Some hit, some miss down the shore

Last weekend provided some excellent fishing weather here at the shore but the deep water stuff seemed quite hit-or-miss. Two of my dockmates left together at 2 o’clock last Sunday morning and headed toward the Lindenkohl Canyon. About 15 hours later they returned to their slips, one flying a white marlin release flag and a dolphin flag. The other boat was not flying any kind of flag. There you are, fishing the same area, mostly using the same type equipment, even similar boats, yet one had fish, the other didn’t. The only common point is that both boats got beat-up on the trip home when the wind suddenly kicked up, at times hitting 30 MPH.

If the long ride to the deep canyons is not your thing, the action a bit closer to shore has to be called pretty good. Plenty of boats are dragging lines around 2FB, the 20 and 30 lines and Sea Isle Ridge and they are hooking into football bluefin tuna, loads of dolphin (mahi), occasional king mackerel and false albacore. The 28 Mile Wreck and the near-by Cigar also have been holding fish, even a once-in-a-while white marlin.

One thing almost all the offshore anglers are reporting is water that is crystal clear.

Getting closer to shore it appears there are good numbers of bonito, false albies, Spanish macks, mahi and bluefish. Be on the lookout for pot flags or other flotsam, then troll some spoons as close as you can get. Chances are there are mahi hanging out there. I don’t know why that is but the colorful fish love being around objects on or near the surface.

Around the artificial reefs you can find flounder, some of very nice size. However, that undersized to keeper ratio remains very high.

Hitting the beaches and fishing piers, the main attraction remains kingfish, occasional flounder, pompano and spot. Bloodworms are your best bet. Bloodworms are an almost universal bait that just about anything will hit. But, they do have their downside: they are more expensive poundfor-pound than steak, they are messy and they even can “bite” you. However, they work and work well.

In the inlets and back bays anglers are finding triggerfish, summer flounder, a good number of weakfish, some small stripers and some decent sized bluefish.

I am saddened to report on the passing of a long time friend and a darn good fisherman, Earl Mulligan. Earl was a fixture on the Margate fishing scene for years and won several prominent tournaments. He was a good guy.

A salute from this old Army guy to Coast Guard Capt. Sean O’Brien who just assumed command of the Coast Guard Air Station at Atlantic City. Capt. O’Brien takes over from Capt. Eric Gleason, who is transferring to a base in Massachusetts.

I don’t know anyone engaging in this practice, but every week I receive several reports about the Coast Guard nabbing boat owners who are running illegal charter operations. Most are not licensed to carry passengers, their boats are not properly examined and, in many cases, they lack the proper lifesaving equipment. You might think that offering your boat to people who want to take a ride or go fishing is a quick way to get some extra income, but the fines for doing it run well into the thousands of dollars.

ACROSS THE BAY

Off Delaware and Maryland, the canyons are being dominated by dolphin and white marlin. You should have little problem catching either on the days the weather permits you to get there. Move inshore to some of the lumps like Massey’s and 19 Fathom and you should pick up ling, mackerel, bluefin and, of course, dolphin.

There is plenty of action at Miah Maull, Crossledge and Site 4, especially on flounder and trout. Just be prepared for many undersized fish. The Broadkill beach is offering up kingfish and trout and a few bluefish. Bloodworms are the key.

Anglers working Indian River Inlet are reporting in with many bluefish and the blues are abundant along the Inner and Outer Walls. The are some slot stripers in the rivers and creeks and the most success is coming on shedder crab. Surfcasters continue pulling-in kingfish and a few pompano from the beaches.

We don’t talk about catfish very often but I understand there is a pretty good bite going on in the C & D Canal.

There are some slow areas this week. The usual hotspot, the Old Grounds, has tapered off for some reason. Also slow is the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal and the Cape Henlopen State Park Pier.