Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
After a few hot muggy days last week we returned to some cooling temperatures, high pressure with sunny skies and a building breeze. Most would argue that these are not the most perfect conditions to induce a good days fishing. It is beyond any shadow of a doubt and surveys have proven that the vast majority of fishermen say the wind is their biggest enemy on the water. Although, the combination of falling water temps and increased wind speeds are very beneficial to anglers, provided they no how to use them to their advantage. Two weeks ago I said we were going to talk about Largemouth Bass and how they relate to structure when water temperatures fall and the autumn breeze becomes steady.
As ponds start their cooling trend Largemouth Bass will relate to structure whatever it is in their respective bodies of water, much like Crappie or other panfish schooling around a brush pile or deep hole. Although Largemouth don’t necessarily school on structure, they do maintain a territory in the most prime location they can secure. This is dictated by size and aggression as larger fish typically hold the most productive areas. In the state of Delaware this whittles down the acreage due to the fact our ponds on average are only about 4-5 feet deep and there are no great expanses of deep water to take into consideration. So what do our Bass relate to as far as structure goes? You guessed it, WOOD! Something just about ever pond, river or stream in the state has a lot of.
In the present or similar conditions Largemouth will move up on wood (submerged stumps, blow downs, stationary drift and brush piles.) This can help eliminate unproductive water, narrow down target areas and save anglers precious time with dwindling daylight hours on our horizon. All these Bass tendencies help to keep us in the strike zone longer and increase our productivity, so take advantage of this fortuitous time. The question of what baits to use is broad. This is another advantage for the angler as it’s not winter and we are not relegated to fishing “low and slow” with a jig-n-pig. Suspending jerk baits, slow rolled spinner baits, soft plastics and jigs are all in play as the cooling water sends Bass into a feeding frenzy.
I know some of you are saying okay, but what about that remedy for the wind you mentioned earlier and how is it supposed to be advantageous for me? Well, there is no remedy for solving the wind problem. I can tell you this though, in every publication I have ever read, through my own experiences and from professional Bass fishermen around the country they all have the same tip. As uncomfortable and as CRAZY as it sounds, always cast into the wind. Your cast is sometimes only a quarter of the distance as usual but it does pay off. I reluctantly tried this technique myself many years ago, knowing that windy days are usually the toughest. It has paid off in dividends over the years. We’ll until next week, concentrate your efforts on wood structure and don’t be afraid to stare that wind down until it pays off.
Many of our local customer base that shop here at Eastern Marine go on fishing excursions abroad. Upon returning they are usually full of excitement, information and pictures. The old expression a picture is worth a thousand words pertains to fishermen to the 10th power. After all “seein is believin”. And when we receive news like this we try to do our best to share our customer’s experiences. Over the past week Wendell Clendening, long time friend and customer of Eastern Marine took a trip to the Finger Lakes. Just as luck would have it, before he left for New York, Wendell hooked up with another long time Eastern customer, Gary Rule. Gary is the proprietor and captain of ‘Reel Sportsman Fishing Charters’ on Lake Owasco, New York.
Gary specializes in catching monster Lake, Brown and Rainbow Trout on Lake Owasco. Owasco is located just south of Auburn in upper New York State about 4-1/2 hours drive from Newark Delaware. Clendenning was vacationing on Lake Seneca, another of the Finger Lakes about 1-1/2 hours west of Owasco, and made the trip over to meet Gary and wife Bonni. The Rules have a beautiful cabin overlooking Owasco, so on arrival everything is conveniently situated. After introductions, it’s onto the day’s business of slaying monster trout. For Gary it’s second nature as he sets up a downrigger spread of Sawbellies and Moon Eyes fit for the King of Lakers. It’s no walk in the park trying to entice these finicky deep dwellers to commit to your offering, especially when you’re operating in deep crystal clear water conditions. Tackle set-ups are light and Berkley Vanish in 8 lb test is essential according to Rule.
