The weekly Delaware Fishing Report offers information on when to fish, where to fish, which species are biting, and how to catch them. It is written by veteran Delaware angler Eric Burnley, Sr.

Delaware Bay

We had had some interesting weather and are due for some more over the weekend. When the seas are reasonably calm, it is possible to catch a wide variety of fish out of Delaware Bay.

In the Upper Bay there remain white perch and catfish with the occasional short rockfish. All will take bloodworms or Fishbites with the bigger catfish going for cut bunker.

In the Mid-Bay a few croaker have been caught from the fishing pier at Woodland Beach on bloodworms and Fishbites. The same location produces white perch and catfish. Reef sites here hold a very few flounder and trout that will take Gulp! or peeler crab. The jetty at Bowers Beach continues to produce keeper trout on peelers.

In the Lower-Bay we have seen quite a few very nice sheepshead caught over hard structure. Some are taken at the Inner and Outer walls while others come from reefs and wrecks. Sand fleas seem to be the best bait. Triggerfish have been caught at the same locations on the same baits.

Flounder, croaker, spot, kings and trout are all available over Lower-Bay reef sites. Squid, minnows, clams, Fishbites and Gulp! all produce at one time or another.

Since the tackle shop on the fishing pier at Cape Henlopen State Park closed, I have not had a report from there. I would suspect croaker and spot would be available along with a few flounder at high tide.

The Lewes and Rehoboth Canal has been quiet for the past few weeks.

Broadkill Beach has seen good fishing for kings, spot and croaker.

Inshore Ocean

The rough seas have not helped the bottom fishing. Catches of flounder and sea bass have suffered and with more bad weather this weekend it will be well into next week before the bottom settles down.

Offshore Ocean

I have not seen an offshore report all week due to the rough sea conditions.

Indian River Inlet

I have seen some photos of croaker caught out of the Inlet as well as a few sheepshead. I suspect sand fleas, bloodworms or Fishbites have been the top baits.

The mullet run is underway and last Friday I intercepted them at the top of the incoming current. The blues were busting the bait just as I figured they would be. What I didn’t figure was they would be in the middle of the inlet where I couldn’t reach them with my light tackle.

A few flounder have been caught from the inlet and the Back Bays. Live minnows, squid strips and Gulp! remain the top baits.

Surf Fishing

Kings and spot seem to be the primary catch along the beach with bloodworms and Fishbites the best baits. This is due to change at any time as the mullet draw in blues and possibly false albacore.

Freshwater

From my observations and reports from tackle shops it seems very few folks are fishing the local ponds. Perhaps the cooler weather will clear up all the green goop and more fishermen will get out on the water

The one good report I do get on a regular basis is from a fly fisherman who works the Brandywine Creek. He continues to catch sunfish, smallmouth, largemouth and rock bass. He wades the area between the Pennsylvania line and Thompson Bridge.

Think About a Head Boat

As the weather gets cooler the sea bass, flounder and other species will move to deeper water and the refreshing spray that cooled you off in the summer, will chill you to the bone. Now may be the time to think about fishing from a head boat as opposed to your center console.

There are head boats running from Lewes, Indian River and Ocean City as well as New Jersey. The cost is reasonable considering how far they have to run to reach the fish and the fact that you can be nice and comfortable in the heated cabin during the trip.

Some run all day trips and a few will run longer. Last December my son Roger and I went on a trip out of New Jersey that left the dock at 11 p.m. and returned at 7 p.m. the following evening. We caught big sea bass, ling and porgies.

Eric Burnley, Sr. is a native Delawarean who has fished local waters for more than 60 years. Eric Burnley has been a full-time outdoor writer since 1978, with articles appearing in most national magazines as well as many regional publications. He has written three books, Surf Fishing The Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide To Catching Striped Bass, and Fishing Saltwater Baits.