Delaware and Maryland Fishing Reports

Updated: March 9th, 2010 @ 11:45am

Warm weather is finally here. The water temperature has risen over 40 degrees and the first Osprey of the season has started nesting behind Old Inlet. Look for the first stripers and flounder to take a bait within 10 days to two weeks.

Live bloodworms and minnows are available. We should have green crabs soon.

Attention fresh water anglers: Old Inlet will be putting in a freshwater tackle section this week!

The Old Inlet Annual Spring Surf Fishing Tournament will be held on Saturday, May 8. Information is available on oldinlet.com

Delaware Summer Flounder Regulations for 2010 have been proposed.

In 2009, Delaware's landed 82K flounder, while the 2009 cap was 55,000 fish. For 2010, DE was alloted an 80,000 fish quota. DE must plan for a 2% reduction in flounder landings. The 4 options to meet this reduction are:

Option #1 - 4 fish @ 18.5" in minimum length, with a Closed Season Oct.13 - Dec.31

Option #2 - 3 fish @ 18.5" minimum length, with a Closed Season Oct.26 - Dec.31

Option #3 - 2 fish @18.5", NO Closed Season

Option #4 - 4 fish @ 19", NO Closed Season

A public heaing on these proposed regulations will be held March 23, 2010, starting at 7:00PM at DNREC Auditorium in Dover. Written comments can be directed to the Fisheries section of DNREC via email or snail mail between March 3 and March 31. Final regulations will be May 1 and become effective May 11, 2010.

Old Inlet supports Option 4 for several reasons.

First, closed seasons are the most unfair management tool. Someone is cut out of fishing time. You might not fish during the proposed closed season but we can assure you someone else does. We have many pictures of very nice flounder caught in late October/early November on our picture board in the store and on our website.

Two, closed seasons might fix a problem in one fishery but ultimately transfer that problem over to another fishery. People that would have fished for flounder are now going to target other species like striped bass and tautog during the closed flounder season. A closure in one fishery means more pressure in others. In the long run this is not good.

Finally, before the fishery managers did us a huge favor by combining 2009 and 2010 data, Delaware would have been more than 30% over the 2009 flounder quota (the minimum size in 2009 was 18.5 inches). Instead, we only have to take 2 percent reduction. Increasing the minimum size by a half inch would be a wise move in an effort to guard against going over the quota again. We may not be afforded the same break next year.

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