Delaware Bay flounder action showed promise for some good fishing this summer. On days when drift conditions were favorable, Bay reef sites yielded decent numbers of flatties. It was a little tough around the full moon, but prior to it, flukers enjoyed good catches. Captain Brent's fishermen aboard Katy Did kept 10 flounder out of 57 they caught on Sunday at Reef 5 in Broadkill Slough. Mark Adams got the first sheepshead of the season on that trip, a 5.45 pounder. Other reports of flounder came from the Old Grounds between DB and DA Buoys in the Ocean. Three or four ounce bucktails tipped with squid strips were productive. On a recent trip to the Old Grounds, guys on the Grizzly got 41 flatties, returning with 9 keepers. Seven of the fish were over 22 inches. Flounder continue to come from Lewes Canal as well.
John Davis checked in a 4.75 pounder he caught using Gulp! Fishermen on the Cape Henlopen pier had a few flounder, along with spot. Black drum were still active on the Coral Beds around the full moon, but the run will likely wind down soon. Rick Bortz and a buddy had four boomers from 25 to 40 pounds at the end of flood tide Monday evening. The offshore tuna bite remained good over the past week. Water temps have been warmer than usual due to current eddies moving in. The Skipjack came back Sunday from an overnighter to the Wilmington Canyon with 8 yellowfins and a mako. Darryl Boyer and his crew trolled Iland Lures and ballyhoo in the Baltimore Canyon Saturday to release 3 white marlin. They also put a dolphin in the box and tangled with a very large blue marlin that eventually left with all the line off of a TLD50II reel. Angelo Delapo fished 81 degree water in 250 fathoms near the tip of the Wilmington Wednesday on the Spoiled III. His anglers released two of five white marlin that pounced on Green Machines and spreader bars they were towing in search of tuna.
Sharking is still going on. Captain D.J. Churchill and the boys on "Tighten Up" boated a 418 pound thresher between DB and DA Buoys. Captain Tom Smith put Herb Guest and the guys aboard "Port-A-Bella" on makos of 120 and 148 pounds during two days of drifting the Elephant Trunk.