Fishing in Sussex
You’re bored with looking at girls on the beach (to which I say, “What’s wrong with you, man ?”). You have had your fill of Grotto or Nicola Pizza and Dogfish Head beer (see previous comment). You’ve hiked Cape Henlopen, Trap Pond, and even up at Broadkill. What else can I do that will not only kill some time and not cost a whole lot of money, but will relax me as a local ?
I have just the answer…fishing.
There are a wealth of opportunities for fishing in Sussex County, and there you have the choice of salt water or fresh water fishing. There are numerous ponds and lakes, the Indian River Inlet and Rehoboth Bay, and of course surf fishing the Atlantic Ocean or Delaware Bay.
Now that you have an idea of where to go, now you need to get some bait. What should you use ? Here are a few suggestions…
If you are fishing for flounder, hook a live minnow at the mouth or a shiner through the eye, as well as a squid.
For tautog, who live around rocks, live green crabs work well. Also, to avoid losing your fish to the rocks, there is a trick involving using a rubber band to put your sinker on. Then, say you catch one and your sinker gets caught on the rocks, you might lose your sinker, but you’ll get the fish.
You can use something as simple as bloodworms for kingfish, spot, trout, and stripers. Mullet strips also work well for the former three.
Don’t forget…for surf fishing, your standard 4-pound test won’t work. Make sure you get good heavier line. It may not work on your Zebco 33, but you’ll be able to make the haul.
And of course, where to buy the bait. Although there are a good number of good bait and tackle shops, I suggest Bill’s Sport Shop. There’s a web link below for them.
For DNREC surf fishing information, visit the DNREC surf fishing website. For information on other locations, a good place to visit is Bill’s Sport Shop’s website. And too, Bill’s Sport Shop is the best place to stop before you wet your line for bait (salt or fresh water), gear, etc. This website and also this one are two other good resources.
