The 2024 Marine Recreational Information Program info is out, and it is as bad as all the other years.
As an example, in waves 4, 5 and 6, Delaware anglers fishing from private and rental boats harvested 49,998 summer flounder. During that same period, charter boats only harvested 593 summer flounder. Party boats had 1,932 summer flounder. Boy oh boy, we private anglers are really good. We catch close to 50,000 keeper flounder in the last part of the year when the size limit is 17.5 inches and the weather is marginal at best. Not only that, but very few of us are fishing during that time of the year, what with holidays and football.
As some of you may remember, I spent a week in Falmouth, Mass., going to seminars learning how fisheries management works. I was able to confront the lady who is in charge of the MRIP program and ask her how in the world she and all the other scientists can produce and stand by such terrible numbers. Her answer, “It is the best available science.”
I told her I had been working with Sen. Tom Carper’s office for two years trying to get funding to improve the MRIP. Now the senator has retired, and with the new administration, there is little hope for any additional funding.
My fear is the bean counters will look at the numbers and actually believe we recreational fishermen caught 50,000 summer flounder in the fall and early winter of 2024. That would mean we overfished our quota, and will have to pay back that overage in 2025.
Summer flounder are the heart and soul of recreational fishing in Delaware, be it in Delaware Bay, the Inland Bays, the Old Grounds or the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Most people who go fishing inshore in Delaware go for flounder. If the bean counters, who don’t fish for anything, cut our flounder quota to the bone, they will deal a death blow to not only the fishermen, but to the businesses that supply them with bait, tackle and fuel. All of this because of some lousy data.
Fishing report
The first keeper flounder has been caught from the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Monica Travis, fishing with Rust Travis on Saturday, caught the nice keeper and checked it in at Lewes Harbour Marina.
Down in Chincoteague, they are piling up the black drum. I have several reports of multi-label catches from the surf of what appear to be black drum in the 30- to 50-pound class. I suspect the usual baits, clam and peeler crab, were used.
My friend Dan Neumann fished the South Pocket early Monday morning and caught a nice striper on a paddletail. From the photo, it appeared close to the 28-to-31-inch slot. He was back again on Tuesday morning and saw a 34-inch striper caught on a bucktail. He also saw several small stripers caught on soft plastics, flies and bucktails.
Old Inlet Bait and Tackle said it was a decent week for tog fishing at Indian River Inlet. Fish to 20 inches were caught on green crab, live sand fleas and shrimp. Some of the tog fishermen were able to put together a four-fish limit.
The Katydid was able to run from Lewes Harbour Marina on Monday, and it returned with 23 tog. The Lewes-Rehoboth Canal produced more keeper flounder on Monday and Tuesday, so it looks like that location is heating up.
Then when I called Old Inlet Bait and Tackle on Tuesday, I got the news I have been waiting for all spring: The shad are here! Not only are the shad here, but also, there are blues mixed in with them.
Now, I don’t eat the hickory shad because they have too many bones, but they are excellent fighting fish. I use light spinning gear with a Stingsilver for weight and a shad dart tied from the metal lure about 8 to 10 inches behind. Most of the fish will hit the shad dart, but on occasion one will take the Stingsilver. If there are bluefish in the mix, they will go for the Stingsilver right away.
When fishing the Indian River Inlet, you want to look for the big birds. Not the little terns that are always around and under the bridge; you want the big birds that squawk and try to steal each other’s food. When you see them diving on the water, there are fish underneath. Cast to that area.
No birds? Cast to a rip and allow your rig to sink. Then retrieve it through the rip and alongside the rocks.
I have not been to the Inlet since the Army Corps finished their work. I can only hope they left us some places to fish.
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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.
