Fishing Report

Flounder fishermen have had fair catches in both the Ocean and Delaware Bay, but they've had to work them. The best concentrations of flatties continue to be found around heavy cover, such as the artificial reefs and wrecks. Go prepared to lose tackle when you work these areas because the fish are right among the rubble. Bucktail jigs with a teaser or short leadered bottom rigs are effective, and a little less likely to get snagged. Adding a Gulp! Swimming Mullet, Jerk Shad or Belly Strip to jigs enhances their effectiveness. Strips of fresh cut bait such as bluefish or sea robin, and squid, smelts and silversides are favorites of flatfish too. In the Bay, sites 6 and 7 at Brown Shoal yielded some fluke at the beginning and end of the tide. Brian Logue bucktailed a 6.57 pounder from Site 7 on Sunday. Nate Evans nailed a 6.54 pound fluke Sunday. Katie Malin captured two quality keepers at Site 8 aboard Quintessa Monday. Joe Walker and friends had 9 keepers at the Starsite Tuesday. Ocean reef structure at Sites 9, 10 and 11 held flounder, and rough, live bottom of the Old Grounds between DB and DA Buoys was productive too. Captain Brent's flukers aboard Katydid on Sunday scored 18 beautiful keepers, including specimens of 6.1 and 6.9 pounds. The largest of the trip was a 27 1/2 inch 8.4 pound doormat landed by Jason Lhamon. Wayne Demarco and Joe and Paul Pergeorelis drifted near Site 11 Sunday for their limit of a dozen flatties, including Paul's 5.31 pounder. Scott Ayars checked in yesterday with 3 keepers to 3.61 pounds he caught at the Old Grounds aboard Thelma Dale IV, despite blustery winds. Bottom bouncers in the Bay are still finding croakers just about everywhere. Better sized ones hung out near the Ferry Jetty and right in the heaviest reef cover. Hardheads up to 2 pounds were found near the Gypsum Prince wreck off Cape Henlopen. Plenty of spot, kingfish, blowfish and spike trout rounded out the mix available to anglers. Triggerfish were taken along the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers. Alex Joseph was surprised when a 67.2 pound black drum grabbed the strip of squid he was drifting past the Haystacks for flounder. Evan Falgowski got a 6.4 pound sheepshead from the rocks. The offshore bottomfishing remains good for those venturing to the canyons. A group of deep droppers aboard Katydid returned from the Wilmington Tuesday with an impressive haul of 200 blueline and golden tilefish. A few yellowfins and wahoo were reported by trollers in 30 fathoms between the Elephant Trunk and Hot Dog Notch. Nighttime chunkers in the Washington got into good number of yellowfins. Pete Mohacey battled and released a 98 inch blue marlin in 70 fathoms of Poor Man's Sunday aboard Tranquila.

The White Marlin Open has been the talk of the Tackle Shop this week. 262 boats participated in this year's event. As of this writing, with one fishing day left, an 83 pound White Marlin is at the top of the leaderboard. Strangely, four individual whites weighing 77 pounds each were weighed in to fill the other top spots. No qualifying blue marlin have hit the dock. Some large tuna were weighed in as well. A 261.5 pound bigeye holds first in that category. Nice dolphin, wahoos and makos are also in the running for prize money. It will be interesting to see how things end up. In other offshore action, yellowfins continue to come from the Washington Canyon. Crews deploying baits with greensticks have racked up some impressive catches. Creative anglers using plastic squids on danglers from their outriggers also got bites. Overnight catching has been good in the Washington. Jason Massey, Matt and Wil Weidman and Drew Stuchlik spent the night there recently aboard Tighten Up. Jason said there was alot of life in the deep, with scads of squids and tinker mackerel in the lights. They hooked more than 35 tuna, some on spinning gear. The guys kept their dozen fish limit, and released the others. Most were in the 30 inch range, but they did have 4 yellowfins between 50 and 55 pounds. Bigeyes popped up from time to time in Wilmington Canyon during the week. Offshore deep dropping has been productive. Captain Chris on the Quintessa dropped in the Wilmington Tuesday for 6 big golden tiles from 20 to 35 pounds. On Wednesday, Chris went back Wednesday and brought in 15 quality gray tiles to over 15 pounds. Captains Brent and Dave fished the Wilmington Tuesday aboard Katydid to capture a yellowfin and a box full of nice blueline tilefish. Inshore bottom fishing has been pretty good. The fishin' Falgowski family