Fenwick adds quite a bit to its line of rods in 2009, including new additions to its Elite Tech walleye and bass rods and expansion of its Techna AV rod lineup. The company is expanding its line of bass rods with three more rods that are specifically matched to different fishing styles. Continue reading Fenwick
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When going fishing, one must consider the Delaware for many opportunities. From bass and walleye to catfish and panfish, the Big D provides excellent fishing action in the early summer, especially when bass fishing. Smallmouth bass are a particularly challenging fish. They are considered hard fighters, grow as large as five pounds (although a large bronzeback is considered over two pounds), and are plentiful on the Delaware. Smallmouths hit worms, live bait and artificials, yet are often overlooked by many anglers. Continue reading Delaware River Offers Endless Bass Fishing Opportunities Dr. Julie Ball reports that with the warmer temperatures trying to take hold of spring, anglers are in a rush to hook most any newly arriving species. The winner this week is flounder. Even with almost endless windy conditions, anglers are making their way to some decent flounder holes. Good catches of flatfish up to the 26-inches are coming from several areas around the lower Bay, with the best catches coming from the 8-mile marker along the Bridge tunnel while drifting gudgeons and squid. Anglers are also finding keepers around the 3rd and 4th islands, and within Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlets. Puppy drum are providing some good action within seaside and bayside inlets, as well as the Elizabeth River. These young redfish are aggressive feeders and offer a great fight on light tackle. Rudee Inlet seems to be the hottest pup spot lately, where fish are hitting many offerings, with curly-tailed grubs working well. But there is no need for a boat to catch puppy drum. Angers working the inlet waters from the docks at Fisherman’s Wharf caught pups to 22-inches on Gulp Shrimp this week. Willoughby Bay is also holding puppy drum, and Lynnhaven River is giving up pups near the Great Neck Road bridges, as well as within the basin. For a change of pace, several anglers are targeting shad within the nearby rivers and tributaries. These fish are a blast on light line, but be sure to check your regulations before you go. Speckled trout action is sketchy this week, and the Hot Ditch bite is waning, but a few fish are still taking baits inside Rudee Inlet. Grey trout are still available within the Elizabeth River, as well as the HRBT and Willoughby. Greys up to 4-pounds hitting offerings intended for specks and pups near the discharge area in the Elizabeth River. Croaker are becoming a more common occurrence with reports scattered from various locations. Hardheads pushing a pound reported from the Little Island Fishing Pier are inhaling cut bait. Medium-sized croaker are also showing at the Ocean View Fishing Pier, as well as the James and Rappahannock Rivers. With a few more warm days, the croaker action should really take off. If striped bass is your passion, big fish are still taking baits at the High Rise, where nice fish estimated at over 50-pounds were released on the fly this week. The inshore tautog bite is decent, but anglers are working for their limits. As water temperatures hover around the 50-degree mark, these wreck dwellers will continue to feed in bay waters and on coastal wrecks, with fiddlers becoming a favored offering. Right now blue crabs are also working. A few fish pushing up to12-pounds came from the Bridge Tunnel this week, and some keepers are hitting crab at the Concrete Ships and the High Rise section of the CBBT. When anglers can get out, expect big fish to come form deeper water structures such as the Triangle Wrecks. Many folks are still taking the long trip to deep drop territory off the coast, but the wind is keeping most near the shore lately. Good catches of black sea bass and blueline tilefish are the norm with the Rudee Angler out of the Fishing Center at Rudee Inlet ready to address any deep dropping desire. For more information, go to www.drjball.com.
It looks like flounder regulations for Delaware are changing, based on the latest meeting, which was last night. An estimated 100 people were present, and about 20 people spoke in support of adopting Delaware’s Option 5, which is a limit of 4 fish no shorter that 19.5 inches in length with no closed season. At the meeting, no attendees offered comments that supported any other options. According to attendees, citizens voiced many concerns in terms of conservation, killing undersized fish, the validity of the stock estimates, the economic impact on for-hire vessels and tackle shops, being able to fish for flounder when they can get time and opportunity to fish. Some acknowledged the constraints imposed on DNREC and the driving force behind the options You can still voice your opinion and concerns on any of the Options. Public comment will be accepted until 4:30 PM on April 2. Write to DNREC or send an e-mail to rick.cole@state.de.us with your opinion. A report on the hearing, including the written/email comments will be made to John Hughes. He will announce his decision on the size/bag/season summer flounder regulation for 2008 on April 15. It will be published in the Delaware Register May 1 and become effective May Dr. Julie Ball dropped me a line recently and said that spring is in the Virginia Beach, Virginia area. She said that they have a mix of both spring and winter species. Expect this assortment to last for a little while longer, but with a few more warm days, the winter patterns will be long forgotten. She said that hook and line catches of croaker have now been confirmed in the lower Bay and rivers, with good catches of nice fish coming from farther up the rivers, such as the Rappahannock. The Ocean View Fishing Pier is reporting scattered catches of hardheads up to ¾-pounds on squid and shrimp, with a few keeper flounder also making a debut. Striped bass to 15-pounds are also offering pier anglers a thrill with some good catch-and-release action. Flounder are starting to attract more interest with several reports of keeper fish rolling in from the lower Bay area. She reminds anglers about the new regulations — you can only keep five fish per person this year. Flatfish are also adding variety to a mixed bag of puppy drum and speckled trout coming from Rudee Inlet this week. Puppy drum up to 26-inches are hitting finger mullet and grubs, while nice speckled trout ranging to nearly 6-pounds were also boated in the same vicinity. The Hot Ditch area of the Elizabeth River is still yielding scattered speckled trout, but anglers are more interested in the great gray trout action lately, with fish ranging to 4-pounds taking baits intended for specks. Boats are targeting tautog on lower Chesapeake Bay structures and coastal wrecks when they can find a weather window allowing them to hold onto structure. Although the tog action is faring moderate at best, some fish to 10-pounds were pulled from the CBBT proper on blue crabs this week. Expect better results when anglers can finally reach more inshore and nearshore wrecks. Striped bass interest is falling off, but anglers still have until the end of the month to stock up. Scattered pods of decent fish are cooperating along the coast, but they are steadily making their way to the spawning grounds farther up the rivers within the bay. Trollers are scoring with scattered fish to 45-pounds off Cape Henry, while anglers floating eels near the 4A buoy are also finding some cooperative schools of fish. The High Rise section of the CBBT is also a giving up rockfish to 48-inches for some great catch and release. Jumbo black seabass will take offered baits on deeper water wrecks, while blueline tilefish and a few grouper are available along the ocean floor and near the edge of the Norfolk Canyon. For more information, go to Julie’s website at www.drjball.com. |
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