Fishing: Time to pursue some of the sea's most delicious fish

“Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.” — Herman Melville

Funny what a few below freezing nights will do for a water temperature.

Water temperatures have dropped quite a bit since this time last week when we were basking in the balmy Indian summer temperatures driven by all that sun. Now, as I type this, low scudding gray clouds are being pushed westward by a stiff northeast wind. Nowhere is the forecasted sun to be seen.

Capt. Rick Yakimowicz aboard the all-day headboat out of Fisherman’s Wharf in Lewes reports that the falling water temperatures have had a really positive impact on what has been an otherwise lackluster tog season.

“Water temps have dropped enough that we are seeing much more consistent tog fishing when the weather allows us to get out,” the savvy skipper said. “There have been many more nice fish caught not only in the ocean but along the mouth of the bay as well.”

This is certainly good news for small boat anglers, though if the sheer number of boats fishing is any indication slow fishing hasn’t deterred anyone from giving it a lash. For those anglers trying to tangle with a tog, the tactics are pretty simple. Drop a No. 3 or No. 5 Virginia-style hook down into whatever structure you are trying to extract the fish from. Just before you feel that gentle tap, you set the hook. 

Wait beyond that and you’ll feel a light tap that signals that your bait has just been picked clean by some wily wrasse.

Of course you aren’t actually setting the hook before the fish bites — that’s just a wives’ tale told by tog fisherman. Often sharpies will raise their rod tip at intervals just to make sure. 

Tog can be a challenge, though, and very hard to catch. 

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Compounding the problem, with no fish is the truism “they bite when they bite” truer than with tog. Anglers can be sitting over the structure, “marking” fish on sonar for hours at a time when all of a sudden, as if a light switch has been flicked, the fish start biting. 

The challenge is well worth it, though, when you do scrape up a mess, as they are among the most delicious of all fish in the sea.

Tog fishing isn’t the only thing going. Sea bass fishing has been very good for anglers making the trek offshore. A surprising amount of nice flounder are also being taken by bass anglers and some really pretty ones to boot. 

Surf fishing, though, seems stuck in a rut. There are still fish being caught but they are mainly small fish, as they have been all season. 

Reports of a few legal stripers from Woodland Beach south have been surfacing, though this has been far from reliable fishing. Soon, hopefully, soon.

Warmer temperatures are on tap for the weekend so good luck and good fishing!

Reports, questions or comments to captjackrodgers@comcast.net

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