Gary wished he and Wendell would have had a north or south wind to drift the lakes center and stay in the deep, keeping them in the strike zone for the entire drift. But even with not so perfect conditions Rules expertise put Clendenning on 6 trout (4 Lakers and 2 Rainbows) ranging from 8-15 lbs. Wendell said he could not have been happier with his results and the manner in which Rule conducts himself and his operation. Anyone interested in taking a trip with Gary can call ‘Reel Sportsman Fishing Charters’ at (610)-996-6663. I would advise looking into one of Gary’s Owasco fishing packages, their affordable, close by, and Gary is a consummate professional. He has my stamp of approval.
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
What a difference a week makes! As low pressure and higher temperatures entered the area things started to improve on both sides of the coin. Both sweet and salt water reports were abound at Eastern Marine this week. On the fresh water side of things positive information keeps coming from the Delaware River. Most anglers have had success in the C&D Canal, St. Jones River and areas around Augustine Beach. Ceba Gogy Bobby fished Battery Park and nailed small schoolie Stripers, big Channel Catfish and jumbo White Perch. Bobby said Bloodworms and Peanut Bunker were the go to baits. John Schaffer fished the St. Jones River and also stated that jumbo whites were on the move and far up into river tributaries. Shaffer was adamant about his choice of bait and said “if its not grass shrimp, it just wont play”. Big whites seem to be dialed in on the autumn harvest of Grass Shrimp that are abundant along creek and riverbanks where any green vegetation is standing.
The Delaware Bay is still producing Flounder on the saltwater side of things. Although most have reported plenty of throw backs a certain few still can put those couple of keepers in to the ice chest. Flounder taken at Indian River were taped to 21+” and the deep water bite was on at sites 10 and 11. Many anglers said Berkley Gulp in the 4″ swimming mullet was the go to bait in both Pearl White and Chartreuses. You know fellas, at this point in the year I’m a live bait fisherman, but when an artificial food source bait produces like this, it’s tough to argue with the results. Big Croakers are still in the Delaware Bay. According to Dave Singles while drifting for flatty’s in the Brown Shoal area, he hooked up with Croak’s in the 14-15″ range. Dave also said that his Berkley Gulp offerings were more effective than squid and minnow combo’s on Flounder and Croakers. Dropping for Sea Bass improved over the past week also. Patrons of Eastern Marine said Capt. Rick and crew of the ‘Thelma Dale’ put them on nice Sea Bass and the action was non-stop.
The surf actually came alive with a nice run of Snapper Blues up to 18 inches. Bethany, 3R’s and Haven Roads all had reports of Bluefish up the 18″ mark. The other encouraging report was from an Eastern Marine customer who claimed that Weakfish (Sea Trout) were being taken at 3R’s Road in the 6 to 9 lb range on fresh peeler crabs. Thursday and Friday night walk on’s were up and down the beach area as it didn’t take long for word to spread.
The most impressive reports as far as variety and numbers were from off shore trips. A distinct break in water temps riding along the 50-fathom line was key in the diversity of offshore species brought to the boat. Bill Jaegers was trolling the Washington Canyon and went 3 for 5 on White Marlin, zero for 2 on smoker Wahoo and 34 Mahi-Mahi that weighed to 28 lb’s. Bill Jaegers said a mixture of medium and horse Ballyhoo trolled naked fared better than Bally’s dressed or with skirts. Mason McMullen of Middletown Delaware, while fishing on the ‘Rhondas Osprey’ out of Sunset Marina, dragged Bally’s across the 50-fathom line in the Baltimore Canyon and dialed up a 101 lb Wahoo. Nice job Mason on your fine catch! Hey folks, Mason is just a youngster, and I bet this is just one of many to be recorded for Mason. The Hot Dog gave up Yellow Fin and Wahoo to 90 lbs. The bottom of The Elephant Trunk produced Bull Gaffer Dolphin in huge numbers along with Wahoo to 50 lbs. A combination of White Marlin, Yellow Fin Tuna, Wahoo and gaffer Bull Dolphin were all to be had at the Poor Mans Canyon. Some Captains reported water temps to 80 degrees.
Finally, the Blue Claw counts have started to top-off. The best reports have come from the Elk and Chester Rivers. Crabbers are harvesting good numbers of big black back crabs at Welch Point on the Elk and at the Shipyard in the Chester. Crabs measuring 8 plus inches have been common. The other key many crabbers have exclaimed is their crabbing in 4-6′ of water, trot line or drop pots. Well until next week keep your trotline tight and don’t cheap date the bait!
