Lewes Delaware Fishing Report, June 12-18, 1997

Lewes, Delaware Fishing Report
June 12-18, 1997

There's nothing like a little chicken to get the Trout excited in the Delaware Bay.

According to Capt. Bill Baker of Bill's Sport Shop, keeper Trout are being caught on peeler crabs and boneless chicken breast on both sides of Beach Plum Island.

"You can catch them on the Delaware Bay side and turn around and catch them on the Broadkill side," said Baker.

If you want to try chicken, just cut a boneless chicken breast into little strips as you would squid and put it on the hook the same way you would squid.

Chicken seems to be working particularly well in the Broadkill River and beach areas. Junior Hussong limited out on Trout using chicken on two trips to the river and the group of Phil Azzanti, Jake Souder, Chuck Costin, Bob Gill, Pat McCurdy and Gary Mitchell caught 62 Weakfish on chicken and squid on the beach.

Keeper Trout are also providing plenty of action at Roosevelt Inlet, Lewes beach down to the ferry wall, and the Cape Henlopen Pier. Flounder are also available at all three spots. The pier is producing best at night. "The pier is very hot right now," said Baker.

Steve Wright limited out on Flounder on spec rigs and minnows at the pier, John Jannuzzio landed two "huge, huge" Weakfish in the 10-pound range on worms and peeler crabs in the Delaware Bay, "young" Tommy Mills snagged a 2-pound Trout on peelers at Roosevelt Inlet, and Jake Murdick and Linda Boyle limited out on Trout on peelers at Roosevelt.

Offshore, Bluefish have been the primary attraction. The charter boat Michael D caught 36 Blues in the 10-pound range on hootchies, rag mops and clear bombers on the northeast grounds on Wednesday, June 11. There have been many other reports of Slammer Blues from the northeast and southeast grounds to the lightship.

Shark fishing should begin in earnest offshore any day now, as well. Reports of Makos are currently coming in from just east of the Parking Lot and near the Hot Dog. Reports of 150- to 300-pound Makos have been coming out of Ocean City, Maryland, for a couple of weeks now. "You can just about guarantee Makos by Father's Day," said Capt. Baker.

Bluefin Tuna have been spotted jumping through and moving through the Fingers in the first sighting of those fish migrating north. "They normally won't bite when you see them like that this early because they're moving further north," said Capt. Baker. "Possibly the next school that comes in will settle down."

Surf fishing remains slow. A few fish have been caught but the water has been too cold and conditions too windy and the beach erosion too bad to get out in the surf. The beach water temperature is still around 58 degrees but it should be warming up with the warmer weather we've had this week.

Surffishermen are catching 4- to 5-foot sharks when they can get into the surf, but other game fish won't show up in big numbers until the water temperature rises.

Elsewhere, at the Indian River Inlet, Bill Hamilton weighed in a 22.5-pound Striper caught on a black worm on Wednesday night, June 11, from the North Jetty.

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