Delaware Fishing Report: When, Where, What and How They're Biting

By Eric Burnley Sr.*

Updated: Oct. 28, 2011

DELAWARE BAY

A few keeper rockfish were caught at Woodland Beach, the Pipes and the Yellow Can. Bloodworms and cut bunker have been the best baits. This is just a preview of what we can expect in the next few weeks. (I hope.)

Tog have been the mainstay for the rest of the bay and are showing up on reef sites and wrecks from the upper to the lower bay. The Outer Wall and the Ice Breakers have given up big tog and sheepshead. The sheepshead bite may be over after the predicted weather this weekend.

Randy Jensen did manage to land a 15.5-pound sheepshead at the Ice Breakers last weekend. The huge fish is now the state record sheepshead beating out the previous record by more than a pound.

INDIAN RIVER INLET

The good thing about the inlet is it can be fished when the weather puts a halt to just about everyplace else. In fact, a hard northeast wind can push bait and fish into the inlet providing some exciting action.

The rockfish run should get underway next week. There are plenty of rock to our north and the north and northeast winds predicted for the next few day should begin to move these fish to us.

Small blues have been invading the inlet on incoming water and they will take most any lure. Hickory shad are also available and like small flies, jigs and metal lures.

Tog fishing has produced a small class of fish so far this fall. Green crabs seem to out produce sand fleas.

A variety of fish including rock, blues, shad and tog have been caught at Massey’s Ditch. Boat fishermen as well as those fishing from the pier have had success.

SURF FISHING

Next week should see the first decent number of rockfish in the surf. Chunks of bunker or clams will be the top baits.

I fished the beach at the Old Coast Guard Station on Monday and caught several small blues. Cut mullet was the bait of choice. I have had similar reports for beaches all along the Delaware shore.

INSHORE OCEAN

The inshore reef sites and wrecks hold some tog, but strong currents, dirty water and high winds have made fishing difficult. If the weather settles down we should have good tog and sea bass fishing next week.

OFFSHORE OCEAN

The boats that overnighted in the canyons last weekend had limit catches of yellowfin tuna and a few swordfish. Unless we get a few days of calm weather in the next week or two the offshore season my be over.

FRESHWATER

Big crappie and bass continue to please pond fishermen. A variety of baits from live minnows to Senkos have proven effective.

All the tidal creeks are producing white perch, small rock and catfish. Some of the cats have been impressive.

The Delaware River has also seen some good catfish action. Small rock and white perch are also on the menu here.

The state has stocked White Clay Creek and Newton Pond with trout. These fish should last all winter and provide angling opportunities for frost bitten fishermen.

COLD WEATHER SAFETY

Many of us will be on the water from now until the rockfish depart. This could take us up to the first of the year as rock will be active until the water temperature drops to 42 degrees.

All water is dangerous, but falling overboard in 80 degree water in the summer is a far cry from doing the same into water that is in the low 40s. When the water is cold your chance of surviving a dunking drops to almost zero.

The first safety consideration is the weather. If they have posted small craft advisories and your boat will fit on a trailer, do not leave the dock. It is as simple as that. If your boat offers no protection from the elements and the water is cold you can suffer hypothermia just from the wind and spray.

To stay as warm as possible dress in layers. Begin with long underwear and then a layer of thick cotton or wool outerwear. Next, an insulated coat or sweater and heavy pants covered with foul weather gear. I use Grunden foul weather gear bibs and a pull over jacket that has elastic sleeves to keep the water out.

Never wear waders on a boat. If you fall overboard with waders on you will either sink or float upside down. Neither is good position in the water.
I do wear neoprene gloves with cutout finger tips so I can feel the line. They will keep your hands warm even when wet. I find it all but impossible to fish without getting my hands wet.

Since you will begin to lose conscious in a few minutes and it might take longer than that for the captain to position the boat for a rescue always wear your PFD. Even if you become unable to hold on to a throwable or other rescue device it will be possible for someone to grab the PFD and get you out of the water. Without the PFD you will die.

Another bad mistake is to jump into the water in an attempt to save a friend. You will become another victim of hypothermia and probably die along with your buddy. It takes more than twice as long to rescue two victims than one.

I recall a situation where the mate on a pilot boat jumped in to save the pilot who had slipped off the icy Jacobs ladder. Neither were ever found.

*Eric Burnley Sr. is a native Delawarean who has fished the waters of his home state for more than 60 years. He has been a full-time outdoor writer since 1978, with articles appearing in most national magazines as well as many regional publications. He has authored two books, Surf Fishing The Atlantic Coast and The Ultimate Guide To Catching Striped Bass.