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

Waiting For Stripers

Lewes Harbour Marina - 11/8/2015 12:00:00 AM

After receiving reports of hot striper action off the south central New Jersey coast, customers have been jonesing for migrating rockfish to show at the mouth of Delaware Bay. Water temps are still near 60 degrees, but hopefully a combination of the Veterans Day New Moon, east winds and the presence of bunker will prompt bass to move into our area. Usually, the first fish to arrive are among the largest of the fall. Anglers should keep in mind Delawares current regulations that state keeper striped bass must measure from 28 to 37 inches, or 44 inches and greater. Fishermen may retain two daily in any combination of those sizes, but its likely a lot of linesiders will be released, because they fall within the 37 to 44 inch slot. While waiting for stripers, boaters continued to bounce bottom for sea bass and tautog. Captain Brent took his bassers aboard Katydid to twenty fathom structure Monday and Friday for boat limits of blueheads both days, plus bluefish up to 11 pounds, porgies and a few flounder. Captain Evan Falgowski and his crew on the Regulator took advantage of nice sea conditions early in the week, and ran to Del Jersey Land two days in a row. The result was boat limits of bass to 3 pounds both trips. Geoff McCloskey and the boys on Tutta Benne hit DJL Monday for a boxful of bass and a bonus flounder. Joe and Dave Walker, and Robert Karpovich had their limit of sea bass Tuesday, then stopped inshore for a dozen tog to top off their take. Togging in Delaware Bay remained pretty good. Blackfish were still caught along the Outer Breakwater, but the number of keepers had fallen off from last week. Joel Bullard and his buddies fished The Wall aboard Top Fin Wednesday, and brought in a limit of blackfish. Joe Pergeorelis and Ray Ganc toggled in at the Wall Wednesday for their 10 hefty keepers. Jim Meyers, Bill Wiest and Dave Popovich returned from the Wall Friday with 15 chunky tautog. It took all afternoon Friday, but Bill Marshall and Vic Gross finally ended up with their limit of tog to nearly seven pounds from the Wall. Mike Behney, Curt Stephens, Will Wiedmann and Drew Stuchlik anchored at the Breakwater Saturday, and assembled a cooler full of 14 quality tog to 6 pounds. Bay artificial reefs have finally started to produce decent catches. Sites 6 and 7 yielded some nice fish. Captain Carey's groups on Grizzly boxed a boat limit of 40 blackfish Thursday, and 28 tog to 7.5 pounds Friday. Anglers on Katydid captured 22 keepers over reef structure Friday. Drew Messick decked the days largest, weighing 6.8 pounds. Young fisherman Chase Maggs landed his limit on Katydid Saturday, including a 6.2 pounder.


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