Fishing from the Point: Surf's up on Delmarva!

Anglers are ready to jump on rockfish this fall, but while the fish are building in numbers, anglers can camp out on the beach.

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
A needlefish. Now that’s sharp!

Surf fishing is up, with a smorgasbord swimming just under the surface. Stripers have made an appearance, but tautog were headlining last week.

Red drum, puppy drum, pompano and trout — one Ocean City, Md., fisherman said that everything was close to shore, and only skates were biting farther than 10 yards out. Kings and spot started in the afternoon, biting bloodworms and Fishbites. Many small blues were nipping any cut bait, including mullet, which could end its run any day now. Gulp! will entice the blues and reds. Some yard-long sturgeon was even reported at Cape Henlopen in the rips between the Outer Wall and beach.

Anglers can take a few weeks to re-bait their lines for black sea bass. The season temporarily closed in Delaware on Oct. 14, reopening Nov. 1. The last flounder stragglers are now being reeled in before their season closes Oct. 24.

Indian River Inlet is still home to flounder, but not in heavy boat traffic. Flatties favor live spot, mullet and minnows. Small blues are coming in with cool water. Most are small, but a few scale-tippers have been a bonus to anglers. Sand fleas, green crabs and cool weather will bring bigger tog. Rockfish are getting bigger at night, working on sand fleas, bucktails and plugs.

Offshore still has a rainbow of activity. White and blue marlin are still chilling in the seas. Yellowfin tuna could pause on their nearby migration south, if the wind offers the right conditions. Golden tilefish and a cottonmouth jack were also part of one boat’s haul.

Inshore fish are playing hide-and-seek this week. The wrecks and reefs are usually a safe bet, but boats have done some hunting at multiple sites to get a fair haul.

Tog, sea bass and triggerfish will improve as the weather cools. Flounder and croaker are out in the open bottom of the Old Grounds. B Buoy and Site 11 have plenty of action, as well. Cod and red hake have made an appearance, too. As soon as the heavy winds die down, boats should have better luck.