• 302-645-6227
  • 217 Anglers Rd. Lewes DE 19958

Fall Action Offshore and Inshore

Lewes Harbour Marina - 9/26/2013 12:00:00 AM

Autumn officially arrived this past Sunday, and with it, the promise of continued good fishing both offshore and inshore through the coming weeks. As long as we don't have any hurricanes, wicked nor'easters or strong northwesterly fronts, anglers should be able to take advantage of a multitude of species making their way into and out of the area during Fall movements. Sounds like a broken record, but the Washington Canyon tuna bite just keeps going. Best recent action has occurred during daylight hours, as opposed to nighttime catching that was better before. Boaters sought out pods of whales still working over squid in the region, and concentrated their efforts in those locations. Most of the whales and tuna hung out around the 800 Square of the Canyon edge, and a little farther down along the eastern side. Whales didn't seem to be as numerous as in the past, but hordes of skipjacks have been frequenting the same spots, and their presence was a good indicator that yellowfins were there too. Chunking with butterfish, sardines, peanut bunkers, finger mullet and anchovies got the attention of tuna. Pieces of the same cut baits on fluorocarbon leaders ranging 20 to 50 pounds got bit. Some days, especially bright, sunny or calm days, the lighter the leader, the better. Many times when tuna wouldn't take a a baitfish chunk, a small whole squid would do the trick. On average, the tuna ranged 20 to 35 pounds, with an ocasional 40 plus. They're a great size to fight on spinning outfits or lighter conventionals. Jigging with Butterflies and other metals can generate reaction strikes from tuna too. Captains Brent and Dave made the long run from Lewes to the Washington yesterday. The ride was worth it, and their patrons returned with a limit of 21 yellowfins that they chunked up during the daytime. Captain Carey on the Grizzly chunked Washington Canyon Friday evening, and his group harvested 17 yellowfins to bring back home. Chris Ragni and his buddies limited out with a dozen yellowfins in the Washington Tuesday afternoon. Catching took place between the Canyon and the beach as well. The boys aboard Not Right were on their way home from offshore when they encountered a barrell floating in thirty fathoms. The find yielded a jackpot including a 45.4 pound wahoo caught on a jig, and 17 big dolphin to 24.8 pounds. Captain Jeff Stewart's crew aboard Ocean City Girl landed a whopper wahoo at the Hambone. The humongous 'hoo tipped the scales to 98.6 pounds. Shawn Gallagher and the guys on Free Spool hit the Hot Dog for 25 false albacore, then trolled the Chicken Bone where they boxed 14 gaffer mahi and a yellowfin. Closer to the beach, flounder were still being taken at Reef Site 11 and the southern old grounds. Flukers have had to ride farther and weed through more throwbacks, but still ended up with some flatties for the table. Captain Vince hosted Bill and Charlotte Hughes aboard Miss Kirstin for some flatfishing at Site 11 Tuesday, where they managed 3 keepers out of 55 caught, plus a dozen and a half nice sea bass. Last Sunday, Captain Brent's fluke aficionados on Katydid put 29 legal flounder to 5.7 pounds in the box. The fishin' Falgowski family was at it again Saturday, icing 19 keepers to 6.5 pounds on the Katydid. The mullet run is happening, and inshore species have been keying in on schools of the silver baitfish as they migrate through. Jacob Webb deployed live mullet around the rock walls off Lewes to capture a 17.6 pound striper, a 4.5 pound flounder, and some chunky bluefish on Saturday. Jacob joined Evan and Kyle Falgowski and Brian Seglem for a Wednesday afternoon jaunt, when they fished live mullet to score a 20.4 pound striper, four 25 inch red drum, a 3.5 pound flounder and 25 plump bluefish. Mason Newsham used cut fresh mullet in the Cape Henlopen Surf to beach a 23 inch redfish. Other surfcasters at the Cape baiting with mullet got into snapper blues and an occasional short striper. Jack Henriksen and John Deiner worked a wreck at the Bay mouth Wednesday for a keeper trout and 8 big triggerfish. Other Bay structure continues to yield a variety of species as well. The western edge of the Star Site and live coral bottom of The Shears held croakers, spot, kingfish, blowfish, porgies, bluefish and trout. Captain Ted's patrons on the Angler, Indian and Pirate King have done well with good numbers of keeper trout, plus other panfish. Captain Jack's group on the Fish Hawk kept a nice batch of 40 puffers, trout, spot, snappers, kingfish and hardheads yesterday. The Lewes Canal, Broadkill River and Cape Henlopen Pier have produced jumbo spot. Those slab sided goodies can't resist a piece of bloodworm or Fishbites. Tautog season reopens Sunday September 29th, when toggers will be able keep 5 blackfish with a 15 inch minimum, per person per day. The shop will be stocking sand fleas, green crabs and box crabs as tog baits.


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