joined Captain Brent for an Ocean outing on Katydid Friday, and returned with 24 keeper flounder to 5.6 pounds. Mike Schreiber fished Site 11 Friday aboard the Sea Note, and caught his personal best flounder, weighing 5.8 pounds. Captain Carey on the Grizzly hosted Joe Shaffer and family Saturday, when they put 16 flounder, triggerfish, sea bass and all the crokers they wanted in the box. Captain Les on Martha Marie had 11 keepers for his patrons while working Bay reefs Saturday. Captain Pete on Top Fin hit Ocean Reef Structure Saturday for 9 keeper flatties. Wayne Demarco drifted ner Site 11 Sunday for his limit of fluke to 5.34 pounds. A bucktail and smelt combo was the key to success. Captain Vince ran Miss Kirstin to the Brown Shoal reefs where Bill and Charlotte Hughes had their limits of both trout and flounder. Captain Brent's flukers aboard Katydid had 23 keeper flatties on Bay reef structure today. The bottomfish bonanza continues in Delaware Bay. Hardheads have been plentiful just about everywhere, but remain small for the most part. Some bigger ones can be found on heavy structure. Anchoring on reef rubble resulted in some better specimens. Captain Brian on Lil' Angler II set up on a wreck for a load of croakers to 2 pounds, porgies and triggerfish. There are spike trout, hand sized spot and kingfish mixed with croakers at most locations. Many of the kings have been respectable. Alice Harness had a 1.43 pound citation earner, Audra Babb boated a 1.17 pounder, Joe Hacay got a 1.16 pound king, and Eric Thompson landed a 1.09 pound kingfish, all on Angler headboat trips. Sam Cregar captured a 1.02 pound king on the Indian, and Jo Ann Droege decked a 1.11 pounder on the Pirate King.

Ocean bottom fishing has been pretty good. The Old Grounds between DB and DA Buoys continue to give up nice flounder and some keeper sea bass. Reef Sites 9 and 10 produced flatties too, but Site 11 outside the shipping lane offered up better catching. Captain Brent's flukers on the Katydid worked 11 Monday for a boat limit of 32 fine flatfish. Ron Mistretta put a citation worthy 7.72 pounder in the box as the day's heaviest. Katydid drifted the Old Grounds Monday to capture 13 keepers. Hang Soo had a pair scaling 5.5 and 5.6 pounds. Jack Henriksen decked a 5 pound flounder and a 2.1 pound sea bass. On Sunday, patrons on Katydid took home 15 flounder. Captain Vince on Miss Kistin hosted Bill and Charlotte Hughes Wednesday for a trip to the Old Grounds. They returned with a limit of flatfish to 5.43 pounds. Captain Carey on the Grizzly reported that anchoring over inshore wrecks was productive for his customers. He hooked up to a snag Saturday for a boxful that included 104 seabass, 62 ling and a 9.4 pound cod. Captain Brian ran Lil' Angler II to Del Jersey Land where he set up on the Radford for a good catch of knothead sea bass Saturday. The Quintessa drifted site 11 Saturday for a nice batch of flounder, including Eric Meck's 5.9 pounder. In Delaware Bay, bottom bouncers are still finding loads of croakers in the 8 to 10 inch range, with a few over 12 mixed in. Plenty of spot, kingfish, blowfish and spike trout round out the assortment of panfish. Leon Zimmerman told of catching several nice trout while tossing pink Gulps along the Outer Wall. Flounder action in the Bay has been spotty at best. Bites have been limited to the beginning and end of the tide around the reef sites. Captain Pete's guys on Top Fin bucktailed 7 quality keeper fluke while anchored on Site 5 Saturday. Steve Friend checked in 3 fat fluke to 6.01 pounds he caught at Roosvelt inlet with Gulp! Closer to shore, lots of spot and croakers were caught from the Cape Henlopen Pier and in Lewes Canal.Emily Wilber wound in her limit of two 25 inch slot stripers from the Canal while baiting with live spot. Offshore bottom action was good too. The boys aboard Candy's choice captured 14 golden tile in the Wilmington Saturday. The guys on Sword's Fish boxed 6 golden tile plus a 41.3 pound wahoo and 41 mahi Wednesday. Katydid set up on the Hot Dog Saturday for a 107 pound slob yellowfin. The crew also iced a 75 pound bluefin, then moved offshore for a mix of 93 blueline and golden tilefish. Tranquila trolled the Teacup Tuesday to boat a 40 pound yellowfin and 6 mahi to 16.7 pounds. The offshore bite down south has been real good. Jason Massey and his buddies aboard Tighten Up overnighted in the Washington for more than 35 yellowfins. Scott Stapleford and friends kept a limit of yellowfins from many they caught while towing single bulb squids in the Washington.

