Everyone enjoying the smoke and dust sunsets? Mostly it is the wildfire smoke creating that Tatooine skyscape for a little while. It makes for some interesting pictures. The fish don’t care and it would be great if the sun blockage would help with the heat. It is right hot out there today. Highs are into the 80s until the weekend. Lows are the mid-60s. Night fishing will be more comfortable soon enough. The less you have to wear to fish, the better. Heavy jackets can wear you out casting for long periods. Water temperatures are slowly rising.

The migratory striped bass action is mostly north of us but there are some fish still passing through. Clam, bunker chunks and mullet have worked for bait. Anglers are still trying for black drum using clam or sand fleas for the preferred baits. Resident striped bass are still schooled up and fun to catch.

Fishbites is working better with the warmer water. There are a lot of new formulas or flavors to check out this year, like mullet and ghost shrimp. They also have a new larger chunk-like bait you can cut up to any preferred size for offshore anglers. The earthworm formula is working very well. Lug worm isn’t too bad either.

Water surface temperatures were around 63 degrees Wednesday afternoon at buoy 44009 offshore, and the buoy off Bethany beach was reading 65. It’s a tad chilly to swim but great for fishing. The Ocean City Inlet is 67 degrees. These temperatures will be about the same into the weekend despite a little rain.

Bluefish are still around, gator to snapper size. I’m hoping the snapper size stick around most of the summer. We will see how the late summer blues do this season. Surf anglers are having luck with mullet rigs or spoons and any shiny lure. I’m trying all kinds of new metals I find during my work travels.

Tacos are getting more abundant. That would be kingfish for you non fish eaters. Kingfish make amazing fish tacos. Fishbites bloodworm works great for kingfish. Squid pieces as well.

The Cape Henlopen pier is open and spot are around. They are too small to eat but are perfect bait sizes. Live line a five-inch spot and hold on to your rod.

Check the local charters for trip or species options, there are several now. A tilefish is now pending a state record in Delaware.

Sharks are showing up more and more. Know the rules for clean, legal releases. If you cannot ID the shark, just cut the line close to the hook or pop the hook out while leaving the shark in the water. That gets to be an experience call when it comes to safety of the angler versus safety of the fish. If you can get the hook out fast and safe, it is more better for the shark. If not, cut the line at the hook eye. Don’t use stainless hooks or any that won’t rust. Honestly it will take a while for a hook that large to rust out no matter how cheap it is.

Flounder pounding has been getting better and better. I’ve seen some nice-sized catches from the surf by anglers checking their mullet rigs. Or they are jigging the cuts and rip currents. When you retrieve a baited mullet rig, you’re dragging that bait right through the flounder hunting grounds. They will ambush bait fish and crabs along that ledge in the surf. That moving sand is a buffet for all the smaller fish and the predators hunt for the larger bait fish and crabs. A small live spot live lined in that area can pick up a nice flounder. Big bait, big fish.

Boats are drifting minnows or jigging Fishbites Fight Club or Gulp. Drop a live spot in the canal.

There are still trout in the rivers up north. Fly fishing has been productive or just casting small spinners. Our stocked trout will hit a variety of baits.

Heads up, the Dover Youth Fishing Derby is June 19 at the Silver Lake Park pavilion. Register on-site at 4 p.m., with the derby running from 5 to 6 p.m.