Deep sea fishing is at its best

OCEAN

The Old Grounds and Site 10 are producing keeper flounder, and sea bass, but not in the numbers as they were last year. Anthony Brozosky, Ryan Quinn, and Cole Macaron fished Site 10 with squid and mullet. They reeled in two sea bass, a flounder, and four kingfish. There are also a large amount of triggerfish being caught at the reef sites. You’re not too late to get in on the tuna action. The Big Herring fished Massey’s Canyon with ballyhoo and brought in a 42-pound yellowfin to the Lewes Harbour Marina. The Reel Chaotic managed a 55-pound yellowfin at the Wilmington Canyon. Anglers are also catching bluefin, yellowfin, and Mahi at the inshore lumps, and the Hot Dog with trolling being the most effective. The Tutta Benne went out to the Hotdog and returned to port with four yellowfin with the largest weighing 46 pounds,12 ounces. Capt. Jeff Hoepfl, Herb Guest, Travis Brown, Mark Williams and Frank Vassallo hauled in six yellowfin caught at the Hotdog with the largest weighing 55 pounds, 4 ounces. Lisa Tally Karpen pulled in a 98-pound, 9-ounce Mako while fishing the Baltimore Canyon with a mackerel. The Indian River Inlet has surrendered a few keeper flounder, rockfish, and sheepshead. Drifting sand fleas has been the best method to catch the rockfish and sheepshead, while the flounder have preferred minnows. Keeper flounder are also being reported at Massey’s Ditch. For anglers hitting the surf, the catch continues to be kingfish with bloodworm as the bait of choice.

DELAWARE BAY

I fished a rather action packed Cape Henlopen fishing pier over the weekend. My catch included sea bass, kingfish, and pufferfish. I also lost a few flounder and snapper blues. My bait of choice was a mix between bloodworm, minnows, and a bucktail that hooked three flounder that all, unfortunately, fell off as I reached for them with my net. I also brought a few crab traps down, and while they were constantly filled ... all of the crabs were female, so I released them. A few keeper flounder and dogfish were caught by anglers fishing close to me on the pier. Anglers are catching a few slot size rockfish at Collins Beach, Augustine Beach, Yellow Can, and Woodland Beach using bloodworms. Reef sites 6, 7, and 8 have produced numerous triggerfish with clams as the preferred bait. Triggerfish are also being caught at the Outer Wall along with sheepshead and spadefish.

RIVERS

White perch are being caught in numbers in the Brandywine River with small minnows working well as bait. A few musky and smallmouth bass were also caught in the Brandywine this week. Anglers are finding plenty of catfish in the Delaware River at Reedy Point with bloodworms, bunker, and eels as the best baits. Flounder fishing continues to improve at the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal with minnows, and squid working the best. There are also a few slot size rockfish in the Canal. Anthony Filipponi landed a 21-inch rockfish in the canal and brought it into the Lewes Harbour Marina.

PONDS

For anglers searching for largemouth bass...Garrisons Lake, Lums Pond, and Noxontown Pond have all yielded bass this week with frogs, and senkos working the best. Prime time fishing has been in the early morning hours and late evening hours. Captain Bones will be hosting their annual Duck and Goose Calling Contests on Saturday, July 29, as well as the Delaware State Duck Competition. The winner will earn a trip to the World Duck Competition in Arkansas. For more information, call Captain Bones at 302-378-3377.

Email your fishing info and fishing photos to jtaviano@delawareonline.com or tweet @JeffreyTaviano.