Welcome to the first Delaware Bay Report of 2007!

Attention: Many marinas were apparently closed this week because of the nor’easter, so news was scarcer than usual for the launch of this report. But stripers seemed to be running rampant in the bay, and the marinas will surely be open by the weekend, so get down there and fish!

Fortescue

Capt. Ralph from the Buccaneer expects to start targeting stripers in the bay on Saturday, he said. Some of the Fortescue boats began fishing already, and lots of small stripers bit, but few larger ones were hooked so far. But Ralph will find out for himself this weekend if the weather allows him to sail. He only heard about three puppy drum caught so far, and that’s not many, considering how many boats were fishing. The Buccaneer’s first charters of the season will focus on striped bass and black drum combos that usually run May 1 to June 15.

Dennisville

Lots of striped bass were clammed from 1 ½ miles from land to places like the Horseshoe, Pin Top and Tussy’s Slough, including on Saturday, said Tim from Captain Tate’s Bait & Tackle. Of course, the nor’easter afterward put an end to boating for a moment. Johnny Thomspon’s gang reeled in 30 stripers including 8 keepers, and Joe DelGussogans and three anglers landed 40 including 8 keepers. Bill Ludlam and crew nailed 22 but no keepers. Tim heard about six puppy drum boated that probably weighed 20 or 30 pounds. Great Egg Harbor Bay was also producing stripers, and Darren Chojnick fished there and nailed a 40-pound, 46-inch whopper, the biggest striper reported on this site so far this year, that he weighed in. Captain Tate’s is stocked with plenty of bait, including fresh clams, bloodworms, minnows and fresh herring when available.

Cape May

A charter on the Sea Fox loaded up on 40-some striped bass, including a limit of the fish to 35 inches, in Delaware Bay on Saturday while anchored in 18 feet and chunking with clams, Capt. Gary said. Most of the bass were shorts, “but they’re there,” he said. Two puppy drum 15 or 20 pounds were also hooked and released. The water was 47 degrees, and the weather was a little breezy in the morning but straightened out by the afternoon, and the water cleaned up nicely on incoming tide. The throwback bass were good-sized, and would’ve been keepers during the slot limit of 24 to less than 28 inches two years ago, and those nice-sized, healthy fish were good to see. Gary assumes they were resident fish instead of migrators, although they were bright-colored, clean-looking stripers, and not the yellower, duller color that residents can supposedly be. The big migrators seem to come in from the ocean, stage on the shallower flats of the bay, and then head up the Delaware River and also other creeks and tributaries, such as Dennis Creek and the Maurice River, to spawn before returning to the bay and ocean. Puppy drum show up first in the bay before the bigger ones, like 60 and 70 pounders, arrive toward May and June. The puppies caught on this trip were keepers, but Gary encouraged the anglers to release them to grow larger. He heard that the big drum can take decades, maybe 50 years, to grow to maturity.  Striper and drum charters are available, and book now before dates are full. Coming up, Gary hopes to compete in the Ladies Invitational Bluefish Tournament that benefits breast cancer treatment on June 16, and the boat is available for the trip if anyone wants to compete. The tournament previously only took place from Atlantic City, but Cape May will be added as a port this year.

Copacetic Sportfishing caught nearly 20 stripers in Delaware Bay on Saturday at a spot where it also scored well another day on the fish, Capt. Mike said. The bass were clammed and included no keepers but were 20 to 27 inches--nice, healthy fish that put up awesome fights on light tackle. Good fun, and good action, and the bay’s striper fishing is turning out to be decent so far. The water was 48 degrees, and northwest winds were somewhat stiff at first but calmed later. Mike heard about a few drum landed in the bay over the weekend, including hearing radio reports during the trip about puppies caught. He expects striper and drum fishing to start breaking wide open after the storm.

The Jaftica was launched, and Capt. Ray hoped to start fishing this week after the storm, he said. Charters will begin with striper fishing in Delaware Bay on clams, and lots of the fish were already biting. When drum show up, charters will also target the bruisers. A few drum were already swimming the bay, but the run was only beginning. Charters will chase stripers and drum until June, and then shark trips will sail for a month.

Charters on the Down Deep will begin this week, targeting striped bass in Delaware Bay, Capt. Bob said. He recently launched the boat and said the vessel was inspected and is ready to roll. He took a fun trip Saturday and reeled in plenty of stripers in the bay, and he said he didn’t know whether the nor’easter will affect the fishing, but he hoped the bite would be just as good afterward. A few drum started to bite, and openings are available for charters for stripers and drum.

The Heavy Hitter was splashed, and Capt. George this week will confirm that the vessel’s good to go, and charters will start fishing this weekend, he said. The first charters will clam for striped bass in Delaware Bay, and drum fishing in the bay will begin as soon as enough drum arrive. George knew a couple of boaters who striper fished the bay this weekend and hooked lots of shorts but a few keepers. He also heard first-hand reports about puppy drum landed in the bay, and one angler said he caught bigger ones. The boat is available to compete in the Ladies Invitational Bluefish Tournament that benefits those with breast cancer and takes place June 16, the Saturday before Father’s Day. Boats in the tournament this year can sail from three ports--Cape May, Longport and Atlantic City—and previously the event only took place in Atlantic City.

Back to Top