Wind keeps summer flounder action unsteady

Can it possibly be true that the Fourth of July is staring us squarely in the face? 

As Richie Ashburn used to say as I listened to the Phillies on the beach way back when on the sands of Rehoboth, “Hard to believe, Harry.”  Hard to believe for sure (as is the current state of the Phils’ themselves!) but here it is indeed, that traditional mid-point of the summer season.

The traditional summertime pattern of steady flounder fishing hasn’t really materialized yet.  Certainly, that’s not all the fault of the flounder themselves, as the seemingly incessant wind that, maddeningly, always seems to be blowing from a direction against the current flow.

“Conditions have just been tough,” said Capt. Rick Yakimowicz aboard the all-day head boat out of Fisherman’s Wharf in Lewes. “We have seen a few limits this week as well as some of the biggest fluke we’ve seen so far. It’s just been some difficult conditions with the wind.”

The bulk of the flounder fishing has been occurring along the shipping approaches to Delaware Bay out in the ocean. 

Bouncing big bucktails laced with Gulp! or a strip of meat cut from a sea robin or smooth dog, er, houndfish, are the ticket. Make sure when you cut the pennants you have one end wide and taper it to a sharp point so that it flutters in the current. It also helps to not have the strips be too thick, as that also retards the action of the bait.

Old Inlet reports that there are some small croakers being caught along the south rockpile and along the beach. Kingfish as well are starting to show more and more. 

I think with most surf fishing an east wind is helpful as it pushes everything toward shore, and Old Inlet confirms that the best of the bite has happened on this wind direction. 

Small hooks, small pieces of clam or squid and either real or artificial bloodworms will get you into the kings. Make sure that you don’t overcast the fish as they are often right in the wash.

Meanwhile, back in Shark Bay there has been some, as Capt. Carey Evans put it, “fair” fishing for kingfish. The kings are holding pretty tight to structure it seems so as not to get picked off by the ubiquitous sandbar sharks. 

There are some small trout, too, but it’s getting increasing easy to see why they never, to answer the question, “grow up.”  Recently I spoke with a fellow at a public dock who hadn’t landed a legal fish in the last few years from Shark Bay. 

He spoke of how decades of increasing restrictions hadn’t seemed to help the recreational angler much and, frankly, it was hard to come up with a rebuttal.

Back out in the ocean tuna fishing has been pretty good out in the canyons.  Capt. Carey reported a good trip, tabling seven nice yellowfins on a recent trip with the John Buckwalter party. The bulk of the reports seem to be in the southern canyons.

Be careful over the upcoming holiday, and good luck fishing!

Comments, questions or reports to captjackrodgers@comcast.net.