This is going to be a very hot summer and, so far, a very windy one. If, like me, you enjoy fishing, you are going to have to take some precautions.
The first is protecting your head. That is where your brain is located, and even if you burned it up back in the ’60s and ’70s, you still need to protect what’s left. If the ol’ noggin gets overheated, it will shut down – and so will the rest of your body – and you will fall down. I know this from personal experience.
The first thing you need is a good hat. Mine is from Panama Jack and is made from a fine mesh that protects me from the sun, but allows the air to come through. It has a chin strap that holds the hat on during windy days or when the boat is running. The hat has a very wide brim that shades the face and neck and, due to the fine mesh material, the hat is very light. There is also a felt liner to absorb any sweat.
I also have a towel from Frogg Toggs that is meant to be placed in the water and then worn around your neck. It is amazing how much cooler you feel when the towel is placed there on a hot day.
You also need to keep yourself hydrated. By this I mean drink plenty of water – not beer or any other alcohol. When I ran my charter business, I only allowed my customers to bring one six-pack of beer on the boat. I did make an exception for a bachelor party, and that ended with the groom peeing off the stern as we ran back to the dock down the canal lined with very expensive homes on a Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, none of the homeowners called the cops.
My son Ric had skin cancer several years ago and now wears protective clothing whenever he goes outdoors. I had skin cancer last year and now wear protective shirts from Fieldsheer. These shirts are light and very comfortable in the hottest weather, plus they protect you the harmful rays of the sun. I still wear shorts, but cover my legs in SPF 30 lotion.
As to where you should fish, it all depends on what you want to catch and the size of your boat or lack thereof.
My boat is a 16-foot Starcraft with a 40-horsepower Merc motor. That kinda restricts me to Delaware Bay and very near-shore waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There are spot, croaker and kings in these waters, plus the rare keeper flounder.
I also fish the surf and Indian River Inlet. Due to a series of unfortunate incidents, my boat has not left the trailer this year. All of my Delaware fishing has been from land.
I know I keep harping on this subject, but if you are going to fish from the beach, you have to be there in time to watch the sun come up – that would be around 5 a.m. – and plan to leave around 10 a.m. Yes, that means you have to get out of bed by at least 4 a.m. depending on how far away you live from the beach.
Most of us will set our sights low during the summer. Spot, croaker and kings will be the target species with bloodworms, Gulp! and Fishbites the baits. I did recently hear of one angler who racked up a nice pile of kings using cut spot for bait.
Cobia do patrol the surf line and may be caught on just about anything. I hooked one on Fishbites bloodworm, but he had no trouble pulling the small hook I was using for spot or croaker.
Flounder fishing at the Old Grounds has been slow. Some folks catch more than others, but very few find a four-fish limit of 17.5-inch fish. The same with finding a 15-fish limit of 13-inch black sea bass.
Since my boat is too small to run that far out in the ocean, I fish from head boats. There are several to choose from in Lewes and Indian River Marina.
If you are new to head boats, you might try a half-day boat. They don’t catch as many fish as the full-day boats, but they fish closer to shore and cost less. All head boats have cabins where you can get out of the sun. Call ahead to find out the price, sailing time and reservation policy. Some boats board by reservation time, others by first-come, first-served on the day of departure. Make sure to tip the mates if they helped you during the trip. All the mates I have encountered here have been great.
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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.
