Paul Jonovic snapped this photo of snow geese invading Broadkill Beach. (Submitted photo)

Happy New Year. I hope you got a chance to get outside and enjoy the mild holiday weather.

Nothing like a 60-degree day in January. Lot of horseback riders on the beaches exercising their steeds.

The beach combing has been decent, especially if you want to find old bullets; Rehoboth Beach is covered with them from the replenishment. Surf fishing is slow even for skates and dogfish.

Fishing is not limited to tautog, but is the best choice for the boats out of Lewes and Indian River. Some anglers are still searching for that straggler migratory striped bass, and a few have been ghost hunting. That is when you spend hours in a boat looking for blue fin tuna migrating south, only to spend about an hour trying to hook up one of these elusive beasts. It is probably some of the hardest fishing there is and the most rewarding if you do manage to hook into a 100-pound bluefish tuna.

There is still some decent trout action in the White Clay Creek for fly anglers or spinning gear anglers. Small swim shad darts do very well for trout. Spinners are a good choice as well.

We are just waiting for the yellow perch action to turn on this winter. Fishing in the extreme cold with ice coming off your guides and reel is always a good time. Crappie action will be better soon but is not too bad right now. Pond action is more productive on the warmer days.

The surfers are catching some waves with the occasional swell, and the winds lately have helped produce some small ride-able waves. We haven’t had any serious storm surges yet but the winter is just getting started. Once that happens the surfers will be sitting by the beach waiting for the big winter waves to show up. This is the time of year for the best surfing in Delaware.

Snow geese

Snow geese are all over the skies. You can’t look up and not see them. Flocks have been landing on the ocean off the beaches and tourists think they are sea gulls. Broadkill Beach is covered with snow geese to the point you can barely see the sand. Hunters are having no problems bagging as many of these birds as they can; despite the hunter’s efforts it seems like there are more and more each year.

Some have nicknamed snow geese devil chicken, which is a rather accurate description. If they were really tasty there wouldn’t be as many.

Outdoors expo

Don’t forget to save the date for the first annual Delaware Outdoor Expo at the state fair grounds in Harrington. It will be March 11.

Vendor spaces are filling up fast. Contact the paper if you would like to vend at this great event. There will be a lot of fun presentations and activities for the whole family.

Rich King’s outdoors column appears Thursdays in the Delaware State News.