The Delaware Fishing Report offers information on when to fish, where to fish, which species are biting, and how to catch them. It is written weekly by Eric Burnley, Sr.

Current Conditions

This week the wind blew north by northwest. Wasn’t that an old movie? Anyway, it messed up the fishing just about everywhere, even in freshwater. I drove by Wagamons Pond and not only were there no fishermen on the water or fishing from shore, but there were also white caps on the pond! The only decent day was Wednesday and that was the last day of this reporting cycle.

Delaware Bay

Patty at Captain Bones said it was the same story, but at least people are catching fish.

White perch and catfish on bloodworms and cut bunker are available along the shoreline from Augustine Beach down to Woodland Beach. Catfish are also available from shore at the C&D Canal.

Leipsic

Steve at Smith Bait in Leipsic told us a few slot striped bass have been caught on bucktails at Ship John Light. Most of the stripers caught there are shorts, but at least there is a chance of taking home dinner.

White perch are being caught on bloodworms from the local tidal rivers.

Broadkill Beach

Dan at Dan’s Tackle did not answer his phone when I called for a report. I would expect the white perch action to be good in the Broadkill River.

Lewes

Aaron at Lewes Harbour Marina said the Katydid brought back a boat limit of tog on Wednesday. A few private boats had tog from the Outer Wall and the Ice Breakers on sand fleas and green crabs.

Indian River Inlet

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle had the only steady reports during the week of windy weather.

Tog fishing held up well with the prime baits being sand fleas and green crabs.

The northwest wind was brutal on Saturday when I tried to fish the Inlet. The current should have changed to incoming around 9:30 a.m. but as I sat waiting in my truck it still was running out well after 10 a.m.

Rick’s Bait and Tackle told us those who fished from the pier at Massey’s Landing with sand fleas caught tog.

Surf Fishing

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle reported a few weakfish were caught from the surf on Wednesday on cut mullet.

Unfortunately, the majority of the fish caught from the beach remain skates and dog sharks.

Inshore Ocean

Burt at Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em did not answer the phone on Wednesday

Offshore Ocean

Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em did not answer the phone on Wednesday.

Freshwater

Patty, at Captain Bones in Odessa said bass have been caught from Silver Lake in Dover on minnows, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and soft plastics.

Rainbow trout remain in White Clay Creek for the pleasure of those with a Delaware Trout Stamp.

Steve at Smith Bait said crappie and bass have been caught from Massey’s Mill Pond and Garrison’s Lake on minnows.

Carol at Taylored Tackle reported that crappie have been caught from the Nanticoke River on minnows.

Fishing With Whales

I saw on the local news where whales came close to shore while chasing bait, probably menhaden, in recent days. This was a common sight when I ran charters out of Virginia Beach.

The whales would find the bait, and we would troll close by, but not too close, and catch a quick limit of stripers.

Whales have terrible table manners. They leave lots of wounded menhaden on the surface and under the water and this draws in the birds and the stripers. It also draws in people like me.

Eric Burnley, Sr. is a native Delawarean who has fished local waters for more than 60 years. Eric Burnley has been a full-time outdoor writer since 1978, with articles appearing in most national magazines and many regional publications. He has written three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Catching Striped Bass and Fishing Saltwater Baits.