Bluefin tuna have been hanging around the Hot Dog the past couple weeks, and trolling boats have had success with fish that range mostly from 50 to 90 pounds. Larger specimens up to 200 pounds have also been taken. The bite has been better some days than others in clean green water in the upper 70's, but crews that were on the scene at first light usually hooked up. Tuna were drawn to spreader bars pulled from the riggers, or ballyhoos skirted with Joe Shutes, Ilanders or Bluewater Jags towed way way back. It was not uncommon for charter boats to score their over and under fish at the Dog, then move offshore in search of yellowfins or bottom dwelling tilefish. Anglers were also able to jig fish that were grouped on the edge of the lump. Savvy captains that kept an eye on the sounder while trolling were able to hang a few extra tuna by dropping diamond jigs or Butterfly Jigs when marks appeared on the screen at midwater. Yellowfins mingled with bluefins and were also caught by trolling and chunking. On a recent trip to the Hot Dog, Katydid trolled up their under 47 inch bluefin, and an over 47 inch 72 pounder for Sam Hazlett. The guys released 7 other big tuna. In addition, they boated three dolphin, including a 13.7 pound mahi for Steve Gerhard. Port A Bella worked the Dog for Tim Hendrickson's 69 pound bluefin and a pair of yellowfins. Tranquila trolled the Hambone, where Frank Procipio put a 45.7 pound wahoo in the box. That group had 4 gaffer dolphin to 14.7 pounds as well. The offshore bigeye bite shifted back and forth between the 800 square of Washington Canyon and the Norfolk Canyon. Boats towing greenstick rigs did very well on yellowfins in the 50 pound class in the same areas. Congratulations to Captain Charlie Horning and his crew aboard the Fish Whistle. During a late afternoon foray to the Norfolk, they battled and successfully boated four quite impressive eyeballs weighing 178, 192, 271 and 271 pounds! The jumbo tunas fell for ballyhoos behind Joe Shutes and Hawaiian Eyes. Inshore bottom fishing produced decent flounder action on the Old Grounds between DB and DA Buoys. Katydid drifted Site 10 Sunday for 14 keepers. Fred Robinson reeled in a 6.03 pound doormat, and Captain Brent bested a 5.82 pounder. Katydid returned to the flounder grounds Monday for 19 keepers, including a 5.57 pound flattie for Richard Adams. Inshore wrecks yielded some good catches. Captain Carey's group on the Grizzly anchored over a snag Wednesday for 39 sea bass to 3.75 pounds, 45 ling and a pair of bonus dolphin. An earlier wreck trip on the Grizzly produced 21 triggerfish, 2 tog and 2 trout. Delaware Bay structure showed signs of giving up some flounder once the full moon currents subside. Joe Walker, Joe Walker, Jr and Tom Coyle took seven keepers off Reef Site 7. Bobby Bryant and his flukers captured 10 keepers when conditions got right on Site 5 Monday. Flounder were also pulled from Roosevelt Inlet. Jason Mowery and Travis Habecker used Gulp! to score 3 keepers to 20 inches. Lewes Canal held plenty of spot and croakers, and slot stripers were caught between the Drawbridge and the Train Bridge. Croakers, spot kingfish, blowfish and spike trout remain plentiful on Site 8 and The Shears. Lou Papp checked in a citation weakfish weighing 3.04 pounds. The Outer Wall and and Ice Breakers attracted tog and triggerfish that would bite sand fleas, green crabs or box crabs. A piece of pink Gulp! also proved an effective bait for triggers. William Breasure took a 3.65 pound trigger at the Wall on Katydid. Joe Schneider scored a 7.67 pound blackfish at the Wall as well. Paul Hazzard was dunking sand fleas at the Ice Breakers when he hooked an 8.36 pound sheepshead. Some black drum were caught at the Breakers too.

