December 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

December 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

I've fished twice this month but have only caught Bluegill down at a ditch
near Clayton Delaware.  Though I didn't catch a fish on the most recent trip,
I had a HUGE hit while jigging from a bridge over top of Appoquinimink River. 
I suspect it may have been a jumbo yellow perch as I have caught
them at this spot before.

Saltwater
So, although the weather has been too cold for comfort, some saltwater anglers are still out there hitting the water, trying their luck.  I didn't get out there for the Rockfish run this year.  Fishermen I've talked to have told me that Tautog and Rockfish have been caught at the Delaware seashore state park.  I am looking ahead to the Spring run of rockfish and kingfishing on the surf.


Freshwater
Didn't get out there trout fishing in White Clay this fall, but talked to an angler who caught several rainbows near the PA line.  He actually caught them on ties that he tied himself in the comfort of his living room, using this fly tying vice and work station system from Ebay. 

In ponds around Delaware, largemouth bass fishermen are still connecting with large bass in the winter but not as often as they did in the summer.  During the winter, many bass fishermen are wise to switch to targeting yellow perch which tolerate coldwater well.

Walleye and Muskies can actually be caught in the Brandywine and Susquehanna Rivers this time of year if you know where to find them. Of course, winter is also a great time to read up on new fishing holes ahead of the Spring season.  You can find all the best fishing spots in Delaware right here in this e-book Big Bass in the Small Wonder.

Happy Holidays to everyone and here's to wishin' fantastic fishin' in 2018!

November 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

November 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

Bay

The word is that the Rockfish are still off the coast of New Jersey.  Watermen I know are trying anyway.  While everyone is waiting for the run of rockfish to arrive, there is always a chance  that a big resident Rockfish may bite a bloodworm if you fish the right spots like Reedy Point, Augustine or Rock Hall.  Don't limit yourself to Striped Bass either.  Their relative the white perch can be good eating and catfish will bite just about any time.   Here's a nice channel catfish caught by one of my readers who fished the Upper Bay. 

Freshwater

The fall trout stocking took place in White Clay Creek and fishermen 
are still connecting withgood size Rainbows near the deep holes and 
waterfalls along the creek.  Powerbait, minnows and waxworms tend 
to work quite well.   Crayfish are the best bait if you want to target 
Smallmouth Bass along the creek.

A friend of mine sent me a picture of a citation sized crappie that he caught 
in a mill pondnear Clayton, Delaware.  Definitely the biggest crappie I have 
seen caught in a while in the First State.  He was fishing from a canoe using 
artificial worm, hoping to catch a largemouth bass.  If you, too, are looking 
to catch largemouth bass, here is the best guide to secret bass ponds in 
Delaware Big Bass in the Small Wonder

Ocean

A very rare Opah fish was caught off of Ocean City this week.  Word is 
that it took the lucky fisherman 1 hour to reel it in.  If you haven't heard 
of Opah, it is not a talk show host.  It isa deep, ocean fish uncommonly 
caught in our waters.  Rare catch for sure.    If you are looking to fish 
saltwater off the Delaware coast, now is a great time to connect with Tautog, 
Kings and Rockfish.   Good luck to everyone out there fishing.  Stay safe and 
have a happy Thanksgiving.

October 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

Delaware Fishing Report - October  2017

Saltwater

Tautog are biting well off Cape Henlopen and in the Indian River Inlet.  Green Crabs and Sandfleas tend to work well.  Most saltwater anglers I know are preparing their tackle for the fall Rockfish and bluefish Season. Bloodworms and bunker are  great bait to use if you plan to fish the inner harbors and bays.  Dogfish and Sea Bass are also biting near the rocks and piers of Lewes and the Delaware Bay.

Freshwater

Freshwater fishing is very productive in the Delmarva region right now.
As the temperatures start to decline, anglers are still catching lots of channel catfish, white/yellow perch, and Big Bass in the Small Wonder . Big pickerel can be caught using both live bait and artificial lures. Rivers like the Christina, St. Jones and both the Delaware and Chesapeake Bays are good for Rockfish.  If fly fishing is more your thing, then be advised that Fall trout season is right around the corner.  Hopefully, I may get to take a trip up to Pennsylvania trout country before the season is out.  Tight lines!

