The big day is over, and I hope you and yours had plenty to eat and the family didn’t get into too many fights over all the things families fight about.
I like to think about all the things I am thankful for, beginning with the fact that I am still here and reasonably functional at 82 years old. That and the fact that my bride Barbara is still by my side after 58 years, at 81 years old. My two sons, Ric and Roger, are both successful schoolteachers, and that makes me thankful and proud. The fact that both are excellent fishermen just adds to the joy. My grandchildren are another joy for which I am grateful. Dasha, 24, will begin her master’s work in history at Old Dominion University in January. Charlotte and CJ are still in elementary school.
Those of us who live in Sussex County have much to be thankful for. I know the county has changed a great deal in the past 60 years or so, but it is still a beautiful place to live if you enjoy outdoor sports.
I live in Overbrook Shores and have free access to Red Mill Pond should I wish to fish or boat there. I have done both in the past and may do the same in the future.
It takes me about 15 minutes to drive to the Atlantic Ocean or Delaware Bay. I can launch my boat in about 20 minutes for free, because Delaware has a fishing license that covers the cost of building and maintaining boat ramps in both salt and freshwater.
I know this past year, it has been tough to get out on any of the open waters of the bay or ocean, but when we do get a break in the weather, the fishing has been good.
Right now, there are bluefin tuna to 300 pounds available within 20 miles of Indian River Inlet. Black sea bass to 5 pounds are being caught a little farther out over structure in 100 to 120 feet.
Striped bass have stayed around all year in sizes we only dreamed about back in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Fish well above the slot of 28 to 31 inches have been caught all year from Indian River Inlet either at night on drifted sand fleas or live eels, or from first light to sunup on bucktails heavy enough to get down in the current or live eels. A few of these big fish have shown up in the surf as well as the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. Of course you can’t keep them, but the thrill of catching and releasing a big striper should be enough to overcome the pleasure of having a few fish dinners.
We should also be thankful for the men and women who maintain the state parks and forests so we can fish and hunt in reasonable comfort. Almost every time I fish Indian River Inlet, I see a gentleman picking up trash left by my fellow fishermen. I am embarrassed that someone has to do this job, but I am thankful there is someone there to get it done.
The state enforcement officers also do a great job keeping the few bad apples off the beaches and out of the forests. I have seen them at work, and they keep their cool when I know I would have lost mine.
Then there are all the hardworking folks at the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. They are stretched out across the state making sure we abide by all the different federal and state regulations that govern our daily lives.
As fishermen and hunters, we are concerned with the Division of Fish and Wildlife. I can tell you with firsthand experience this group does everything it can to work with hunters and fishermen when it comes to regulations. As a general rule, their hands are tied by the regulations handed down by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council or the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. When they do get the chance to make conservation equivalency decisions, they do their best to side with us fishermen.
Last year’s summer flounder regulations were a perfect example. The regulations handed down from above were very restrictive, but by making the season shorter, decreasing the size limit until June 1, and then increasing it back up to 17.5 inches, we had a decent chance to catch a few flounder.
I know how it is; the guys that sit around on broken furniture outside or inside the tackle shop or marina never have a good word for anything, let alone fishing or hunting regulations. Well, I for one am thankful for most regulations, because they keep people from taking more fish and game than the stock can tolerate.
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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.