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
Two of the past three fishing reports I have given you fellas started off with the mention of rain and the proverbial wrench it was throwing into the gear box of our fishing machine. Well it was the case again this week with most of the state receiving a thorough drenching. Lower Slower Delaware recorded 4″ for most of the Sussex County area and the upper 2/3’s of the state didn’t fair much better. With little fishing activity this week information was at a minimum but there are always a few die-hards that we can count on to fish in almost any condition and give us the low-down. Actually until 10 minutes ago I was trying to figure out how to present this report until I reviewed my notes. I noticed that all three anglers who reported here to Eastern Marine all fished Beck’s, Noxingtown, and Lum’s Ponds respectively through the course of the week. I also noticed all had a different story to tell.
Al DelPizzo caught a skunk at Lum’s and Noxingtown. Beck’s on the other hand was far more generous to Al, yielding 2 fifteen inch Large Mouth, 2 Yellow Perch, 1 Pickerel and 1 Catfish. Al was floating Shiners under a bobber. You can’t go wrong with live bait but what happened at Lum’s and Noxingtown? Angler number two, Pete Fecther, reported Crappie at Noxingtown that were over 2 lbs. When Pete first hooked up with these enormous crappies he thought for sure they were Largemouth on the other end of his line. Pete was also using live bait, Rosey Red minnows that can be purchased here at Eastern Marine. We sell them by the dozen and they are killers on big panfish. Beck’s and Lum’s Ponds did not produce for Pete which was the opposite of Al DelPizzo’s luck. Finally angler number three, Timmy Maruzschak said the bite at Lum’s Pond was on fire. Timmy was using a variety of jerk baits, jigs and top-water baits to bring fish to the boat. It seemed funny how three different anglers fished the same bodies of water, all with different results in one of the three ponds.
Shannon Cockerell and Noah Robita fished for Flat Head Catfish on the Susquehanna River and had great results. The duo caught as many as 2 dozen Flat Heads to 34 lbs and Cockrell said at one point all 4 rods were lit-up with the hard running, hard fighting monsters. Pictures can be seen here at Eastern Marine on our wall of fame for Cockrell and Robita’s catch. Good job everyone, congrats on your fine catches, and thanks for the info.
The saltwater scene was much slower. Water conditions were dirty and the ocean was churning. The inlet and surf was not a good play this past week. Up in the Delaware Bay Dan Reel said the Flounder bite was still in gear but just about every fish was a throw back. Cobia were also a topic of discussion. Anglers reported Cobia at the mouth of the Delaware Bay and some as far north as the Brandywine Light. I myself lived in south Florida for 6 years where there is no shortage of Cobia. I can attest these fish are tough competitors and good table fare. With the increase of Cobia catches in the recent past I wouldn’t be surprised if we had a fairly strong Cobia fishery in the next 10 years.
Finally, crabs have come on and good reports were had from the Chester, Elk and Gun Powder River. 3/4 to 2 bushel reports have been common. On the Chester, crabbers were ecstatic to see the big black backs coming up on trotlines and in the bottom of their hand pots. It seems like the Labor Day weekend was a success for all those who didn’t give up and were determined to have crabs to end the summer season.
Well the Stripers should be heading south here in a few weeks and I can’t wait for the surf and inlet to heat up with big fish of the linesider variety. Until next time, keep your trotline tight, those crabs are still running and don’t cheap date the bait.
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
With the onset of Labor Day and the official end of the summer season pending, many Eastern Marine customers took advantage of the long weekend and geared up for what might be the finale of another fishing year. Whether folks were traveling, day tripping or staying in the local area, fishing and crabbing was on everybody’s agenda. There was a steady stream of customer traffic coming through the door. Some just needing a last minute item like a pack of Jimmy clips or a couple of replacement Foxy-Mate 66 crab traps. Where as others loaded up like it was beginning of the season. Two to three cases of Topless Foxy-Mate crab traps per customer were not uncommon. Trot line supplies were also a popular item as many replaced missing items as well as building entirely new set ups, all in an effort to insure a gangbuster catch of our favorite Labor Day table fare. I’m sure most of you already know but for those of you who don’t, we here at Eastern Marine have undoubtedly the largest selection of equipment for catching the Atlantic Blue Claw Crab in the region. You can view our offerings online if you wish on this very website, so check it out!