Delaware's Tautog season reopened July 17th, and anglers found blackfish willing to bite along the Outer Wall and Ice Breakers. It was a good opening day for David Ruta, David Ruta, Jr and Mike Ruta. They returned from the Haystacks with their limit of tog to 7 pounds, plus some nice triggerfish. Dave Ruta, Jr decked a 7.02 pound citation earner. Shane Roth checked in a 5 pound blackfish he got at the Wall Wednesday, and a 5.92 pounder Thursday. Spadefish were also at the Wall with tog and triggers. Todd Manning hooked a 4.77 pound spade at the Inner Wall. Bottom bouncers in the Bay continued to do well with kingfish, croakers, spot, blowfish, and spike trout around reef sites 5 and 8. The Angler Headboat had some great days on kings recently. Flounder action in the Bay was so so. Bites usually occurred only during the last couple hours of flood tide, and first of the ebb. There have been a few decent catches. Last Friday, flukers on the Katydid captured 20 keepers on a Bay reef. Charlie Zukowski had the heaviest, a flattie weighing 6.3 pounds. On Saturday, the crew aboard Katydid kept 16 flounder. Joe Walker pulled a 6.2 pound flatfish from Bay structure Sunday. Charles Small, Jr scored a 4.96 pounder on the Martha Marie. On Monday, the guys aboard Katydid put 13 keeper fluke in the box. Ocean flounder pounders found some cooperative flatties on rough bottom between DB and DA Buoys. Scott Ayars had his limit there yesterday while drifting aboard the Thelma Dale IV with Captain Ricky. Kevin Maskell muscled in a pair of flounder weighing 4.9 and 3.4 near DB. Captain Pete's gang on Top Fin took home 9 keepers from Site 10 Saturday. Peter Geng got a 5.31 pounder and Kyle Peterson put a 7.35 pound citation fluke in the box. Matt Baker used a live spot at Site 9 to tempt the largest flounder brought to the dock this summer. Matt's doormat tipped the scales to 8.75 pounds. Buckwheat and Bob Bryant and Joe Walker worked Site 10 Tuesday for 9 keepers to 23 inches. Offshore tuna fishermen have had some good trips. Last Saturday, Bill Swords, Jon Bixler and friends trolled a 50 inch bluefin and a pair of gaffer dolphin at Massey's Canyon. They then moved off to the Baltimore where they dropped for 8 golden tiles, and bailed 15 more mahi. On Sunday, Jason Burris and his buddies trolled an 85.2 pound bluefin at Massey's and finished their day dropping for golden tile in the Baltimore. Mike and Mason Newsham, Geoff Klopp and Coy Johnston had a 60.5 pound bluefin trolling in Masseys, and tilefish to 31.4 pounds in the Baltimore. The Katydid trolled the Dog early Sunday for a 72 pound bluefin. The guys spent the rest of their day dropping in the Baltimore for a big load of gray tiles to 17 pounds, plus several goldens to 21 pounds. On Tuesday, patrons on Katydid trolled 2 yellowfins and George Durant decked a 77.4 pound bluefin. Later in the day, the guys dropped for 39 tilefish. Tom Smiga and friends had 3 yellowfins and a mahi during a recent trolling trip to the Hot Dog aboard the Grizzly. Wesley Davis landed a 13.2 pound cobia that grabbed a trolled Black Bart lure at the Dog aboard Swords Fish. Yesterday, Mike and Mason Newsham, Richard Bloom and Chris Irelan put an 80.1 pound bluefin aboard Local Girl while trolling the Hot Dog. Ron and Danny Baker, Sam Connors and Rob Coulbore were trolling the Hambone when they connected with a 64.9 pound whopper wahoo. They also boated a 68.4 pound bluefin and a some mahi to 16 pounds. There has been quite a bigeye bite in the 800 square of Washington Canyon. Best of it is at first light or just before dark. Last Friday, it was dark and rainy offshore and the eyeballs bit all day. Twenty nine bigeyes were weighed in during the first day of the Ocean City Tuna Tournament. The crew of No Quarter captured three of the oversized tuna weighing a total of 644 pounds. The heaviest was a 253 pounder reeled in by Bill Schatzman, which ended up taking First Place in the Tournament.