Fishing Report

By Acie Mankins
B&R Bait and & Tackle

Between the storms over the past week, fishing is pretty good.

Tom at Cedar Creek Bait & Tackle reported lots of croaker near F buoy and some of them are weighing up to 3 pounds. A few anglers are bringing back coolers full to the dock. Flounder are being taken around E buoy, if you can get past the croaker.

On the dock in Lewes, Joe at Lewis Harbor Marina said, “Croaker fishing is incredible.” G buoy and the Starsite Reef have been a croaker haven this past week. As for flounder, Pete Haines on the Top Fin had 13 keepers on one charter this week. Joel of Rick’s Bait & Tackle said croaker also came in the inlet this past week, moving into the back bay. They also saw flounder up to 6 pounds taken in the slough behind Burton’s Island.

Along the jetties at Indian River Inlet, striper continue to make anglers happy. Bill Bratton of Mifflintown, Pa., had a good week, weighing in three nice striper: 23 pounds, 10 ounces; 23 pounds, 4 ounces; and 17 pounds, 15 ounces. All were taken on live eel on incoming tide. Bluefish are still being caught on the incoming tide using bucktails or gotcha plugs.

Surf fishing from Cape Henlopen to Fenwick Island is producing a lot of small fish (croaker, spot, kingfish, trout). The best baits are bloodworms or fishbites using No. 8 hooks, and fish close to the beach. Ed Raymond of Wilmington had 80 croaker, 8 to 12 inches, and one kingfish – all taken on bloodworms. Ed said he had a lot of double hitters until the lifeguard came on the beach.

Inshore fishing is very good at present.

Bottom-fishing near B buoy is yielding some nice flounder. David Steen, Tute Shockley and Allen Baker had 11 flounder up to 8 pounds, 2 ounces and two nice sea bass. Baker did catch the largest, at 8 pounds, 2 ounces. All three anglers are from the Dagsboro area.

Trolling northeast of the Lightship is producing bluefin tuna, bluefish and king mackerel. Fishing is also good on the East Lump. Dale Corrice of the Long Neck area had a 23.5-pound cobra taken near B buoy on a live minnow.

Offshore fishing remains hot or cold. One day there’s a good bite and the next day there’s not. In the Baltimore Canyon on Saturday, it was a mixed bag of yellowfin, bluefin and a few whites. Some boats coming into the inlet had 12 to 14 flags. In the Hotdog, it’s a good early bite on bluefin.

As for our local headboats, the fleet at Fisherman’s Wharf out of Lewes and the Judy V out of Indian River, reported good catches of flounder, croaker and sea bass.

Until next week, good luck and great fishing.

Acie Mankins is the manager at B & R Bait & Tackle in South Bethany.