On the freshwater scene anglers reported improved conditions and much better success. Local area ponds: Beck’s, Lum’s, Noxintown, and Canal pond all produced a variety of species for a number of individuals. Most anglers I talked to reported a mixed bag of fish and numbers of them. Some pan fish that their captors were unable to identify accompanied the usual Largemouth Pickerel, Crappie and Bluegills. This is the kind of activity that is exhibited when fish are getting ready to school and are going on the feed before that long winters nap. Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that but I’m sure you have also noticed our slightly cooler nights as well. Remember though this is not a bad thing, as the bite will intensify over the next few weeks with falling temps and shorter daylight hours. Don’t forget what we talked about in last weeks blog about the top-water bite coming on and next week we are going to talk about how Largemouth Bass relate to structure as the temperatures drop. Sue Wagner fished Red Clay Creek and caught a variety of pan fish, bas, and Catfish between live and artificials. Sue said that a Berkley 3″ Trout Worm in stark white was the real killer for her and caught as many fish as live bait offerings did without all the live bait rigging. Sue says this saves valuable time when an artificial works so effectively. Small schoolie stripers have also been reported from the Christina and Delaware Rivers in the New Castle County area. Bloodworms, Night crawlers and a number of small spinners and spoons all seem to be doing the job. Shannon Cockerell and friend When Ming fished the Susquehanna River and annihilated Monster Flat Head Catfish to 34 lbs on live Bluegills. Pictures are here to view on our Eastern Marines wall of fame.
On the briny side of things reports were down a little from previous weeks. Some throw back Flounder, Croakers and small Blues were about all that was to be had. Eastern Marine customers claimed the Spot seemed to vanish from local haunts, keeper Flounder were scarce but Snapper Blues are abundant. Rockfish in the keeper range have been stuck at Indian River at night from the rocks.
As we spoke earlier crabbing is starting pick-up and crabbers are in full swing to take advantage of the late summer run into the upper Chesapeake Bay. Elk and Chester Rivers have come on strong with bushel plus reports. Crabs measuring 8-1/2″ are common with most in the 6-8″ range. Indian River below the power plant has been productive and in our own back yard outside of Delaware City, crabs have been caught on Trot Line and in traps at Governor Bacon in 4-5 feet of water. Crabs measured 5 1/2 -7 1/2″s. Well until next week keep your trotline tight and don’t cheap date the bait.
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
Last week at this time we were all cursing the deluge of rain that had dumped upon us and the sticky heat that had accompanied it. The rain had fresh water impoundments turned to a light mocha and the severe temperatures had algae in full bloom, cluttering up what would normally be fishable water. Finally we have been given some blue bird days with lower day and night time temps and little to no wind. This has made a vast improvement for the good in fishing conditions. Joseph Dicarlantonio of New Castle D.E. fished Lum’s Pond and had a dandy Largemouth Bass that he brought to Eastern Marine’s official Delaware Sportfishing Tournament Weigh Station. Joe’s fish measured 21-1/2″ but missed citation honors with a weight of 4 lbs 6oz. Most on hand, Eastern employee or customers who got a gander of Dicarlantonio’s fish waited for the verdict. The length of the fish had onlookers confident the fish would go 5 lbs, the mark needed to receive citation recognition. When this long Largemouth hit the scale, her tail was draped over the side but I noticed she was a little thin in the girth. Joe was twitching a Gary Yamamoto 5″ Senkos in black with blue flake and pumpkinseed with red flake and managed 2 other fish to 3-1/2 lbs as well. Dicarlantonio’s set up featured a Tsunami Classic 7′ medium action rod with a Shimano Callisto baitcasting reel and 10 lb. Suffix Elite monofilament. There are two reasons I’m giving you all of this detail. One is that Joe wanted everybody to know that Eastern Marine is where he got all of his fishing equipment, tackle, and a lot of good information from our staff. The other is that Joe keeps a fishing diary and has logged 184 Largemouth Bass with the recording of these fish we mentioned earlier. Hey Joe, maybe you wouldn’t mind taking me fishing sometime and showing me a thing or two. Congratulations on a stupendous season so far Joe and remember there’s a lot more great fishing still to come folks. Don’t forget about our talk last week, with lower temps the top-water bite will be ferocious.
