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 veteran Delaware angler Eric Burnley, Sr.

Patty at Captain Bones in Odessa recorded another new Delaware state record snakehead. This one weighed 13.41 pounds and was caught by Stephen Smedley II out of the spillway below Noxontown Pond on a 4-inch spinner bait.

Delaware Bay

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Catfish and white perch are still available along the shoreline from Augustine Beach down to the fishing pier at Woodland Beach. Bloodworms or Fishbites for the perch while the catfish like cut bunker or one of the special catfish baits.

Croaker have been caught from the Woodland Beach fishing pier on bloodworms or squid.

Leipsic

Steve at Smith Bait told us the tidal rivers and creeks hold white perch and small stripers that will take bloodworms or peeler crab if you can find any.

Bowers Beach

Steve at Smith Bait reported the jetty at Bowers Beach had decent fishing for croaker and trout with bloodworms, shrimp and the rare peeler crab the top baits.

Broadkill Beach

Dan at Dan’s Tackle in Milton told us he saw some of the largest croaker he has seen in years caught in the area of Oyster Rocks. Bloodworms and squid strips have been the top baits and anglers have had good luck fishing from shore and from boats.

There have been a few big bluefish in the same area that will attack baits meant for croaker and flounder.

Lewes

Lewes Harbour Marina said the charter fleet still lost days due to the weather, but when they did get out the fish were waiting for them.

The Katydid brought back 135 sea bass from ocean structure. A few private boats had nice sheepshead from the Outer Wall and the Ice Breakers.

Breakwater Tackle on the fishing pier at Cape Henlopen State Park told us spot and croaker made up most of the catch from the pier during the week. Any flounder that were caught failed to measure the required 17.5 inches.

Indian River Inlet

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said the Inlet provided steady fishing while other locations were unfishable.

Blues were caught almost every day during incoming water with white bucktails with white worms the prime bait. Stripers were caught at night on drifted sand fleas, live eels or plugs. The purple Mirr-O-Lure was a favorite.

Small tog and large sheepshead were taken from the rocks on green crabs and sand fleas.

Surf Fishing

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Old Inlet Bait and Tackle ran their annual Fall Surf Fishing Classic Tournament and, after some nasty weather just before the contest, things settled down and the 118 anglers had good fishing.

There were three big red drum caught, one measuring 47 inches and two measuring 48 inches.

Back Bays

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Rick’s Bait and Tackle on Long Neck told us fishing as been slow due to the weather. Small tog have been caught at Massey’s Ditch on sand fleas and green crabs.

Inshore Ocean

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Lewes Harbour Marina reported boats caught good numbers of sea bass when the weather allowed them to reach ocean structure.

Burt at Hook ‘em and Cook ‘em reported when the Judy V could fish, the half-day boat caught a mixed bag of trout, sea bass and croaker.

The all-day boat, Captain Bob, was able to bring in a good number of sea bass.

Offshore Ocean

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The only report that Hook ’em and Cook ‘em had from the canyon was a wahoo caught by the only boat that made it offshore.

One of the head boats from Fisherman’s Wharf ran a 20-hour deep-drop trip and caught good numbers of tilefish.

Freshwater

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Patty at Captain Bones in Odessa said bass have been caught on chatter baits and swim baits out of Garrisons Lake.

Taylored Tackle in Seaford said the spillways hold crappie that may be caught on minnows fished under a bobber.

Blue catfish are still roaming the waters of the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek and will take cut bunker or live sunfish or perch.

Steve at Smith Bait told us bass are available at Garrisons Lake and Horsey’s Mill Pond.

Big Red Drum

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As you may have noticed from the surf report, there were three big red drum caught during the Old Inlet Fall Surf Fishing Classic Tournament. While having 181 people fishing for two days and only catching three fish is not an indication of abundance, it does give one hope.

I fished Cape Hatteras, North Carolina every full moon in November for many years in hopes of catching a big red drum and never did. Then I met Barry Truitt from the Nature Conservancy, and he invited me to fish with him on Hog Island off of Virginia and I caught my first big red drum.

Barry used peeler crab on a fish-finder rig and that proved to be the secret bait. Since peelers are hard to get right now, I would go with fresh mullet. I believe I would start my quest at Fenwick Island. Good luck.

Related Topics:  delaware bay, dfw, fishing, freshwater, indian river inlet, ocean and coasts, outdoors and recreation, surf fishing, wildlife