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2013 Delaware river reports (post'em here)

196K views 564 replies 45 participants last post by  Paul54 
#1 ·
Here's a glance at our river in 2013. Hope to place a report on Friday but most likely not til Sunday.
 
#344 ·
Went out on the river (on an actual boat this time!!!!!) and hit Trenton by the rail bridge and then drifted down to the power plant. This was all on Saturday by the way, fished the outgoing tide from 9 am-12pm. No hits. Nada, not a one! Used big bombers primarily. Looks the like bass took a day off! Sat at the boat launch in penns park and no one coming in from 12-2 caught anything. Sounded like this weekend wasn't that great for anybody. Must mean the run is soon to come!

Hopefully this picks up soon. Would like to actually see a striper this year.
 
#345 ·
I was out on Saturday, just above the CBB, fished all day! We went thru a ton of bait, Herring, Bonker, 2dz Bloods, Clams! All we caught was Lots and LOTS of catfish! I shouldn't Bitch at least we were catching something! Next trip I am going for Caties.... Maybe I will catch some stripers! Lol
Gravy
:frustrated:
 
#349 ·
Gone try get out tomm in the rain was on the beach this weekend. Don't get frustrated guys every year the action slows for the full moon 3 days afterwards things have always turned on and remember fish are keyed in on the tons of herring and shad that are around.
We gone see whts up this week I deff don't feel like they just coming up river spawning an leaving. The weather been crazy so tht plays a part truth will be told this week. I have heard of decent catches by people who don't frequent these sites just keep at it time and effort alwas pays off.
And I haven't heard of one fish yet close to 50 so they coming I'm sure. On Sunday dod was hot thts way south so fret not people.
 
#352 ·
They were dredging last season and season before tht. Last season I crushed them fishing few hundred yards below the dredge below Tacony bridge. Each season has its own surprises. Temps are crazy air pressure is so up an down the wind and cold nights are playing switch a roo on us there's been a lot going on this season. Plus fishing pressure is at an all time high on the river. There's so many things u have to factor into the equation thts its hard to surmise exactly whts happening but I'm still sticking to my theory tht April is march may is April June is may until I notice differently I'm sticking to it.
 
#354 ·
I agree with mu fish, I feel that it will turn on this weekend. Fishing means patience as they say, I guess. I blew about a hundred bucks on bait and fuel this weekend, but it is still so nice just to get away and be out on the water away from the insanity of the everyday grind. Look forward to a great weekend all, chuckles
 
#358 ·
Took me a few days but I'm heading out now.........

Update: took quick trip to local creek to check on status of bait fish and I'm sad to report all the herring and shad are gone have pushed back down stream to the river. I found that to be pretty confusing they only just showed up in small number 2 weeks ago and last week I was actually watching them come up stream through the rapids and they usually hang around for a good month or so. I was dumb founded. If the herring and shad push back out the bay we can forget about any kind of extended run this year smdh.

Bout to be on the river in a few minutes.
 
#362 ·
Called it quits today ran outa bait. Had trouble finding them at first was fishing deep water 25-40' trying find tht #60 but it wasn't to be had. So I headed down to one of my trusted spots and man were the rats thick. Every single cast for 1&1/2 hours til bait ran out caught a bass from 12"-18" lost count after 25. Had to switch to only one rod cause it was basically cast 2 clicks on the reel and hooked up. just became to much with more than one rod. not the size i was after but it was still fun. Clams bloods and frozen salt herring all caught. All fish were caught in 13' water. Outgoing. Clams cut in half caught the most, every single blood went to a bass so tht was good. Did get a few perch early on clam so I kept them alive and cut dorsal fin and drifted live perch for an hour in 30' water had one really good pick up but I missed the hook up.

Did catch a report from the other day from a friend who caught 4 bass 30"-39" so there are some bigger fish around just gota be there as they move through. My size and numbers are deff down this year compare to last 6 years but they r around.
DoD report: still hot with 30"-40" bass in past couple days.

Herring are pushing back out seems they spawned out so fishing creek mouths would prob be best even tho I didn't fish those areas maybe prob should have. Well maybe I get out Friday again. Catch'em up.
 
#363 ·
Called it quits today ran outa bait. Had trouble finding them at first was fishing deep water 25-40' trying find tht #60 but it wasn't to be had. So I headed down to one of my trusted spots and man were the rats thick. Every single cast for 1&1/2 hours til bait ran out caught a bass from 12"-18" lost count after 25. Had to switch to only one rod cause it was basically cast 2 clicks on the reel and hooked up. just became to much with more than one rod. not the size i was after but it was still fun. Clams bloods and frozen salt herring all caught. All fish were caught in 13' water. Outgoing. Clams cut in half caught the most, every single blood went to a bass so tht was good. Did get a few perch early on clam so I kept them alive and cut dorsal fin and drifted live perch for an hour in 30' water had one really good pick up but I missed the hook up.

Did catch a report from the other day from a friend who caught 4 bass 30"-39" so there are some bigger fish around just gota be there as they move through. My size and numbers are deff down this year compare to last 6 years but they r around.
DoD report: still hot with 30"-40" bass in past couple days.