On the other side of the peninsula Smallmouth Bass in the Susquehanna River have been crushing spinner baits and lipless crankbaits. Go-to color patterns on spinners were white, sexy shad, and variations of blue/gray. Walleyes are starting to show back up at the Conowingo in force and the bite will continue to get better as fall approaches.
Out in the Delaware Bay many stayed off the water with the passing of Tropical Storm Danny and a sketchy report from most the week before. Chriss Vann of Bear D.E was never so happy. “In any direction I looked there was no one, I think Capitan Ernie and I saw 4 boats for most of the day. Vann said the bay turned to a sheet of glass and he couldn’t believe with a tropical storm off the coast how calm it was. Blues were breaking top-water pushing bait to the surface and down below the Flounder were in full force. Vann said he and Capitan Ernie boated 40-50 flounder with six keepers the biggest being 21″. The bait of choice was squid and the drift was a creeper according to Vann. Good job Chriss and Ernie, way to take advantage of what most thought would be a blow out.
Out on the surf most have complained about a slow or even dead summer season in the wash. All but a few! Again Chriss Vann has managed to find fish and you guessed it fellas, this time it’s on the sand. Kingfish, Spot, and Bluefish were all on the menu said Vann. Chriss also got into Sandbar Sharks measuring 4 to 5′ in length and weighing in between 40 -50 pounds. Cut Spot and Bluefish were the baits of choice. Well that’s all I have from the surf but before I move on to some crabbing news just a little insider information on the Chesapeake for those who are willing to travel. I spoke with a guide on the Potomac River and the report was Spanish Macks in massive numbers. For those who have been on the prowl with your Drones and Clark Spoons I know it’s a haul but the Macks are there, this info was received 8a.m. Thursday Sept 3rd.
It appears crabbing is starting to improve. Positive reports are being had at the Chester, Bohemia, and Elk Rivers from more than just 1 or 2 participants. Mike Fontello and Nicole Rollins both of Middletown DE crabbed the Chester River in an undisclosed spot but Mike said he and girlfriend Nicole were in 8-1/2 to 11-1/2′ of water. Mike said all of he and Nicole’s crabs were 7″-8″ in width and were heavy crabs. Langford Creek on the Chester was another location a few crabbers mentioned. Kenny Jeffries has been putting in some time on the Elk River and it’s paid off with trips yielding 1 and 3/4 bushel of crabs on two separate trips. DONT FORGET OUR TIP IN LAST WEEKS BLOG ON CRABBING THE ELK. If you didn’t catch it I suggest checking it out. It’s a real money saver. Well until next week keep your trotline tight and don’t cheap date the bait!
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
With the dog days of summer upon the North East, it was a steady dose of near 100 degree heat index and gully washer thunder storms for the best part of a ten day stretch. Heavy downpours on a daily basis turned Delaware ponds over repeatedly and left most un-fishable. A few anglers fished the best water they could find in their local stomping grounds on Sunday and for some it paid off. I myself fished Beck’s Pond and literally kept my baits 2-3 feet off the edge and never used more than 16″ of separation between my bobber and the hook. From shore it was the only clear water I could find. My theory played out well with 5 hook up’s, 3 Large Mouth ranging from a pound to a fish I lost at my feet that I was confident went 4-1/2 lbs. My other two fish were Chain Pickerel from 17″ to 22″ long. I was surprised with my success but glad about the decisions I had made and where to fish. The most unbelievable detail to this whole story is that my bait never left an area of about a 10′ foot radius, so help me it’s the truth! A few of our fresh water customers here at Eastern have made comment on the top water bite that’s starting to develop. With the arrival of cooler temperatures in the future, night trips for outstanding top water action will be in full swing. Here at Eastern Marine’s fishing department we have a full line of all the best nighttime fishing lures including: Fred Arbogast black jointed jitterbugs, black Strike King Buzz baits, Hart Spinner Baits in black, Berkley Gulp purple 10″inch worm and Bill Lewis Rat-l-Traps just to name a few. John Lennenbecker also had success at Beck’s Pond. While fishing the point, Johnny wrangled 7 Bluegills on Night Crawlers fishing towards the lily pads. In lower Delaware where the rainfall was milder better news was to be had on Large Mouth, Crappies, Pickerel, and Yellow Perch. Millsboro, Record’s, Wagoman’s and Diamond Ponds were all locations mentioned. With better water clarity anglers could fish these ponds more effectively and Gary Yamamoto Senkos were the go to in Blue with Black Flake in the 5″ version.
