There were two outstanding tournaments held last weekend. Each raised money for good causes and both drew a good number of anglers.
The Joe Morris Memorial Canal Flounder Tournament was held May 19. A total of 475 anglers paid $40 each to try and catch the largest flounder from the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and the lower reaches of the Broadkill River. Of that $40, $20 goes to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. In addition, there are T-shirt sales and a few other fundraisers that add to the overall total for the charity.
When all the fish were weighed and the deadline was reached at 4 p.m., Monica Powell was on top with a 4.93-pound flounder. This is the first time a lady angler has won the tournament, and I am sure Amanda Morris was pleased with this result. Girl power!
In second place was Wesley Scott with his 4.06-pounder. In third was Kyle Torbert with a 3.66-pound flatfish. Coming in fourth was James Joseph with a 3.65-pound catch, while Kinsley Hazel, another lady, was fifth with a 3.59-pounder. Finally, in sixth place was Jim Park with his 3.42-pound flounder.
The Cast for a Cure Surf Fishing Tournament was held May 20, with a record 30 teams of four anglers hitting the beach under less-than-ideal conditions. There was a 10- to 15-knot southeast wind pushing the tide, and at times, the rain was very hard. Most of the day, 10 ounces would not hold bottom, so the fishermen would have to cast out and walk their rigs down the beach to keep up with the wind and current.
At the end of the day, Team DMS, comprising Jim Haug, Mike Walker, JR Griffith and Steve Merrick, came in first with 120 points. Team Reel Women with Anita Chandler, Donna Guttridge, Kelsey Cycyk and Tricia Wolters came in second with 85 points. Team Fung Shway with members Mike Lettieri, Brad Gottshall, Aiden Gottshall and Justin Shook came in third with 75 points.
The Bluefish Calcutta was won by Team Bama with a 31-inch blue. The Striped Bass Calcutta was won by Team One More Cast with its 40-inch striper.
Each team paid $50 per person, and that money goes to the Beebe Medical Foundation. The awards ceremony was held Sunday, with an auction and raffle to add even more funds to the total for the charity.
The event was hosted by Old Inlet Bait and Tackle.
Blues at Indian River Inlet
The weather the past two weeks has been unsuitable for fishing in the ocean, so since I can’t see walking 10 ounces down the beach, I fish Indian River Inlet when I can. I was there Tuesday morning. About 9:30 a.m., after the current had been running in for about an hour and a half, the blues finally began to bite.
I was casting a Deadly Dick metal lure, and the first blue dropped off as I lifted him from the water; the second one did the same. The third fish cut me off.
I returned to my truck and retrieved my second rod and returned to my spot on the rail. For some reason, the fish didn’t want the same metal lure; they wanted a much smaller metal like a Stingsilver. By then, it was too late for me to rig up another lure, so I kept the same rig and caught a very large hickory shad.
Fishing report
Monday was the only day last week that any boats could fish the ocean. As expected, those that went caught lots of black sea bass.
Delaware Bay continues to see good fishing for black drum. The Coral Beds has been a good location, with the area off Broadkill Beach also productive. Clams are the most popular baits. A few folks are using sand fleas, blue crabs and green crabs.
The surf at Broadkill Beach is seeing a few kings, croaker and smaller black drum. Sand fleas, bloodworms, clams and Fishbites have all worked on the smaller fish, with clams for the drum.
The Broadkill River holds white perch and catfish. Bloodworms for the perch and cut bunker for the catfish.
Over on the other side of the state, there are some big blue catfish in the Nanticoke River and Broad Creek. Cut fresh bunker has been the best bait, and some of these cats top 30 pounds. Snakeheads are also in the river and creeks, and will go after surface lures or large minnows. Both of these are invasive species and should not be released. I have eaten blue cats and they are good. I have not tried nor caught a snakehead.
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Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age. Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He has been the regional editor for several publications and was the founding editor of the Mid-Atlantic Fisherman magazine. Eric is the author of three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing and Fishing Saltwater Baits. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.