Herring are pushing back out seems they spawned out so fishing creek mouths would prob be best even tho I didn't fish those areas maybe prob should have. Well maybe I get out Friday again. Catch'em up.
Shoot, where can I get into those rats? They would be a blast from my yak.
 
#365 ·
Hey all my fellow striper nuts, I am going to hit the river hard on Sunday and Monday and I had a question about chum. I have one of those old metal minnow buckets with the lid that locks down and full of small holes. I was wondering if it would work to fill it full of "junk" like chicken livers and that frozen clam stuff and drop it right below my boat or drag it on top or is it a waste of time. I just figured that if I packed that thing full of chum it would last damn near all day. Give me a shout back about it and hope to see y'all out over the weekend. I will be out between buoys 12 and 4 I think. Chuckles
 
#368 ·
Mu, great observation in the creeks! Now the question is... If the baitfish have spawned out and are headed back to sea, what is left for the bass coming out of spawn? What species will be their target; what is plentiful in the Delaware? The cows will be hungry, and likely scoop up anything they can get their mouths on... It might be a shorter season since the baitfish are on their way out, although, we may see some unheard of numbers, hopefully.

Good luck out there!!!
 
#370 ·
mu, great observation in the creeks! Now the question is... If the baitfish have spawned out and are headed back to sea, what is left for the bass coming out of spawn? What species will be their target; what is plentiful in the delaware? The cows will be hungry, and likely scoop up anything they can get their mouths on... It might be a shorter season since the baitfish are on their way out, although, we may see some unheard of numbers, hopefully.

Good luck out there!!!
your bait.
 
#372 ·
I'm not liking the way water temps are climbing on the river. Not liking fact herring have stated moving out already. It might really be over before it ever really gets started this year. Hearing numbers and size down also in Susquehanna river as well as most of the lower chesapeake and from what I been seeing and after talking to someone from the Hudson they been doing well and they have just gotten another group of big bass entering.
Ocean temps outside the delaware bay is around 50 and bigger sized bass have been reported being caught lately in the lower bay.
This year has me stumped. #serchingforanswers I might not see a #30 let another a #40,#50,#60 I was looking for this season.
Hoping just hoping the spawning stock is not dwindling. Not much mention of any fish in the #50 or bigger class. Pa fish & boat commis usually does its striped bass testing on the Big D first week of May sure like to get some preliminary findings. Numbers sure seem down across the board this spring. I hope we didn't lose entire schools of fish by the netters down south. Or maybe sandy effected travel routes and most of our rives stock found other waters to spawn in. Idk but I have seen or heard anyone have a banner year yet. (Catching a thousand rats or a few slots don't count) but I'm just thinking out loud dont mind me I just need to get out and chase'em down.
 
#373 ·
Skunked Big Fat SKUNK. Went out for a quick 3&1/2 hr trip fished 2 different spots in between tacony and betsey from 4:30-8pm using nothing but bunker chunks (all big chunks only 3 pieces including the head) had a lot of pic ups none of the runs were long coulda been big cats. Caught a big 5lb eel and chunked it and had one fish slam it on the way down after the cast and caught me off guard an didn't get hookset. 2 other boats tht went out same time as me and came back same time both had negative results one boat did get 2 bass both 15" on clam.
Going out early in the am to fish for the the whole day with big bait again gota put the breaks on a true cow before the days out! Catch'em up.
 
#376 ·
Fished today from 10 am to 4 pm . Caught 8 inch / 15 inch / 19 / inch and my personal best on river a 36 inch fat heavy male full of milt. My friends boat a 21 inch / 22/inch / and 26 inch slots. We also caught a bunch large catfish 10 lb range all on clam around CBB.
 
#378 ·
Way to go on the 36" bro!!!!!!

I saw a 34-36" fish floating dead today had me pissed (I know it wasn't urs I was north of u an saw it on the outgoing funny thing too it was hot and heavy right before tht fish floated by but shut right down after it passed by the boat had to move to get back on them. I wonder did the fish see or smell or know tht fish was dead and stopped biting idk jus something to think about)
 
#377 ·
Fished from 7am-6:30pm Early on was hard to go only had 2 fish to my name as of my first post but Basically as soon as I post tht reply earlier 1/2hr later the fish finally turned on. Got 2-30" back to back one on chunk eel and one on chunk bunker. Then got a 27" just an inch short and a inch to big (for the table tonight) but he went back. A lil later ended up with 21",22" (kept 1). And totaled 15 plus rats 12"-18". Something like 10-12 cats and got one tht was 36" aprox 12-15 lbs really big cat (on chunk eel) only 2 cats on clam the rest on bunker and eel. All in all stil not what I was looking for (my biggest is still only 33" this season on the river anyway).
With the way the day started ill take the results I was able to put together lots of action between 12:30pm-up to the last cast at 6:20pm. Biggest came on bunker and chunk eel slots also came on fresh bunker. All the rats came on surf clams. All the action was on the outgoing basically and bigger fish were in 32' rats were in 16'.




Pic not uploading ill try later

I think I'm breaking out the CHUBS CHUBS CHUBS next trip.
 
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