Jeff Taviano's Delaware Regional Fishing Report
OCEAN
Anglers in New Jersey are having great luck on stripers from Atlantic City down to Cape May. Anglers were doing really well just offshore in Seaside, New Jersey. The canyons have been hard to reach with the windy weather, however, a couple reports indicated a few yellowfin at the Baltimore Canyon. For anglers searching for sea bass ... the DelJerseyLand Reef Site has been productive with squid, and clam as the best baits. Surf fishing has been “wild” at Bethany Beach. Bluefish have been swarming the beach, as each wave drops bait fish onto the sand for gulls. Throwing just about any lure has gotten bluefish attention. There’s been decent tog action at the Indian River Inlet, but not if you’re looking to fill your cooler, as most fish have been undersized. Masseys Landing and the back bays are also filled with small tautog.
DELAWARE BAY
The rockfish are here. Reports of keepers are finally coming in at a steady pace signaling that the fall run is in its beginning stages. Most of the action has come near the mouth of tidal rivers such as the Smyrna River, and Appoquinimink River with bunker chunking as the most effective method of luring rockfish. White perch and catfish are still being caught from Augustine Beach down to Port Mahon with bloodworms working on the perch, and bunker and chicken liver for the catfish. Patty from Captain Bones Bait & Tackle noted a few short stripers at Augustine Beach and Woodland Beach that are biting on bloodworms. Reports of black drum in the 20-pound range were being caught at Site 10 on sand fleas. Tautog action in the lower bay has been excellent. The Outer Wall and the Ice Breakers have produced many tog on green and Asian box crabs. Jane Martin and Karl Ledford brought home a 5-pound, 6-ounce and a 6-pound, 1-ounce tog from the Outer Wall on green crabs. Aaron Bell pulled in a 4-pound, 5-ounce tog from the Outer Wall using a green crab. Larry Hughs Jr. didn’t miss out on the action at the Outer Wall and reeled in two nice tog weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces and a 6-pounder on green crabs and sand fleas. Charlie Breithenbach was another angler who found luck at the Outer Wall using Asian box crabs, his tog weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and a 7 pounder. Even Pennsylvania anglers are getting in on the action at the Outer Wall as Jayvon Laguerre used speckled crabs to catch a 5-pound, 8-ounce tog. Flounder are still being caught at the Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier on mullet, but the action isn’t steady.
RIVERS
Keeper stripers are being caught from Broad Creek at the mouth of the Nanticoke River. Brian Smith caught both a 24-pound, 1-ounce catfish measuring 36 inches in length, and a 13-pound striper at 33 inches in length in Broad Creek at the mouth of the Nanticoke River using swim baits and topwater plugs. The catfish is currently under review, as it may be a new Delaware state record. Live eels are working well for keeper rockfish in the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Action in the Christina River has slowed down. Nick Ash landed a catfish at the 495 spillway into the Christina. A nice variety of trout are being caught at White Clay Creek with browns, rainbows, palomino's and even a few tiger and brook trout stocked earlier in the month.
PONDS
Ed Raymond had a successful day at Killens Pond catching largemouth bass up to 3 pounds on minnows and jigs. He also landed a 4-pound pickerel, and several yellow perch, bluegills, and crappie while using minnows and jigs. Patty at Captain Bones Bait & Tackle also reported good bass fishing at Garrisons Lake on senkos and chatterbaits.
Email your fishing info and fishing photos to jtaviano@delawareonline.com or tweet @JeffreyTaviano.