Tuna fishing continues good. Boats running offshore at the beginning of the week had plenty of yellowfins in the Baltimore, but the bite shifted south as the week wore on. By week's end, best catches came from Poor Man's and the Washington. On Monday, the crew on Katy Did crushed 'em while trolling the 250 line of the Baltimore in 75 fathoms. They put a limit of 21 keepers to 51.7 pounds in the bags, and released a white marlin.
On Friday, Captains Brent and Dave on Katy Did went back offshore and told of good activity near the Lower Lump of Poor Man's. They had 3 nice yellowfins and 5 gaffer dolphin. Bill Swords and the guys on Swords Fish trolled Poor Man's Friday for 5 yellowfins, a gaffer dolphin and a Mako on mono. Some big dolphin have shown up in the warm water. Chris Ragni and Jimmy Kersey checked in a pair of monster mahis scaling 38 and 32 pounds that were taken at the 461 lump. Billfishing has been good as well with many whites released. "Rockfish Ed" Healy released two big blue marlin in one trip offshore earlier this week. Back inshore, fluke fishermen working artificial reef structure found flatties on days with favorable drift conditions. Last Sunday, flukers on Katy Did returned with a boat limit of 36 keepers including Bob Murphy's 8.02 pounder. Thursday, Katy Did drifted Site 10 for 24 keeper flatfish. The Grizzly got 13 keepers at Site 10 on Thursday. Anglers using bucktail and teaser rigs tipped with squid strips and shiners did well on legal sized fish. Flounder came from reefs in Delaware Bay too. Joe Walker, Tom Coyle, Larry Coyle and Barry Gerhard fished the Star Site Tuesday and scored 12 nice keeper flatties. Small boaters still had flounder in Lewes Canal, and also around the Inner Wall and Ferry Jetty. Gulp! was the hot bait. Tautog season reopened July 1, and toggers told of success along the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers. Captain Carey on the Grizzly had 25 tog and 15 triggerfish on an Ocean wreck opening day. Some impressive citation fish were recorded Friday. William Bonniwell boated an 11.69 pound blackfish with Cpatain Ted on the Indian Friday. Aaron Brommer brought in a 10.59 pounder aboard the Martha Marie. The slot size striper season in Delaware Bay and it's tributaries also opened July 1. Anglers are permitted to keep 2 striped bass between 20 and 26 inches only, from now until August 31. Minimum size in the Ocean and Indian River inlet remains at 28 inches with a two bass per person daily limit. Rockfish were caught by casters tossing Rat-L-Traps and Storm Shads at the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers.
Those employing eels, clams or cut tuna bloodline captured slot stripers in Lewes Canal.