Winter, spring, summer, winter, spring, almost summer, winter, definitely spring, summer almost here. Not sure what season it is? I just go outside. There is a difference between warm 50 degrees and cold 50 degrees. I can’t describe it but you know what I mean. The fish are feeding and that is all that matters. Dress for the cold, hope it gets warm. Like we used to say on the job, the heat is in the tools. This is a good time of year to fly fish because your arm never stops moving and you are wearing warm, waterproof gear. Surfcasting will keep you warm as well, which is needed. Standing next to the ocean this time of year is like standing naked in front of an open fridge. It’s right chilly.
Water temperatures are picking up in all waterways inland. The ocean will warm up much slower. South of us, fish are showing up already in many areas.

It won’t be long till we see many summer fish. For now we have white perch and yellow perch. Crappie action is good. Anglers are starting to target catfish more and producing catches. Pick which of your favorite spots you prefer and get a line wet. Spring fishing turns on and off from colder nights.

Fishbites is working and ready to rock for the rest of the year. They have some new formulas or flavors for the salt anglers. Mullet and ghost shrimp both will work well here in the north. Check out the earthworm — I promise you will not be disappointed. It’s just so much easier than digging up worms. I’d much rather have those in my gardens. I’m literally growing worms for the gardens in compost piles. The birds really dig it.

Water temperatures are easy to keep up with around the state with the USGS survey stations. Just search online for USGS Current Water Data for Delaware or look for the USGS National Water Dashboard and search for Delaware. There are over 13,500 stations nationwide that offer a variety of water conditions. The Massey’s Landing gauge is great for temperature. I can predict the current tide by looking at the temperature graph too. This week the temperature has fluctuated between 46 and 55 degrees between tides. That’s great for striped bass action. You can change the graph to weekly, monthly or yearly and see the temperatures trend up or down for the season. These gauges help me plan early season trips.

Striped bass are being caught on bunker chunks in the Delaware. Netters are picking up a lot of bunker. Check out Richard King at Kingfish in Port Penn. All of the netters are catching and supplying the shops now. Bloodworms are available in most bait shops too.

Striped bass are schooled up around the area waterways and feeding. We are starting to see them at the beaches around the inlets. Small swim shads and bucktails are great lures for the schooling bass. Bloodowrms will work as well, especially in the dirtier water. Spoons work better in clearer water, bait in dirtier waters.

Shad are moving up the Delaware with a lot of early catches as anglers get out and try their luck. The shad fever over winter gets those anglers ready for the run. ShadFest 2025 is April 26 and 27. The festivals around the allure of the shad are numerous. It’s a lot of fun to catch, not bad to eat but very bony and tough to clean.

Maryland’s opening day for trout fishing is this Saturday, March 29. Maryland DNR: “Dozens of waterways will be stocked with trout before the areas listed as ‘closure 1’ reopen for the season at 6:30 a.m.” The list of places is long. Check Maryland DNR’s website for location lists and regulations. If you’ve never explored Maryland waters, this is a great time of year to do so.

Blue catfish are very invasive, and they need to go. Catch and kill as many as you can to help the waterways. Blue cats get enormous and will eat everything in a waterway. They are a big issue in the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding waterways. There are numerous groups hosting catfish tournaments — search online. I keep seeing new ones every week.

With all the national park campground closures, I would expect to see a great deal of extra people at state parks and beaches this summer. The national closures are happening constantly. If you had plans to go to a national park this summer, check with the park system for any coming closures. Many park services and attractions are closing down due to lack of staff to provide services.

The northside beach at the Indian River inlet is open. Bowers Beach has a new rock wall area almost completed. We’re waiting for the Indian River Inlet work to be done on the north wall inside the inlet.

What will be interesting with the North Beach project, if the sand, as it moves north, collects above Conquest Beach at that mini point. Will the old “pool” come back that was the scour hole from the inlet wall in front of Coin Beach and Faithful Steward crossing area? That hole held some serious fish at times and always produced something. Time and a few nor’easters will tell. The beach is back to the way it was decades ago. Let’s see if we can keep it there with sand relocation.

Get out and fish! Saturday will be 71 degrees — no excuses now. Have a great weekend.