September 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

September 2017 Delaware Fishing Report



Freshwater Fishing

This past summer marked the two year anniversary of
the release of the Big Bass In the Small Wonder E-book, the definitive guide to the top "best kept secret" freshwater fishing locations in Delaware.  Currently, anglers are reporting great Largemouth Bass fishing action in local ponds like Noxontown, Lums and Becks.  The water temperatures are still warm and predatory fish are hungry and on the move.  Most fishermen will tell you that the best fishing is had in the early morning hours or at dusk. Chain Pickerel, Bluegill, Crappie and Perch fishing continues to be good in local rivers, creeks and ditches.  Remember to get your copy of the Big Bass In the Small Wonder Ebook right here: Big-Bass-Small-Wonder-freshwater-ebook


Bay Fishing

Striped Bass (Rockfish)

I had the opportunity to fish the Chesapeake Bay and Sassafras River
in September.  Excellent fishing could be had if you caught the right tide.  I went dusk fishing for Channel Catfish on one occasion.  On another day I fished the open bay and landed numerous White Perch and my son caught a small Rockfish.  Short striped bass were reported by anglers in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. Crabbing also continues to be good.  I had a great time steaming my own fresh caught blue claw crabs last week.  Check out the informative "how to" video I made here: How to Steam Blue Claw Crabs Delaware Style


Saltwater Fishing

Coastal Saltwater fishing continued to be good in Delaware during the month of September both from the surf and by boat.  Anglers reported catching limits of croaker, Northern Kingfish, bluefish and short Rockfish.
Flounder are said to be biting well in the Lewes Canal.  It won't be long until the Tautog are biting again and you can bet your bottom dollar this angler will be out there with green crabs as my bait.  Looking forward to fall surf fishing and sharing some new fish photos with all of you.  Be safe out there and, if you want to tie your own flies and lures, be sure to pick yourself up a Handcrafted Fly Tying Station which are for sale on ebay.

August 2017 Sport Fishing

August 2017 Sport Fishing

Delaware Yellow Perch

August has been a great month for fishing in my home state of Delaware.
Big fish are biting in both saltwater and freshwater and there is much more to come with the peak of fall Rockfish and Tog fishing just around the corner.  The water is warm and it is a fantastic time to be out there with a fishing pole in your hands!

Freshwater

This reporter caught several pickerel and yellow perch recently fishing Central Delaware's muddy nontidal creeks.  With Delaware largemouth bass fishing pressure at its peak in ponds like Noxontown and Lums, now is a great time to target farm ditches, branches above mill ponds and brackish waters like Smyrna River, Duck Creek, Appoquinimink River and Christina River.


Saltwater

Saltwater fishing has been exciting this summer with White Marlin boats catching their share of Tuna, Mahi and Shark.  This reporter had the chance to fish the Atlantic Ocean on Delaware State Seashore a few weeks ago.  Fishing was good with many several Black Sea Bass, a near keeper Rockfish and Kingfish all taking blood worms.  Anglers targeting fish in the inlet reported the occasional Weakfish, as well.  I am looking forward to getting down the beach with my family and fishing one more time this summer, perhaps taking a ride to New Jersey and hopping on a headboat charter out of Cape May.


Catch of the Day

Do you eat your catch?  On occasion this summer, I have cooked and eaten some locally caught fish.  My favorite eating fish were yellow perch, channel catfish and kingfish.  The meals were delicious.

Yellow Perch, a prominent food fish in the midwest, can be caught easily in Delaware's freshwater waters during the month of August.  Catfish can be equally excellent tablefare -if properly filleted, soaked in saltwater for 24 hrs. and cooked Cajun Style. As well, Northern Kingfish are a good eating, saltwater fish that looks kind of like a small Cod. It is a scrappy fish that can be caught from Delaware's drive on surf beaches in abundance this time of year.

It should be noted that some anglers don't eat fish from Delaware freshwater due to pollution. If you are going to eat your catch, be sure to follow Delaware's fish consumption advisory recommendations. It is also best to avoid eating from rivers below obvious pollution sources like pipes, neighborhoods, car washes, laundry mats, etc.   Look out for excessive algae growth, chemical foam, absence of shellfish, dead fish etc. as these are symptomatic signs that the body of water might not be healthy.  Just use common sense.  Bon appetite, folks!

June/July 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

June/July 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

Saltwater: 

Ocean fishing has been great so far this summer with reports of tuna, mahi and sea bass out deep.  Anglers fishing in the surf have been able to connect with big bluefish throughout June, as well as a mix of kings, rays, sharks, and the occasional rockfish.

Freshwater:

Summer freshwater fishing is in full swing. Panfish, perch, pickerel, catfish and BIG BASS can be caught in freshwater ponds and rivers across the state.  Even White Clay Creek anglers might connect with holdover trout and smallmouth bass near dams and deep coldwater holes.  Better trout fishing can be had in the not so distant mountains of Pennsylvania and western Maryland.  Fly fishing is a fun option and it can be even more rewarding to tie your own flies using a fly tying system such as this one HERE

Safety Note:

One important thing I'll admit to neglecting in past fishing outings is sunblock.  Anglers on the water are doubly exposed to the sun's harmful UV rays and so it is ever important to remember to put a tube of sunblock in your tackle  box at the beginning of fishing season. Just be sure to keep it in a ziplock bag to avoid spilling it all over your fishing lures.

May 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

May 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

Freshwater:
It has been rainy and windy in recent days so ditch fishing was good for a big Chain Pickerel and some jumbo Bluegill.  I was going to try White Clay Creek now that it is stocked with trout, but that may wait until I return to northern Delaware's chateau country later this week.

