Anyone who’s fished the ocean for any length of time and pays attention can tell you the water is getting warmer every year. Now we have confirmation from a worldwide group of scientists who have come out with a peer-reviewed study that confirms this fact. They attribute the warming to an excess amount of carbon dioxide produced by burning oil. Since I don’t see much chance of the world changing this habit anytime soon, I think fishermen have to learn to change their target species and techniques if they want to have any fish to take home.
My guess is most Delaware fishermen consider summer flounder their primary target species. Right now, those fish have been hit with a double whammy. They have not had a dominant year class for six or seven years, and the warming ocean waters have driven them farther north and out into deeper water.
Back in the 1970s and ‘80s, I could catch all the flounder I wanted out of Indian River Bay. I would leave my dock at Bay Shore on Cedar Neck and head for what is now called the VFW Slough. I tried to get there by sunup and usually had my 10-fish self-imposed limit and returned to the dock before most of the other folks in the campground were out of bed.
Was I able to do this every day? Of course not. But with the right weather and a favorable tide, I had more success than failure.
Today, you would be hard pressed to catch 10 flounder a day anywhere in Indian River Bay, let alone the four 16.5-inch keepers you are currently allowed. The fish have moved out to depths of 90 to 110 feet at the Old Grounds or one of the deeper reef sites. Want a really big flounder? Better take a trip north to the coast off New Jersey, New York or New England.
The same thing has happened with black sea bass. They used to cover the bottom at the Old Grounds, but now you have to run out 26 miles to the Del-Jersey-Land Reef to have a reasonable chance of finding some keepers.
So what’s a poor angler to do? Well, a poor angler is pretty much out of luck because he can’t afford a bigger boat to get farther offshore to catch flounder and sea bass. He has to learn how to catch triggerfish, spadefish, cobia and Spanish mackerel, as these fish will become more numerous due to the warming ocean water.
Laurel Fishing Expo
The Laurel Fishing Expo will be held from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Laurel Fire House. I attended this show last year and it was pretty good. Lots of neat stuff for both salt and freshwater anglers plus good firehouse food. What better way to spend a February morning?
Fishing report
Yes, Virginia, people are going fishing. Boats are sailing from Lewes, Indian River and Ocean City, and they are catching some really big tog. I have seen photos of fish over 17 pounds, and that’s a big tog in anyone’s book.
Naturally, the success of the trip is dependent on the weather, so when you book a trip, set up a couple of dates if you can. Also, if you are booking a charter, get all the money from everyone in the party before making the reservations. I don’t care if it’s your mother. There is something about getting up at o’dark thirty on a sub-freezing morning that can chill the enthusiasm of someone who was so excited about tog fishing when you were looking for anglers. Having their money is just enough incentive to move them out of that nice warm bed and onto the cold boat.
I have seen photos online of fishermen with big pickerel, but when I call tackle shops, no one has any information on these fish. The online reports indicate the pickerel came from the upper reaches of the tidal rivers and creeks, and as of early this week those areas were ice free. There is skim ice on the downstate ponds, so I would guess those in the rest of the state are also covered in ice.
The head boats out of North Jersey are sailing every day the weather allows and catching a mixed bag of ling, cod, tog and I am sure more spiny dog sharks than they want. You can find more detailed reports by going online and checking head boats out of Belmar, Brielle and Point Pleasant. The farther they run, the more expensive the trip, but the better chance you have of catching a big cod or pollock.
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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.
