I see where the Delaware Legislature is considering another bill that will make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to purchase firearms. Since criminals seldom go shopping at the local sport shop when they need a gun, this law, like all the others, will have no effect on crime.
The United States is awash with firearms. It has always been and it always will be. No matter how many laws you pass, if a criminal wants a gun, he or she can easily steal one or contact the local illegal gun dealer and buy one from him or her.
Now, I must admit I was surprised when I bought a 9 mm automatic for my concealed-carry pistol, just how easy it was. I answered a few questions, paid the asking price and that was it. I walked out of the store with my new gun.
Sorry, but that is just too easy. There should be a short waiting period so that 1. if the person is contemplating suicide, they will have time to rethink that decision; and 2. the time can be used to do a more thorough background check including mental health as well as criminal problems.
Getting back to suicide, the salesperson at the gun shop should have all the information available as to suicide prevention hotlines and where a person can go for help. We lose too many good people to suicide every day, and most of them use a firearm to take their lives.
It’s going to be awhile
Looking at the water temperatures and the lower avoidance for most of the fish we like to catch, it’s going to be awhile before the two come together. As an example, tog have a lower avoidance of 45 degrees. The water temperature on the surface at the Delaware Lightship Buoy is 42 degrees. When you consider that the water on the bottom is usually much colder than on the surface, it’s going to be awhile before the tog wake up and start to feed.
I don’t know what the water temperature is at Indian River Inlet, but the shallow back bays should warm well before the deep ocean waters. That might wake up the tog that live in the inlet rocks well before those living in the deep-water wrecks and reefs. As much as I hate fishing the inlet on outgoing water, that will be the prime time to try your luck as the warmer water from the back bays rushes out.
The shallow water of Indian River Bay is also likely to warm up and see some summer flounder action before the deeper water of Delaware Bay or the ocean. Since this will occur well before the invasion of the “Summer People,” you should be able to fish any time of day without interruption.
Try to fish the large flat area that runs from the main channel back to Millsboro, then south to the secondary channel, then east toward the VFW. This is a very large area with lots of ridges and holes. It is also very shallow and is best fished two hours before and two hours following the high tide. I have found a live minnow fished on a circle hook with no weight is an excellent rig for this shallow area.
Bluefish need at least 50 degrees and like water to between 72 and 84 degrees. That’s really going to take awhile.
I always look forward to the first run of blues in the surf. We haven’t had a run of big blues in a long time, and I don’t expect one this year, but you never know.
If you are looking for blues in the surf, nothing beats a nice chunk of fresh menhaden. That oily bait sends out a come-hither call that blues of all sizes can’t resist. I use a fish-finder rig with 80-pound mono and a circle hook. The heavy mono is just as good as wire and the circle hook will see to it that the leader stays away from the blue’s teeth.
And then there may be trout. Last year, we had some trout that topped 7 pounds and I kinda, sorta hope that we may see more of those and perhaps a few even bigger.
The top bait for trout is going to be peeler crab. Once again, I am going to use a fish-finder rig with a circle hook, but a much lighter line from the rig to the hook. Something in the 30-pound class in a fluorocarbon line. Trout aka weakfish have even lower temperature tolerance than bluefish. Trout can stand water as cold as 45 degrees, but prefer water in the 56- to-68-degree range.
No matter what you like to catch, it’s going to be awhile before that water is warm enough to go after them.
-
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.