White Perch, Catfish and Shad are running in the tidal rivers of Southern New Castle and Kent Counties.   Night crawlers and bloodworms work best here.

Bass fishing is good with slow retrieve  topwater lures like buzz baits.  The water temperature is rising and now is a great time to pick up the ultimate guide to Delaware freshwater fishing, its called Big Bass in the Small Wonder . This book is LOADED with info about great "secret" freshwater fishing spots in Delaware.


Saltwater:

Reports are coming into this blog of 10+ lb. bluefish and 30+ lb. Rockfish at the Indian River Inlet.  Also reports of monster Black Drum and Tog abound.  A recent trip from Roosevelt Inlet and Cape Henlopen in Lewes was unsuccessful, but so much depends on the tide.


Midwest Report:

I recently had the opportunity to fish a lake in Illinois called Lake Shabonna (the Muskie capital of Illinois).  I really recommend checking it out on the map.  Good yellow perch fishing too.  I will have to return to the lake this summer with some home made flies made on my DIY Fly Fishing Vise

Until then, tight lines!

April 2017 Fishing Report

Delaware- April 2017 Fishing Report

The weather has been fantastic for fishing in Delaware this April.  I have gotten out there 2-3 days a week.

Opening weekend of trout season was marked by muddy streams, although fishermen at White Clay were catching trout on spinners and power bait.



I have caught pickerel, catfish, yellow perch, bass and white perch before the first of May so I am hopeful for a great fishing season.  Stripers are coming up the bay and anglers are connecting with these gamefish on a variety of lures, but especially bloodworms.  Tog, bluefish and flounder fishing is on the way too.  It's a great time of year to get outside and drop a line!

Read up on the best Delaware fishing spots here:
Big Bass in the Small Wonder

And its never a bad time to start making your own lures:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/172622889533?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

March 2017

March 2017 Delaware Sport Fishing Report

In like a lion, out like a lamb.  That is what they have always said about the month of March.

February 2017 ended with temperatures in the high 70's and maybe it was enough to wake up the gamefish because the bite was back
on.

After getting skunked on the last trip, I decided to visit a nearby farm ditch in Townsend, Delaware Saturday to see what was biting.

It was a sunny winter afternoon, with dusk approaching.   I used a drop shot with success to hook a chain pickerel on a backyard nightcrawler.
It took several casts, before I could jig up another fish.  A largemouth bass (the first of 2017) caught on a roostertail lure.

The fish are showing signs of increased activity and the weather has been extremely variable.  I'm no meteorologist, but I forsee another snowstorm before true Spring sets in. It won't be long before the bass get really active and the Rainbow Trout and Rockfish season is right around the corner.  Certainly an exciting time to be an angler.

Check back and subscribe for lots more sport fishing posts coming in 2017 and don't forget to check out the ultimate ebook guide to Delaware Fishing Big Bass In the Small Wonder.

And anglers, if you are getting your gear prepared and taking inventory of lures, etc., there is nothing more satisfying than making your own flies and plugs.  Be sure to pick up a fantastic fly tying station like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172558619007?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649  Enjoy creating your own this season.

Tight lines.

February 2017- Delaware Fishing Report

February 2017 Delaware Fishing Report

Freshwater

With February temperatures varying most days between 45 and 72 degrees, ponds and lakes are nowhere near frozen.  I got out just long enough to land a White Sucker in White Clay Creek on a Roostertail.  I was fishing at a beautiful spot near a dam and, although the shimmering fish on the end of my line was not a prized Rainbow trout, it fought very well.   The first official fish of 2017 for me.   

Saltwater

No action being reported in the Delaware Bay or Ocean.  I had a chance to go on a relaxing beach hike with my wife and son near Bowers Beach. We didn't see any anglers but did notice a large, dead Rockfish

rotting on the muddy beach.  Sadly, the Delaware News Journal reported that a 100,000 + gallon raw sewage leak occurred recently on the nearby St. Jones river, which contaminated the river.  There is also a 21 day restriction on shellfishing in the Delaware Bay until waters return to pre-spill bacteria levels.  You won't find me fishing St. Jones river any time soon.   As an angler-conservationist, I am appalled at how long it usually takes these officials to realize leaks are occurring.  Usually by the time they take action, the damage is done. How many times must our water resources and natural seafood supply to be damaged by pollution?  

But lest I end on that note, keep in mind that as the daylight increases each day, there will be more and more opportunties to get out there and drop a line. I greatly look forward to doing alot of fishing with my son in the months to come.  Until the fishing action picks up, I will be promoting my critically acclaimed Ebook about Delaware fishing Big Bass in the Small Wonder and also making some nifty, handcrafted fly tying vises like this one Ebay.com/Mark'sFlytyingVise

See you out there real soon!