With the Hurricane Bill leaving and Dan on the way reports from the Delaware Bay have been schetchy. Many boaters reported catching large amounts of Flounder but most were throwbacks. Dave Singles of Eastern Marine said Brown Shoal was good for him and his crew with 7 keepers in the box. Dave said his big fish was 24-1/2” and that a range of strip baits, minnows and artificials all seemed to work. Good job again too Dave and his crew on another very successful excursion to Brown Shoal. Charter trips on the Delaware Bay from Bowers Beach to Lewes all had a mixed bag of Bluefish, Flounder, Spot and Croakers which seemed to fill most participants coolers. Further up in the Delaware, the Christina River looks like it’s annual late summer to fall run of Striped Bass is just starting to poke its head. Schools of Peanut Bunker and Bullhead Minnows seem to be gathering. John Hinkel of Newark Delaware worked the abutments of the 495 overpass and the old Mills Railroad Bridge and caught Stripers to 8 lbs. Yozuri Peanut Bunker and Bill Lewis rattle baits were the charm as John said with so much bait in the water it was hard to get a fish to commit to his lure. The best reports on bigger Stripers close to home here was at Ship John Light House and the Elbow of the Cross Ledge. Matthew Campbell and his uncle David used fresh Bunker to dial-up Rockfish to 36″ and 2 keeper Flounder, congrats on doing so well and finding that honey hole of yours Matt. The biggest news this week in my opinion was a post I read on Saltfish.net earlier this week. The post stated that the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said the bio mass of Weakfish is at an all time low. This may lead to a Weakfish moratorium that will be tabled in the immediate future. Although this is not a political forum I have to say that I’ve been concerned for almost 7 years about the population of Delaware’s State Fish (Gray Sea Trout or Scheteauge) which translated from Native Delaware River Indians meant the one with the weak mouth, hence forth Weakfish. I hope this agenda is taken into serious consideration and the right decisions are made. It would be nice to have a trout fishery again!
On the Chesapeake side of the peninsula anglers in search of fish were heading south to the Route 50 bridge and further. Wendell and Richard Clenndening made trips to as far as the Choptank River and did well on Bluefish to 18″ inches, big Norfolk Spot, schoolie Stripers and good size 15″ croakers. Spanish Macks are the target species for the most part right now and Clark Spoons as usual are the key. Getting on top of the Spanish mack’s seems to be the difficult task at hand for now.
On the Crabby side of things St Michaels and the Easton area are offering the best news. Commercial and recreational alike are doing well in the Mid-Bay. Trot lines and traps are both effective for those willing to take the trip. Gill Kirk and Matt Long of Stanton DE set up in 4ft-6ft water and said both trot and basket were working, both (G-Money) Kirk and (Matty-L) Long got their respective bushel of crab. Some good reports have also come from the Bohemia and Elk Rivers. A tip one crabber gave us was when on the Elk stay to the opposite side of the grass bed as it comes in on the incoming tide, it will leave on the same side on the outgoing. Well fellas that’s it for this week but until next report keep your trot line tight and don’t cheap date the bait.
More pictures of recent local fish weighed in at Eastern Marine during May and June 2009.
Richard Krone holding a nice Striper, Shannon Cockrel with a big Drum & Bill Weitzenecker with a citation Hybrid Striped Bass from Lum’s Pond
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
With Mother Nature giving us a steady diet of rain, anglers have been a little discouraged about this summers fishing experience. Murky water, pond bottoms being constantly turned over and low fish counts have been a few of the frustrations expressed by Eastern Marine customers. There have been a few silver linings in those dark clouds overhead though.
