooped up by net-casters looking for baitfish, though. Like the surf up through Delaware, Ocean City is still seeing some kingfish and spot, with croakers in the early hours.
Coastal Point • Submitted
A 279-pound tuna caught aboard the Pipe Dreamer by Chip Caruso.

The talk in Ocean City, however, has been focused on the 38th Annual White Marlin Open, the largest billfish tournament in the world. This year’s tournament, which started earlier this week, on Aug. 8, will run until Friday, Aug. 12.

As of Coastal Point’s press deadline on Wednesday morning, Brian Kline with the Tighten Up was the only angler to bring a white marlin to the scales, with a weight of 86.5 pounds. Others had reported white and blue marlin releases, but with the competition continuing through this Friday, there promises to be plenty of action.

The prize in the white marlin category sat at $752,687, as of Wednesday, but all money values are estimated until the tournament is complete. As more fish are brought in, the prize money will fluctuate.

Here are some current results, as of the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 10: In the tuna category, Chip Caruso on the Colts Neck, N.J., boat the Pipe Dreamer brought in a 279-pound yellowfin. Baltimore angler Donald Schline aboard the Reel Estate landed a 39.5-pound dolphin, and the Reel Desire pulled in a 71-pound wahoo. The White Marlin Open action will continue through this Friday, Aug. 12.