Winds from tropical systems like Jose, Maria blow out fishing hopes

“That country where it is always turning late in the year. That country where the hills are fog and the rivers are mist; where noons go quickly, dusks and twilights linger, and midnights stay. That country composed in the main of cellars, sub-cellars, coal-bins, closets, attics, and pantries faced away from the sun. That country whose people are autumn people, thinking only autumn thoughts.” — Ray Bradbury

Yep, no doubt about it, it’s officially fall along the lower Delaware coast. You can tell by the school buses, the leaves starting to spiral down in sunlit showers, and piles of acorns busily being gathered by squirrels.

Shockingly, in that I’m in school all week, the weather sure hasn’t been much help during the week (take that all you fisher-people who blame me for it being windy on the weekends!) and it’s hard for boats to get away from the dock. 

A string of tropical systems have kept the easterly winds blowing hard onto the beaches, making not only fishing from a boat difficult, but surf fishing as well.

Unhappily, when the wind DOES lay out the water is pretty churned up and stained with the suspended sand and littered with debris. For anglers trying to catch mainly sight-feeding fish such as bluefish, that can sure be a problem!

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Capt. Rick Yakimowicz aboard the all-day headboat out of Fisherman’s Wharf in Lewes reports that he will continue to anchor over structure for a mix of fish such as triggerfish, kingfish, trout, flounder and, starting Friday, some tautog. 

Of course the water’s pretty warm for the best tog fishing but, hey, any port in the storm as they say.

Surf fishing continues by all reports to be mainly a snapper blue thing. Dan at Dan’s Tackle Box in Milton acknowledged that the snapper blues are “everywhere,” just not very big. 

I can certainly attest to that, as the ones we saw along our beach were, well, small. I mean “How did that thing get the hook in its mouth?” small. Lots of bites though, despite the fact that there are no mullet along this stretch of beach. 

Reports of some bigger blues with tackle testers up to 10 inches are coming from down along the ocean beaches. Mullet rigs can help to keep you from getting your bait sawed off without a hookup. Fireball rigs also work well.

The last time out in the bay we saw a good shot of spot on artificial bloodworms. Big spot, known as “Cape May Goodies,” have also been landed around the Cape fishing pier along with a few spike trout, snappers and other assorted small fish.

Looks like another good weather weekend on tap and somewhat cooler. Perhaps that will stir things up along the surf in a good way. 

Good luck and good fishing!

Reports, questions or comments to captjackrodgers@comcast.net

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