On the fresh water scene Bill Weitzenecker ventured to Lum’s Pond and caught a splendid 7 lb 15 oz Hybrid Striped Bass that measured 26 -1/2″inches with a 17″ inch girth. Congratulations Bill on your outstanding catch and thanks for your patronage. Larry Guthrie said the Rainbow bite was a little slower in White Clay Creek but he was having good success on Small Mouth Bass using Heddon Tiny Torpedo’s which we stock here at Eastern Marine in all colors and sizes. Larry also said he has relied on Berkley 3″ Trout Worms in a tequila sunrise pattern to combat the fast moving and muddy water when targeting Rainbows. We also stock a full line of Berkley Trout Worms in 9 different colors. You may want to call us and find out when we will be getting our next shipment, because these baits fly of the peg hook. Beck’s Pond has produced some enormous Chain Pickerel. Jeff Short had pictures of Pickerel that he said went 28 inches and folks I was impressed with the girth of these fish. They reminded me more of Northern Pike as opposed to the thinner snake like Chains we normally catch. A trip to Haven Lake was an especially interesting piece of news and I would like to share it with you. An Eastern Marine customer who wished to remain nameless (so his boss wouldn’t find out he was playing HOOKIE) conducted an experiment while having a slow day with his fishing partner, who is also his brother. This point of the story is key due to the fact that both brothers are fiercely competitive, especially with each other. Brother #1 wanted to increase his chances due to the water conditions as we spoke about earlier and purchased a bottle of Berkley Gulp Alive, in the Crawfish scent. Brother #2 scoffs at #1 saying if your technique was as professional as mine you wouldn’t have to blow money trying to keep pace with me. After a slow morning brother #2 had 3 Largemouth to #1’s skunk and the two decided to fish until evening after having a nice lunch. During lunch brother #2 says, ” Why don’t you break out some of that Berkley Gulp Crawfish attractant” and started to laugh loudly. This was when the idea hit brother #1 to truly field test his new purchase. Both brothers 1 and 2 threw exactly the same swim bait in size and color scheme. They both used medium action 6′6″ rods, Shimano 4000 class reels, and 10# monofilament. They even slowly fished the same structure and shoreline. The results were amazing! Brother #2 had to admit that brother # 1 out-fished him 3 to 1. “It was tough watching my brother put it to me like that but we had a deal and I couldn’t get a squirt of that stuff to save my life” My brother kept saying it wont be a true test if we switch up now, while he tried hiding a big cheesy grin. Anyone who is interested in these new Berkley products should come here to Eastern Marine where we have the largest selection of Berkley Power Baits, Gulp & Gulp Alive in the area. I myself was on this bandwagon 3 years ago and never leave for a trip without some representative of this product weather it be fresh or saltwater. This product has my endorsement.
On the salt water side of things news from the upper Delaware Bay has been positive while the lower bay has been a little slow. Anglers fishing the Cross Ledge have gotten into some impressive stripers to the 40″ range while chunking fresh bunker. Matt Campbell and uncle Dave said for this time of the year the fish are long, stout and plentiful on the ledge. Ship John as we spoke in my last blog is still producing good stripers and a few Weakfish. In the lower bay, buoys F and G have been giving good reports out of Mispillion. Out of Lewes the outlook was a bit brighter. Robert Smith Jr. caught Small Black Sea Bass, Trigger Fish and Croakers to 10″inches, hopefully this means we will have a good Croaker run this year in the Delaware Bay. Robert also said he got into some spot while drifting the Lewes area. Verizon Mike went on a trip with the crew of the Karen Sue and hammered enormous white chins. Mike is going to be sending pictures to our store of these Tautog and the biggest is 14 lbs. Congrats Mike and thanks for your report, patronage and willingness to share good fishing news with us here at Eastern. A few anglers also reported some small Weakies out of Lewes near the Hay Stacks. For those interested in slamming big Sea Trout we have live Peeler Crabs in stock all summer long. Nothing gets a big Tide-runners attention like a live peeler!
