Rehoboth & Indian River Bay Fishing Report Thread

[Fun Factor]

Sunday, June 28, 2009

We were fishing the Indian River Inlet bay area and caught one keeper flounder, several throw-back flounder and a shark.

The shark was larger than what is listed for a dogfish shark and we couldn't get it in the boat. It was approximately 6 to 7 feet long.

We drove the boat around for nearly 1/2 hour following the line so he didn't empty my spool. I had a light tackle rod with 15lb test ~ thinking I was fishing for flounder or blues.

This monster hooked up in 5 feet of water and took of running. After quite the battle we finally got it along side the boat, but didn't have the right tools to get it into the boat.

Unfortunately there were only two of us and I was busy holding the rod to keep the tension on it while he was driving the boat following it around the bay. Neither one of grabbed the camera to take a picutre before it took off. We got it to the boat, it showed us his white belly, and then decided it had had enought and took off. Unfortunately the light tackle broke this time and there was no time to take a picture.

Lots of fun though!!

Any ideas on what kind of shark it could've been?

[ECX]

What hook/bait setup did you hook the shark on? Where excactly in the bay did you hook up with it and what time of day? tide?

I am very interested in that big of a shark in that area.

[jklinz]

Sounds like a great battle!

[trimlc]

Your post is a little vague as to what kind it could be. But there are a lot of big dogfish around in the 3 to 5 foot range, averaging 5 to 50 pounds or more. They have sandpaper teeth however. So if you were flounder fishing and not using wire, and you fought a large shark for that long, it was probobally a dogfish / sandshark. If you had a "toothy" shark that frequents the area, such as a sandbar, dusky, or sandtiger, it probobally would have bitten you off very quickly.

[chip]

well here we go my son and I went out with a friend mine boat yesterday fishing I.R. inlet manage two flounder one short and one keeper at 20 inches lot of boats out there nice day for fishing sorry don't have pictures d one yet will post them when done O yea caught the big one on gulp shrimp . PS. HAPPY FOURTH TO ALL AND GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS.

[Fun Factor]

[Fun Factor]

Saturday, July 18th was a beeeeutiful day for fishing!
The croaker were hitting hard. Every time we put our line in the water we got a hit.
We were using minnows at first, but then switched to the gulp bait and we were catching two at a time.
Looking at the fishing calendar, they're not due to hit until August. Did they come in early or is this just a tease for what's coming in August?
My entire family is going to be down for a week in August and I would love my granddaughters to catch some croakers. They would have a blast!

[ECX]

Went fishing last Wed. 7/23.

Started the day off near Masseys in Rehoboth Bay. Caught over 30 nice size 1 to 2 pound croakers on a jighead with GULP. Landed a few small flounder as well... Got spooled on my lightweight tackle 3 times... think it was Stingrays.

Headed over to VFW late morning to try and get a keeper flounder with no luck.

Drove the boat to Lewes and drifted by the new public boat ramp and hooked into a 50+lb Cownose Stingray! After a 30 minute fight drifting by myself I brought the monster on the boat. No dinner fish, but man was it fun! He spooled me 3 times 150 yards and ran me around my boat 4 times.

Headed back to Masseys late afternoon and caught more Croaker, small flounder and hooked into a huge Striper and lost him. :( He jumped a foot out of the water so I at least got to see him. I would say 40" . Got him on a huge spot and circle hook... the hook went back into the spot and didnt catch the stripers mouth and he spit it out after a good 5 minute fight. I had no idea Striper that big were back there!

Docked the boat and hopped the ferry to night fish with some friends in Cape May. All night on a new moon and the only bites I got was from the bugs all over my legs... New Jersey Sucks!

2 weeks off and I will be back at it. Keep the bay posts comin'!

[Fun Factor]

Great story!

Did you get to see any of the dolphins (porpoise) in the bay and the huge sea turtle? A big school of dolphin swam past several boats that were drifting near IRI. We managed to get a short video on our camera, but I haven't figured out how to upload a video yet.

Fishing wasn't that good for us, but we're newbies. Saw a guy reeling in flounder after flounder while we were sitting there wiping the sweat from our foreheads.

Think I'm gonna give pink a try.

Caught a clam shell with a surprise inside ~

[nking]

Rookie salt water angler here. Been catching bass all of my life but this salt water stuff is new. I have fished a total of 3 times around the areas i have read about in reports and on this site. Caught a total of 35 flounder or so, only ONE keeper. Is this ratio way off?? Using gulp and live minnow mostly. Would one of you be so kind to explain exactly where the VFW slough is? i have received some rough directions but can not quite pin it down. I think i have fished right in the middle of it but not sure. long/lat would be a big help.
thanks

[Flatfish]

I got out for an hour last night. I had planned on doing some night fishing, but when I got to the ramp I noticed that my electric cord had popped out and I was missing my 5way flat to 7 way round adapter.

I launched and decided I'd fish for an hour. I took a few drifts through the inlet right around high tide and started bagging snapper blues right and left.

I cruised back to the bottom of RB to get away from the blues. I drifted for about 20 minutes and got this nice 21" fish on a whole salted mullet.

I hated to leave, but I knew I'd better make it home before dark w/t no trailer lights.

[Flatfish]

I got back out thursday morning. Bluefish were everywhere. I caught about ten up to 20". The flounder are still in the bays, but are bunching up in the channels preparing to head out. I caught 12 with two keepers, 19.5 and 21".

[Flatfish]

Here's a couple of shots from thursday........

I'll be back out after them tmrw.

[ECX]

Heading out in the morning. Hoping to catch some Taug at the inlet from the rocks.

Gonna try some day drifting for left over flounder.

Night time for striper under the full moon!

I will report Monday!

[ECX]

Great Sunday at IR!

Started out on the Rocks in front of cottages:
4 Keeper Taug one small Sea Bass

Drifted the boat in front of the rocks:
1 17" flounder

Hugged the Coast Guard wall:
3 Keeper Taug

Fished around the Coast Guard lights till 11pm:
3 Big Shad
4 Short Stripers
30 Nice size Blues to 20"
1 Oyster Cracker... took a Huge Live Spot that was bigger than he was!

All in all a nice day/night trip with Perfect weather and fun fishing!!!

Can't wait till the water gets a bit cooler and the big Striper show up.