On the Crabby side of things reports are improving every day. The Tred Avon, Wye and Chester Rivers are giving up crabs. It wont be long now and we will be trotting and potting in our local rivers like the Sassafras and the Bohemia. Jamie White went to the Tred Avon today and collected a bushel and 1/2 of nice 7 3/4″-8 1/2″ crabs. Jamie said a lot of the crabs were nice heavy blackbacks. Barber Bob Whited also crabbed the Tred and managed 3/4 bushel last Saturday and another 1/2 bushel on Sunday. Bob said he was in 9-14 ft of water and his crabs averaged 6+ inches. Greg got 2 bushels while Trot lining in 8-9ft of water on the Chester River. Anyone in need of flats of chicken necks call Eastern Marine on Tuesday mornings and ask for me Mike Bowen and we will special order you what amount you need for next crabbing trip. Orders are placed and pre-paid on Tuesday and pick up is on Fridays.
Out in the ocean on the offshore scene reports of big sharks at B buoy have been received. Some of our customers claimed anglers spent hours and multiple pass offs but to no avail. Rich Krump said they were hooked up before they had a chance to get a good slick working. Rich said fishermen on his boat became dehydrated and cramped after strapping in to what he claims was a Thrasher or an enormous Bull Shark. Yellow fin Tuna are abundant all over the Poor Mans Canyon and are averaging about 40 lbs. Anglers are catching them on the troll with Bally Hoo, Sea Witches and Green Machines. Well until next report lets hope for some good weather and better fishing.
Fishing Reports by Mike B. at Eastern Marine
Over the past two weeks and for even longer we don’t seem to be able to break this cycle of rainy days and cooler than normal temperatures at night. The jet stream is holding a pattern that is usually typical when we have severe winters with unusually heavy snow. Hopefully this will change in the next few days. I’m ready for some warm and sunny summer weather. Although, on the other hand Mother Nature has a way of rewarding us for all this gloominess. How you ask? Lower than normal water temps have kept the Flounder tight to shore and in the skinny water. Reports from Roosevelt Inlet, Cape Henelopen, Indian River, Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay, and the Broadkill area have been impressive. The top offerings have been big Bullhead Minnows, bucktails tipped with fresh Shad, and Berkley Gulp 4″ swimming Mullet in the pearl white pattern. Here at Eastern Marine we stock a full line of Berkley Gulp products in 12 ct bags or the Berkley Gulp Alive buckets, we also sell Bullhead Minnows almost year round. Other areas of interest were The Cross Ledge, Elbow of The Cross Ledge, and The Mia Maul. Black Drum even seemed to hang around a little longer than the norm. Shannon Cockrell of Newark Delaware earned a citation honor with a 65 lb. Blackie he caught out at the Pin Top and weighed here at Eastern Marine. Congrats on a fine catch Shannon. A little closer to home we have an awesome Striper bite going on at Ship John Light. Anglers have reported non-stop action on keeper plus size fish. Cut Bunker and peeler crabs are the chunkers bait of choice and at night Weakfish (Sea Trout) are being nabbed on Spec Rigs tipped with peeler, Blakemore Roadrunners, and Berkley Gulp Shrimp in New Penny scheme.
On the fresh water side of things anglers are still having good success on Rainbow Trout in the White Clay Creek. Larry Guthrie scored a citation with a nice 2 lb 9 oz Rainbow. Jeff Short was looking for a whopper leftover trout in Big Elk Creek when he nailed a monster 4 lb. Smallmouth Bass. Jeff was pitching a small soft plastic craw under a branch off of a lay down when the smalley struck. Largemouth Bass have been caught at area local ponds. Becks, Lums, Bellvue State Park and Carousel Farms to name a few. Most anglers are reporting best catches are coming from shiners fished under a bobber. Anyone who reads our blog that has fishing news and would like to share it please feel free to contact me here at Eastern Marine and we will post your information. Well until next time tight lines and hope for some sunshine.
Crabbing reports have been few and far between but the Wye River and Tred Avon have produced near bushel catches of crabs for some. Anyone interested in getting started on crabbing or looking to replace old equipment needs to check out our crabbing supplies on our website CRABBING SUPPLIES. We have everything you need from catching to cooking when it comes to Blue Claw Crabs. “Umm, I can taste em now” When we have more concrete reports on crab locations I’ll be sure to update you then.
